Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-09-08
Trying to Deal a Crushing
Blow Before Investing
the City Of Paris
LINE OF FIGHTING
EXTENDS FOR MILES
Invaders Giving Ground on
the Right Before the
\ British Troops

news olSPdtcn from perrin
Gays that battle is being fought
on the French center from RetheI
to verdun, with the opposing
forces on almost even terms.
Reports from other sources,
while failing 70 reveal the purpose
Of the German strategy in remov-
ing great force to the southeast
Of Paris, indicate determination
to deal the allies crushing blow
before the complete investment Of
the French capital is attempted.
German pressure Of the left wing
OF the ailee has been Withdrawn
and apparently the main strength
of the invaders has been thrown
against the enemy's center and
! right.
it.. lsss officially announced In s
Paris that a general engagement
Is being fought east Of that city
today and that the Germans have
begun to retire at that point.
Paris, Sept IA general action is
today proceeding to the east OF Paris
from Nanteuil and LIE Haudouin to
Verdin, according to an official com.
munication given out this afternoon.
The text of the official note is as
follows: :
"A general action has started on the
line through Nanteuil-Le Haudouin to
Verdin. Thanks to the vigorous action
Of our troops, strongly supported BY
the British, the Germans started re-
firing.
'The Germans had advanced Satur-
DAY and Sunday into the region be-
tween Coulommiers and La Ferte-Gau-
cher"
Nanteuil LIE Haudouin Is rs miles
northeast of the city of Paris and ten
miles southeast of Senlis. The dis
tance from Nanteuil LIE Haudouin to
verdin is roughly 120 miles.
Meaux is % miles east of Paris, and
Sezanne is about IS miles east of the
capital. Sezanne Is also 25 miles
southwest of Epernay. vitry-Le-Fran-
co.'s is on the right bank of the river
Marne, and 25 miles southwest Of
Verdin. Coulommiers is in the depart
ment of Seine and Marne, and is 13
miles southeast of Meaux and 80 miles
easterly from Paris. La Ferte-Gaucher
Is ten miles east of Coulommiers and
about 40 miles to the east of Paris.
Trying Bit of Strategy.
London, Sept. THE belief is grow
ing that a great decisive battle is being
fought at Verdun, the strong fortress
of France on the Meuse near the
French frontier.
II the fourth German army, marching
southwark, cuts off the retreat of the
French eastern armies which recent;
ly have been holding the Germans in
check between Toul, a fortified town
IA miles west Of Nancy and Epinal also
strongly fortified and near the Alsace
frontier, 1t might repeat the coup
which in 1870 drove General Charles
Denis and Sauter Bourbaki and his
army of 100000 men into Switzerland.
Critics are specializing on the pos
sibility that the German swing around
to the south may mean an effort on the
part of the invaders to make sure OF
their retreat through the Meuse dis
trict, but more likely it is a scheme to
strike such paralyzing blow to the
French army as to render the invest.
ment of Paris safe operation.
The southerly movement of the Ger
mans may effect junction of the
crown princes army and the army OF
Bavaria which has been held on the de-
fensive in Lorraine Thus the German
would advance from the east and north
in vast enveloping movement destin.
ed to crush the allies right wing by
sheer weight of numbers just as their
left was pushed back during the last
fortnight.
These preliminary movements If
showing nothing else. at least proves
that the Germans realize that the siege
OF Paris, even it's occupation, is quite
worthless from strategic standpoint
-yhile the allies sSS free in the field.