The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1914-12-18
ONSLAUGHT AGAINST BRITISH
HOLDING LINE EAST OF
YPRES is MOST
PRONOUNCED.
FRENCH CLAIM SIGNAL
SUCCESS OVER GERMANS
Notable Success Over the Tcutons in
the Forest OF LePretre Is Told in
Official Statements Issued From
War Office-Heavy Losses
Are Inflicted.

Are inflicted,
Paris, Dec. 15.-The Germans have
been checked in two violent attacks
On the extreme ends Of the battle
front. Most pronounced was the on
slaught against the British forces
holding the line extending eastward
from Ypres. The other was directed
against the railway station of Aspach,
west of Muelhausen, which the French
captured on Friday.
The desperate efforts of the Ger
mans to retake this advantageous
position like their attempt to break
through the British lines in the north.
resulted in failure, the allies maintain
ing themselves sturdily in their
trenches while inflicting heavy losses
upon the attacking forces.
French Are Successful.
Reports received from the front and
made public in the official statements
issued from the war Office during the
day, told of a notable success Of the
French arms over the kaiser's forces
in the forest of LaPretre. The battle
has been raging in that section of
eastern France for several days. with
the French steadily advancing in spite
Of the determined resistance of the
Germans.
The French threw the full force of
their columns against the Germans,
driving them to the north, and COM
pelling them to %evacuate positions of
great strategical values.
The aggressive campaign of the
French on the forest of LaPretre
forms a vital portion OF the general
plan Of two closely related purposes
one the isolation of the German army
corps at st. Mihiel and the other the
gain OF vantage points for the con
tinuation of the march toward Metz.
Take Offensive in AIsace.
experimenting the official statement
Is a report received in a dispatch from
Geneva and published in lie Echo Of
Paris concerning the fighting in AL
SAGE. The dispatch says:
THE French have taken the often
sive in Alsace and are marching on
Altairch. They have seized the vii
lagos of Bisel, Largi:zen, Hartsebec
and Carspach, while near Pfetten-
haven they have captured a number
Of German trenches. In these opera
tons the losses suffered by the French
were only four killed and twelve
wounded
Intermittent cannonading was the
only evidence of activity on the part
II the Germans, with the exception of
that division of their forces which is
facing Ypres. Here three desperate
ported by a heavy fire from their field
artillery, but each of them was met
and repylsed by the British defenders.
The losses sustained by the attacking
force wern considerable.
The Vosges region, particularly in
the vicinity Of Senones, where the
French have established themselves
In great force, was again the scene Of
attacks, first by one side, then the 9TH
err. The sum of this fighting has been
the retention by each of their respee-
tive fortified positions.
Germans Are RepuIsed.
Several attacks have been directed
by Germans against the post of La
Mere Henri, northwest of Senones.
which the kaiser's troops particular
ly cOvet because of it's excellent COM
mand of the French supporting posi-
tons, but each time the venture has
been made the Germans have been
driven back. In the latest attacks it
appeared that their energy had been
greatly spent.
With the return to Paris of Presi-
dent Poincare and the greater number
Of the government officials, and with
the revival OF commerce, which is
gaining momentum daily, the capital
Is rapidly resuming its normal aspect.
Except for the arrival of wounded SOL
diers from the fighting front and the
aeroplane patrols in the skies above
the city, there are no outward signs
in Paris that the nation is engaged in
= great struggle for it's existence.
Make Attack in Rainstorm.
LOIluOH, lee. lI.-I1dI Il QOZeT Ter
man submarines made an attempt to
enter the admiralty harbor, accord
ing to q Dover dispatch to the Elk
change Telegraph company, and for
half an hour the batteries kept up a
furious ~fus;uade, firing at least 200
shots. 1t is reported that two or three
of the submarines were sunk, but no
confirmation of this can be obtained.
The attempt was made under cover
Blames Germany and Austria.
Amsterdam. via London, Dec. 12.-
Or. Karl Liebknecht, the Socialist
the only one to vote against the war