The Ogden standard. [volume], March 23, 1918, 3:30 P.M. CITY EDITION, Image 1

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METAL PRICES f r A. W iV A VV' VV'I'V iV W'Vlfr i WEATHER FORECAST I H
I NEW YORK, March 23.-M.tal quotations for to- I I I I 17 I I lfllllll-' JsSl 1 hli I I I I l 1 G I Woathor Indications for Ogdcn and vicinity: MM
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1 FEARLESS -J INDEPENDENT PROGRESSIVE NEWSPAPER
Forty-eighth Year-No. 71 Pric. Five cent OGDEN CITY, UTAH, SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 23, 1918. 3:30 P. M. CITY EDITION 38 PAGES
! PARIS, March 23. Since eight o'clock this moriiEg shells of 240 millimeters have been reaching the capital and suburbs at intervals of a quarter of an hour, lulling I
about ten persons and wounding about fifteen. The shortest distance from Paris to the front is over 100 kilometers (62 miles.). The announcement that Paris was being I
P bombarded was made officially this afternoon. Measures for counter attacking the enemy's cannon is under execution. ; I
LONDON, March 23. Throughout the night the battle front extended southward 'and it was reported this morning that the French' army was now engaged. I
j PARIS, March 23, 8 a. m. An air alarm has just been given. ; I
! ' BERLIN, March 23, via London. A crossing over the Oise west of La Fere, (12 miles south of St. Quentin)' was forced by Jaeger battalions, it is announced.
v -
if .
I'British Meet Tremendous Onslaught of Over-
whelming Odds Dashing Counter Attack
j Drives Germans Out of. Mory Large
I Enemy Party Surrounded and Cap
. . fered Allies Fighting Gallantly
f and Presenting Solid Front.
The official announcement that Paris is being bombarded
; must remain unexplained until further details have been re
ceived. The statement in the dispatch that the shortest dis
tance from Paris to the front is over 1 00 kilometers indicates
!)that there has been no breach in the battle line above Paris
jsuch as would permit of bringing up guns to within what has
gfbeen previously regarded as the extreme range of heavy
lipieces.
I Unless the Germans have some new invention, no such
J 'range as sixty miles is conceivable. The most powerful guns,
lin action heretofore have been able to hurl their projectiles
only twenty miles or thereabouts.
The caliber of the shells reaching Paris, 240 milimeters,
lis equal to about 9 Yl inches. The heavy German siege
!)pieces fire 1 7-inch shells.
Paris had been under bombardment for about eight hours
;('at the time the foregoing dispatch was filed, 6:15 p.' m.
WASHINGTON, March 23. Ordnance officers were
inclined to believe the Germans were conducting the long
irange bombardment from some nearer point to which they
rhad broken through, but on reflection concluded that even had
lithe German troops suddenly surrounded Paris, it would have
,'jbecn impossible to bring up and emplacc heavy long range
ijguns in such a short time.
ii
f LONDON, March 23. The Germans forced their way
jjinto Mory but a dashing counter-attack drove them out,
j'Reuter's correspondent at British headquarters telegraphs.
A large arty was surrounded and probably was captured.
'. There is reason to believe fifty German divisions are
flowing into the struggle, the correspondent states, and
Mprobably half as many more are in close reserve. Under the
jltremendous onslaught the British troops are falling back very
i-i slowly and in excellent order. At many places they are with
: drawing voluntarily so as to maintain an unbroken front,
'i The scenes of activity behind the battle front baffle de
scription but everywhere there is the same well ordered or
ganization and quiet confidence. The weather is wonder
fully fine, although the Visibility is handicapped by local
jurists.
i Mory is on the northern battle ground fifteen mlies below
Arras about four miles back of the line held by the British
before the Germans began their offensive.
S The ost intense fighting appears to have been around
: Roisel and Trincourt. The slaughter in the enemy ranks was
i appalling.
:' Twelve times every available gun in the area was con
centrated on solid massed bodies of enemy troops while the
airmen grew weary with emptying their machine gun drums
.and dropping their bombs into the dense gray crowds of
;troops and returning for more ammunition.
