Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1914-09-22
ALLIES C0NT|N-
UE ASSAULTS
ON GERMANS
Gigantic Battle From the Disc t:
the Meuse Goes on With
Little Change.
CLAIM PROGRESS IS SLIGHT
Allies Say They Have Advanced
Some Against the German
Right Wing.
CLAIM PROGRESS IS SLIGHT

London, Sept. 19.-For five day:
the British and French armies have
been trying to dislodge the Ger
mans from the strong line of de-
lenses which they have constructed
on the battle front stretching from
the Disc to the Mouse rivers. Their
have been attacks and cOunter-at
tacks, but, in the words of the Of
fetal communication, there ha:
been no change in the situation
The allies claim to have made
slight progress at some points
against the German right wing
north of the river Aisne and to have
repulsed counter-attacks there ant
between Oraonne and Rheims, Will:
they say in the center and in the
right the Germans are acting purely
on the defensive, having dug them
selves into entertainments"
The German official reports arc
almost identical with those of the
allies. They say no decision has
yet been reached, but that the allies
power of resistance is weakening
that a French attempt to breaS
their right has failed, that in the
center the Germans are gaining
ground slowly and that allies from
Verdun have been repulsed.
1t would seem from all this that
the commanding generals have not
yet found the weak points in their
opponents positions and that each is
Withholding his determined blow
for the right moment.
The Germans, having reached Sc
lected positions which they have
strongly fortified, would appear tc
have the advantage according to
military critics but for the fact that
they must defend the whole of their
front to make good their retirement,
should an attack by them fail or a
smashing blow from the allies break
their line, while the Anglo-French
forces are declared to be free to mass
at any point.
It is not certain where General
Joffre will direct his assault. While
the armies forming his left are
pressing the German right wing it is
thought quite probable that General
Joffre is making arrangements for
an attempt to cut through the Ger
man front somewhere north of Yer
dun and thus drive the armies Of
the German crown prince, the duke
of Wuerttemberg, General Won Haus-
en-, General Won Buelow and General
won Kluck westward, sever their
communication with the Rhine
through Luxembourg and compel
them to rely on lines running into
Belgium, which are menaced by an
Anglo-French force operating on
the border as we'll as by a Belgian
army.
The Germans are reported to be
prepared, however, to offer tremen-
dous resistance to such a move. They
are not only in strong positions
where achievements of men, NUM-
lions and provisions can reach them
easily, but they have additional de-
tended positions to fall back upon If
necessary. Furthermore they are
said to be Strengthening their posi-
lions along the river Sambre from
Maubeuge to Namur and along the
Mouse from Givet to Namur, so that
nothing evidently is being left to
chance.
1t is even reported that the Ger
mans are concentrating transport
trains on the Luxembourg frontier to
enable them to move troops eastward
should they so desire. This leads
some of the military observers to be-
lieve the Germans have decided to
remain on the defensive in the west
while they are sending their main
army east to confront the Russians.
Apparently they are concentrating
their western armies, with the ex-
ception of an occasional Uhlan
troop. Northwestern France seems
nearly clear of Germans. The Calais
and Boulogne routes to Paris have
been reopened.
One of these Uhlan patrols was
caught by British armored motor
car in command of Commander Sam
sen at Doullons on the main road
north of Amiens few days ago and
four out of it's five men were killed.