The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-08-14
Claim to be Having no Great
Trouble in Holding the
Passes Against the
Germans.
ONE DIVISION TRAPPED
Every Attempt to Penetrate the From
tier Has Been Beaten OF
With Heavy
Losses.
[6y VIM. Philip sImms, United Press
STAFF Correspondent

PARIS, Aug. 14.-The French gov
ernment today made the direct charge
that Germany Is violating the neutral
ity Of Switzerland. It claims In an
official statement issued this after
noon, that numerous German mount
ed patrols routed by French cavalry
columns have crossed the border in
to Switzerland. Tho OFFICIAL an
nouncement continues: "These scout
Ing parties Of tho enemy have not hes
itated TO violate the swiss territory In
efforts to escape from capture by the
French cavalry attacking them. The
French commanding officers, however,
have the strictest orders not to pur-
sue their advantage across the Swiss
frontier and az a result many Of the
German patrols escaped almost Ger
tain capture. It 10 announced tho
French government will direct the At
tenton Of the swiss government TO
this violation Of Ito territory"
Announcement and claim Of the
French army, which 10 holding tho
passes through the vosges mountains,
have defeated all attempts on tho part
Of the Germans to retake the road
waya through the ranges, was all the
news that the censor permitted to be-
IT, claimed that a sweeping French
victory occurred. The German COL
un1ns from Monsheir, Il is stated, at
tempted to retake St. Marie and lie
9onhon,me passe, which were taken
by the French a week ago. The Ger
man attack was In force, according to
reports here, but the French had
mounted artillery at all Of the ap-
proaches and the Germans failed utter
Iy in an atte mpt to storm the French
position.
According to reports made public at
the war office, one entire German d.
vision with artillery was entrapped
and after being badly cut up by a
deIuge Of fire from rapid fire guns,
was forced to surrender. This victory
is declared to have taken place near
the entrance to ST. Marie pass.
It is considered certain here that
fighting In the department of Muerthe
ct MosseIIe continues, but all par.
tlouIars arc withheld by the govern
ment. The only reference permitted d
was In a statement issued by the war
office which said: "sklrmishing be-
tween the opposing armies along the
entire frontier continues. The French
positions have been maintained at
every point and organized attempts to
penetrate the frontier have been beat
en- off with accompanying heavy
Losses. In every engagement the su-
periority Of the French artillery and
cavalry has been thoroughly demon
strated."
The war office says that the fight
ina in the Verses mountains showed
coneIusiveIy that the French oHense
is better than the Germans. The fight
Ina in the St. Marie and lesonhomme
passes covered a perIod of five days,
in which the Germans several times
threatened the French mastery only to
fall at the last moment, because Of
the poor quality Of their ammunition
for their artillery.
Their ra pid fire guns frequently be-
came iammed and as a result bold
French charges which were distfn'
eulshed by a free use Of the bayon-
cite, enabled the French to take a
number Of these guns. Today, accord.
ina to the war office the French hold
every pass through the verges noun
tains Including Sale pass and abso-
Iutely dominate the Brusho valley. SO
numerous are the prisoners. accord
Ina to the war office that General Jof-
fre has been compelled to make spe-
cial arrangements for their transfer
TO the concentration camp. One Of
the remarkable features, In the view
Of the French officers, is TINT German
soldiers are deserving in large num-
hers. Most Of these are said TO be
fContiuued on page ~