The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-06
NO HUN PEACE
IN SIGHT; They
BEGIN TO DOUBT
Luck Seems Going Against
BOche Nowadays.
Rains Prevented Assault in
Flanders Saturday.
BRITISH ADVANCE 500 YARDS
Germans Back Home Becoming
Discouraged Now.
New BOche Tanks Do Not Work
Very Well.
Germans Back Home Becoming
Discouraged Now.
CBy the Associated Pressl


May 6-Luck seems to be going
against the Germans along the cru
cial northern battle area. Sunday
still finds the -Prussian commanders
working desperat tely to whip their or
ganizatioas in shape for renewal
of the delayed offensive, while the al
lied forces, aided by the weather.
continued counter operations Wnlch
are most disappearing to an enemy
playing against time.
In Picardy, the British advanced
heir line on a considerable front
llong the Somme and between that
liver and Albert, six miles to the
lorth Haig said his troops encoun-
cred strong opposition" there, but
.niicted heavy ca sualties on the enc
.hy while suffering slight losses
themselves.
only 10 cal fighting was reported in
Flanders and this on the southern
portion of the battle front. Haig said
the British improved their positions In
the neighborhood of LOGON and on
the Lave. LOGON is about three miles
northward. crossing the lines about
mile east of LOGON and converging
with the Lys near Estaires.
americans Spare Churches.
A United Press dispatch from the
American front in ficardy said the
American artillery is smashing the
towns OF Mont DIdier, Cantigny and
Alesnil-St. Georges, but is sparing the
chui ches in those places, despite the
fact they are believed to shelter Ger
man artillery observers. Canugny is
about three miles and a half west and
north Aot Mont Dldier, Mesnil-St.
Georges is mile and a half west and
south of Mont Didfer and two miles
south and east of Cantigny.
IN ofticial report from Constantlr
rope said that German troops, in Oc-
clpying Sebastopol found a portion
CT the rsusssan Black sea fleet in-the
harbor. The employment of these
ships in d sortie against the allied ma
val forces in the Mediterranean, how
ever. is doubtful
french Given Irish Post.
The appointment as lord lieutenant
of ireland of Field Marshal French,
former commander-in-chief of the
British arr,ies and later in command
of the home forces in England, has
been officially announced. He is
recognized as an extreme Ulsterite.
II was quite apparent the Germans
intended another assault in Flanders
Saturday morning, but the arrange
ments were upset by a combination of
events. These were the allied opera
tions and the heavy rain which con-
verted the ground into mud flats over
which it was difficult to move either
infantry or artillery There was also
combustion arising from wholesale re-
liefs and the arrival of strange troops
in the German area.
The ALI id artillery has been MAIN
Il ining incessant bombardment of
enemy territory an1 Friday night be-
fore the projected German attack the
French and British gunners played
havoc with the German preparations.
The allied troops also have been car
rying out local operations which i'm
proved their lines and upset enemy
schemes
Yesterday the allies occupied large
number of important positions at va
rious places along the front of 1000
yards west of KENNEL.
British Gain 500 Yards
The British also made an advance
of 500 yards along the front of 1000
yards northwest of LOGON, thereby
gaining a number of positions which
had been contested many days. This
morning the Germans tried to regain
some of these positions but were re-
pulsed An enemy attack yesterday
morning in the LOGON area under COW
er of a heavy barrage likewise was
smashed.
British last night near Sailly-Le-Sec
advanced their line in minor oper-
alton without casualties The German
prisoners taken in all these local en-
SdSeIleniS iIldhe d considerable total
The spirit of the allied troops re-
mains at the highest pitch. They know
that every days delay is in itself a
victory for them. Each twenty-four
hours that slips by makes America
loom larger on the horizon and brings
the much needed overseas troops near
er the battle lines. The Tommies and
poilus are fighting gallantly and diving
willingly because they know their sa 10.
Ti1lce will not be in vain since the
United States will insure victory a
little later.
Peace Hope Wanes.
interesting comments by German
clVlhans have been furnished from an
enemy mail bag captured by the Brit
lsh on section of the Flanders front.
almost without exception references
are made in the letters to the stop-
page of leave and the parcel post from
the front. The tone is resigned rather
than recalcitrant. One letter from
Berlin dated April 25, said:
peace does not seem to be coming
along as we fondly hoped. All this in
the west is too wicked for ANYTHING.
Eour years of it now and no sign of
the end. We hope every day will
come to a decision and the British will
be driven into the North sea, but they
stand firm
I'VE have such scarcity of shoes in
Ettlingen, it is impossible to get them.
II there are any in Belgium, please
send me pair" says letter dated in
Ettlingen on April 26.
Are you not coming home on leave
soon? How much longer is it going