The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1914-09-09
GERMANS ARE
DEFEATED IN
FIRST CLASH
Forces Of Kaiser Reported In
Retreat Before Allies
FOUR MILLION MEN ENGAGED

STSdlSst Ddttic III WoIIu TllStoIJ
Long Anticipated, Now In Progress
With First Honors Resting With
AlIies-German Army Blunders Into
Huge Reserve Force Of Allies and IL
Fighting to Extrcate Itself.
London, Sept S.-Outhanked or
their right by part of the huge allied
force that has been retiring before
them for the last two weeks, the battle
lines of the kaiser today were flung
back almost at the very threshold OF
Paris-their ultimate goal.--in the
first phase of what is believed to be
the decisive battle of the German III
vasion of France.
Emperor William is reported to be
with the German forces, an indication
that he rega&s this as the action
which will settle the fate of his daring
attempt against the French capital.
While this success was merely the
has been brewing for two weeks, il
was regarded as certain here that the
allies had drawn the Germans into
such a position that they must ad
minister a crushing defeat to an army
their equal in strength, entrenched in
defensive positions of their OWL
choosing, or be cut off from their base
of communications and run the danger
Of annihilation. Their defeat, it is
thought, renders their position eX
tremely dangerous.
To the west of Paris a German
column is believed to be fighting for
its life along the Ourcq river, penned
between o French force on its rigEi
and a British army along its left. This
column, sweeping down from Chan
tilly, apparently blundered into q
huge allied reserve, and it is believed
that the mishap to this force com
PEELED the German commandments
to begin at once the general battle on
the other side of Paris in an effort tc
crush his foes there before the west
ern army could attack him on the
right.
Four million men were engaged
along the vast front, extending from
Nanteuil-le-Haudouin, twenty-five miles
northeast of Paris, and swinging
southeast in huge half circle. through
Meaux, Sezanne and Vitry-le-Francois
back to Verdun, 120 miles east by
north of the capital defenses. At the
end of the days furious fighting the
German lines were retreating and the
huge invading army had met its first
serious check since entering France
A German army mas begun an
attack on Nancy, according to a
Reuter- dispatch from Berlin, which
adds that Emperor William and the
general staff are on the ground direct.
ing the attack.
This would seem to indicate that
the Germans are attempting, by an at.
tack on the right flank Of the allied
rection of Paris and against the main
German attacking force, which has
now turned aside from its march on
Paris and is moving to the southeast,
The presence of the kaiser and the
general stail would seem to indicate
the importance which the Germans
are placing on the new movement.
Paris is awaiting news of the great
battle that is expected at any moment
to begin around the city's outlying
forts. The opposing armies, according
to official announcements, have not
yet come into contact but continue
their movements of taking positions
The war Office declares that the Ger,
mans have been checked at Verdun
and that the French armies have met
with success in Lorraine and the Vos.
ges.
Thousands of Parisians are taking
advantage Of the free trains to points
outside the military zone. British,
French and Belgian wounded are being
transferred from Paris to other cities.
While the Germans had been re.
ported at Compeigne and Senlis in the
valley of the Disc, and windows were
broken in Chantilly by the detona,
tions of heavy guns, the Antwerp re.
ports intimate that only the kaiser's
cavalry had advanced as near Paris
as Senlis and it was this screen OF
cavalry that had been driven back
across the Somme upon st. Quentin
by the French and English in dos
perate attempt to save Paris.
At Compeigne large force of Ger
man cavalry was defeated and several
pieces of artillery were captured,
These probably were the guns which
caused CONSERVATION in Chantilly, a
few miles nearer Paris.
The third official list of the British
casualties up to Sept. was as fol-
lows:
Killed, 9 officers, 80 men.
Wounded, q officers, 12O men.
Missing, 40 officers, 4,55S men.
The latest casualty list issued by
the British war Office comprises 4,796
men. The two previous lists account
ed for 1886 men killed, wounded and
missing, making a total of 1851.
A Reuter- dispatch from Ostend
says: "In a fierce fight near Thisselt.
Belgium, the Germans lost 1000 men.
The prisoners were taken to Antwerp.