The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-05-17
YOUTHS N RANKS
READY FOR DOOM
Every Sort Of Fight Device Is
Brought Into Play
TALE TOLD BY CAPTIVES
German Government Drawing
Heavily On It's Nineteen.
Nineteen Class
WILLIAM PHILIP SIlfMS

With the British Army in France,
May 15.-There is little doubt now
that the Germans are preparing for
the last and final drive that they will
make on the western front They
will use every man, every horse and
every sort of fighting machine that
the German empire can muster to
this final and desperate blow.
The German divisions are being re-
formed Boys as young as eighteen
and many men that have but
recently recovered from their wounds
are being rushed into those units to
fill up the gaps made by the terrific
hammering that the German divisions
received in the previous drives.
1t is known that when Field Mar
shall Hindenburg began his great west
ern offensive, such young soldiers were
not in the attacking ranks.
Stories of Terrific Losses.
Prisoners tell of the terrific losses
that the Germans suffered in their
previous attacks. One prisoner says
that one battalion in which he was
located lost fifty per cent of its num-
Der in the German attack at Meter
en-. Another prisoner says his bat
talon lost sixty to seventy per cent.
Other prisoners tell of battalions los
ing forty to fifty per cent in the at
tacks on the Somme and the Lys.
1t is evident that the German gov
eminent is9.drawing heavily on its
1919 class in filing up it's ranks. It
is believed that the kaiser will make
good on his boast that he will either
rule the world or persist in the fight
until every man, every horse and
every dog that he can command is
dead.
Tremendous Artillery Attack.
limited Press Dispatch.
London, Eng, May 15.-General
Hajg reported today that the Ger
mans had opened a tremendous ar
tillery attack on several points be-
tween the Somme and the Ancre riv-
els. and on the north portion of the
Flanders front. Enemy raids were.
successfully beaten Off by the British
southwest of Morlincourt and north
of KENNEL. North of Lens the Brit
ish made successful raid against
the Germans. Fighting is reported in
the neighborhood sof Robecq and
Nieppe wood
French Attack German Position.
London. Official, May 15.-The Ger
man artillery increased it's intensity
this morning near Morlancourt, south
of Albert and in Flanders, north of
KENNEL
Paris, Official. May 15.-The French
yesterday evening attacked the Ger
To
Amiens, and captured the wood on the
west bank of the Avre river The
Germans counter attacked but were
beaten off with heavy losses. Dur
ing the night there was violent bonn
bardment north of Montdidier and
between Montdidier and Noyon.
Austrian Troops Mobilizing.
UNITED Press Dispatch.l
Rome, Italy, May 15.-Austrian
troops are mobilizing in great num-
bers along the Alpine line and on the
Friuli plains near here. 1t is evident
that they are preparing for great
drive on Italy. Austrian aeroplanes
are making desperate attempts to
keep the Italian planes from getting
information of what is going on.
Trying Is conscript Russians.
limited Press Dispatchl
Washington, May 15.-Information
has been received here to the effect
that Germany is trying to conscript
Rus slams into her army, to fill up the
gaps in her ranks. caused by the
great losses on the west. She is at
tempting to make the rich Russian
territory along the border nothing
else than German provinces.