Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-04-13
ALLY DRIVE
 THOUGHT TC
 bE NEARING Marshal's Com fort That French Come Rapidly in Force" Significant.
WARS FIERCEsT
 FIGHT AT MESSINES
BritOnS Hold Western Slope, Germans Hold EaStern-Haig Tells His Men to Hold Line at AIT
 Costs.

Associated Press War Summary.) Great Britain's Army stands at bay in France and Flanders after three weeks of a combat which has eclipsed anything that has ragged during the entire four years of warfare.
 Field Marshal Haig has issued a command to his men to hold their pO- sition at whatever cost and fight with the knowledge that their blows are struck for the safety of their home and the freedom of mankind 1 The end of the first phase of this giant struggle now may be consider ed as past. There must be no re- ! tirement,' is Haig's admonition, which adds that the British now are fighting with their backs to the wall.'' The withdrawal in Picardy was off cially reported to have been part of the allied strategy but the period for such tactics seemingly has gone into history.
 The order issued by the field mar shal contains another sentence which may be pregnant with it's insignih- canoe 'The French army is moving rapidly and in great forces to our support" he said, and this is the first official intimation that the allies are ready to strike back at the German invaders. This blow may not neces- sarily fall in Flanders, nor yet in Pf- cardy but may be aimed at some part { of the line where Generallisimo Foch may believe he can cut thru the Ger man front, and compel the TeutOns to withdraw their pressure against the British
 The New Line.
 1 The allies stand today on a front which has been dented and battered, but which is very strong turnout. 1 Tracing this line to the south, 1t is found to leave the old battle front at Vraucourt, west of Laon, from this point it runs to the west, passes south of Courey le Chateau, and curves north until it reaches the Oise river, which it follows until it reaches a point south of NoyOn, where the line crosses over some high hills and runs just north of west to Mesnil west of Montdidier, where it turns to the north: this line is continued as far as
 Pastal. where it turns northwest to I1angard. and then by crooked line i thru Albert to a point near Hebuterne; There the line runs off to the northwest thru Bueuuoy and BOisleu to Fampolx, east of Arras at this point it turns north toward Lens. and then turns sharptly to the northwest, past Be- thunee, entering the scene of the most bitter fighting: it continues as far as Merville. which marks the furtherest advance of the Germans in their pres- ent offensive operations, and then to tn northwest of Passchendaele. north land east of Ypres; here it curves to the northwest of Merckem, and then north over the lowlands of Belgium to Nieuporty to the sea.
 The capture of Merville features the fighting during the last day, but all along the lines north of Lens to HOl- lebeke, southeast of Ypres, there have
 been tremendous attacks, which have been met by savage resistance.
 Bitter Fight For Ridge.
 The hardest fighting along this front seems to have been centered about Hessines ridge. for which the Germans and British have struggled hand to hand. At last report the Ger
 mans held the eastern half of the
 ridge, while the British were in con trOl of the western slope. This sector has seen the only infantry fighting of i the last few days. but bombardment of the Bray-Corbier road, south of Al
 bert and north of the Somme. may foreshadow another blow there. Han
 gard, too. has been heavily shellNd by l the Germans
 I Ou tue other fronts reports chow
 only usual trench operations. Turks and Germans have been attacking tho British lines north of Jericho sfnce frnr%ac,,>A r,r vos,o %;~so \ Y