The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-30
With Minor Exceptions, Allied
Lines Stand Firm.
Fiercest Fighting Is at the
AnglO-French Junction.
EVERYTHING READY FOR HUN
British Lines Strengthened in
Every Quarter Now.
Most Heartening Display of
Optimism Everywhere.
GERMANS TAKE A VILLAGE
Capture Mezieres, Twelve Miles
North of Mont Didier.
Haig's Men Take Many Prison
erS in Counter Attack.
(For map of today's war
developments, see page q


For a brief space the tides of con-
flict have slackened, but any moment
they may set in again 1t may be
the lull before the storm When the
Germans have brought forward their
artillery and overhauled their fight
ing machine the struggle undoubtedly
will lie renewed, perhaps with greater
ferovity than before.
Yesterday afternoon the enemy had
d sII all success south of the Luce riv
er on the British right flank. Strong
German forces attacking there cap
tured MeZieres and also Maison
blanche north of that village. The
British Immediately organized coun-
ter attack and pushed forward deter
mil edly against the invaders.
At one point the attacking troops
were held up by machine gun fire, but
other forces pressed on doggedly. The
Germans however, opposed with too
great strength and were too well pro-
tected and the British were forced to
abandon the effort after hard strug-
gle during which 25 Germans were
taken prisoner in hand to hand fight
ing. The loss of these positions does
not alter the situation materially and
the British holds on the Luce valley
is considered sa tis actory.
Pushing for Paris
The Germans last night renewed
their powerful attacks in the Mont
adler region, where their wedge had
been pushed furthest toward Paris.
and a great battle is raging along a
% mile front on both sides of the sa-
lient which has Montdidier at its point.
The French backed up by powerful
reserves, are offering desperate re-
sistance to the German blow.
support of Reserves.
The battle was resumed with new
he q
progress on d front of forty kilome-
ters from Moreuil to beyond Lassigny.
French troops. supported by French
reserves, which continue to arrive,
are offering powerful resistance to
the violent assaults of the Germans
Or Wednesday and Thursday,
French av.e.tors Notwithstanding the
baG weather, continued their attacks
ag5,'lst the German machines. Flying
in groups, the French airmen at
tackled the Germans with bombs and
machine guns on the battle line and
in the concentration zones. Several
French machines made as many as
three expeditions on the same day.
Seventeen thousand Kilograms (more
than eighteen tons) of projectiIes
were thrown down in the region of
Gulscard and Ham. French pursuit
sQuadrons in the course of numerous
comb9ts brought down thirteen Ger
man airDlanes, of which seven were
destroyed end six were damaged bad
ly. Furthermore, two more captive
balloons were set on fire.
Apparently the French line has
been forced back slightly on the
northern edge of this front, as the
Paris official report of the battle
mentions the town of Moreuil as
forming a part of the line here. This
place is on the Avre river. about 1
mile;; southeast of Amiens, and its
occupatio. by the Germans would ad-
vance them slightly nearer that al
lied base
Great Battle in South.
o.. the southerly side of the salient
the battle is raging to a point beyond
Lassigny, which lies some IA miles
east of Mont Didier. There is no in
dication of any change along this
part of the front
The German assault in this region
seems a logical outcome of the STRAIT
Continued Page Twol