Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-05-03
TEUTON ARTILLERY
INCREASES FIRE IN
REGION OF SOMME
$4,000 Austrian Prisoners of
Rumanian Origin, Now Being
Formed Into Unit to Fight
Central Powers Armies

! NEW YORK, May 2.-lSummary OF
I European Cables to the Associated
/ Press THE Germans are displaying
! increased activity on the Somme bat
tie front and around the Montdidier
salient to Noyon, probably in prepare
! ton for a renewal of their offensive
/ in this area
Checked last week by the stiff Brit
ish and Franco-American resistance to
: their push further towards Amiens, tine
enemy forces are now engaged in try
{ ing cut various portions of the south
ern front, in the apparent endeavor to
! and a weak spot
! One such an effort directed against
positions held by American troops, has
already been chronicled in the news dis
patches. The enemy found an unyield-
/ ing barrier here and retired with moth
/ ing but heavy losses to show for his
attempt.
! Last night there was a similar thrust
I at the French in the Themes region,
/ southwest of Hangard The artillery
promptly broke up this drive.
! This morning the German guns open
| ed up heavily in the Villers-Breton-
neux area just north and directly east
! of Amiens, but no infantry attacks hao
developed up to the time the British
| official statement was issued at noon
Meanwhile, the lull that followed the
severe German defeat of Monday has
continued on the Flanders front. Only
the artillery has ben displaying ac-
| tivity there.
The German guns were reported open
| ing up a somewhat spirited fire this
morning in the region of Merris, indi-
eating the possibility that the renewal
of the German effort on the northern
| front, when it comes, may be develop
ed along the acknowledgements road,
| on which Merris marks the farthest
westward advance of the enemy. The
British have been holding this line
! strongly, as guarding the direct route
to the vitality important Hazebrouck
railway junction.
Apparently the Germans are not pre-
pared to break the second lull in the
Flanders battle until still more troops
and greater concentrations of cannon
are massed along the few important
miles of the front southwest of -Ypres
Signs are not wanting that General ven
Arnim is bringing up reinforcements and
supplies, but the Anglo-Erench troops.
stirred by the brilliant repulse of the
enemy which caused him to cease mis-
attacks for the second time, wait con.
fidently.
AS the first break in the hard fight
ling was followed by stronger attacks, it
lis probable that only the difficulties
of transport and supply compel the
enemy to withhold further assaults
against the allied positions from the
Mont KENNEL region westward, Elk
cept for Mont KENNEL and a small strip
to the east, including the Messines ridge,
the Germans are on much lower ground
than the French and British, and must
either fight on or be compelled even
tually to withdraw before the smoth-
ering fire of the allied artillery.
Heavy artillery firing and the usual
outpost actions continue along the
front. Around the important sector of
Locre the French have been shellcd
very heavily by the enemy. On the
southern leg of the salient the German
guns have been active in the region of
Bethune. Southwark in Picardy only
the artillery has been active.
! Fighting for democracy and for free
dom of their homeland, Bohemian and
Slav detachments are now facing Aus
tro-Hungarian troops along the sectors
lin northern Italy. Apparently these units
have been recruited from former resi-
dents Of the dual monarchy and from
deserters from the enemy ranks. Aus
tro-Hungarian commanders who have
many thousands of Czechs and Slavs in
their units, are said to De fearful of
the effect this move may have on their
own troops. This and the fact that the
Czechs at Prague and elsewhere and the
Slavs in Carniola and southwark have
become openly hostile to the Austrian
government may explain why the enemy
offensive against Italy has been delayed.
Berlin has heralded and urged an Of
fensive, but ro-Hungarian attacks
have not vet developed.
Although Constantinopis and Berlin
recently announced the repulss of the
British westward across the Jordan
General Allenby's mel east of the river
have captured nearly 500 prisoners N
a successful attack against the Turks
south of Es-Salt, toward which the
British are advancing. MeZrah, west of
the Jordan, has been occupied and Ara
bian troops along the Hedjaz railway
recently have taken more than 500 pris-
Ioners.
May day apparently passed quietly ~
the central empires. Few news dispa tch-
es of Wednesdays date. however. have
been received from Germany and Aus.
. s,sa