The citizen., 1914-08-21
SOON MUST COME IN CONTACT
French Troops Gain Stragetic
Points.
ITALY MAY JOIN ENTENTE
There Is Nov More Than a Possibility
That the Great Battle VIII Be
Fought On Or Near the Historic
Waterloo Field.

Waterloo Field.
London.-Pushing forward by mere
weight Of numbers. the German ad-
vance across Belgium is slowly. but
steadily proceeding and soon must
come in contact with the allied armies,
which. according TO an official com
munication from Brussels, are in bat
tie order at some point unnamed.
The Belgians in the outpost skirm-
ishing are said to have inflicted severe
checks on the German forces; but on
the whole the German wing has kept
on its way and has reached line from
north Of Namur 10 Haelen, which sug-
gests that the first big battle will be
fought somewhere between Louvain
and Diest, where the allies probably
wiz try to block the roads to Brussels
and Antwerp and prevent the German
attempt to render North Belgium un-
4enable.
FrenSh Gstn SudteSiC Folnts'
Further south, French troops have
entered Belgium through Charleroi,
going to the relief Of their neighbors
and to aid in any attack directed to-
ward Namur, while in the east the
French are reported to have secured
possession Of ridges in the Fosges
Mountains and TO hold the passes OF
Le Bonhomme and Sainte Marie-Au-
Mines, through which important roads
pass and which it is declared gives
them great strategic advantage.
The Germans again are hammering
away at the Liege forts and, accord
Ing to their accounts, one Of the forts,
Pontisse, has fallen. This, however
is denied by the Belgians, who tell of
another slaughter Of the invaders,
who. they say, attempted to rush the
fortress.
Germany Menaced On East.
Military strategists are Of the opin-
ion that the Germans are meeting with
delay which they did not count upon
and that every day the Belgians keep
them fighting means an increase of
Russian forces on their eastern from
tier. They express the belief that un-
less Germany disposes of Belgium and
France she will have to choose be-
tween Withdrawing great part of her
army from the west or leaving the
road to Berlin open to the forces OF
the Emperor of Russia.
Already hordes of Russians are re-
ported to be marching toward Prussia
on the one side and to Austrian Galicia
on the other. In the latter country
they are said to be in the vicinity Of
the Styr river, which is on the route
to Lemberg.
The official news bureau of the army
and admiralty has issued warning to
the public against placing the slightest
reliance in the many rumors current
daily regarding alleged victories or de-
feats or concerning the arrival of
wounded soldiers or disabled ships of
Great Britain. "These are, without
exception, baseless," the warning says.
Italy May Join Triple Entente.
The probable attitude of Japan and
Italy is still the subject of much
speculation. Conversations are going
on continuously between Japan and
Great Britain concerning Japan's duty
under her alliance with Great Britain
and the part she will be permitted to
take in the peace conferences follow
ing the war. There are persistent
rumors that Italy will join the Triple
Entente. The Italian Ambassador ia
a frequent caller at the Foreign Office.
If it should prove correct that Tur-
key has purchased the German cruis
ers Goeben and Breslau, war between
Greece and Turkey is said to be likely,
for Greece sees in the move an at
tempt on the part of Turkey to re-
cover some of her islands taken In the
last war. Russia to meet such a con-
tingency would send troops to the
Roumanian frontier.
The British Government has called
for bids for an issue Of $75,000,000
treasury bills.