The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-02-14
Present Location Not PeFman-
emf, However, Secretary
Baker Declares.
UNITED STATES PATROLS BUSY
German Wire Defenses Inspected and
More Gains for the Italians.

Oh any report nom General PSrSh1ng,
the War Department tonight was IN
able to throw any light upon the Ger
man raid yesterday upon the trenches
held by American forces
1t would not be improper, Secretary
Baker said, to deduee from the cas-
ualty list the fact that American
troops were in possession of a trench
sector and had been in military con-
| tact with the enemy. He empha-
sized the fact, however, that II would
be most improper TO draw the con-
! clusion that their present location IN
the allied lines is permanent, al
though admitting an announcement
Peshing had taken over a portion Of
| the line would come from the Ameri-
can expeditionary headquarters
Secretary Baker said frankly Gen
eraI Pershing, from his position with
the troops, would be better able 10
determine when this information
could do no harm
The reference to California drafted
men" in the dispatches from France Is
explained by the fact that large quotas
/ Of these troops from every state have
been included in both regular army
and national guard divisions
American Patrols Active.
With the American Army in France,
Feb IA dense fog which relied IN
! clouds over the American sector all
through the night enabled both Ame--
lean and enemy patrols TO work free
ly- The American patrols, unmolest-
/ ed, inspected the enemy wire defenses
and made some other discoveries OF
Importance
More Gains for Italians.
Rome, Feb. 1.-The Italians con-
tinued their attack on the Austro-Ger-
man right flank today, advancing
slightly northeastward of CoIderC $50,
the official statement declared. New
ly won positions west of the Frenzels
Valley were improved
Capture $500 Austrians.
Rome, Jan 31-More than $500
! prisoners have been taken by the Ital-
/ ians in their successful attacks upon
/ the Austrian lines on the Asiago pla-
! teau, the war office announced today
Six guns and 100 machine guns also
have been captured The Austrians
have been bombarding with extreme
| violence the positions captured by the
! Italians The Italian fire has been
powerfully centered On points behind
/ the enemy lines
Extremely heavy losses were SUI
fered by the Austrians, two Of their
divisions being almost completely
wiped out
Col Del Rosso was taken Monday,
| the statement adds, and the Italian
success was extended yesterday by
the capture Of Monte Di Val Bella
The statement reads: Our gallant
| troops in the plateau zone of the army
| successfully crowned yesterday the
action begun on the Eastern Asiago
plateau on Sunday by Wrestling from
the enemy his positions to the west
of the FreRzie valley
-"Col Del Rosso and Col Dechele,
which are on the descent toward the
western edge of the valley, having
been taken on Monday and since then
held with valor, the enemy in the re-
gion of Sasso Rosso was hard pressed
and his numerous counteFattacks be
ing repuIsed with the bayonet the sue
cess was yesterday extended by ths
capture Of Monte Di Val Bella"
Two Americans Killed
Italian Army Headquarters in North
ern Italy, Jan. 31.-Two Americans at
tached to the Red Cross were killed
at Mestre on Sunday night by bombs
dropped by German raiders They
were William Platt and Richard Cuts
Fairfield, and were the first Ameri-
cans to be killed on the Italian front
The exact addresses Of the victims
are lacking but one is believed TO be
from Pennsylvania and the other from
New York They had not enrolled in
the American organization, having en-
listed previously in the Yynne-BeTan
branch of the British Red Cross
Snow Fails TO Stop Italians
Washington, Jan 0-NotEithstsnd-
ing the fact that deep SHOWS stlll
cover the ground the Italians have
carried out a spectacular drive against
the Austro-German lines successfully
in the mountain region Of northern
Italy and captured strong positions
and more than 1,500 men.