Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-12-10
A GENERAL SURVEY OF
THE WAR

From the French official statements
1t seems evident that the allied often
sive is working from Ypres northeast
ward toward Roulers and cannonading
is reported along the railway between
these points.
More definite information that the
allied offensive has begun Is contained
In the German official report, which
says that French attacks against thu
German troops In Flanders have bsen
rspulsed repeatedly, apparently indi-
eating that the attack was not spor-
adic effort but . part OF a determined
plan OF action. The French report
says that during the day OF Dec. 2, the
allies captured 9s1 prisoners In the
northern region alone.
In Alsace the French say that they
have advanced In the direction of Alt
kirch and have reached a point near
that town. In between the two wings
Of the battle line, the French official
statement mentions the repulse of Ger
man infantry attacks at La Corne,
northwest OF the forest of Grurie,
which is some distance to the north Of
the last point previously reported as
the scene of fighting in this region,
and denotes French advance here as
well as on both tanks.
The High Tide of the War.
Correspondents in Petrograd est-
mate from semi-official information
that the Germans lost 10000 men in
killed, wounded and prisoners betweei,
Nov. 18 and Dec. Q. The Russian
losses have been very heavy The
series of battles between Plock and
Petrokow have been the most sanguin-
airy and costly of the war.
General Karl Won Rennenkampfs
failure to close the gap through who's
the Germans finally broke prevented
a Russian triumph that would have
ended the campaign in q stroke, but
military critics assert that the opera
lions in Poland have been a great dis
appointment to German hopes. Moth
Ing vital has been gained, although a
terrible price has been paid. and much
of Importance has been lost. Power
full Russian armies are south AMI
north of the army retiring from LODI.
The only object that the Germans have
accomplished by the sacrifice OF thou
sands of their best soldiers was keep
ing the fighting in Russian territory
Russians Pushing On.
So far as East Prussia is concerned,
the news is plain. The Russians have
never halted In their advance toward
Insterburg and Koenigsberg and have
continued to overflow a large area.
The invasion Of Poland utterly failed
as means of creating a diversion.
Observers confidently believe that a
few days more will see Russian army
holding Insterburg and thereby com
manding the network OF strategic rail
ways in East Prussia.
The situation around Cracow has
been more or less overshadowed by
the intensely dramatic operations In
western Poland, but here again the
Russians have pressed forward and
are In better position to capture the
gateway to Silesia than ever before.
At the northeast of the city Russian
column is reported to be within eleven
miles Of the city At the southeast
column has occupied Wieliczika, about
eight miles from Cracow. Official an
nouncements justify the surmise that
Cracow is already under fire. Once
Cracow is taken straight roads to Ber-
lin d 7-icna ere cren - fhc 2 \
stems. It fas II Go lttea ha ne
Russians have the troops and the stay
ing powers to block any resumption of
German effort toward Warsaw while
continuing the attack on Cracow and
IN East Prussia