L BRITISH ARMY HEADQUARTERS IN FRANCE,
March 23, 11 a. m., by the Associated Press. The British,
gallantly righting, are still presenting a solid front to the
lllpercely attacking Germans, although the defensive troops
' MX
:
have withdrawn their lines in certain places for strategic
reasons.
After two days' terrific battling in their great offensive
on the western front, the Germans have finally succeeded in
bringing the action at one point on the front somewhat more
into the open.
Field Marshal Haig reports that the British defensive
system, west of St. Quentin, near the southern edge of the
fifty-mile front under attack, was broken through by the,
great weight of the enemy infantry and artillery. The British
here are falling back in good order.
That the yielding of the line at this point had been by no
means unexpected and possibly had been foreseen as ultimately
inevitable, is indicated by the statement that the retirement
is to prepared positions further west across the devastated
district. i
There is nothing in the report to indicate that this ret'o
grade movement will affect the strong defensive lines to the
north in any way seriously, as it is explicitly stated that tlese :
positions continue to be held by the British forces. j
Just what the effect will be upon the Entente line t? the
south is not yet apparent. The British hold the front to a
point some fifteen miles south of St. Qiientin, to the river
Oise at about the town of La Fere, where the French lire be
gins. No reports have been received from Paris as to wlether
the French forces have become involved in the battle. From
trie nearness of the point of German penetration to their lines,
however, it would seem probable that they soon will be found
taking part in the struggle.
There is another factor to be considered also, sholld the
German thrust develop more seriously. There was created
last winter by the supreme war council at Versailles an Entente
"army of maneuver" understood to be made up of tioops of
all Allies, which was designed to be available for action at any
point on the wide front from the North sea to the Adriatic
whenever it should be needed.
. j
i
It has doubtless not been tho en
tente intention to throw this army into
action hastily but it unquestionably
stands ready for use in any emergency
and might easily provo tho vital fac
tor in any general engagement which
tho western front fighting should de
velop. Tho battle is still in progress along
tho British front with the Germans
continuing to throw fresh forces into
the struggle. It is estimated that fifty
Gorman divisions are already involved
with probably twenty-five or more ad
ditional divisions in closo reserve.
Advices from correspondents indicate
that wherever the British troops are
falling back they are doing so in ex
cellent order and with deliberation,
withdrawing voluntarily at somo
points in order to maintain an un
broken front.
Field Marshal Haig has deemed it
expedient not to divulge tho exact lo
cation of the British battle lino but the
most intense fighting has been around
Croiselles, on tho north, and Levcr
guier on the south. In the center of
the northern half of tho fifty-mile
front, near the Bapaumc-Cambrai high
road, tho British havo held against
the enemy.
The Germans have not yet taken
advantago of tho concentration of al
lied attention on the Cambrai front to
make an attack on another section in
tho west. The intenso artillery bom
bardment in tho Verdun and Ypres
sectors, however, continues. Along
the Chemin des Dames and in the
Champagne tho Gorman guns havo
beon firing violently but thrco small
German attacks in tho Champagne
were repulsed by tho French.
Germans Pressing Hard.
LONDON, March 23. Tho Germans
this morning were pressing hard the
British forces defending -Hennies,
(about 2 1-2 miles back of tho old
lino, in the region" southwest of Cam
brai). Conflict Rages Furiously.
BRITISH ARMY HEADQUARTERS
IN FRANCE, March 23. All day yes
terday and much of last night the con
flict continued to rago will incrcas
Ing violence as fresh Herman divi
slons were hurled into Iho fray in au
attempt to smash through tho Brit
ish defenses.
More intense fighting ii expected.
The operation is so va3t and is
changing with such ktleidoscopic
rapidity as the line surgel backward
and forward that it Is inpossiblo to
visualize the scone suffciently to
give a connected and atcurato ac
count of it at present.
46 Divisions Identified.
Forty-six German divisions havo
been identified thus far on tho bat
tle .front and prisoners havo been
taken from eighteen of hem. Somo
estimates place tho numlcr of Gor
man divisions engaged as high- as 90,
but it Is impossible to say whether
this is accurate.
LONDON, March 23. Powerful en
emy " attacks delivered with great
weight of Infantry and artillery have
broken through tho British defensive
system west of St. Quentin, tto war
office reports.
