Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-05-15
Allies Make Sorties and
Continue to Improve
Their Positions.
GERMANS FEELING
OUT FOCH's LINES
Trying to Find Weak Point in Defense
and Make Minor Thrusts at Several
Points, Including American Sector
in Picardy-Germans Retake and
Then Lose Important Height Near
Mont KENNEL.

man offensive having failed to de-
veIop, the allies are continuing
their tactics Of anticipating the
thrust by reaching out for now
vantage points from which to bet
ter resist il.
The French were the agsressors
in the last operation Of this kind
carried out late yesterday.
In Flanders and Picardy there
are still no indie ations that tne
Germans are ready to resume in
fantry operations on large scale.
Local enemy attacks, probably for
the purpose Of "feeing 'out" the
allied positions in advance of big
attack, have been repulsed north
Of KENNEL and south Of Albert.
They pushed out from their
lines south Of HaiIIes, south of
the somme front, their objective
being wood situated at about the
point where the Germans had
made their farthest westward ad-
vance and are within short dis
tance Of the Paris -Amiens railway.
Tho operation was entirely sue
eessfuI, resulting in tho capture Of
the wood on the slopes west Of
the Avre river, possession Of which
improves considerably the defen-
siyss position in this important sec-
tor.
Tho Germans evidently recos-
nized this fact, for they countered
strongly at night. Their determined
attack was a failure, the French
cutting them badly with their fire,
besides taking more than three
score prisoners.
Tho artillery fire is reported by
Paris to have been violent last
night north of Montdidier, just to
the south Of this sector, where
American troops are holding a por-
tion Of tho front. Tho lombard
mont was severe also along tho
southerIy side Of tho Montdidier
salient, as far as Noyon, and tho
Germans attempted an attack at
one point on this line but were
promptly checked.
Tho London statement also in
dicates considerable activity by
the hostile artillery on tho British
sector on the Somme front in the
Somme and Anere valley, while
this morning it increased in the
region between the somme and
the Ancre, near Morlaneourt,
where the Australians recently
have made notable advances, and
where yesterday they repuised a
German effort to recapture the
lost ground.
On the southern battlefield tho
German effort was made on . front
Of ono mile near Morlancourt, be-
tween tho Somme and Ancre rivers,
but was not pushed strongly. The.
enemy gained an initial success and
penetrated the British limo at one
point. He was repulsed elsewhere.
A counter attack by Australian
troops fully restored the British
position.
The attack north Of KemmeI was
against the French on Hill ~, and
adjoining elements. The Germans
gained tho hill, which dominates
the surrounding region, but Field
Marshall Haig reports they were
repuIsed finally.
Almost a week has gone by since
the Germans have displayed any
marked infantry activity, and while
the attacks north Of kemmel and
south Of Albert were not in great
strenoth they were made against
tho vital sector Of two German
driven salients, and where the en-.
smy probably will launch his next
heavy attempt or attempts. It 10
not unlikely the attacks wore made
TO ascertain the results Of Ger
man artillery fire, which continues
exceedingly violent all along these
sectors.
Considerable activity is reported
to be going on behind the German
lines in tho region Of Montdidier.
where tho Americans hold a part
Of tho allied line Ffench batteries
have broken up German troop con-
centrations and conveys around.
Montdidier az we'll az near Noyon.
Tho artillery fire along the Amer
ican zones in Picardy and north
west Of Toul has been below nor
NAL.
In the Italian theater tho artiI-
Iiery Fire is moro lively, especially
in tho Trentino, and on the noun
tain front from Lake vaida to the
Piave. Italian troops on Mont
corino have repulsed further Aus
trian attempts to regain the sum-
NIT Of the heights.
London, May 15.-The German al
llery fire increased this morning nea
[arla ncnlrt south of Albert and /