Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-24
PRUSSIAN BORDER
is AGAIN CROSSED
Austrians Pushed Back Into
Mountains and Garrison
at the Fort Repulsed

>AS"'S' olS6c W al Idle VI IllOSL SUD-
born and laborious kind persists. This
briefly sums up the situation both In
the east and in the west today, 80
far as has been disclosed by the
official statement.
The ultimate outcome of the Ger
man advance on Warsaw Is still
problematical as a decisive conflict
has yet to be fought. Although the
Russian center has retired, 1t now has
been reinforced and it is holding a
line on the Bzura from it's junction
with the Vistula
North of the Vistula, IL the reports
from Petrograd may be believed, the
Germans have been whipped and push
ed back over the frontier until their
line now stretches behind Soldau,
which is midway between Lautenburg
and Niedenburg. in East Prussia.
To the south it is contended in Rus
sian reports that the movement of the
Austrians through the Carpathian
mountains has been defeated simultan.
eously with the defeat OF the garrison
at Przemysl, which was hurled back
after an attempted sortie from this
fortress.
Allies on Offensive.
The British press comments today
on General Joffre's order to advance.
as cabled to London from Berlin. The
papers say that while they >>are un-
able to vouch for the authenticity of
this document, it certainly seems to
coincide with the pressure the allies
are exerting all along the line. It is
not believed in London, however, that
the real work of driving the Germans
out of Belgium will begin for some
weeks to come.
Emperor In West.
Emperor William, according to the
latest reports reaching here, has gone
from Berlin to the western front. This
would indicate, in the view Of British
observers, that he regards the situa-
ton there more important and critical
than in the east.
Berlin Official Report.
Berlin, Dec g., wireless to Lon
don)-The German official report given
out this afternoon reads as follows:
rAt Newport and in the region
around Ypres the situation yesterday
was generally quiet.
"In order to recapture the positions
lost by them December 20 at st. HUI
bert and Givenchy, the English forces,
reinforced by French territorials, made
desperate attacks during the day Of
yesterday and last night, all of which,
however, were repulsed. In the region
around Richebourg the enemy succeed
ed in obtaining firm foothold in his
old positions.
French attacks yesterday in the
neighborhood of Albert. to the north.
east Of Compiegne, at Souain and at
Perthes were repulsed with heavy
losses to the French.
I'm the western part of the Argonne
district we captured few trenches.
On the eastern Argonne. to the north
and northwest of Verdun, French at
tacks were repulsed with heavy losses
to the French.
''The situation in East and West
Prussia Is unchanged. In Poland our
troops engaged in fierce battle for
possession of branches of the Bzura
and Rawka rivers. In many instances
they crossed over the tributaries al
rcn"-- IL t''cir ro~snssion
''On the right bank Of the river
Pillna III nsh ing by the Germanic
allies continues"
French Official Report.
Paris, Dec 22.-The French war Of
fee this afternoon gave out an official
statement as follows
Between the sea and the Lys, dur
ing the day Of December 81, there was
nothing other than artillery engage
ments. Between the Lys and the
Aisne we repulsed German attacking
column, which was endeavoring to
come out from Carency, and we took
several houses at Blangy.
can attack Of the enemy on Mamtez
and the nearby trenches made it i'm
possible for our troops to make mater
ial progress in this direction. In the
region of Lihons three attacks of the
enemy we're repulsed.
eve made slight gains to the east
and to the west of Tracy-le-Val, and
our artillery delivered an efficacious
fire on the plateau Of Nouvron.
"In the Sectors of the Aisne and of
Rheims there were artillery engage
ments.
ION the right bank OF the Mouse in
the forest of Consenvoye we first lost
and then reconquered after lively
fight, the territory gained by us De-
cember 20.
From the heights of the Mouse to
the Vosges there is nothing to re-
port"
"In Champagne and in the Argonne
in the region of Souain, there have
been violent bayonet engagements. We
have not made perceptible prograss in
this region. We have occupied in the
suburbs of Perthes-les-Hurlus three
Germon positions representing front
of entertainments 1,500 yards long. To
the northeast of Beauzjour we have