± sT* yy iin • i N " ■ ystery Gun Which Has Been Bombarding Pa fade in Austria, Vienna Bispatche Say HAKRISBURG TELEGRAPH Mt ' / ®l)t Star-In&epenbcnt / LXXXVII— No. ;2 16 PAGES ■"TSagK** BRITISH S TIF FEN RESISTANCE TO MIGHTY GERMAN BLOWS IN GREA TES TBA TTLE OF THE WAR IN FIVE DA YS HUNS RETAKE BUT PART OF OLD Fighting Dies Down Daring Night; British Establish Themselves in New Positions East of Roye and Albert; Teutons Begin New Attacks Against Combined Forces of Allies South of the Somme; German Losses So Heavy That Enemy Is Required to Bring Up Reinforcements From Every Part of Western Front 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, Reuters correspondent at British headquarters wires. Over a large part of the battle zone the retirement is being made voluntarily so as to maintain an unbroken front. Prisoners say the advance of the Germans is behind their schedule. The tenacity of the British forces, the prisoners say exceeded anything the Germans deemed possible. They complain of great privations, 011 account of lack of supplies and extreme weari ness also is telling heavily. Owing to the dense masses of supporting troops, however, the enemy is able to replenish his forward line with fresh units. British Loose Pandemonium British airmen last night made veritable pandemonium of every center of concentration of traffic behind- the German front. Te*ns of thousands of rounds were lired point blank into enemv formations while airmen fulfilled effectively their role as eyes of the artillery. Yesterday was the supreme day for the British gunners, says the correspondent. 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 lire. Met Fate of Old Guard at Waterloo 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 sector, near Sapignies, did they succeed in bending back the British front. It was to conform thi front with this indentation that the British fell back during the night, straightening the line. British Take Up New Position London, March 26-—The fighting died down during the night, the war office reports. The Brit ish established themselves in new positions cast 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 up reinforce ments 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 been engaged. jr The Official Statement The statement follows: "The lighting died down during the night. Our troops established themselves on new posi tions cast of Roye and Albert. "North of the Somme continuance of the fighting is expected, but it has not vet developed. At tacks are reported to be developing this morning south of the Somme against our troops and those of the French in the neighborhood of Roye and Chaulnes. "The enemy's losses continue to be severe. lie has been obliged to reinforce his battle front from all parts of the western theater. Over 70 hostile divisions arc known to have been eneaeed in the battle."' h s Although still giving ground at points before tho desperate German drive, tho British and French armies < ngaged in the great battle in North ern France are preserving their united front intact and apparently awaiting the opportune moment for the delivery, of a counter blow to dispel the German dream of world nomination. Big Events Impending I;ig events are impending in the Immediate future, at any rate, and the advices from the front indicate that these are expected to develop favorably to the allies, probably •within the next few hours. All accounts agree Germany is paying heavily for every foot of ground she has wrested from the al lied armies. Her casualties are shown by the British official state ment to have mounted so high that every part of the western front has had to be drawn upon to provide badly-needed reinforcements for the battle area. l r ield Marshal Haig's report re veals that more than seventy di visions, or between 800,000 and 900,- 000 men already have been engaged in the battle on the German side, and the widespread call for fresh troops makes it plain that fighting forces are being rapidly used up in the terrific and costly onslaught. Forty divisions of the German re serve are reported 'to have been thrown into the line as early as the second day of the battle. The rearward movement in the face of tho Teutonic attack now has brought tho allied armies well to- THE WEATHER I'nr Hnrrlxburic nnd vicinityi Fair • 10-nliiht Mini Wcdneailuyi not >n ii i-Ki chniiKr In temperature, loneat to-night about 30 de- For Knatern Pennaylvmi In: Part ly cloudy to-nlfilit anil Wcdnea dny, little chimge in tempera ture! moderate north Went to north irlndK. Temperature! ft u. m., 34. Sum Itlaex, 5)53 n. nt.| net*. OiOT p. m. Yeaterday'a Weather Hlgheat temperature, .T4. I,otreat temperature. JIB. Mean temperature, 44. Normal temperature, 41. Important Events Are Forecast For Next Few Hours llriti>h Army Headquarters in France, March 26.