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VOL. XLVII NO.
OMAHA, WEDNESDAY MORNING, MARCH 27, 1918 FOURTEEN PAGES.
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Newt Standi, Etc.. it.
SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS'.
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BRITISH WILL LA
CO UNTER THR U ST SOON
Forty Reserve Divisions Rushed to Front to
Fill Gaps Mowed in Teuton Lines by Haig's
Terrific Artillery and Machine Gun Fire
British Army Headquarters in France, March 26. -There is reason te Relieve
important events will be recorded within the next few hours, which may lead to a
betterment of the position of the armies which are stemming the German onslaught.
v The enemy is fighting desperately .hard against time. In the first day his re
serves were reduced to 52 divisions. At the end of the second day some 40 di-
r.om the reserves had been put in.
- BRITISH RETIREMENT VOLUNTARY.
London, March 26. Exacting the heaviest toll for every foot of ground, the
British line continues to withdraw slowly before the pressure of the German
masses, Reuter's correspondent at British headquarters wires.
Over a large part of the battle zone the retirement is being made voluntarily
so as to maintain ari unbroken front. Prisoners say the advance of the Germans is
behind their schedule.
BRITISH RESISTANCE WONDERFUL.
The tenacity ofHh'e British resistance, the prisoners say,
exceeded anything the Germans deemed possible. They com
plain of great privations on account of lack of supplies and ex
treme weariness also is telling heavily. Owing t the dense
masses of supporting troops, however, the enemy is able to re
plenish his forward line with fresh units. ,
The weather remains dry, thus favoring the enemy.
British airmen last night made veritable pandemonium of
every center of concentration of "traffic behind the German
front. Tens of thousands of rounds were fifed pynt blank into
enemy formations, while airmen fulfilled effectively their role
as eyes of the artillery.
SMASH GERMAN ATTACK.
A heavy German attack yesterday about Ervillers was
completely smashed by the British artillery fire.
The withdrawal was not due to pressure against this sector
of the line,
Reports from all along the front indicate that the German
loss of life yesterday was heavy. The enemy advanced against
allied gunners who were firing with open sights.
Last night British airmen took heavy toll from the German
infantry in Bapaume.
FRENCH RUSH FRESH
TROO
PS,- UP;
CAPTURE
jfa xr tt n m
ULKM
ANS
GUNS
No official figures are at hand, but from compilations made
.personally the correspondent is convinced that at least 130 Ger
man airplanes have been brought down in the last five days.
' . , BRITISH GUNNERS SCORE.
Yesterday was the supreme day for the British gunners.
Attacking from north of Ervillers to the point of British contact
with the French, the Germans were held up nearly everywhere
by the ceaseless intensity of the British artillery fire.
Masses of enemy troops which, coming forward in waves,
again and again attempted to reach their objectives, met with
the same fate as the Old Guard at Waterloo. 'In only one sec
tor, near Sapignies, did they succeed in bending the British
front back. It was to conform the front with this indentation
that the British fell back during the night, straightening their
line. , (
BRITISH FALL BACK SLIGHTLY.
- During the night there was comparatively little change in
the line. No heavy attack this morning had been reported up
to 10 o'clock. The British were still holding the enemy strongly
about half way between Combles and Albert.
Further north some gains were achieved by the assaulting
troops. '
The British during the night fell back somewhat from the
line through Erviljers and Sapignies in order to straighten the
front, which bulged inward just to the south.
FRENCH EVACUATE NOYON.
Paris, March, 26.- The battle continues with the greatest
violence and the Germans are making still greater efforts along
the whole front between Noyon and Chaulnesthe war office
announces. . - . .
Noyon was evacuated by the French during the night. The
left bank of the Oise is being held firmly by the French.
The statement issued by the war office says:
' . ENEMYV LOSES HEAVILY.
"The battle continues with violence. During last evening
and in the night the enemy multiplied his attacks on the
whole front between Noyon and Chaulnes.
"The French artillerv. well established in the recion of
Noyon and supported effectively by our infantry, is retarding"
,the German thrust. Frequent counter-attacks have been made
and heavy losses inflicted on the enemy. ' " ,
"Noyon was evacuated during the night in perfect order.
The French are holding the left bank of the Oise firmly.
GERMANS TAKE BRITISH TANKS. -Copenhagen,
.March 26. German correspondents report
that six British tanks have been captured.
Still farther south the Germans were poundiner the front
hard in an endeavor to push on and get a firm grip on Nesle and '
swing the Britjsh right fiank back, while the determined 'tie-;
tnders were battling doggedly to force the enemy bach and ri1
' tiaim the positions previously held by them along the river. I
AWMAKERS
L
MEET AT CALL
OF GOVERNOR
Extra Session of Nebraska Leg
islature Convenes at Lincoln;
Listens to Message of
Chief Executive.
(From a Staff Correspodnent.)
Lincoln, March 26. (Specials
Governor Neville addressed the spe
cial session of the Nebraska legisla
ture this afternoon, advocating the
enactment of a law providing for
gathering the "soldier vote.
