Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-10
GERMANS PRESS
ON HEELS OF FOE
Russians, Defeated at Lodz,
Retiring in Direction
of Polish Capital
STRAIN OF BATTLE
TELLING ON BOTH
Victors Expected to Halt,
Thereby Letting Enemy
Reorganize Army

London, Dec. 9.-The center OF the
German line in Russian Poland having
occupied LODI, it is continuing to push
on to the eastward after the retiring
Russians, according to official an
nouncement made in Berlin. Never
theless the strain on both sides has
Leen terrific and the losses heavy, SO
that lull probably soon will set in
on this part Of the eastern battle
front while the troops recuperate.
The Russians continue to assert
that their retirement from Lodz was a
strategical necessity rather than de-
feat, but it will take future develop
ments to show whether this claim is
correct or not. Twice driven back
from Warsaw, the Germans again are
in position to advance on the capital
of Russian Poland, and even the Brit
ish press, which minimizes the i'm
portance of the taking of Lodz, points
out that it is on the trunk line railroad
between Kalisz and Warsaw, which
line is now held by the invaders prob
ably to point considerably to the east
Of the occupied city.
Viewing the fighting in the vicinity
Of Lodz in retrospect, it would appear
that Germany had crushing victory
almost within her grasp and lost it by
not being able to unite her forces,
while later the Russians were success
ful in gaining dominant position.
s,1, NO 1NfY1f1
In the western arena, while it would
appear still generally true that the
Germans are more on the defensive
than the offensive, the news that thy
have made violent attack to the
south of Ypres indicates that they
have not abandoned the idea of break
ing through to the French coast, and
it is said that the pick of the Ger
man western army has been concen-
trated for this latest effort.
The fate of General Beyers in South
Africa has not been absolutely cleared
up. If he is dead, as believed, it will
remove the last of the important
South African rebels. General De Wet
Is prisoner, Colonel Maritz a fugi-
tive and most Of the commands have
been broken up.
Allies On OnenSlve.
Important advances of the allies
troops in their new effort to throw
back the German invaders in France
are reported today by the French war
office. In the east, according to a state
ment of the Russian military authori-
ties, a serious defeat has been inflicted
on the Germans in the Galician cam
paign.
The French statement of today is
one of the most optimistic Of any
which has been issued since the Ger
mans settled down in trenches across
France and the long siege began. 1t
indicates that the offensive movement
Of the allies is even more general than
had been disclosed previously. AL
though the announcement gives few
details, references to the capture Of
entrenched positions and the blowing
ap of French trench by the Germans
tends to show that the engagements
now in progress are being contested
turiously The statement refers to the
advantages of the allies from Arras
southwark, along the Aisne, on the
heights of the Meuse, in the Argonne,
and in the Vosges. Roughly speaking,
this takes in all the line from the Bel
yian border across France and into
Alsace.
Concerning the battle in Flanders,
where the Germans have undertaken
an attack which may mean new at.
Tempt to break through to the French
coast, there was little further news,
The Germans are reported to have
concentrated in this region the finest
torces from the armies in the west.
1t is reported unofficially from Ber-
Nm that Emperor William, whose i'll
ness was announced yesterday, is suf.
iering from pneumonia and nervous de.
preston. The emperor is quoted in
Berlin as having told his troops recent
iy that victory would come to Germany
because "our nerves are stronger Than
those of our enemies"