The Green Forest tribune., 1914-08-14
FRENCH OCCUPY
 ALSACE-LORRA|NE
ANCIENT PROVINCE THAT HAS LONG BEEN A BONE OF
 NATIONAL CONTENTION.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
 Parls.-lt is officially reported that French troops have entered Muel- hausen.
 Muelhausen is the second largest town of Alsace-Lorraine and lies 61 miles to the south-southwest of Strass- burg, the capital It became a free city Of the German empire in 1273, and in the fifteenth century entered into an alliance with the Swiss. which last ed until 179S, when the city became French. It was taken from the French ln September, 1870, and was ceded to Germany with Alsace in 1871.
 Muelhausen is garrisoned by a full Infantry brigade of about 5000 men and a full cavalry brigade of about 2,50O. It has population of about 100000, and is the principal seat of cotton spinning in western Germany.
 News of the first French victory of the war-the capture of the village of Altklrch, in Alsace, near the Swiss frontier-which probably was more inn portant than the cautious official an nouncement indicated-was received here with extraordinary enthusiasm Observers in Paris were prepared to hear that the French had been obliged, during the first days of the fighting, to give way before the German ad- vance. The rejoicing was all the great CT, therefore, because the first impor- tant engagement had been fought in German territory and the French had obtained a footing.
 The capture of Altkirch appears to have taken place two or three days ago. The French army has penetrated the enemy's country considerably far ther.
 Military authorities had been con- vinced that the French army would assume the offensive at the first op- portunity because during the last eight years the word defensive" has disap peared from the French text books on strategy. Instruction in tactics have )r on .'i. 9
 The officials of the road are gte.,<tr;; taslon or atiaseer 5sft 6gabbiesedt sdt put ntale French troops crossed into Alsace and delivered a fierce attack on the Ger man forces at Altkirch. The French troops took the village, a place of nearly 4,000 inhabitants.
 The German forces retreated, pur- sued by the French troops in the di- rection of the great fortress of Muel- hausen.
 The minister of war announces that the Germans suffered 30,000 casualties and the French 15,000 in the battle at Altkirch, which resulted in the cap- ture of the Alsatian village by the French troops.
 The AlsatIan inhabitants are over joyed at the appearance of the French.
 Reports of the arrival of an Austrian army corps on the Swiss frontier near Basel were the object of close atten- tion by French military authorities. It was said that several more Austrian army corps were being organized in the Tyrol, when they later would be SeilL loWdIu tie fIellCH 1fOnUl6r.
 Before retiring from Muelhausen, the German troops are said to have set fire to numerous buildings. The forest of Hard, near Kolmar, is said to have been raZed.
 It was nightfall Friday when the ad- vance guard of the French brigade ap- preached Altkirch, French official statement says. The city was well de- tended and occupied by German bri- gade. The French began the assault with ardor, regiment of infantry dis tinguished itself by a furious charge, shortly after which the Germans re- tired in disorder