Barton County democrat., 1914-12-04
OPEN OFFENSIVE IN EAST;
RETREAT FROM WEST LINE
Germans Said to Be Moving Back
From Dixmude as Battle
Rages Along User, Be-
leved to Cover With
drawal of Kaiser's
TrOops.

User canal, according to a tele-
gram from the Reuter- Telegram
. cOmpany'S correspondent at SluiS
The roaring of heavy guns has
been heard all day and houses as
far away as SluiS are shaken.
Inhabitants of all villages with
in an hours march of the User
battle front have been sent away.
Says Germans Fall Back.
Recent dispatches from the
Belgian front have indicated that
the German attacks had ceased
and that the allies were prepar-
ing to take the offensive. The
SluiS dispatch may mean that the
advance of the allies has started.
Telegraphing from Amsterdam,
the correspondent of the Central
News says that the German fore
'es before Dixmude, Belgium, has
begun a general retirement.
Germans Resume Offensive
Berlin, Dec. 1. (By wireless to
Sayville) --latest reports from
Russian Poland, given out off
cially in Berlin, indicate that the
Germans have resumed the exc
cution of their plan to encom-
pass the Russian right flank and
to force it back on the center, at
the same time cutting off the
communication with Warsaw.
The carrying out of this plan,
which began with a Russian de-
feat at LipnO and at Plock, was
later hindered by the arrival of
Russian reinforcementS and the
Germans for a moment were
thrown own the defensive. Now,
after repulSing a number of at
moving forward in the direction
tackS, the Germans appear to be
of LOwicz.
German movements in this re-
giOn have not been interfered
with in the last few days, and
this, military observers say, must
be taken as a highly favorable
sign, as, in their opinion, q re.
pulse Of the Russian advance has
been followed by a general often
Sive movement of the Germans
toward LodZ.
Russians Gain in South.
Lemberg, Galicia, via Petrograd
Dec. 1.-The energetic Russian
advance is persistently pushing
back the AuStrianS into CracOw.
Information reached Lemberg
from a trustworthy source is that
the AuStrianS are evacuating po-
sitiOn after position, with very
large losses.
1t is stated that the AuStrianS
line of retreat is strewn so thick
ly with the dead that the Rus
slams have not time to bury them
The cold is so severe that the
bodies are frozen.
German officers are in supreme
command at Cracow. They are
placing machine guns, light ar
tillery and wireless apparatus, it
is reported, on the cathedral and
other historic edifices, drawing
buildings. Recent arrivals from
the fire OF the Russians to these
the provinces Of Galicia state that
the inhabitants of all the regions
evacuated by the Austrians are
facing famine.
Recalls Napoleon's Invasion.
Petrograd, Dec. The condi-
zion of German prisoners captur-
ed in the vicinity of LODI is said
to resemble that of the French
troops during Napoleon'S retreat
from Moscow. Many of them
have frozen hands and feet. They
we're wrapped in blankets and
shawlS taken from the peasants
One private wore a woman'S ful
wrap.
The prisoners say that before
their capture their courage wa:
kept up by statements that tht
quartermaSter was bringing warm
clothing which would be distri
buted in a few days. The report
ed use by the Germans of the mon
eStaries, chapelS and other pub
lie buildings in captured town'
as barracks, stables and gun sta
tiOns is explained by the prison
erS as due to the belief that th'
private buildings had been mined
Trying To Save Big FOrse.
Reports from the front are tina
reinforcements sent for the arm.
of General Mackpnznn near LODI