The Raymer enterprise., 1914-12-17
DESTROY 500
POLISH TOWNS.
ARMIES SWAY OVER DESOLATEp
COUNTRY wlrHouT ANY
DECISIVE RESULT.
BELGRADE RECAP1URED
TROOPS ON FRENCH FRONTIERS
STOPPED FROM ACTIVITY ev
THE WINTER WEATHER.

Western Newspaper Enion News Service.
London, Dec 15.-The Servians have
occupied Belgrade after a fierce bat
tie, according to dispatches from
Nish.
The Austrians captured Belgrade
Dec. 2 after having besieged 1t since
July 20. bombarding from batteries
near Semlin and from monitors on the
Danube. A large portion of the city
was said to have been destroyed by
the fire OF the Austrians.
When war was declared the Servian
government moved from Belgrade to
Kraguyevats and later went farther
south to Nish. where 1t remains.
A striking feature of the days Off
cial news is the candid admission by
the Austrian government Of the defeat
of the Austrian army in Servia and ap-
parently OF the abandonment of its
third attempt to invade the territory
Of its small Slav neighbor. While at
tributing the failure to the enemy's
superior force, as all government bull
letins explain failures, the Austrian
war office announces plainly an ex-
tended retirement and heavy Losses.
New decisions and measures con-
sequentiy will be taken to repel the
enemy" says the Austrian statement.
Apparently that means that the Aus
trian army directed against Servia
will assume a defensive line
The Servians claim to be pressing
home their victory with more captures
of prisoners and to have driven part
of the invading army across the~Drina
river. Moreover. they express conf
dence that they are about to retake
the capital and expel the invaders
from Servian territory.
The progress of the war in northern
Hungary is less definite
Sundays German wireless report
with candor equal to that OF the Aus
trian bulletin spoke Of the severe re-
sistance" which the German and Aus.
trian arms are encountering in South
Poland and in Galicia, adding that it
was evident the Austrian forces in the
Carpathians are not numerically
strong enough TO clear the Russians
out of Hungarian territory. But the
Anstrians claim that they are driving
down the northern slopes OF the Car
paihians the Russian invaders, who
were last week in occupation of sew.
eral towns south of that mountain
range.
Poland is fast becoming another
Belgium in point of suffering. while
the opposing armies drive. each other
back and forth, occupy and reoccupy
cities and villages and inflict upon the
inhabitants bombardments similar to
those suffered in Belgium and north
ern France.
More than 500 Polish towns have
been ruined, according to various ac-
counts from the correspondents.
The French official statement given
out in Paris reports comparative quiet
In Flanders and artillery exchanges of
relatively minor Importance else
where. In the Meuse, German bat.
teries are said to be moving to the
north. In the Woevre district the
French captured a trench and re-
pulsed two counter attacks. The ad-
vance of the French line into Alsace
has brought it to a point north of
Altkirch, and about ten miles TO the
east Of the frontier.
The troops in France and Belgium
are suffering from plague OF mud
and damp, which causes them greater
discomfort than did the cold wave at
the end of November. with its posi-.
tive hardships OF frozen feet and
hands, and effectually vetoes any
movements on a big scale.
The Turkish army has not asserted
Itself nor has it engaged in any
great battle. Enver Pasha has taken
command OF the Caucasian army and
Talaat Bey has succeeded him as min
ister of war.