The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-03-25
Firinu Heard Across Channel.

Firinn Heard Across Channel.
LONDON, March 25.-Extremely
heavy firing was heard along the
Kentish coast. throughout last night.
Houses were shaken by the concus-
sion.
The English channel at Dover is
about twenty miles wide. From
Dover to Arras, near the northern
flank OF the German advance, 1t is
about seventy-fve miles, however.
only One Link in Chain.
COPENHAGEN, March 25.-"The
present German offensive is only q
link in the great offensive" General
Auffenberg Of the Austrian armies de-
clared in an interview published In
the newspaper Azu1sag today.
TT will be long time before the
final result is reached"
Climax is Near.
[By J. w. T. Mason. Written for the
United Press.l
NEW YORK, March 25.-The next
twenty-fcur hours will probably mark
the climax of Won Hindenburg's un-
precedented slaughter Of his own
troops in an effort to overwhelm the
pI1IASu IalCS III = AohSOs ~ tAO 1oAAS1
ish lines hold their own during that
period, Won Hindenburg's great gam
BILE must begin to go against him.
For the present the Germans have
gained two detectives. They have
largely improved their own defensive
positions guarding their chief lines Of
communication in western France and
they have undoubtedly disarrange ed
British offensive plans for the coming
summer. But, the Germans have not
yet regained all the territory they vol
unfairly abandoned last March, when
they retired to the Hindenburg line.
The British front is resisting all
tendency to give way in disorder. AS
long as this slow orderely retirement
proceeds, the German attacks must
continue to exhaust Germany's man
power without corresponding compen-
sating advantages.
The Germans confess to an improv-
ed British defense in their statement
of captured prisoners During the
first two days of fighting BERN report
ed 5000 British had been taken. For
the second two days of the combat.
only 5000 additional captives have
been announced from the German
headquarters This sudden decline in
the number Of prisoners is very re-
assuring.
The present German objective in the
attack shows evidence of not being
fixed at any point The British retire
ment has caused Won Hindenburg ap-
parently to search madly at numerous
sectors for any special weakness OF
the line, with the intention of trying
to break through there. Otherwise it
is diff cult to explain satisfactorily the
scattering nature Of the German
blows.
After attempting to outflank the
British positions at the southern end
of the British front and failing, Won
Hindenburg has turned for new
drive nearly fifty miles north, near
Arras. A breaking up of the German
strength in this manner indicates Won
tunist. The failure of opportunists
has been almost invariable in the
present war
Calm and Confident.
LONDON, March 25.-"The empire
stands calm and confident in it's sol
diers,' was the message King George
wired to Field Marshal Haig today.
81 assure you the fortitude, cour-
age and self-sacrifice of the troops
you command, which continue SO he
roically to resist greatly superior
numbers, Is realized by me and my
people"
Odds of 81 &c II.
WASHINGTON, March 25.-Ffeld
Marshal Haig is holding the great Ger
man drive of ninety-seyen divisions,
with only twenty-seyen divisions
of battling Tommies, 1t was stated by
British military men here today.
According to the British strategy, it
is believed here, Haig will not rush up
greater concentrated forces until he
is ready to assume the offensive at
the break in the German ourush. Dur
ing battle is not well to over-concen-
trate men, it is pointed out.
British officials estimate the Ger
man losses at approximately 100000
men a day in killed, wounded and cap
tured At this rate, they hold, they
are justified in optimism and in the
belief that the Germans are defeating
themselves by their enormous losses.
Lively In Italy.
ROME, March 25-A lively artil-
lery struggle was reported at various
points on the Italian front by the
Rome war office today.
Four enemy airplanes were brought
down Sunday and two others Satur-
day.