Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-10-27
SIDELIGHTS
-ON-
European War

Correspondence of The AS
sociated Press. THE stupendous
operations of the millions of men
fighting in Belgium and northern
France have quite overshadowed the
struggle for the possession of South
ern Alsace, which was the first really
important development of the war.
Official communications have largely
ignored this theatre of operations and
most people are unaware that the
struggle has continued and that the
region between Altkirck and Cernay
has seen several reverses of the for
tunes of war.
The town OF Thanh, important be-
cause commanding the valley of Yves
serling has been taken and retaken
several times. Mulhausen, twice taken
and occupied by the French, was at
last accounts again in the hands of the
Germans, as a result of the withdrawal
of General Pau's army to reinforce the
armies of the north.
Dispatches from Basic state that
each one of these changes of fortune
has been particularly trying to the
population. Conspicuous native AL
sacians were punished after the first
German reoccupation for alleged serv-
vices rendered to the French, while,
after the second French occupation it
was the turn of natives German citi-
zens to suffer for giving information
to the Germans.
At Thanh the German mayor and
postmaster were shot after the second !
French occupation for spying in favor |
Of the Germans. Moreover. in retalia- |
ton for the action of the French in |
taking away with them all the men of |
age to bear arms from the villages &C.
cupied by them, the Germans called |
out every man in Alsace between the
ages of II and As. In consequence
there is much distress in many vii
lagos where there are only old men,
and children left.
This unhappy land, serving as
buffer between the belligerent coun-
-ries is far from seeing the end of its
rails. The battles that have followed
ire only the prelude to bigger and
more destructive engagements that
will Immediately follow the decisive
'esult of the battle of the Aisne.
neutrality-suspicious. of The
Associated Press. why England
hould restrict recruiting to men of
he minimum height of feet inches
n days when battles are fought with
ong range weapons instead of broad
words and battle axes is puzzling
many young patriots of under size
Who are anxious to go to the front
The old rule has already caused medi-
al men to protest both in print and
0 the army medical advisory board.
One OF the medical journals points
ut that what is needed these days is
OF brute power to WELD heavy
Rights. but a why physique able to
tand bad weather, irregular feeding,
roken sleep, long marches and brains
take cover and shoot with skill and
atience. The short man weighs less,
eeds less food, is easier of transporta-
on, stands hard marching without
is feet giving way, offers a smaller
lark to the enemy. keeps himself 5
arm in smaller space and can shell S
II In trench better than a big man. ii
ne heavier the man, the more food
eeded to keep up a given amount of
MYSTICAL eXertion, and a man of 10 IL
FUNDS requires a fifth more food than 81
lie OF 40, it is scientifically estimat- Ia
!. Hence feet 3 inches would open p
'cruiting to excellent material. b
London.-( Correspondence of The W
Ssociated Press.)-However effective ,fa
e German army may be in other re- A
'ects, It's cavalry men. even the W
hlans. do not know how to take care In
horses says Z. A. Cantrell of New NJ
'rt, KY, who has arrived in London ii
ter an exciting trip through the Ger al
an lines in Belgium. Every cavalry W