The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-08-28
GERMAN line CRACKING ALONG WHOLE front
United Press
War Summary

1,4S6th day OF the war; 3[hd Gay
Of tho counter offensive.
Picardy front: The British and
French are attacking on front of
nearly one hundred miles from north
of the Scarpe to the Aisne. In con-
tinuous fighting since yesterday, the
French made enormous gains be-
vanclng more than seven miles on
a twenty-five-r,iIe front and captur-
ing thirty villages. They occupied
chauInes and swept five miles be-
yond, to within a milo and half Of
the Somme. They reached NesIe,
which was to have formed ono Of tho
principal bulwarks Of the new Ger
man "Somme line"
The British captured Foucacourt
and Trones wood, two strong defen-
sive points which had held up the
advance on both sides Of the Somme.
Along tho Scarpe, the British ad-
uanced down the Arras-Cambrai road,
reaching the Sensee river at a point
three miles beyond the RIndenburg
line, which has been penetrated on
a nine-mile front In that region.
Flanders front: British troops ad-
vanced on a four-r,IIe front along the
main highway between Neuf-Berquin
and Estalres.
Aisne-vesIe front: Americans and
Germans fought an aiI-day series Of
local infantry engagements and ar
tiIlery battles along the Vesie, east
and west of FIsmes.
Northern Russian front: Allied
forces south. of Archangel defeated
the BoIshevika river fleet.
France: A Spanlard, convicted OF
trying to inform the Germans OF
American troops arrival, was SEN
fenced by military court to be shot
One Of the decisive battles OF his
tory was being fought today over
front of nearly one hundred miles,
extending from the vicinity of the
famous Vimy ridge southward to the
regions OF Scissors. Three British
and three French armies were en-.
aaaed, their lines joining south of the
| Somme.
In continuous fighting the French
since yesterday had made one OF the
greatest advances Of the war and
this morning were within mile and
half of the Somme, at Fricourt,
they progressed a maximum Of more
than seven miles on front Of twenty.
five miles, between the Somme and
the Disc, taking thirty villages.
After capturing chauInes which has
wjthstood the combined assault OF
British and French troops for weeks
-althogh prematurely reported by
press association to have been cap
tured, In papers Of Sunday, August
I11-French troops pressed on five
miles and reached the great railway
center of Nesle. This advance also
brought them within six miles OF
Peronne.
The British yesterday took the
strongly defended town OF Foucacourt
south of the Somme, which had held
up the allied advance on wide front
In that region. They also cleared our
Trones wood, north of the Somme.
Along the Scarpe, the British ad
yanced to the otskirts Of three vii
laqes that are three miles beyond the
old Hindenburs line. In that sector
this defensive line has been passee
on a front OF apparently nine miles
No special activity was reported
last night or this morning between
the Disc and tho Aisne.
In reaching Licourt the French
have crossed more than half ths
orioinaI Pcardy salient at Its deepes
point, between castel, on the Avr'
and St. Quentin on the Somme.
Tho distance between these tws
towns is about thirty-f7ve miles. Ii
court Is twenty miles east OF Castel
An advance on four mile from
on tho western edge Of the Flanders
salient was reported.
Unable to Stand Pressure.
lrBy J. w. T. Mason, United Pres
VIII Expert.l
4 NEW YORY, Aug. 2S.-Von Hir