—There is rea son to believe 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. The enemy is fighting desper ately hard against time. ' On the iirst day his reserves wero re duced to fifty-two divisions. At tho end of the second day some forty divisions from the reserves had been put in. A heavy German attack yester day about Ervillers was com pletely smashed by the British artillery fire. ward the edge of their former bat tle lines in the Somme area and in the devastated region to the south east. • French Kxtcnd Lines Southward Field Marshal Haig reports the new British line drawn somewhat to the east of Albert and Boye. Paris indicates the French fighting front is extending southward from Chaulnes, past Noyon, which has been evacuated by the French, and then running eastward along the southern bank of the river Oise. The German troops have been re ported as rapidly tiring from their breathless plunge into the entente lines, and they evidently were forced to take a breathing spell last night opposite the British front as the London noonday statement reports the fighting to have died down. This morning, however, fresh forces probably had been brought up and the attack was being re sumed south of the Somme in the Boye and Chaulnes areas. Counter Blow Exported It is in this sector artd in the Noyon region that the German wedge is being driven in hardest, and it is here, or on the line to the east, should the Germans further expose their left wing, that the weight of the expected counter blow may fall. The French on their front are holding the line of the Oise strong- HARRISBURG, PA., TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 26, 1918 ly. Their artillery is cutting huge swaths in tho German columns nnd I'rencli infantry is making fre quent counterattacks, inflicting Heavy losses upon the Germans and retarding their advance. British Maintain Superiority The British evidently are main taining their marked superiority in the air on the battle front and arc throwing the German supply stations ana lines of communication in the rear into confusion by air attacks at close range. On the extreme north and in the | center tho Herman progress has been appreciably slower, while around Bapaume, on tho old battle i fieUl of the Somme and east and J north of Noyon the enemy has I made gains, but only at the cost of oesert land the British inflicted enor ii'ous losses on tlie enemy, who sac j I'iflced thousands of lives in an ef [Continued on Page 2.] Two Regiments of U. S. Engineers in Path of Big Battle Unheard From By Associated Press Washington, March 26. —Two reg iments of American railroad en gineers attached to the British armies in the path of the German onslaught on the western front and three companies, as ye* unheard from, were.employed near the Cro zat canal where German official statements mentioned engagements with American troops. This information cabled the War Department last night by General Pershing while definitely disposing of reports that Americans had been sent into battle, caused no little anxiety here regarding the fate of the engineers who have not reported. Based on official statements from London, Paris and Berlin, allied and American army officers here to-day advance the opinion that, the Ger man offensive appeared to be slow ing up under the British system of defense. They regarded the battle as having entered its second stage with the Germans facing increased resistance. Major General Marsh, chief of staff, summed up the view of the American military observers when he declared the War Department saw no.cause for ularm. What the Man in the Bleachers Can't Understand I I li 1 1"' WHILE: THIS WHOLE TBA.II IS OVEK THYL\G TO CATCH UREAT HIT IT AIN OFF FLIT ST UASES FRANCE REPORTS A SLOWING UP OF THE GREAT DRIVE Entire Confidence Is Placed in Ability of British to Stop Advance By Associated Press French Front in Friince, Monday, March 25. —Lytire conlidence reigns that the Germans' last trump in the world battle will be overtrumped when the proper moment comes. The Allied military authorities wero fully cognizant that the enemy's supreme effort would cause a retreat until measures could be taken to check the irruption into the Allied posi tions. As always, the attackers possessed the advantage of knowing exactly where they would launch their on slaught. while the defenders were [Continued on Page 2.] American Position on Toul Sector Is Again Bombarded With Gas I With the Amerlrnn Army In France, Monday. March 25.—The American positions on a certain part •O- the Toul frAnt were bombarded I with mustard gas shells at the rate of six a minute last night, but in effectively. The Americans replied with a heavy fire and demolished seg ments of the German front lines and other points. A German airplane flew over the American lines during the night and dropped a shell, which did not ex plode but dug a deep hole. At noon to-day a French airplane brought down a German machine opposite the American trenches. American observers find increased activity behind the enemy 1i n .■>. Many horses, vehicles and bicycles are moving along the roads. The us ual patrols were active during the night and an American party found a camouflage suit abandoned by a German sniper. American gunners have bombarded the mouth of a tunnel Inside the German . lines and an observation Tost recently discovered HUNS USE TANKS ! TO SMASH LINES HELD BY HAIG Berlin Admits British Defense Is Brave and Tc- / nacious Berlin, Monday, March 25, via London.