The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-03-02
SUMMARY OF NEWS
 FROM WAR FRONTS
 A ND CAPITALS
By the Associated Press

By the Associated Press
 American troops in n desperate hand-to-hand battle have repulsed heavy German attack on the salient north of Foul. There were number of American killed and wounded, including some officers. One of the dead was a captain who hnd been graduated from West Point last year. The Ger mans suffered heavily, leaving 10 dead in the American trenches, while the ground in front wns strewn with the bodies of the enemy. In addition, three German prisoners remained in the hands of the Americans.
 A German official statement says that 10 Americans were taken prisoner in the latter sec tor. The fighting in which the Americans participated was near the village of Chavignon. It has been known for sometime thnt Americans, probably meHaberx of one of the nationsI guard dIvi- sions taken to France sometime aso, were along the famous -des-Dames sector, hut the German statement revealed their locations more exactly than any thing as yet received from the fighting front.
 A lew more Americans have been taken to field hospitals near Toul suffering from the effects of gas pois- oning.
 These men were not in the trenches when the German gas attack was launched, but ventured into the dan ger zone without gas masks and were overcome by the fumes which had settled into sheIi holes and low places. So far as known, the gas casualties number six dead and about So overcome, Of the latter, only one case is considered to De grave
 
 An uitlmatum has been handed to the Russian bolshevik government by the German commander on the east ern front, who has given the Russians three days In which to sign the peace treaty demanded by the Teutons. Co., incident with this demand, the Ger man advance has been resumed There are apparently three columns of Germans advancing into Russia. One is near Luga, midway between Pskov and Petrograd; one is said to be at Polotsk, midway between Pinsk and Vitesnk. and the other at Sebezh. 80 miles east of Dvinsk. An official report says that the German troops had reached the right bank of the Dnieper river north of Kiev.
 That the situation in Petrograd had become critical is reflected in the re- port that the American and Japanese ambassadors have reached vologda, capital of the Russian government of the same name, lying far to the east of Petrograd. The Brit ish and French embassies also have left the Russian capital. but nothing is known as to their destination.
 Reports forwarded by the way of London say that the Russian troops are destroying railroad property and burning stores as they retire before the Germans. At no point is there fighting reported but the advance of the Teutons is said to be cautious. 
 An interesting sidelight on the condi- tions at the beginning of the war was revealed by Stephen Pichon, the French foreign minister, during an address at Paris. He declared that he could prove by documentary evil dence that Germany rendered the war inevitable. He said that on July 31. 1914, Germany demanded that France should give ever the fortresses of Foul and verdun as a guara ntee of the neutrality of FrancI. Germany, M. Pichon added, offered to restore the Actresses after the close of the war with Russia Germany declared war on Russia August 1. 1914, and on France August 3.
 German trench raiding operations have been repulsed by the French in several sectors of the line. At Chavig- non, where the American troops were taken prisoner, the fighting was very severe An attack by tie Teutons near Butte De Mesnil resulted in the capture of section of French posi- ton, but an immediate counter at- tack evicted the Germans!
 The British troops carried out suc- cessful raids north of the, Ypres- staden railroad and captured few prisoners. On the other sections of the front nothing of interest is re- ported.
 Among the terms of peace com municAted to King Ferdinand of Ru- mania by the central powers was a demand that Ferdinand abdicate in favor of his brother, Prince William of Hohenzollern. Prince Wiliiam re- nounced all claims to the throne on the aecesion of his uncie Prince Charlds. In 1SS6 He was tn connnand of part of the Te1ltonic army which invaqed Rumania in December: 1s16 and 1ts that tine issued proclama- { ton ideclaring himself the rixhtful 1sS3~ krS fhn fkTnran r. .s 'is-.