Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-04-30

Courier and the publication OF this
pre-dated morning" edition of the
Des Moines newspaper the following
dispatches came over the wires:
Paris, April 26.-Counter at
from Villers-Bretonneux to south
Of the Luce were launched this
morning by our troops, who sue
ceeded, despite the fierce resist
ance of the enemy who had
brought up important forces, in
retaking a large part Of the
ground which had been lost in
that region. says the official state
ment issued by the warsoffice to-
night.
London. April 26-The French
have attacked KENNEL hill and
furious battle is raging, says
dispatch from Reuters cores
pondent at British headquarters Z
in France.
The Germans have attacked
from La Clytte TO the Ypres-
Confines canal, the dispatch adds.
The Franco-British armies, at.
lacking from Villers- Bretonneux
progress.
These were published in the Des
Moines newspaper, preceding the long
dispatches which The Courier carried
yesterday. They added nothing to the
days war news The Paris dispatch
repeated the news of yesterday after
noon. that the French had counter-at-
tackled successfully south Of the Brit
ish position at illers-Bretonneaux, on
the Amiens front The London dis
patch repeated the afternoon advises
as to the French counter attack At
Mont KENNEL. in Flanders, end dupli.
Gated the Villers-DretonneuX an
nouncement. The London dispatch
added the sentence regarding the Ger
man attack between Mont KENNEL
and Ypres, from La Clytte to the
Ypres-C Confines canal. in the territory
which the allies hold en- Mont KEN
mel formerly had guarded.
This last piece of information was
Of value to a student of the battle, In.
dicating a German movement menac'
ing Ypres, which long has been e Brit
ish stronghold.
These four lines contained all the
new Information the so-called morning
newspaper was able to add TO what
The Courier published yesterday. but
they were ignored by the Regfsters
telegraph editor, who achieved the fol
lowing headlines:
French win in counter drive.
Retake large part Of lost territory
about Mt. Kennel. Hnemies
gains, made At fearful COST are
nullified by recent lighting.
Huns resistance force. Bring up
important forces In effort to stem
tide Of on1ushing troops. Try to
regain hill lost. Germans attack
Yprss-C Confines canal and British
mako pro91Oss at HeaGar1.
These were not written with the In
tention to mislsad readers. Thsy
simply are the product OF IN unskilSet
telegraph editor Whose lack Of knowl
edge Of tho battlshdd's geography II
enormous. The French did win IN
counter attack, on the Amiena fron'
in France, but their victories there
coupled with the recapture of viners
Bretonneux by the British, were sew
enty.five miles south OF the pom
where other French forces, fghtfnt
with the British to defend the Yprei
sector In Belgium, had been forced II
surrender Mont KAmmel.
"Retake large part Of lost territor!
about Mt. KENNEL" filled twodncl
space with news that would have beel
cheering to Americans had 1t bee'
true. But the ground the allies RECAP
tured was In France as far from Mon
/ KENNEL, Belgium. as Burlington i
from Ottumwa.
Villers- Bretonneux is few mile
north of Hangard. and in this sector
which guards Amiens, the British an
French lines join. The American
troops are brigaded with the French Il
this territory.
This error Of the Register is in lin
with its Usual policy which ha
stamped 1t az one of the most IRE
sponsible and unreliable newspaper
In the middle west This is no singh
departure from an otherwise INTEL
gent course OF editing, but merely on
| Instance Of the many which are to b
found day after day in the oas.z