The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-03-29

forward against our battle positions
| were thrown back everywhere with
losses.
Our own machine guns, artillery
and rifles did great execution"
Tide is Ever Rising.
[By William Philip Simms. United
Press Staff Correspondent
WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES IN
FRANCE, March 2S.-The tide Of bat
tie is ever rising. The great struggle
| is extending northward and south
ward, with a sudden new thrust west
ward and northwestward against Ar
ras, and a gradual spread southwark
around Noyon.
The new battle line is more than
seventy miles long, measured around
the western bulge. The principal
fighting is in the three distinct cen
tiers; one against the north flank to-
ward Arras; the second astride the
Somme, against the center; the third
against the south flank, between Mon
tdidier and Noyon. Severe fighting is
under way in all three.
After comparative quiet since the
from Avion, Zone mile south OF Lens
and about three north of Arleux) to be-
low the Scarpe, which crosses the bat
tie line east Of Arras directly south OF
Avon, was the scene of hurricane
bonn bardment of high explosives, gas
shells and shrapnel. Infantry actions
followed.
The conditions were identical with
the initial "kick-off" week ago Thurs
day. Fierce fighting developed, the
enemy making Roadway south of the
Scarpe only, in massed formations, at
frightful cost,
Orange hill. around which great
battle swirled in April 1917, is again
strewn with corpses, uniformed IN
grey-green. Telegraph hill, nearDy,
likewise is covered with dead, as tne
enemy desperately attempts to reach
Arras.
telegraph hill is about midway be-
tween Lens and Arras. On it's north is
the famous Vinfy ridge. To the south
is the labyrinth.)
Meantime the struggle kept up norrh
and south Of Albert. from where the
Germans are trying to push westward,
with greedy eyes on Amiens twelve
miles to the southwes). There they
have made little or no progress. the
British driving them back with heavy
losses.
The British forces on the
south bank reported hard battles
with little enemy Roadway.
Hindenburg has put fresh division
after fresh division into the struggle
since it commenced. Well over sew
enty divisions approximately $4,000
mem have appeared on the fghtins
line.
Commanding the enemy troops in
the three storm centers are the PICK
of the German generals-Otto Won
Below. on the north; Won Hofaker. in
the center and Won Hutier on the
south.
Won Below must not be confused
with Fritz Won Below, who lost 7v1my
and his job simultaneously. Otto
commanded the eighth army. Later
during the allied drive In Macedonia,
he commanded the Bulgar-Germans
and there won the. order pour lie
merite for personally leading the
ninth jaeger battalion on a "forlorn
hope" saving dangerous situation.
Confident Of Issue.
PARIS, March IS.-I nave STedI
in the issue of this for
midable battle Of which only the first
period has been fought" former Pre-
mier Painleve declared in an inter
view today.
"An France must repeat Premier
Clemenceau's words, we are conf
dent, strong and certain Of tomor-
rows events
1.-THE new situation regarding the
high command appears to me best
adapted to the circumstances. France
and the army have full confidence In
the chiefs; their glorious past replies
for the future. Profound unity Of
action more than ever will be evil
dent in the hour of counter action"
Turks are Routed.
WASHINGTON, March 29.-Turk-
fish forces at Khan Badbadi on the
have been virtually ami
hilated by British Mesopotamian
troops, according to official de-
spatches here today. Capture Of 5000
prisoners. including a divisional COM
mander, was reported.
Pursuit OF the few survivors con-
tinued beyond Haditha, forty-five
miles northwest of Hit.
"Our casualties were very slight"
said the despatch.