The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-18
Heavy Fighting on Six-Mile
Front Along the Mouse.
French Advance 500 Yards on
400 Yd. Front West of River.
TOO HOT FOR THE GERMANS!
They Enter French Trenches
but Are Unable To Hold EN-.
In Raid Near MaIancourt the
French Grab so Prisoners.
(By the Associated Press.)

French and German troops have
been engaged in heavy fighting on
both sides of the Meuse in the YER
dun sector. West of the river the
French have gained the enemy posi-
tons on a front of about 1,400 yards
to depth of 500 yards, while east of
the river the Germans were unsuccess
full in strong attacks on a six-miie
front.
Sunday the Germans sent heavy
forces against the French positions at
Samogneux north of the Bots de Cav
rieres and near BeSonvaux, they enter
ed the French line at various points.
Violent French artillery fire inflicted
heavy casualties on the attackers and
they were unable to hold on to the
trenches they had gained. The front
east of the Mouse has been the scene
of much violent artillery firwe during
the last month.
Win in Night Attack.
The French success west of the riv-
err. was made at Malancourt, west of
Dead Man hill. At the Cheppy Wood,
Immediately west of Malancourt the
French late Friday night penetrated
German trenches on front of 500
metres to depth of 800 metres. At
ter destroying the positions the
French returned with eighty prison
ers and seven machine guns. East of
Rheims in the Champagne, German
troops gained momentarily a footing in
French positions west of Vaudesin-
court but suffered heavily, under a
French counter attack which restored
the situation.
Raiding activity on the British
front has died down somewhat and
the Germans for the moment at least
have given up their strong raids in the
Ypres-Arras line. The artillery fire
here and in the Cambria area, how
ever, is intense.
= British airmen persist in their
bombing raids against military tar
gets and have accounted for twenty
three more German machines.
= On American Sectors.
On the American sectors at Toui
and Luneville there has been no
change in the situation. American pa
troll parties are still visiting the enemy
fin lines and returning with valuable
information. On the Toul front the
American artillery fire has been very
heavy, the gunners Smelling billets.
troops and works over an area ap-
proXimatefy six miles wide and two
miles deep east of Luneville, also the
artillery bombardment has been
heavy.
Having occupied Odessa and Niko-
laiev, important naval and grain
ports, the Germans in southern Rus
STA continue their advance northward
from the Black sea toward Kherson,
an important commercial center and
capital Of the province of the same
name. The all-Russian congress of
soviets has declared Moscow to be
tho Russian capital and it is said that
all government and military effects
have been removed from Petrograd.
Russians Prepare for War.
The Bol5heAki leaders, aitho they
urged and obtained ratification of the
German peace treaty, are said to have
little hopl that the treaty will bring
peace an arc calling upon the local
soviets to form military organizations
with which to combat the Germans
s ould their invasion continue further
into the heart of Russia