Imperial Valley press., 1914-11-19
Stories Of | Personal
War Experiences

to abate their energetic penetration
northward into East Prussia.
These operations demonstrate thai
General Won Hindenberg means tt
stand his winter campaign on repeat
ed attempts with great force to pre-
vent the invasion of central Germany
by flank attacks on the Russian right
All reinforcements from western
Europe are concentrating around
Thorn. General Won Hindenberg's I'M
mediate danger is from continuous
Strengthening of the Russian north
ward columns crossing into the rail-
way system of East Prussia.
Other German measures consist in
the destruction Of all frontier COM
munications. They have soaked with
petroleum all wooden bridges in the
region of Kaliscz and have undermined
the iron bridges across the River
Prosna. They are taking fresh hos
tages in all their frontier town.
The fighting among the swampy
forests northward is very stubborn and
slow.
The German and Austrian staffs
are in dispute as to the course to be
pursued in regard to Cracow. The
Austrians, for political and strategical
reasons, desire practically a passive
defense, reserving their main strength
to protect the roads leading to Vienna
German headquarters vetoes this on
the ground that the early submission
OF Cracow will necessitate a radical
change in all German plans.
The Austrian emperor is believed to
be supporting his own general staff.
To Make or Break.
Paris, Nov. 19.-Apparently the
Germans are engaged in the most
desperate of their recently repeated
thrusts at the allied line in the vi
cinity of Ypres. For weeks the op-
posed armies on this front have been
engaged in the most violent warfare
and Yesterdays developments indicate
that the Germans have finally recog-
nized the necessity of final attack in
overwhelming numbers, which, wheth-
er it makes or breaks them, will at
least give definite result from which
to compute further moves in the march
on Calais and Dunkirk.
Not only does the official statement
telling of "a very violent and almost
uninterrupted cannonade" bear out
this theory, but further confirmation
is found in reports which reach Paris
from neutral sources. Rotterdam dis
patches say that the Germans have be-
gun ;s movement of fresh troops from
Ghenr to West Flanders, and Amster-
dam advices hint that troops also are
being transferred from the eastern
arena, where the Germans and Rus
SLAMS are engaged, to reinforce the
armies of Generals Won Kluck and
Won Boehm. 1t is also reported that
a large number of heavy guns have
been taken through Liege, apparently
on the way to this same battle front.
During the transfer of the troops
from the eastern to the western arena
all railway service has been shut off
in Belgium and communication also
has been interrupted between that
country and Holland.
To offset this influx of fresh troops
for the Geramn lines the allies them
selves are rushing reinforcements and
relief detachments to their fighting
front around Ypres. particularly on
the Ypres salient. The Belgian sol
diers. who have seen perhaps more
continuous service than any other
fighting body now engaged in the war,
are gradually being sent to recupera-
tion camps in the rear and their