The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-05-03

ASSOCIATED PRESS
; SUMMARY OF WAR

The French have taken the inisia-
tive on the southern battle front and
delivered telling blow southeast of
Amiens.
Attacking on a front OF more than
a mile between HaiIIes and CasteI,
General Petain's troops yesterday
evening drove the Germans from
Hill 80, overlooking the AVre river,
and captured the wood to the east
and southeast.
This ground is probably more vale
liable than any other of equal area
along the entire Somnre line. IL was
at HailIes that the Germans effected
their greatest westward penetration
III their Aniens drive and at Hill 81
they were within less than three
miles of tine Paris Aniens railway.
With this new terrain an excellent
line Of defense appears to have been
taken up by the entente forces in
this region. #r i
The positions of the French at
Hangard and those of the British
on the ViiIers- Bretonneux ridge pre-
serve the continuity of the line on
commanding ground at virtually all
the vital spots north to the Somn1e.
In tho VilIers- sretonneux region
there has been a further improve
ment of the entente position, the
French gaining ground in local fight
ing last night.
The Germans are still holding of
on the Flanders battle front and Ger
man newspapers are telling the pub
lic, that the high command may de-
eide not TO take Ypres after all, as
its possession 10 not important.
CONCENTRATE ON SOUTH.
The German artillery seems to have
turned its attention chiefly TO the
southern side of the Flanders. salient,
and last night was bombardina the
region along the fifteen mile line be.
tween Givsnchy and Nieppo wood. In
several thrusts az this front previous
ly the enemy has been unable to
make any substantial headway.
Flanders and Pieardy, and the
Arras salient between, continue
quiet and the Germans have given
no Sign of where the next blow will
be or when 1t will come. The pres
ent Iull in the fighting now exceeds
shree days and there has been less
minor activity than during the pre-
xlous, break in heavy fighting in
Flanders.
The German offensive is not yet
ended In the view of military au-
thorities and the enemy ia expected
to make further attempts 10 reach
the channel. The supreme inter.
allied war council has completed a
two days session with a meeting at
AbbeMlLe,. northwest Of AFniens. All
military questions were discussed
and decided on and the rssulks OBJ
tanned are reported TO have been
most satisfactorily. Premier Glenn
enceau, who presided, said that Gem
eral FocF, who as result of the
conference i is reported, ls oem-
;rnander- in chief. of. the. allied forces
in the west 10 very optimistic. !
In Flanders there has beemgne ae.
tivity by the artillery, while on the
British portion of the Picardy battle
front a German raid ON Hebuterne,
north of Albert, has been repulsed,
south OF. the SemHfe the enemy ar.
tiliery 10 bombardina violently the
VtIIers- -Bretonneux region. ~
French troops have driven back
the Germans III local attacks in Han.
gard wood and southwest of MaiIlv-
RaineVal, south of Hangard, they
have captured Bauhe wood. Berlin
reports the situation as unchanged
and records only. artillery dueIs on
the various fronts.
ON OTHER FRONTS. .
Elsewhere on the western front,
in northern Italy and in Macedonia
there has been little activity. In
Italy the rains have ceased, and the
weather has improved but the fioht.
ing operations still are confined 20
patrol engagements. In Palestine
the British have reoceupied Eos
east OF the Jordan ana northeast OF
Jericho. More than three hundred
prisoners were taken and the ad-
vance continues.
Germany and Austrfa.Hunaary
apparently are meeting with diff
culties in expressing the peoples of
the occupied Russian territories, and
as result there 10 grave uneasiness
in Germany. The Ukrainian govern.
ment has been ovoFEhrown by the
Gernans and it 10 reported that q
new government, presumably favor.
able TO the. central empires, has
taken the reins of power. Berlin re.
ports the occupation of Sebassopol,
the great Russian fortress and naval
tails.
The strike in the important Dune
browa coal mining district of west
ern Russia is reported to have aot
Beyond control of the Austrian au-1
khorities, who have adopted strin.
gent restrictive measures. In the
Ukraine the invaders are. being op-
posed by armed peasants, and IL 10
reported the peasants have ruinad
the crops rather than Iet the Ger
mans get possession.
n H -