The British troops on tho northern'
portion of the battle grounds ara hold
ing their positions.
Tho British west of St, Quentin aro
falling back in good ordet to positions
further west Very hecvy fighting
with fresh enemy forces Is in pro
gress. Tho war office states that thero aro
prepared positions behinl th- British,
to which they arc fallingbact.
The statement follows:
"Heavy fighting continued until Into.
Germans Dispersed and
Prisoners Are Left
Behind.
PARIE, March 23. The
Germans launched an attack
ion tke French lines in the
Wocvre district last night
which was dispersed by the
French fire. The Germans
suffered appreciable losses and
left some prisoners in the
hands of the French.
hours last night on tho whole battle
front. During the afternoon powerful
hostile attacks delivered with great
woight of infantry and artillery, broke
through our defensive system west of
St. Quentin.
"Our troops on this part of the bat
tle front are falling back in good or
der across the devastated area to pre
pared positions further west.
"Our troops in tho northern portion
of the battle front aro holding their
positions.
"Very heavy fighting with fresh hos
tile forces is in progress.
For the first time In tho war on tho
western front since the opposing ar
mies established themselves in tholr
trench system, the defensive zone has
been broken through. In other great
attacks tho British, French and Ger
mans have been ablo to bend back tho
lino but not to strike through the
zone of defense. Many military critics
had reached the opinion that on ac
count of tho strength of tho lines it
would bo impossible to break them un
til one side or the other had been worn
down to such a point that it would bo
no longer able to man it strongly.
Unless the British are ablo to re
store tho situation by a counter-attack,
a withdrawal on a wide front
may be necessary with open field war
fare. The point at which the British lino
has been broken is near tho southern
and of tho German attacking front
which extends from Arras to La Fere,
fifteen mile3 below St. Quentin. Be
low this sector Is tho great arc in tho
front where the lino, approaching near
est to Paris, turns sharply to the east,
Tho Gorman offensive has developed
with almost unparelled rapidity. One
reason for this is indicated in Field
Marshal Halg's reports, showing that
the Germans - constantly bringing
up fresh bodies of troops.
Tho statement of tho British war of
fice that tho troops west of St Quen
tin arc falling back to prepared posi
tions indicates that tho Germans, al
though thoy havo broken through the
British defcnslvo system, have not '
pierced the ontiro British zono of de
fense. The allusion In tho British
statement to tho defensive system may
bo only to tho mafn battle front sys
tem behind which othor lines have
been prepared. If that Is the case the
Germans havo dono little more than
repeat what tho British did in the bat
tle of tho Sommo when they pierced
tho HIndcnburg line and captured long
stretches of it, forcing tho Germans
to retreat to prepared positions in tho
rear.
Tho experiences of, the attacking
( Continued on Page; 3 ),
't
CffiAJWK
News From France Causes'
Deep Concern at the Capital
of This Nation.
WASHINGTON, March 23. All of
ficial Washington turned its attention
almost wholly today to the news from
the fighting front
Dispatches telling of the British de
fensive system, the retirement of
British troops and Berlin's claims of
largo captures of men and guns and
finally tho news that the Germans
wore bombarding Paris, at a. hitherto
unheard of range of about 62 miles
came as one surprise after the other.
Embassies and legations, American
officials, congressmen and others eag
er for news of the great battle, be
sieged the Associated Press offices for
latest dispatches and crowds sur
rounded the newspapers.
With full realization of the tremen
dous consequences hanging on the re
sistance of the British and French
armies, tho general attitude of officials
here was ono of calm confidence.
WASHINGTON. March 23. News
that Paris was being bombarded by
German guns at a range of about
sixty-two miles astonished American
ordnance officers beyond belief.
No such range of guns had ever
been dreamed of, they said. Tho
world's record for long distance bom
bardment was established by the Ger
mans somo time ago when at a range
of twenty to twenty -two miles they
dropped occasional shells into Dunkirk.
The greatest long-range American
gun yet developed is the 16-inch rifle
which, at the greatest possible eleva
tion, it is estimated, would throw a
shell about nineteen miles.
