, 1914-12-31
WAR NEWS SUMMARIZED

fctro9rad that n RUSSIANS nave
Improved their strategic position by
falling back. The capture Of era.
q cow, however, long hasabeen sought
by Russia, being regarded as an i'm;
portant step on the way to an inva-
sion Of Germany across the Sllesian
border.
The Initiative In military operations
apparently has been left for the time
being to the airmen. Aerial raids
across the English channel to the
" lower Thames, over Frieburg,
Nancy, Metz and sachaczew, Rus.
4 sian Poland, and on the German
naval base at Cuxhaven, inflicted
considerable damage In the aggre.
gate. Details OF the cuxhaven ex-'
A petition are still lacking and al
a. though Berlin asserts that the Brit,
Ish aVlators accomplished nothing, II
Is said at Hamburg that GONE dam
age wa done. u Is evident, how
ever, that the heavy fog prevented
the British from carrying out fully
their plans.
Activity on LAM IN sea apparently
is diminishing Even In Russian Pc,
land the fighting is becoming less
severe, without a decision having
been reached. Vienna admits that
the Austrians have been compelled
to retreat before the Gslieian Car.
pathians, and In Berlin IL 10 said
that the attempt to cross the Bzura
river, in the advance on Warsaw,
has been abandoned.
Comparative quiet prevails In the
western theater Of war. In Flanders
q the oannonadine has been inter,nit.
tent, but in the Areonne region and
Alsace, there have been attacks n
counter attacks with no material
progress On either side.
The French official statement con
.cedes the losing Of certain trenches
to the Germans, but otherwise
claims advances for the forces OF
the republic.
Italy has ordered the cruiser caiabria
at Beirut, Syria, to render any nee
essary aid to the American cruiser
North Carolina.
The German government has formally
notified the American state depart
meny that American eonsuls in Bel
eium must. be acceptable to the Ger.
man military authorities and that
h is desirable that some of the con
suls cbe Withdrawn for the present,
at least.
The sServian battlefield It Parasnlca
shows how the Austrians and Serbs
fought for weeks in subterranean
warfare. The small peninsula Is .
maze Of trenches and caves. .
The bcIated 'coId spell reported In Po-.
land Is expected to precipitate a
definite result In the German Polish
campaign, which is now practically
at a sstandstiIl, despite daily predic-
TONS Of an impending crisis and
decisive battle.
Diplomatic conversations are actually
in progress on the question Of bring
Ing Japanese troops to Europe to
fight with the allies, according to a
statement by Stephen Pichon, form
er French minister Of war.
Notwithstanding the fact that a recent
OFFICIAL statement announced that
the Germans had ceased their at
% tacks on the Bzura river, In Russian
Poland,- latest advlces from Berlin
Indicate that they are still advanc-
Ing In that region" Petrograd, how.
ever, asserts that along the Bzura
and Rawka rivers the fighting Of late
has been confined to artillery fire.
The 'Austrians in Galieis, the Russian
general staff. asserts, have been
driven back In the neighborhood Of
Tarnow, where many prisoners were
taken. The Austrians are reported
to have ~retreated In disorder. Sim,
Ilarly they are said to have been
forced back from the line running
from Zmiqrod to Dukla In the carpaa
thians, with enormous losses, includ,
Ing 10000 prisoners.
Italy has occupied the Albanian port Of
Aviona, as the result Of a revolution
which has broken5iout in Albania
against the Turkish ruler, Essad
Pasha. This step was taken to re-
store order and afford protection to
Europeans and peaceful inhabitants.
but intervention by In Albania
carries with II the possibility Of the
participation OF that country In the
present conflict.
A German aviator drove his machine
the English ohaanele evident
ly with the intention Of making an
attack on sheerness. However, Hike
his e~ompatriot who recently made
an attempt against Dover, he was
unsuccessful, being driven away by
British. aircraft.
One hundred Turkish military officers
were arrested at aconstantlnople,
charged with completely In an anti.
German plot.
The French, the Germans, the Rus.
SLAMS and the Austrlans all claim
progress for their armies at various
poiatss but admit they Shave ne,
gained a decisive advantage over
their antagonist. From all sides,
however, the official reports continue
70 ahow hAaNv raanaItiAa raauittnn