Arizona republican., 1914-09-17
Fighting Force Which Less
Than Two Weeks Ago
Was at Gates Of Paris is
Now Taking Defensive
Position
ARE DEPENDING
ON FORTIFICATIONS
Have River Aisne on the
Right, Hills of Rheims
Facing Center and Noun
tains and Forests of Ar
gOnne on Left
ASSOCIATED PRESS DIsPATcHl

lAooONlAlE Eli FnESS DlSfAlCh1
LONDON, Sept. 16.-The German
army, which less than fortnight ago
was at the gates of Paris" and the
right wing, which then extended to
the southeast of the French capital IS
tonight drawn up almost on a straight
line. extending from the neighborhood
of Noyon, in the west, to Bois Forges
on the Meuse. north of VerGun, with
its left resting on the German fortress
of Metz. That the Germans intend
to give battle on This line, with the
river Aisne in front of their right
and the hills of Rheims facing the
center, with the mountains and for
ests of Argonne on the left, there
seems little doubt
They went back steadily before the
French and English armies, fighting
only rear guard actions until their
right, IN command of General Won
kluck, got across the Aisne. Then
they turned and delivered several
counter attacks which, however ac-
cording to the British official report,
were repulsed, the Germans leaving
two hundred prisoners in the hands
ot the British.
These counter attacks were doubt
less delivered in the hope of giving
the troops of the right wing, ex-
hausted by the long advance followed
by retreat almost as long, an op-
portunity of resting and preparing
the positions from which they could
resist an attack of the allies and in
which they could await reinforeements
before taking the offensive again.
The Germans are in the hilly coun-
Try around Noyon, on the plateau
north of Vic-sur- -Aisne and Sois-
sons. north of Rheims, where they are
digging long entertainments and re-
ceiving reinforcements. But even
here this right wing. which has up
To the present borne the brunt of the
fighting in advance and retreat, is
not altogether safe. for the French
army. operating from Amiens. clings
to its flank, while the British and
French forces continue to press the
front
1t is essential however, that they
should hold their positions. for they
cover the lines of retreat to the north
which will be the only way out ii
defeat should be their lot. That they
realize this is shown by the fact that
they lave been contesting every foot
Of ground with the allied armies tie
last two days and that both sides
have suffered heavily.
The British army, as has been its
lot since it landed in France, is TAX
ing its full share of the fighting
which on the front has been particu-
larly severe since the Germans
crossed the Aisne and made their first
determined stand in the retreat from
Paris The losses in Galicia and Po-
Land. where the fighting has been 60
ing on necessarily for more thai
three weeks, are even greater thar
those in France.
lone report from Petrograd says
the Russians severed communications
between Cracow and Przemysl, tho
two fortresses for which the Germans
and Austrians are heading, and Fave
begun an advance to sever communi
cation between Galicia and Budapest
The official press bureau issued The
following tonight:
1T is stated from Russian officia
sources that the rout of the Austrian
army in Galicia is complete, though
full details have not been received
The Austrian loss since taking Lem
berg IS estimated at 250,000 killed ant
wounded and 100000 prisoners, 4Ot
guns. many coloIs and vast quantftie'
of stores.
"rhe Germans made desperate "f-
forts tc save the Austrian army, bu
failed completely. At one point tn
Germans lost 36 pieces of heavy ar
tilIery and 1T another seve:I doAei
pieces Of sle6e artillery
ALLIES AROUND RIGHT WING
LONDON, Thursday, Sept. 17-Th'