The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-03-27
British and French Though Still
Giving Ground Preserve United
Front Intact.
HEAVY TOLL ExACTED
Germans Pay Dearly for Gains All Re-
ports Agree-Seventy Divisions or
Nearly Million Engased-Enemy
Troops firing.

London, March 27.-Although still
giving ground at points before the
desperate German drive, British and
French armies engaged in the great
battle in northern France are preserv-
ing their united front intact and ap-
parently awaiting the opportune mo-
ment for the delivery of counter
blow to dispel the German dream OF
world domination.
Big events are impending in the
immediate future, at any rate. Ad-
vices from the front indicate that
these are expected to develop favor
ably to the Allies, probably within
the next few hours.
All accounts agree that Germany
is paying heavily for every foot OF
ground she has wrested from the AL
lied armies. Her casualties are
shown by the British official state
ment to have mounted so high that
every part OF the western front had
to be drawn upon to provide badly
needed reinforcements for the battle
front.
Germans Use Nearly Million.
Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig's
report reveals that more than 20 di-
visions, between 100000 and 100000
men, already have been engaged in
the battle on the German side and
the widespread call for fresh troops
makes it plain that the fighting fore
es are being rapidly used up on the
terrific and costly onslaught Forty
divisions OF the German reserves are
reported to have been thrown into
battle line as early as the second day
of the battle.
Allies Draw New Lines.
The rearward movement in the face
of the Teutonic attack now has
brought the Allied armies well toward
the edge of their former battleline
In the Somme area and in the devast-
ated region southeast.
Haig reports the new British line
drawn somewhat to the east on Al
bert and Roye. Paris indicates the
French fighting front as extending
southwark from Chaulnes, past Noy-
on, which has been evacuated by the
French, and then running eastward
along the southern bank of the river
Disc.
German Troops firing.
The German troops have been re-
ported as rapidly tiring and they
were evidently forced to take a
breathing spell opposite the British
front, as the London noon statement
reports the fighting to have died
down. This morning. however, fresh
forces probably had been brought up
and the attack was being resumed
south of the Somme in the Roye and
Chaulnes areas.
Disc Strongly Held.
II is in this sector and in the Noyon
region that the German wedge is be-
ing driven in hardest and it is here
or on the line to the east, should the
Germans further expose their lef
wing, that the weight of the expected
counterblow may fall.
The French on their line are hold
ing the line of the Disc strongly
Their artillery is cutting huge swaths
In the German columns and the
French infantry Is making frequen,
counterattacks infiicting heavy losses
on the Germans and retarding theil
advance.
British Superior In Air.
The British evidently are maintain
ing their marked superiority in tn,
air on the battlefront and are throw
ing the German supply stations ant
lines OF communication in the real
into confusion by air attacks at Close
range.