South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-10-21
ALLIES CLAIM CHECK
ON DASH TO COAST
AnglO-FrenCh-BeIgian Armies
Continue to RepuISe Rush of
TeutonS Toward French Sea-
ports, Paris Announces.
BY FRANKLIN II. MERRICk.
Staff Correspondent.

stan correspondent.
PARIS, oct. 21.-Attacks by Ger
mans on the allies along the Franco
Belgian front are increasing in viO-
lence but they have been repulsed ac-
cOrding 90 the official French state
nent issued here this afternoon. The
herceness of the German attacks is
attributed To the arrival Of troops who
have reinforced their forces in the
effort 10 reach the French coast ports.
The statement indicates that the al
lies are holding firmly and checking
the German attacks on the battle
front on the frontier. which extends
from NieupOrt, a Belgian coast town,
through DiXmUnde to Labasse, south
west OF lille, France.
The official statement follows:
Throughout yesterday Tuesday
the attacks of the enemy were espe-
cially violent on NieupOrt, DiXmunde
and Labasse. All We're repulsed with
great energy by the allied armies,
Along the wings the situation
shows no change"
Both FOrtify Positions.
Both the allies and the Germans
have begun TO fOrtify their positions
i'm the extreme north. The allies are
evidently throwing up intrenchments
for projection against the German
artillery which has reached the
front: the Germans probably hope to
1se their defensive works for
haven III forced To retreat after gain
ing ground in future offensive oper-
ations
Although the tide OF hostilities in
The north has been swinging back
and forth over French and Belgian
soil with great violence a decisive re-
suit is not vet in sight. The allies
have strengthened their lines with
heavy detachments OF French and
British marines
Attacks Cloak strategic Move.
Following the official announce
ment of "a vigorous offensive move
ment by the Germans with attacks ct
seven different points, some French
military experts have come TO the
conclusion that the German general
STAFF ordered an offensive movement
all along the front To cloak an i'm
pOrtant strategic movement behind
the firing line.
They argue that a vigorous attack
may now be looked Tor in some uneN-
pected quarter.
IL seems probable, however, that
the Germans were trying TO find q
weak spot i'm the allies line and de-
Hvered a general attack over a great
, area of the front with this object in
I view.
! OFFICIAL information from the
French war office seems more Opti-
mistic than usual Not only were
where they attacked, IL Is claimed,
but in some quarters the allies gained
ground.
These Oppose Germans.
Opposing the Germans in me
northern zone of hostiliues are the
following units:
French infantry. cavalry. artillery.
and marines, British infantry, caval-
~. artillery and marines: Indian
troops. Belgian troops (the whole
Belgian army is arrayed against the
Germans and Algerians.
The French war office is confident
THAT the main forts at Nerdun can
hold ont. owing 20 the cooperation of
the French army in that region
which is opposing the Germans.
From southern Alsace 10 the
Meuse lighting is violent and cOntin-
uous. from the Ncuse 10 the Oise
there is little II any lighting over the
greater part OF the line. from the
Oisc into Belgium the hOstihties are
terrific The Germans hold an un-
usually strong position near Lille and
there are certain points In that re-
gion which have been taken. lost and
retalSen "a half dozen times during the
past fortnight
Hold Germans in Check.
I'm Belgium. along the User river.
near Dixmunde and Ypres the allies,
assisted by the Belgian troops under
King Albert. have been able 20 hold
the Germans in check. it is officially
claimed.
The town of Rosieres. between
Albert and Roye has suffered severe
~ from artillery fire. Fighting
around Arras and LaBasse has abso-
lutely devastated the country.
40 mention was made Dy the
French war Office last night of fight
ing az Nieuport on the Belgian coast,
which led TO the belief that the Ger
mans had withdrawn from that port
on account OF the heavy FIRE OF the
British Warships OF shore.
The great battle front is now more
than 800 miles long but along a great
part OF it there are no active hos
. tilities. However. troops are stretched
out over the line. and no one can tell
when a storm OF death and destruc-
tiun may develop at any point.
EAGnJTNrE~ T~VpTnnI-S