He suggested that the Mockett law
permitting instruction in foreign lan
guages in common schools be re
pealed, and was loudly applauded as
he uttered the words.
The joint session of house and sen
ate convened at 2 o'clock and at 2:45
o'clock Lieutenant Governor Howard
announced the members ready to lis
ten to the chief executive.
The governor was escorted to the
hall by a committee composed of Sen
ator Henry; Representative Taylor of
Custer and Representative Osterman
of Merrick.
MESSAGE APPLAUDED.,
The message was received with
marked attention, the first applause
conyng when the executive urged the
repeal of the Mockett lay permitting
the teaching. foreign languages in
the public schools. . " .
The joint session adjourned after
hearing the message.
Both houses of the legislature were
called to order at noon today, the sen
ate by Lieutenant Governor Howard
and the house by Speaker Jackson.
Perfect Organization.
Cbmmittees were appointed to no
tify the governor that they wee ready
for business and each branch appoint
ed a committee to notify the otherl
ti .i . j j .
ooay mat u was reaay to transact
business.
Short addresses were made by the
presiding officers of each body and
adjournment was taken until 2 o'clock.
When the roll of the senate was
called 30 members were present, and
in the house 78unembers answered to
the call.
Sandall of York. Douthelt of Buf
falo and Howell of Douglars were the
absent senators. '
Howard Chief Clerk.
iThe house caucus, composed of
both republicans and democrats, met
this forenoon and agreed upon the foK
lowing officers to till vacancies exist
ing by reason of former employes
having left the state: Chief clerk,
Arthur JZ. Howard, Lincoln; first as
sistant, Horace M. Davis, Ord; chap
lain, Frank Mills.
There was -considerable of a fight
on the election of chief clerk and as
sistant, Norton of Polk, nominating
Howard, Auten of Bopne, Decker, and
(Continued on rage Two, Column One.)
Governor Neville's message
to the special ' session of the
legislature is printed in full on
Page 4. .
Kaiser's Official Statement
Says More Than 100 British
Tanks Captured; 93 Air
planes Destroyed.
;
(By Associated Press.)
Berlin (Via-London), March 26. The number of
guns captured by the Germans in the battle now in
progress has increased to 963, army headquarters an
nounced today. MoVe than 1 00 tanks were lying in
captured positions, it is added.
Biaches, Barleux and Etalon have been qaptured by
the German forces
The Germans are standing on the heights to the
north of Noyon. They captured Bussy, Bihucourt,
Biefeillers, previllers, Irles and Miraumont and crossed
the river Ancre. ' '
Since the beginning of the battle, saysthe statement,
93 enemy airplanes and six captive balloons have been
broughhdown.
; British troops just brought forward attacked trje Ger
man lines violently from the direction of Albert. They
were driven back, the reports state, after a bittef
struggle. - '
Line Now Rujis: Bray, Albert,
Beaumon.t, Hamel, Puissieux,
Ayett, Boiry, Henin, Wan
court, to. Scarpa
(By Associated Press.)
London, March 26. The war office tonight an
nounced that the GermansNtook Roye at 10:30 o'clock
this morning. - ,
.The enemy has been checked west of Roye and
Noyon, the announcement adds.
In the Roye area, British, French and American
troops are fighting shoulder to shoulder, the official an
nouncement states. French reinforcements are rapidly
coming up.
"The enemy made net further attacks during tne
night of March 5-26 on our front north of the Som
me," the announcement says. "During the afternoon -there
have been local engagements on this part of the .
battle front, in which the enemy has been repulsed, but
he has attempted no serious attacks.
"The line north of the Somme now runs: Bray, Al
bert, Beaumont Hamel, Puissieux, Ayett, Boiry,
Henin, Wancourt, just west of Monchy to the Scrape,
and thence along our original front.''
GERMAN MYSTERY
GUN IS GREATEST
SURPRISE OF WAR
Accuracy Impossible 'at Such
Long Range; or Use Only
for Enormous Target,'
!. like Paris. v
London, March 2fi. In the "niys
tery gun," the name generally &iven
to the Weapon with which the Ger
mans are bombarding Paris frfjin a
distance estimated at 75 miles, it is
frankly conceded by experts, the
enemy has sprung one of the gr:arrst
surprises of the war.
General Sir Desmond O'Calhgaan,
formerly president f the army ord
nance committee, says of the German
gun:
"The projectiles must liave been
fired from longer and heavier gvns
and with a more powerful propellant
than we have ahy knowledge of"
From Paris has come the sugges
tion that the extraordinary ran ire of
the gun is due to the'projectile he ng
provided with a second charge, vhich
explodes when the first stage ot the
flight is completed, giving it a fresh
impetus. This theory is scoutfu by
General CyCallaghan, a is also the
variant of it, hat the projectile is
fitted with a propeller, enabling it to
continue its journey when it is. no
longer driven by the projecting f?rce
fronv,the gun. v
"It would seem, says General
O'Callaghan, "that a new departure in
ballistics can alone explain- the enor
mous range, which is three times that
of anything" hithfrto accomplished."
