Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-08
TABLEs TURNED
ON THE RUSSIANS
German Army in Poland Is
on the Offensive Again
After Taking Lodz
CITY OF WARSAW
FACING CAPTURE
Cars Men Hoping to Hold
Own While Pressing on
Galician Fortress

An offensive movement Of the
allies against the German armies
on French and Belgian soil appar-
emily is being extended gradually
and now, according to the best
available information, covers a
large part Of the battle line from
the North sea to Switzerland. To.
days official French statement,
while worded in the cautious
manner that has characterized
these communications recently,
specifically mentions offensive
movements in Belgium, in the re.
gions Of Armentieres, Arras and
the Aisne, and in the Argonne.
At all these points, it is said, the
superiority of the French often.
sive has been shown.
London, Dec. IA comparison of the
reports from Berlin and Petrograd
leads to the conclusion that the Ger
mans again occupy Lodz, from which
city they were driven on their first re-
trea. from Warsaw. Berlin makes pos
tive announcement that Lodz is in
their hands, while Petrograd admits
that the situation there is desperate.
If the fall of the city is a fact, 1t in
dicates that communication with War
saw again is seriously menaced, but a
semioficial staten ent from Petrograd
aee Iares that the Russians are strong
enough to hold the Invaders in north
ern Poland and will content themselves
with doing this, while devoting their
main energies to the reduction of Cra-
COW and the invasion OF Hungary.
Hungary, according to reports from
the Russian capital, Is the weak point
in the armor of the Teuton allies.
These messages from Petrograd say
that even as early as at the time of the
fall of Lemberg, Austria asked Russia
for terms of peace The negotiations
to this end, if any really took place, ap-
parently proved abortive. The story is
again revived in Petrograd in the form
of report that the Hungarian prime
minister, on a recent visit to Emperor
William, demanded better military pro-
lection for Hungary, lack of which
would cause the loss of the kingdom.
Little From the West.
The latest French official communi-
cation declares there is nothing to re-
port on the western front and with the
exception of special dispatch to the
effect that Ostend is burning, nothing
has been received In London to dispute
the accuracy of this statement
The latest reports from Montenegro
and Servia indicate that these Balkan
allies, at bay in their mountain strong
holds, are holding the Austrian invad-
ers in check.
On the water some minor activity
has been noted resulting in the report
ed destruction of Turkish auxiliaries in
the Black Sea by Russian submarines;
destruction by mines of two Swedish
merchant ships off the Finnish coast
and the crippling by a mine of the
famous Turkish cruiser Hamidieh
which is said to have regained Con-
Etantinople with considerable difficulty.
piplomatically interest is centered
on Rome, where the statement of
Former Premier Giolitti that Austria
planned war against Servia in 1918,
has caused some thing of a sensation.
The Balkan states are said to be
nearing rapproachment which will
enable them to make common cause
against the Germanic allies.
Monastery Burned.
Paris, Dec. IA dispatch to the
Havas agency from Petrograd says:
'The Germans have destroyed the
monastery of Lenozyco, about Is miles
northwest of LODI, which has been in
existence for thousand years, on the
pretext that the ringing of the Angel
us was signal to the Russians. In
the attack priest and two monks