Evidently, ordnance officers said,
the German artillerists had developed
some new world -surprising weapon,
although it was thought possible they
might be using some sort of aerial tor
pedo. Although the great battle was not
mentioned on tho floors of congress in
the day's debates, overy member was
thinking of it, and its effect on the
fate of tho civilization of tho world.
Senator without as much as a record
vote, during consideration of some
army bills, rejected a proposal by
Senator Hardwlck to excuse drafted
men from liability to military duty if
they havo passed 31 without entering
the national army.
"Tho nation may need not only men
who have passed tho ago of 30," de
clared Chairman Chamberlain of the
military committee, "but those as old
as 45, and possibly those between IS
and 21."
American officers here recall that
when tho Germans produced tho gun
that would throw a shell 22 miles into
Dunkirk the French soon found a way
to meet tho attack, partially at least
A French wireless station, it is said,
is located a point in the ground not
far from tho gun emplacement and at
its position the concussion can be
rocorded when tho shell leaves the
gun. It takes something liko sixty
seconds for the shell to travel to
Dunkirk but a wireless signal Is
recorded in the city, a warning is
sounded and the inhabitants tako to
dugouts, generally reaching shelter
before tho shell strikes.
Entente allies' ordnance exports
said thoy could think of no gun which
might bo employed at such long rango
unless it was a development of tnei
Skoda rifle made in Austria, That Is
a tremendous enlargement on the plan
of the usual high power rifle. These
experts, however, have no knowledge
that tho Skoda has been developed to
'such an enormous range.
Another possibility discussed by tho
exports is tho development of a great
long range shell thrower operating by
centrifugal force. Theoretically, they
say, such a dovico could be geared up
to throw a shell across the ocean, but
they have no knowledge of Its oyer
being practically applied.
nn
THREE TRAINMEN KltLED.
WiCHITA FALLS, Texas. March 22.
Throo trainmen wero ldlled when
an engine of tho Fort Worth & Den
ver City railroad, drawing a freight
train, exploded at Eloclra, eighteen
miles west of hero, about noon,
Emperor in Command of. I
Troops Stakes All I
on Result I
LONDON, March 23. Today's Ger
man official announcement received
hero states that Emperor William is
in command on the western front Wmm
This announcement is regarded as
further cvldenco that tho emperor has wm
staked his all on an offensive, hoping
to win and go down in history as the
victor in this great and decisive
world's conflict.
Dispatches from Amsterdam picture wm
the emperor at Spa, Belgium, which jH
is being kept isolated on a radius of IH
fifteen kilometers. Tho German
crown prince, Field Marshal von Hin
denburg, General von Ludendorff and
other prominent Germans also are
reported there with him.
GREAT SUCCESS REPORTED. ,
VIENNA, March 23. (British Ad
miralty per Wireless Press.) Tho
war office announces that a great sue
cess has been won in the west jH
oo ll
Drop Bombs on City, Cause
Death French Aviators
Pursue Them.
PARIS, March 23. An official state-
ment issued here today says that WM
about forty airplanes attacked Paris ' JWM
last night, dropping a number of vWM
bombs. Thero wero several casual- lH
The following official announcement JWM
was given out: WMWM
"At 8:20 o'clock this morning a few mMM
airplanes flying at a very high altitude
succeeded in crossing the lines and jWM
attacking Paris. Thoy were imme-
dlatcly pursued by aviators of the en- WmWm
trenched camps of Paris, as well as
by those at tho front
"The dropping of bombs at several yMM
points has been reported. There are
several victims. A later announcement mmWM
will give further details of the raid." J
BERLIN, March 23 Between Fon
tainc les Croiselles and Moiuvrcs Ger- tWM
man forces 'penetrated into the second
enemy position and captured two vi -lages,
army headquarters announced
today. British counter-attacks failed. W
So far, the statement announces, 25,
000 prisoners, -100 guns and 300 ma
chine guns navo been taken. WM
Tho two villages taken on the Fon- wm
toine-Moeuvrcs wero Vaulx-Vraucourt wm
and Morchies. (Tho former village is tmM
about 3 miles and the latter about Mmw.
2 miles behind tho former Jritlsh
aont).