The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1914-12-29

\ ErmolN, the Austrian com. i
mander, are reported by the !
+ Russians to be retreating pre- !
+ cipitately and the Western Aus i
+ trian army is said to be Grip !
+ pied severely. 81 !
i. J
+ + + i. j. + i !. !. i. !. ! !. !. !. i. !
London, Dec. 29.-The investment
by the Russians of the Austrian fort
ress Of Cracow again has been raised,
Petrograd dispatch says. Following
an attempt made by the Austrians to
divide the Russian forces in Galicia
the Russians retreated eastward fifty
miles.
The initiative in military operations
apparently has been left for the time
being to the airmen. Aerial raids
across the English channel to the
Lower Thames, over Freiburg, Nancy,
Metz and Sochaczew, Poland, and on
the German naval base at Cuxhaven,
inflicted considerable damage in the
aggregate.
Details of the Cuxhaven expedition
still are lacking and although Berlin
asserts that the British aviators &C.
complished nothing it is said in Ham.
burg that some damage was done. 1t
is evident, however, that the heavy
fog prevented the British from carry
ing out fully their plans.
Activity on land and sea apparently
is diminishing. Even in Russian Po.
land the fighting is becoming less Sc
we're, without a decision having been
reached. Vienna admits that the Aus
trtans have been compelled to give
ground before the Galician Carpathi-
ans and in Berlin, it is said, the Ger
man attacks along the Bzura river,
west of Warsaw, have ceased. Petro-
grad reports only artillery fire in this
region. '-.-.2a-.-.. .-,,,::zg., ..7..
North of.thes sNistula river in Poland,
where Mlawa was recaptured by the
Germans last week, the invaders seem
to have made little progress. In South
wing joins the Austrian left wing,
there has been some fierce fighting,
with slight gains for the Teutonic
allies, Judging from the reports COM
ing from Berlin and Vienna.
Allies Onslaught Checked.
In the western theater of the var
the onslaught of the allies would seem
to have been checked by the counter
attack of the Germans. French troops
during the last three days have made
minor advances, according to the Of
flcial statements given out in Paris,
but apparently not at the same rate
of speed as chronicled a fortnight ago.
With the exception of the capture of
certain Anglo-lndian trenches near
the Lys last week, most of which the
allies claim to have recaptured, the
efforts of the Germans to send back
the allied line appear, in the opinion
of British observers, to have been gen,
orally abortive.
The French official statement con-
Vedes the loss Of section of trenches
at point south of Ypres, while Ber-
lin advices tell Of the taking of these
trenches and several dozen prisoners
The French claim advances in Bel.
GUM have brought the allies to the
foot of the sand dunes west of LON.
baertzyde, ON which the Germans
have established their line of resist
ance.
In the region of Lens, the French
say, 500 yards of first line trenches
we're occupied. Artillery fighting in
the region of the Aisne and in Cham
pagne, particularly around Rheims and
Perthes, is chronicled. The French
claim progress on the heights of the
Meuse and the repulse of a German
counter attack to the northwest of
Steinbach, in Upper Alsace.
In the Vosges the Germans bonn.
barded the railroad station of St. Die.
Berlin claims repulses of attacks
northwest of Arras, southeast of Yer.
dun and west of Senheim, and says
the naval bombardment of German
positions on the coast resulted in the
killing Of several inhabitants of West.
ende.
Mild weather is impeding the prog
ress of heavy guns.
London, Dec. 29.-"The raid of Brit
ish warships and aeroplanes upor
the German naval base and the drop
ping of bombs upon Cuxhaven may be
regarded as England's answer to the
threats of 9dmiral Won Tirpitz."
This was the statement of gov
ernment official here. All England is
elated as result of the success ot
the British squadron in entering the
waters of the heretofore dreaded Hell
goland. 1t is generally believed tha
the bombs dropped by the naval avia
tors did more damage than the Ger
mans care to admit.
"'Von Tfrpitz threatened with words
to attempt to starve out England BY
esta blishing submarine patrol ant
torpedoing. merchant Ships" the Off
cial declared. Deeds are better thar
words. The raid made upon Cuxha
ven speaks for itself"
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