South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-12-08
Berlin General Staff Announces
Success in West and Says
Russians Are Being Pursued
in Poland.
100, 600 RUSSIANS
CAPTURED AT LODI
Unofficial Report Shows That
KaiSer'S Men Took Great
Number of PriSOnerS-War-
saw Now Goal of TeutOnS.

BERLIN, Dec. S.-An official report
from the general staff issued here this
afternoon states that the Germans
have captured the French positions at
Malancourt in the western theater OF
war, and in the eastern arena are
closely pursuing the retreating Rus
slams. The report follows:
In northern Poland German troops
are closely pursuing the retreating
enemy. East and southeast of Lodz
the Russians lost 1900 prisoners, 10
cannon and many ammunition carts.
In southern Poland nothing OF special
Importance has happened.
THE French statement claiming
an advance by them IN the Argonne
forest IS not correct There have
been no French attacks in that region
for long time past. We are CON
tinuOusly gaining ground. On sunday
we captured the French position at
MalancOurt."
Roads i'm Bad Condition.
a supplementary report on the sit
uatiOn in Flanders says:
Headquarters reports that the
roads on the coast OF Flanders are in
had condition. They have been made
worse by the rains. This is causing
great difficulty in the movements OF
troops. North of Arras we have made
some slight progress
The report added that no special
reports had been received from East
Prussia.
1t stated that the warship at Dissle
was burned yesterday and that the
fire was attributed to incendiaries. No
lives were lost
BERLIN, Dec. S.-(By WireIess.)
More than 100, 600 Russians were
taken prisoners when Lodz was cap
tured by the Germans according 10
unofficial reports received here today.
Warsaw is now the goal OF the German
armies in Poland, following the fall
of LOdz. This is made clear in an
official review Of the military situation
issued here today. 1t says concern
ing Warsaw:
IF the investment Of Warsaw
should result from the present oper-
atiOnS, it would rob the Russians OF
their most important railway commu-
nications and put them in serious
position"
The operations i'm Poland. which
have developed into the bloodiest
battles in the history OF the world.
are declared TO be approaching de-
cisive climax.
That news of decisive actions in
the east may be expected any day
says the official review. lis shown by
the latest reports from headquarters
that everything is proceeding accord
ing to plans"
German military experts derive
great ENCOURAGEMENT from the fact
that the latest Russian reports are
plainly much less confident than here
tofOre
Deny Russian Reports.
1t is officially announced that in the
western theater OF war all the attacks
made by the allies have been re-
pulsed with heavy losses TO the assail-
ing troops.
Reports sent from Russia that the
cars troops defeated the Germans in
an attack at CZestOchowa with heavy
losses on Nov. 20, are denied with the
following statement:
THE contrary is true. an attack by
the 18th Russian army corps which
advanced until only 60 meters from
the German front was defeated on
that day. The Russians left a very
great number of killed and wounded
on the battlefield and were obliged 10
transfer their positions further back
The imperial secretary for the col
onies issued statement tod&y an
nouncing that Germany has no inten-
tion OF occupying the union Of South
Africa permanently. He put the blame
for hostilities in South Africa puon
the British forces. asserting that they
attacked the Germans.
The secretary pledged the German
government not 10 interfere with the
.nion if il evacuated the territory that
had ben occupied and RETAINED from
further hOstilities. The statement in
vites the union Of South Africa 60 es-
tablish a neutral state. declaring that
its political Independence territorial in
tegrity would be recognized hy Ger
many.