Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-08-25

BASEL, Switzerland, August 25.-News
has reached here that a French force
Of turcos, zouaves and senegaleze. dur
ing the fighting in upper Alsace, en-
tered and almost destroyed the towns
of F1achslanden, Jagsdorf, Landser
Brunnstatt, Heiweiler and Merschweiler
Wounded French soldiers who have
crossed the Swiss frontier and are in
termed here speak highly of the bravery
of the German troops.
They saw the German soldiers evidently
think nothing Of their lives in their eff
forts to gain victory over great odos.
Their one desire, they say, appears to
serve their cause, and when captured
or overwhelmed they accept their rate
stoically.
Thousands Meet Death.
A dispatch from Geneva says that
business man who has Just returned
from Strassburg gives his Impressions
which are printed in the Tribune he
saws that the garrison of Strassoure
was practically annihilated in the bat
tie OF Schirmeck OF $500 men who
went into the night only 1900 returned.
Four German batteries were put out OF
action before they were able 10 hre d
shot. 1, .,,r.
tin, issued here in regard to the Aisace
and Lorraine campaigns, says:
"In Lorraine, after the counter at
tacks of yesterday, the right of the
French forces withdrew to the River
Mortagne, which is continuation of
Nancv-
in Alsace French troops repulsed a
number of German attacks directed
against Colmar.
hansen by the Germans is without
foundation. Moreover, the theater OF
operations in Alsace is becoming OF
secondary Importance.
Germans Given Aid.
A dispatch from Bourses- gives the
recital of a French officer wounded in
Lorraine. He sets forth how the Germans
we're aided by the local inhabitants, who
had prepared for every eventually.
The officials of villages In Lorraine
foil upon the necks of the French troops
when thew came into town and greeted
them as saviors. No sooner had they
done this than they would go to the
edge of the village and hang out French
flags, big white sheets, ETC.. to indicate
to the enemy the exact position of the
French soldiers. The mayor OF the VII
Iage tapped a French field telephone wire
for the benefit of the enemy, after having
offered a room in his house for the in
stallation of the station. A local school
master corrected the range of the Ger
man guns by moving the hands OF the
church clock.
Funeral Dirge Before Firing.
At Dieuze the French were persuaded
that they would meet no opposition.
Despite these assurances, however. they
with German troops and supported by
quick firing guns. After they had
stormed the trenches with the bayonet
strains of Chopin's funeral march |
played by military band in the dis |
lance. This music served as a prelude !
to a storm of shells from a masked |
battery.
French Lose Officers.
LONDON, August Is 4:1o a-m).-The
correspondent of the Daily Mail describes
a visit among the French who were
wounded in the battles of the Vosges and
have been brought to vichy, whose pala-
tial hotels have been transformed into
hospitals:
st talked with many of these wounded"
said he. Men who fought side by side
said: Tt is probably our own fault that
we are here. Our major fell at the first
succeeding volleys. When We found our-i