One expert estimates that the
weight of tile projectile is about 380
pounds and that it leaves the gun with
a muzzle velocity of about 4,0110 feet
per second, the gun having an eleva
tion of about 65 degrees, which very
quickly "takes the projectile iiito a
stratum of rarified air in which resist
ance is greatly minimized." The
strain upon the gun, he says, must be
enormous and probably it w6uld be
unable to survive more than a hun
dred rounds at the most, the cost of
each being nearly 1,000. x
All the experts agree that at such
a tremendous range even approximate
accuracy is out of the (iestion and
therefore the gun is only of use when
a target is presented on a vast scale,
like Paris: The object aimed at is
rather more moral than material.
HAIG'S LINE STIFFENS
WHEN FRENCH RESERVES
RELIEVE WEARY BRITISH
V
Germans Gain LittleHln Advance Over War Devastated
Country; Allied Withdrawals Made Voluntarily;
English Fire Eats Into Enemy Divisions
With Frightful Results.
K French Front in France, Monday, March 25. Entire confi
dence reigns that the Germans' last trump in the world battle
will be over-trumped when the proper moment comes.
The allied, military authorities were fully cognizant that
the enemy's supreme effort would cause a retreat until, measures
could be 'taken to check the irruption into the allied positions.
As always, the attackers possessed the advantage of know
ing exactly where they would launch their onslaught, while the
defenders were compelled to await development of the' battle
before meeting the onrush with counter measures.
GREAT ATTACK SLACKENS.
There is every sign in today's situation tSat the terrific
attack, in which apparently somewhere in iyt neighborhood of
1,000,000 Germans of all arms are engaged, is being slackened.
The resistance of the allies seems firmer and the arrival
on the scene of French reserves, sent up to the southern flank,
brought welcome support to the British, who sustained the
first powerful rush.
The German divisions, which began what evidently was in
tended tot be an irresistible forward movement, were so cut
up that they were replaced by fresh formations. It is these di
visions which have been checked at the positions on which it
was foreseen by the allied general that a stand would be made.
GERMANS GAIN LITTLE. 1
The ground over which the fighting
has taken place possesses small tac
tical value, but it permitted the allies
to retire in perfect order. It has been
devastated by the G"rnanbefore they
retreated las; year, and the inhabitants
had not had time or means to build
it up again While retiring across
what was almost desert land, the Brit
ish inflicted enormous losses on the
enemy, who threw away thousands of
lives in-an effort to overcome the re
sistance he encountered.
When the retiring British reached
the Somme and the canal, they turned
about and gave battle, meeting re
peated and long-sustained endeavors
of both infantry and cavalry.
The initial rush of the enemy seems
to have been stopped. Military opin
ion generally is that this first phase
of the srreat battle, in wjjich even mor
troops were employed than in the bat
tle of the Marne, gives no indication
what the result will be. Nevertheless,
developmentJ are awaited by the allies
without anxiety.
" RUSH FRESH TROOPS.
London, March 26. The fighting
died down during the night, the war
office reports. The British established
themselves in new positions east of
Roye and Albert.
The Germans this morning began
new attacks against the combined
French and British forces south of the
Somme.'
The German losses have been so
great that the enemy has been obliged
to bring reinforcements from all parts
of the western front. The war office
has established the fact that more
than 70 German divisions (in the
neighborhood of 840,000 men) have
hern n ?a perl
FRENCH ADVISE
li. S. ALLIES WILL
HOLDJERMANS
Official Dispatch Quotes Gov
ernment' Organ Declaring
Teutons Have Not Gained
Objective in Spring Drive.
..(Ily Amounted PrrM.)
Washington, March 26. France's
confidence that the1 great German of
fensive is wasting its strength against
the allied line, is voiced in an official
dispatcli received here today from
Paris? The"messagc quotes at ilcngth
from today's . Petit Journal to show
that the Gcr.mans, though suffering
tremendous losses in massed advances,
have failed to attain their objectives,
and that the present situation is satis
factory to the allies.
The dispatch says:
"The French press continues to
view with calm confidence the de
velopments of the gigantic battle
which has been going on for five days.
This confidence is based upon all the
experience of this war. Each time
that the Germans have attempted a
movenient against the troops in the
west the e(prt aftr a certain amount
of success always of a temporary
character has ended in being broken
against the barrier of the allied
armies. v
"The great example, before all
minds is that of- the Marne where
Germany had every advantage on its
side, thanks to its preparation to the
superiority of its man power and jts '
heavy artillery -and its hidden ataclc
across violated llefeimn, but it waa
defeated. ' -
"ToWay it is fighting against tl
powerful Franco-British armies ac
customed to war and well supplied;
its effort will again be stopped. Such
is the firm and calm conviction of
French opinion the expression of
which is seen this morniig in the
press."
British Start Recruiting
To Fiil Gaps on Battle. Line
London, March 26. To fill the gap!
caused by the German advance in,
France the authorities have decided
to place the recruiting machinery in
motion again throughout the country,
The miners have placed the organiza
tion of their unions at the disposal
of the recruitin officeri , ;
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