—German tahks reinforced by captured British tanks, says a semi-official statement to-day on Sunday's lighting -in the west, "took a leading part in breaking the enemy's brave resistance." Tanks attached to the German di visions lighting below St. Quentin stood the test brilliantly, the state ment says and their mobility was praised universally. All the tanks which took part in the fighting are said to have returned undamaged. It was mainly due to their inter vention, the statement continues, that the tenacious resistance of the British, especially the machine gun nests was broken quickly. Troops manning a concrete redoubt near Urvillers are reported to have been overpowered immediately by the tanks. ANOTHER SMALLPOX* VICTIM John Spahr, 50 Balm street, an employe at the Harrisburg Pipe and Pipe Bending works, who has been I under quarantine since last Friday, i is the latest victim of smallpox lo- j cated by city health authorities. He is related to the family In York ' county suffering from the disease, and discovered by state health authorities. City officials believe he contracted it while visiting there. Don't Spend All you planned For That Easter Hat Put Aside $4.14. and Get $5.00 &W Ask John A. Affleck " 4 "MYSTERY GUN" MADE IN AUSTRIA: I ONLY THREE BUILT ; Long-Range Gun Built at Skoda Factory, Is Report From Vienna . By Associated Press I Cicncvii, Monday, March 23. —The L long-range guns bombarding Paris, i stya a Vienna dispatch received here, ; are of Austrian manufacture, having ! been built at the Skoda factory. The gun ItMcir in not new, lint lla novelty foinrs from n new type of shell mill the exploitive itnxrx used In the Klin. There nre nnlil to be only two or three of the gun*. I.omloii, March 2fi.—ln the "mys tery gun," the name generally given to the weapon with which the' Ger mans are bombarding Paris from a distance estimated at seventy-live miles, it is frankly conceded by ex perts the enemy has sprung one of the greatest surprises of the war. Powerful I'ropellimt General Sir Desmond O'Callaghan. formerly president of the army ord nance committee, says of the Ger man gun: "The project'les must have been [Contlntftd on Pase 2.] j Harrisburg Likely to Be Asked to Subscribe Four Million to Liberty Loan I No word hfis been received in the city regarding the quota assigned to Harrisburg and the Harrisburg dis- J trict for the Third Liberty Loan j drive. Local chairmen are at Phila delphia attending the conference of I state chairmen, and it is likely they | will announce the quotas upon their I return to the city this evening. | ' Local authorities have estimated fhat the Harrisburg quota will be $4,000,000, the name as the second quota. The quotas for the district, composed of Dauphin, Perry, Cum berland and Juniata counties, would then be $7,5p0,000. Local chairmen are ready t<} begin the drive for bonds, it hifs been announced. oaii.v uvuainu ruu i'iti<.a MOW M'A I'ICK L.\ II A IIIIISIIII ||(; — WILD RUMORS ARE PART OF A GERM AN PLOT Mask Evil Plans Behind Wil lingness of Many to Pass Misinformation TO PLACARD THE COUNTY! Public Safety Committee Plans Prosecution of Those Who Lie Deliberately A well-defined plan to shake the confidence of the American public) thereby hindering the progress ofl the war plans and the success of the coming Liberty Loan and Red Cross: campaigns to-day was seen by tliei Dauphin County Committee of Pub-i lie Safety to be back of the dozen or more rumors circulated last night and to-day. While most of the rumors pre harmless enough in themselves, it is said tliat they are simply a smoke screen behind which arc being launched lies that arc well designed I to strike at the country. Members of the committee to-day said that there are a number of Ger [Continued on Page I t.] 50 Germans Arrested in Chicago Following Noisy Celebration l liicago. March 20. —Celebration i ot the German offensive resulted in | the arrest here last night of more than fitty persons. Police first were attracted to one house by strains ol ' "Die Waclit Am Rhine," and as !i ! result of arrests made there-Federal I and civil authorities combined in'a drive throughout the German set-! tlement. where it was found that n I general celebration was being held.' German flags were displayed in nianyj places and in many houses groups; were found raising their voices in | German songs. Bonfires also were I lit in some parts of the city. One prisoner, when asked the cause of the celebration, declared ho had "held himself back as long as possible, but the great German vic tory was too great an event not to be celebrated." ® •sKHr** iriHriririri: 'srkir i& % *r | I #• • X I * tV ' T . X € ft t e& T '* It M} e% T Di , * V* ®* tar} C T J, < i American military and naval forces ** e * torn the allied governments. £ II SIX HOSTILE PLANES BROUGHT DOWN 4 ' * R * ual artillery actions and moderate activity by our re JL * • Mf S 4* KILLED IN X < # Washington—A'seaplane accident at Pensacola, Fla.,, JT < *| * t>-* r. * * *V* 4 AIRPLANE PROGRAM GREATLY REDUCED ♦ 0 J| X Washington—Senator New, Republican of Indiana. X [peaking in the Sent day declared that instead of .4* 0 t' j T 12,000 . ( . , * a-. , * f ber v.-ill mount to On) -37 * I | ACTION WILL TRANSFER THOUSANDS * 1 T *** -* Was ♦ er , „ scngcr tragic sc>ii 'inct; has been tU i <*• or •* * >