Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-04-18
HAIG DRAWS IN
 LINE TO AVOID
 FLANK ATTACK Battle Deepens in Intensity as British and Teutons
 Battle for Ridge. CAPTURED TOWNS CHANGE HANDS OFTEN BriliSl, Rctake Wytschaete and Meter cn. But Lose Them tgain-Line
 South of Ridge Like
 Granite Wall.
Associated Press War Summary)

Associated Press War Summary
 Out of the chaos of the tremendous battle along the Lys river south and southwest of Ypres, the thunder of which may be heard 40 or 50 miles away, there have come during the last day reports which are more encourag. ing to the allied powers. The British not only have held all the ground they were defending on Tuesday, but have struck back so powerfully that Meter ren and part of Wytschate were retaken and held for time. Only af- ter heavy attacks did the British retire again from the villages. ~" t14i' s
 The most disturbing news has been report fro mBerlin that Poelcapelle and Langemark north of Ypres, have been taken by the Germans, and the admission from London that the Britt ish have retired from certain of their lines in the Ypres salient. The retire ment here was expected for the ad- vance of the Germans at Neuve Eglise and Baileuil left the position in front of Ypres open to flank attack. 1t is officially stated that the retire ment was orderly and it is probable that it will have more of sentiment tai than a strategic effect, Just how far the British lines have been with drawn is unknown; it may be, howev-S CT, that the Germans claim of taking Poelcapele and Langemark was the result of the British retirement.
 Battle Deepens in Intensity
 The battle, now in it's ninth day, has deepened in intensity at many points along the curved front from Messines ridge to Meteren. There have been reports that the Germans have occupied the village of Steeloi, which lies less than three miles south of Ypres, but they have net been con- frmed. It also was said that they have taken positions on the south slope of Mount Kemmel, which is about two and onehalf miles north of Wulverghem; this also has not been confirmed. On all the remain der of the front. from Messines ridge southwestward, the Germans have flung themselves against the granite wall of the British defense. Official and semi-official dispatches have told of the frightful losses inflicted on the attacking masses of troops by the British rifle and machine gun fire.
 On the southern side of the salient there have been engagements of some magnitude, especially east of Ro- becq, five miles northwest of Bethune, where the Germans were caught by the British artillery fire and scattered.
 Huns Repulsed at Arras.
 The line in front of Arras has again been the scene of fighting, but here the British took the offensive and drove the Germans out of the British trenches, which had been carried by the enemy.
 In the Picardv sector there have been artillery engagements between the Scmme and Disc rivers, but only patrol encounters are reported official ly. Further south only raiding opera- tinos have been going on.
 Turks Take Batum
 The Turks announced that they have taken the city of Batum on the eastern shore of the Black sea. They report strenuous fighting before the Russian defenders of the city were driven out.
 Baron Stephen von Rajecz has suc- ceeded Count Czernin as foreign min ister of Austria Hungary, coming back to the office he relinquished on December B, 1916.
 The Macedonian front has again be- come active; Greek and British troops have advanced and driven the Teu- tonic allies from Southern towns along the Struma river, on the east ern end of the line. French forces have also been active in this theatre of the war
 Huns Attack BelgiaRs. Paris, April 17.-Belgian commNn-