Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-04-16
Germans Making Strong
Effort to Gain Possession
of Heights.
LOSS OF YPRES
WOULD BE BLOW
Would Compel Retirement of British
Front and Cut Important Railway
and Communication Lines to Coast
-Germens Attack With Three Fresh
Divisions and overwheIm Defenders
of, BaiIeuI.

Tremendous pressure by German
picked fresh troops in an endeavor
to drive the British from Messines
ridge has compelled slight retire
msnt OF the British lines on the
northern side Of the Lys battle
front.
The town Of Bailleul has been
evacuated sna .hs British :-cn.
withdrawn to line running north
Of that town to the north of Wul-
verghem and thence to Wytschaete.
Wytschaete occupies tHe highest
point of the easterly ridge system
and the British have been firmly
established there since the early
days Of the enemy offensive. The
Germans threw their push into the
southwest and now are apparently
in more advantageous position to
attack Il, and their expected drive
on it was reported developing this
morning.
As il forms the pivot Of the Brit
ish line an extremely determined
defense is looked for from Field
Marshal Haig's troops.
Altho the loss Of sailIeul and
some Of the comparatively high
ground around It, such as Mount de
Lille and Revetsburg, represents a
decided setback for the defense, the
British line, as It has been with
drawn, is still on ground much
higher than the Germans occupy
The British artillery thus pos
sesses numerous vantage points,
chief among which is Mount KEN.
mel, which towers up more than
400 feet from the low ground
around Wulverghen, two miles to
the southeast. Apparently Field
Marshal Haig's forces still have "a
firm hold on all this valuable hill
region.
What may be called the frontal
attacks by tho Germans on the
ridge system back Of Messines,
Wysehaete and HoIlebeke fur
nished the spectacular feature Of,
the operations as reflected in to-
days news.
One brief paragraph in Hais's
report, however has an Importance
attached to it that should not be
overlooked 1t recorded the repulse
of heavy German attacks south Of
Vieux Berquin. =
The German line here runs along
the easterIy border Of Nieppe wood,
and it is by push to the north
west in this region that the enemy
hopes to reach Hazebrouck, some
five miles distant, and take this
highly important railway town.
WelI-nigh vital rail eommunica-
.tions to the Messines and Ypres re-
aions would thus be cut. The Brit
ish line is being strongly held in
this region, however, and the flank
ing movement. shows no signs Of
rnakina progress, as the report Of
the vieux 5erquin engagement
shows.
The German effort at present
seems centered upon the northern
side of the Lys battlefield, no i'm
portant fighting being reported
from the southern sectors
On the Picardy battlefield the
German attacks on Hanaard have
died down. Very violent artillery
fire continues there and tho French
runners have dispersed enemy in
fantrv attempts to advance from
Demuin.
On the remainder Of the French
front there has boon artillery ex-
change The Germans facing the
Americans north and east Of ST.
MihieI have not renewed their at
taeks.
London, April 1e.-The Germans ha,
aptured BailIeul, on the northern bal
lie front. the war Office announces. tt
British have fallen back to new pos
ions north of Bailleul and Wulve1
.herr1.