Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-29
FRENCH PENETRATE
FLANK Of SALIENT
ON S|X-M|LE FRONT
German Drive in Picardy
Comes Almost to a Halt,
Except at Very Tip.
BRITISH REPULSE ATTACK
NORTH OF SCARPE RIVER
Allied World Waits Anxiously
for Result of Petain's
Thrust.
NAY SPOIL TEUToN PLAN
Berlin Admits Heavy Losses, but
Says Casualties Have
Eeen Normal
GRy Assoc lated rre.s,

BY Assoc lated Iressi
Slowly assuming the shape OF
giant plowshare. the German drive in
Picardy has come almost 70 =, hi, ~
ccDt az the very tip or tho sa.ien,
driven into the lines or the entente
allies AS the area covered by the
Teutonic offensive stands now, It run.
on the south. in an almost straight
line from i.andicourt. on the old hin
denburs line" TO Mont Dldicr. well be.
hind ths allied positions as they stood
in 1916
Savage lighting has taken place on
the French part OF the line. The Ger.
man attempts to advance on the cN-
treme tip OF the salient driven into
the French positions have been fruit
less. and they have been driven back
at the point of the bayonet The Brit
ish. on the front north OF tile Scarpe
also have repulsed the enemy. but
south of this river they have been
forced to retire.
FROM Mont Didicr the line TO the
northeast runs with sharp angle to
Warvillers. and there it turns north
ward and passes along the Somme
River to above Albert, where it. again
turns 10 the northeast until It joins the
old lines held by the contendinE armies
on the morning of March n.
out OF the confusion Of the battle
and the contrary claims OF the con.
testing armies. two new features stand
out. The first is that the French, over
front OF six miles. have driven into
German lines along the southern side
or the salient established by the Teu-
tonic drive The other Is that the
Germans have begun Il new operatiou
10 the east OF Arras. which may be the
inception OF 4 widening cf the area OF
battle to the northward
FRENCH ATTACK MAY
DE CoUNTEROFFENSIV
At the present moment the allied
world is looking anXiousiy for news
OF the success OF the French thrust into
the flank OF the German forces. Tho
fact that the drive progressed rapidly
and cut n deep notch into the German
held ground in the region OF Noyou
may indicate that this movement Is
the counteroffensivc which has been
expected &c: the last three days. Prog
ress by :hc French for considerable
distance .r:o the German force; woul1
cut off the Toutons lighting at the
very tip O. the pillow share" and com
pei them - retreat. or 1T least pause
unit! the menace TO their communica-r
tions cln h removed.
\ further advance OF the French
might easily overturn the whole plan
OF the Germans and bring about a
new phase OF the battle. In which the
allies would strike hard all along the
front and compel the Germans TO relin-
qutsh their dearly bought conquests.
The German activity near Arras may
Lave FOR It's purpose either new drive
AT the allies lines or Il defensive opera
ton intended to stop an English blow
from the north colncidcnt 10 that be,
gun by the French.
The British held firm NORTH
of the scarpc. but to the SOUTH
of the river have been driven
back. Their line now is near that oc-
cupcd in July. 1916, and runs straight,
from ArleuH. north of .lrras. to Rois-
!eux. on the line held By the British
on the north side Of the dent drive,
into their lines by the German thrust.
Berlin admits that the losses have
been very heavy. The casualties are
'NtS''Sa ~ do hoI WHICH, III view
or the magnitude OF the battle, may
mean that the Germans have paid
heavily for the ground they have won
IL Is admitted that certain points
the losses have been greater. hut il is
rointed out that the proportion OF
slightly wounded is very high.
AMERICANS TAKE PART
IN TERRIFIC FIGHTING
Americans have been in the fshtins
and have acquitted themselves nobiy.
Dispatches from Paris state that they
have won the praise OF the French oin-
GERS for their conduct in the midst
Of the mighty battle. 1t is said that
American divisions are among the units
forming the strategic reserve OF the
allied armies. If that is the case, II !s
probable they were in the fighting near
Noyon yesterday and shared with the
French tho burden OF breaking into the
German lines.
There has been nothing from the
other sectors In Belgium. Franco or
Italy to indicate that new drive In
any OF them Is imminent Theirs hsvAe