Mexico Missouri message., 1914-09-17

| garrison OF Paris from its primary
duty OF manning the forts. Detach'
ments from this service can we'll be
spared. sufficient to form an additional
corps to strengthen the allies left
flank.
Dispatches seem to have developed
point of attack which has been little
after making the turning movement
| around Verdun, seems to have moved
southeast up the valleys of the Aire
and Aisne rivers. So great was the
pressure of its attacks that the French
line was forced back to Souilly and
the line of the Ornain river. The
days wireless report from Berlin.
of the capture of Notifications near
Verdun refers to the operations of
this army.
In Perilous Position.
This portion of the French line is
in a dangerous position. In their eff
forts to hold the fortress of verdun
the French left a salient protruding
twenty-five miles beyond their general
line. This salient is now exposed to
attack both on east and west. A sue
cess by the Germans on either side
would take the other side in rear and
would result in serious losses during
the withdrawal.
II the Germans succeeded in such a
move they would isolate Verdun and
have a chance to bring to bear upon 1t
the same tactical use of heavy artil-
lery that resulted in the capture of
Liege, Namur and Longwy. The
French armies would be forced back
to the general line running from Vitry
to Toul
Such a success on the part of the
Germans would not have decisive
effect on the battle, but 1t would have
important value In shortening their
front of operations and in facilitating
the supply OF their troops. BY throw
ing open a new line of operations, il
would tend to counterbalance the con
traction OF such lines on the right
flank due TO the allies turning move
ment.
Germans Hold Positions.
The fighting reported at Easternay
ten miles south Of Montmirail, and
the reports of fighting along the
Ornain river just cast OF Vitry show
that the German armies are still hold
ing their advanced line. The sue
cesses of the allies seem TO have beer
gained mostly by the British army
north of Coulommiers and by tbs
French army and the allied army OIL
their left.
1t is too soon to make any estimate
as to the outcome of this battle
While the allies have a greater tota
force the Germans have drawn II
their columns and massed their troop:
. In way that gives them a numerical
superiority at the point OF contact.
The outcome is going to depend
largely on the French artillery. i
the French guns can hold their posi-
tons and maintain their fire, the Ger
/ man losses In assault will be so grea
as to make success impossible.
All signs indicate that the Germans
have reached the limit OF their avail
! able force for the French campaign
} To gain sufficient strength for THU
r last effort they have had to strip tn,
. country from Client, Belgium. to Mul
: hansen, Alsace.
D The latest news changes the situa
ton in East Prussia. The German
armies in this region have been great
: ly REINFORCED and have again inflicted
: on the Russian army Of invasion 1
D blow that will seriously delay it's ad
: vance.
3 The German success in this dis
3 trict will have an important influence
). in delaying the advance of the centra
3 Russian army through Poland. Du'
! to the same rail superiority Austria
Q can move her reserves into Galici;
: faster than Russia can bring he
! forces TO the front The Austrian re
!. sistance on the front from Raw;
Ruska. south to Stryi is stiffening.
q In the rest OF the field of operations
E the advantage lies with the Russians
~--~-
IN d A.