The Penn's Grove record., 1914-09-11
GERMAN CENTRE HOLDS, BUT
BRITISH PUSH BACK THEIR
FORCES ON LEFT WING
Allies Press Whole 15O-Mile Line, the Kaiser's Troops Con-
testing the Advance with Great Stubbornness
in what may decide the fate of the

IN what may decide the fate Of the
Kaiser's campaign against Paris.
The French War Office, in its an.
nouncement, said that a general en-.
gagement vas being fought on a line
through Nanteuil-Le Haudouin, Meaux,
Sezanne, and Vitry-Le-Francois and
extending to Verdun.
This, the most important battle
since the war began, with the pos
sible exception Of Charlcroi, began on
the plains of the Marine, with favor
able results to the French.
Other armies are menacing the
tanks of the Germans. The evening
newspapers as a rule describe the
situation as excellent.
The line described swings in a
semi-circle, of which the point near
est to Paris is Meaux, twenty miles
away.
The battle line extends for $50
miles, beginning at Nanteuil-Le Hau-
douin, about 80 miles from Paris, go
ing southeast to Meaux, turned al
most due to east to Vitry-Le Francois
WAO1 ~ OOAQS OAdIply ~ Lie vi III
east, stopping at Verdun.
The German strength in the re-
gion from Vitry lie Francois to Yer
dun Is declared to be enormous. In
cluded are believed to be the most
of the troops withdrawn from Alsace-
Lorraine. In addition to the armies
Of the Grown Prince Frederick Will
lam, the Duke Albrecht of Wurten-
berk and the Crown Prince of Bavaria
are all reported as engaging in this
operation.
Reports say that the Kaiser him.
self has been directing this new
movement and that he Joined the
army that is directed by his heir.
1t is conceded that the present
move of the Germans is a general
attempt absolutely to crush the allied
armies, but more especially the
French centre and right, which in
cludes thirteen or fourteen army
corps.
On the other hand, the Allies are
fighting with renewed confidence, as
the result of having forced the Ger
mans to retire from the region of
Coulommiers, in the Sein et-Marne
department, after two days of des-
perate battling.
The Germans troops in action are
estimated to number at least 1000, 900
while the strength of the Anglo
French forces is about the same.
Paris.-The veil of secrecy over the
western area of the fghting-the
country north of Paris-never has
been harder to penetrate than during
the past twenty-four hours. There is
no evidence at hand to show that the
persistent advance of the Germans has
been appreciably checked; on the con-
trary, at least one point of the Ger
man contact is now within striking
distance of the outer Notifications of
Paris.
Late news dispatches from Dieppe
describe the German right as at the
rear of the ~retreating French through
Creil, Senlis, and Crepy-en-Valois,
towns distant t~wenty-four, twenty and
t~hirty-fve miles respectively from the
boundaries of Paris proper. The forti.
fcations of the French capital extend
roughly ten miles beyond the city
limits.
The Allied armies now occupy a
line of siege both to the east and
west of Paris. The German plan, &C
cording to popular speculation, is not
to besiege Paris, but to attempt to
force a breach in the chain of fortress
es with their newest Krupp guns, and
gain entrance to the capital as they
did at Liege and Namur.
Gen. Gallieni maintained his conf
dence that Paris can hold out for an
indefinite period and he has his troops
at their positions awaiting the Ger
man attack.
Fresh troops from the South are be-
ing rushed through the city to the
points of contact. Soldiers marched
through the streets all through the
night and the day. 1t is asserted
that every possible approach to the
capital has been occupied.
Just as the citizens of Paris were
straining their ears expecting to hear
the gum of the German invaders be-
gin hammering at the outer defenses
of the city, the allied forces along the
Disc made a desperate rally, checked
the Germans advance and obliged
them to retreat toward st. Quentin.
The Allies, under Gen. Joffre and
Gen. French, were ordered to hold
back the point of the wedge" Of the
Kaiser's hosts at any cost and a
fierce battle ensued in the forests of
Compiegne, resulting in the retreat
Of the Teutons.
The German extreme right and GEN.
ter marched steadily toward Paris
down the valley of the Disc and their
cavalry detachments even reached
Clermont, 35 miles from Paris, and
the roar of their guns was heard in
nEEEA nEArLyS LEAN LIIccADc