The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-12-04
Rigid Censorship
Believed to Mean
That Great Effort
Is Now Under Way

An almost complete StOppage OF from Official
and other raised the question today whether censor
ship of unusual severity has been put in force
The cables brought virtually information, notwh-
standing that surely in the east and possibly the
progress battle Of the highest impor
On several occasions earlier in the war there has been
similar interruption of the dispatches which proved
later due rigid censorship during the progress
OF vital events
For several DAYS it has been ntimaed unoficay that
another great battle in Belgium and northern France is
pending The forces the allies in that region have been
strengthened and the assumption of there
by the English general Sir John French believed to nd
cate that the English recently sent to the continent
has been scattered along the User canal Belgium and also
In northern France, perhaps for great attack.
1t has been assumed by military critics that the allies
this occasion would take the offensive since the Germans
presumably weakened by the withdrawal OF troops
for the campaign against Russia Other critics stated
however that Germany had determined to make last e
fort to push through to the English channel.
Germany has resumed the offensive in the east striking
enoher blow at Russia. 1t is apparent that the Germans
who only few days fighting desperately to avert
caamitous defeat renewing their efforts to sweep
back the enemy battle has developed southwest Of
Lod where the Germans have formed another ne and
again attempting pierce the Russian The forces of
Emperor William thus operating at comparative advan
tage the beginning Of their third assault Their first IN
yason of Poland which took them almost to Warsaw was
followed by retreat to German territory.
The second movement was checked LODI but
this occasion they succeeded holding their main positions
that the attempt forward movement is initiated
by forces already firmly fixed on Russian soil.
London Dec A few indirect references the visits
of Emperor William and King George to the respective bat
tie fronts and the activities Prince of Wales in the
trenches the shape of picturesque sketches constitute vr
uay the entire budget of which has reached the
British public in the hours apart of
from the uniminang reports issued at the French Rus
sian and German headquarters Z
Of the details of the fighting with its toll OF
killed and wounded the public hears nothing: F..
For the the dominating remains in the east
of where the result of the great clash of mil
lions of i'll Poland will far towards determining the
duration of the well its character during the next
few months but those less behind the believe
they signs that the deceptive interval of relative calm
which the operations Flanders for the last few
days has about reached its limit.
The present activity of the German artillery is believed
to be the prelude another formidable and concentrated
saught somewhere the allies lines This line, however is
believed by both British and French experts to have been
made impregnable the last German effort
ly successful in hammerng its way through
However this may be- it appears established that in these
recent artillery due the allies have found their heavy
capable of oyerbearng the artillery of the This has
emphasized dispatches of Joffre
commander-inchief of the French Should
German assault the same fate the previous attempts
reach the of the channel experts here expect will
be followed by general advance the part of the allies
There signs of approaching activity in Asace where the
French have recently been improving and extending their
positions. sa sr .
Paris, Dec. 4-The French official statement says:
'tIn Belgium there has been intermittent but fairly
spirited cannonade between the railroad from Ypes to Rou
and the highway between Beceare and Passhendaele
under which the infantry of the enemy endeavored to gain
ground but quite without success At Vermeles
tnung the work of Cganzng positions taken from the
enemy There has been artillery firing in the Woevre dis
trict.
Berlin Dec 4.--The French troops in Flanders
peatedy attacking the German line the official state
ment issued at the office, which adds these assaults
being repulsed. The statement follows:
In the western theater of French attacks against
our troops IN Flanders were repeatedly repqsed as they
also in the region northwest of Akrch, where the
French suffered considerable losses.
In the eastern theaer of the enemys attacks east Of
the plain Of the Mazurian lakes repulsed with heavy
losses to the Russians Our offensive in Poland taking its
normal His majesty the emperor arrived IN Berlin
last night for short stay.