The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-13
HEAVY FIGHTING
Continued from Page One. I,

Continued from Page One,
the Germans are again driving against
Amiens and the French admitted
enemy progress there in yesterdays
fighting.
Only sixteen miles-from the La
Bassee canal to the Scarpe river-sep-
arateS the southern hinge of the Brit
ish retirement in the north and the
northern hinge of their retirement in
the south. Along this narrow strip
there is continuous artillery fighting
and occasional enemy raids. There is
every reason to believe that linden
burg will strive to straighten out his
line here shortly by striking westward
from Lens, against its center.
Vimy Ridge the Key.
A penetration at this point would
permit a flank attack on Vimy ridge
and later >Arrass., by the enemy's left
wing, and Loos and Bethuns, by their
right wing.
Vimy ridge is recognized as the key
to the important positions on this six
teen mile front It protects Arras, the
possession of which by the British is
generally regarded as one of the chief
factors in retarding Hindenburg's ad
vance in Picardy.
Further attacks on the British right
wing between. Givenchy and Robecq,
on La Bassee canal, yesterday wholly
failed. Two attempts late in the aft
Groom to capture LOGON were repulsed.
The British also counter. attacked
around Givency and took an important
German post.
Between Mont Didier and Noyon
"a twentymile 'front.' there were
heavy bombardments.
Rheims has been bombarded con-
tinually and partly set on fire.
BY CARL D. GROAT.
WaShinutOu Anril lathe most
trying days of the war are just ahead.
Army men agree today that this is
the Crank situation of the western
battle, in the light of General Haig's
and Genera, Maurice's statements
that new crisis has been reached.
L. grows incr easingly possible that
Germany will gamble with her fleet
ahead of any allied sea offensive.
America will have men in the strug-
gle which Haig now characterized as
raging with our backs to the wall
The bright ray in the Haig state
meat as seen here was that 1.-The
French army is moving rapidly and
in great force to our support" In
this reserve aid, Americans quite like
ly are included. If they are not now,
it is certain they will be on the line
soon and in force. Army men took
pride in the fact that Americans
fighting with the French had aided
to the southwark as revealed by the
French official statement.
British Position Again Critical.
That BaiIleul may have to be
yielded was the thought here from
General Maurices statement. But it
was clear to military men that the
British resistance has hardened and
that with reserves coming up, yielding
of further ground will be only after
the most desperate fighting.
The situation yesterday morning
%rif r hos
for several days. But the late after
noon and evening brought news that
the Germans had swung on westward
and that now the British position was
again critical. Previously. as shown
by Lloyd George, they had been close
to disaster in the Amiens drive.
Huns Use 1O6 Divisions.
Now with the boche hurting his
line at Calais, the menace apparently
is no less great than previously, but
on this occasion it is deemed wiser to
be moro frank with the nations in
volved.
The prodigality of the German eff
that 106 divisions have been used by
the Germans.
Three Thousand Prisoners Lost.
London, April 13.-Field Marshal
Haig, in his night report, admitted the
British are being pressed back slowly
in continuous fighting to the nelSnDor-
hood of the Bailleul railway. The
enemy also progressed slightly be-
tween the Lave and the Clarence riy-
ers. The British positions were main
tanned at other points, he said. The
German war office announced prog
ress on the Lye plain, between Armen-
there's and Merviile. 1t was also
claimed that fifty officers and 5000
men captured at Armentieres brought
the total prisoners in the Flanders bat
tie to 10000, including a British and
Portuguese general, besides 200 guns.
l-Haig also reported that Ostend and
Zeebrugge were bombed by British
airmen Thursday night and that
bombs were dropped on Metz and the
Sab1on railway station Friday.
Field Marshal Haig, like Marshal
Joffre at the battle of the Marine, has
called to his soldiers to stand firm and
die rather than give up the position
to the enemy. Military experts of the
British Office agree that a crisis has
been reached. There must be no re-
tirement" Field Marshal Haig says in
his appeal. French forces are rapidly
coming to the aid of the British and
gle probably will be enacted on the
Iowlands between Lille and ST. Omer.
British Gradually Give Way.
In heavy fighting the British are be-
ing forced back to Bailleul on the
north and toward Aire on the south.
Near the center the British and the
Germans are hotly engaged around St
Venant, which marks an approximate
advance of ten miles for the Germans
since Tuesday. On the extreme north