Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-24

In the whole course of the war thus
& far, covering nearly five months, few
occasions have been marked by such a
confusion of claims and conflict OF
movements as at the present. In the
west, where the allies recently were
everywhere on the offensive, they are
now confronted at points with severe
German attacks, compelling them to
defend their own positions. In the
east as well, the situation is changing
swiftly. The Germans who for a time
were able to push forward swiftly,
are now meeting with determined re-
sistance from their antagonists N
their new positions
/ The latest official communication
from Petrograd in the same breath ad-
mits that the Russians have been COM
PEELED to retreat from some positions,
and states that the German attacks
have been compelled to retreat from
some positions, and states that the
German attacks have been repulsed
everywhere with heavy losses to the
invaders Germany and Austria con-
tinue to assert = that important sue
cesses are being achieved. One OF the
great battles of the war is in progress
thirty miles west of Warsaw and
meanwhile the Russian forces to the
north are pushing into Germany, pre-
scnting the possibility of thanking
movement which will menace the main
army of Marshal Won Hindenburg.
Expect Christmas LulI.
London Dec. 23.-The eighty mile
front in Russian Poland to the west of
Warsaw, where the Germans and Rus
slams are at grips on the banks of the
Bzura, Rawka and Pilica rivers, con-
tinues to be the scene of the most des-
perate fighting in either the eastern or
western arenas of the war.
When the weather conditions under
which the troops are fighting are re-
called, the sufferings of the men in the
trenches may to some extent be appre-
ciated. The country is experiencing the
full force Of the winter. Each side
has sustained tremendous losses in
this battle of the rivers, and although
the Germans claim to have forced the
Russian line at number of points, it
Is nevertheless fact, according to re-
ports reaching London, that the Rus
and it is difficult to visualize which
contender has the strategic advantage.
Again there comes trickling through
from Holland reports of vast move
ments of German forces from the east
and west. A dispatch reaching here
from Amsterdam says thousands of
German troops have passed through
Aix-la-C Chapelle toward the northern
part Of France. This activity may be
( the forerunner of a renewed German
offensive in the western arena Under
the eyes Of Emperor William, ,,or it may
simply be intended to Offset reinforce
ments Great Britain lately has been
throwing into the French field of hosail-
tiles AS the situation appears to
stand today the allies in France and
Belgium continue more on the often
sive than defensive and every day
shows slight gains to their credit.
II is believed that Notwithstanding
the failure of the plan for an armistice
over Christmas, some sort of a lull will
I set in on Christmas day itself. Christ
4 mas sentiment is deep in the men s
! hearts.
The London newspapers have decid-
ed unanimously not to publish on
Christmas day and the official press
bureau will suspend its activities from
the afternoon of December "a until the
evening of December 25.
Thousands of tons of Christmas pre-
sents have been sent to all the fronts.
rhe distribution and enjoyment of
these gifts is another argument for the
probable suspension Of hostilities
NH fhic ic rnScih1o