The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-12
KILL, KILL, KILL
tcontinued from Page one,

MILL, MILL, WILL
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in France and Belgium. but The Brit
ish once again drove them out by a
counter attack early this morning.
Three attacks which thu enemy
launched near Vile Chapelle. were re-
pulsed with immense losses to the
with their corpses-
A German officer. taken prisoner.
declared the Germans were ordered to
capture Amiens today at all costs.
Fighting has started in the vicinity
of Arras. Haig reported the Germans
capturing a post near Tilloy-les- Mot
flames. a mile east of Arras. from
which they were later elected.
Germans Want Yprcs.
BY j. w. T. MASON.
New York, April 12.-Creation of a
new salient before Ypres, such as
caused the evacuation of Armen-
there's, is the immediate purpose of Won
the north of the Armentieres posi-
tions.
Already, an angle has begun to be
formed in the Ypres area that threat
ems to develop difficulties for Marshal
Haig unless the Germans advance is
checked. This is the reason why there
is such persistent and desperate fight
ing at Hollebeke, Wytschaete and
| Messines, and to the southwest. These
| positions dominate any operations
| from the south against Ypres. Their
permanent occupation by the Germans
would give Hindenburg an opportun-
| ity to swing his attack farther north
| where progress of about five miles
| would compel the evacuation of Ypres
The British positions in this sector
are admirably constructed, for ~defen-
| sive fighting They can be made into
| death traps for the Germans. whose
system of massed attacks is particular
ly liable to slaughter before the ridge
on which the British defenses are
based. If these ridge positions should
| fall to Hindenburg, however. the dis
| trict beyond would present less diff
culties because it is down hill to Ypres
For Effect in England.
The capture of Ypres is chiefly de-
sired by the Germans not so much
because of any special military value
| but because of the morale effect the
kaiser thinks may be produced in
| Great Britain
Much glory of German arms has
| been gained in the Ypres area and the
recapture of the sector by the Ger
| mans would doubtless come as q.
| shock
But the selection of Ypres as an OBJ
jective by Hindenburg gives Marshal
| Haig a splendid opportunity to ad-
minister the second major defeat to
| cent drive. The first defeat came with
the abandonment of further opera
tions against Amiens.
! If Hindenburg is soon compelled to
cease his slaughter of German troops
in the Ypres sector. the result cannot
| fail to be highly disheartening to the
Germans at home. counting up their
dead.
In order to appreciate fully the
trend of the present fighting the Of
| fensive operations must be viewed as
| a whole for they go to make up
which undoubtedly is the crucial con-
| flict of the war. The loss of city
here or there or the abandonment. of
| five or ten miles of territory in any
| sector does not mean disaster.
The battle has got beyond such con-
| siderations and has settled down TO a
| grim race to determine whether the
| German man power is enough tn make
| good the threat to annihilate the Brit
| iSh army and force its capitulation-
1t is cold proposition of which side
Fcan kill the most men in the next
| few weeks and at the same time find
more recruits to fill the 0 depleted
| ranks.
Huns After More Gains.
| Having pushed back the British po-
| sitions on a front of 25 miles north
and south of Armentieres to an aver
age depth of a little more than two
miles the Germans are struggling,
| desperately to increase their gains,
| The brilliant defense of Field Marshal
Haig, however. is beginning to tell and
| the enemy advance has slowed up
greatly, altho the German attacks
have not diminished in intensity, and
| especially on the north and in the
| center.
French RepuIsc Attacks.
On the Picardy battlefield there has
| been no change in the situation. The
British front is quiet and the French
have repulsed two German attacks in
1.-THE region of Noyon. North of Mont
Didier and around Lassigny. the ar
tillery fire has been violent. The Ger
| man advance in the Coucy region has
| halted.
American Marines at Vladivostok.
| American marines have landed III
Vladfvostok with the British and Jap
anese and their presence is expected
/ to have a reassuring effect on Russian
| feelings
| Altho no official notification has
been received in Washington. the step
was not unexpected.
| Petrograd is said to view the situa-
! ton at Yladivostok more calmly.
I Hfndenburg Injured?
A Swiss report declared that Hin
denburg has been slightly wounded by
a bomb from an allied airplane.