Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-08-15

 POSITIONS
 NEAR ALBERT Pressure by Britons Forces Huns to Withdraw Their
 Lines. FRENCH CAPTURE TOWN OF RIBECOURT Germans Lose Important Ground Both North and South of the Somme.
(ASSOciated Press SMmmaryo

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 North and south of the Somme the Germans have lost further important ground.
 In the ofrmer region they have evacuated their positions over a five mile front to the British north of AL Abert. while in the latter they have Aeen beaten back in the hill and wooded district just north of the Disc river by the French.
 German front line trenches at Beau- mont, Hamel, Serre, Puisieux-au- Mont and Bucnquy have been found "ntenable by the enemy in the face of the activity by the British all along the line from Albert to Arras, while the French have persevered in their violent attacks against the Germans Ion the sector wh3h dominate the lower portion of the Picardy plain and the Disc valley, and have en- icroached further upon the Lassigny Massif and the Thiescourt plateau and farther south have captured the important town of Ribecourt.
 LasSlgny Capture UncOnfirmed. Unofficial reports have announced the capture of Lassigny by the French and of all the German positions be- tween the western outskirts of Bray Sur-Somme and Etineham by the Aus tralians There is, however, no off cial confirmation of them.
 From the Somme to the Disc, except in the latter region where the French have made further gains, the Germans seemingly have had further success in holding back the allied troops ana still are in possession of Chaulnes and Rove. upon the capture of which the efforts of the British and French have been centered
 On this central part of the battle front the enemy continues to deliver violent cOunter-attacks and also has further reinforced his line with men and guns. and is using them without stint to retain his positions, realizing that sheir capture would shell dis aSter.
 Readjusting Defenses.
 The giving of the front line trenches north of Albert possibly mean that the German high command foresees the ultimate success of the American and British operations along the Somme, and is readjusting to the Ger man positions to meet any eventuality.
 In any event the retrOgrade mOve- 'ment seemingly indicates that the 10- mile salient between Beaumont, Hamel and Bray on the Somme, with Albert it's apex, now must give way. in order that the German front here may come into alignment with that in the south across the Somme. In fact, it seems not probable that the Ger mans purpose to readjust their front from the SOmme to Arras and pos sibly further northward.
 The capture of Ribecourt by the French marks an important epoch in the offensive, which has for it's im- mediate purpose the feeling of the region between the SOmme and the Oise of the enemy.
 AS again from a stratgic standpoint, it ranks with the taking 'by the French of the forest and hill positions be- tween the Matz and the Disc, which has brought the serench almost to the gates of Lassigny.
 Through Ribecourt lies an open route up the Disc valley to Noyon- a route by rail and the big national thoroughfare, not to mention the canal. which parallels the roadways for the greater Fart of the way.
 Noyon is only little more than six miles northeastof Ribecourt.
 Although they are still encounter ing violent resistance. the French are to make progress through the wooded and hilly country between the Matz and the Disc, wheresthe Ger mans from recesses in the forests on spurs and in the canyons are using machine guns innumerable.
 Gas also is being loosed in great quantities by the enemy.
 Almost entire control of the Thies- court plateau and the other high ground on this sector is now in the hands of the French.
 Along the Vesle the Germans again have made unsuccessful attacks against the French and Americans, who are still holding their positions.
 In the mountain region on the western Italian front the Italians have captured several important positions k~,s~ Z