The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-02-21
TURKISH FORTS BEING BATTERED
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II tlnUUl
lLr .nry wood, United Press STAR
- correspondent.l
PARIS, FEB. 2O.-That the general
movement to press the Germans out OF
French territory is already under
way, is indicated by tonights ad-
vices from the front. In the north
there has been much severe fighting
along the entire front from Lens in
| side of the Belgian frontier. But at
every point, the latest reports say,
the Germans have been repulsed with
very heavy loss.
Commencing on the Arras road,
south Of Lens, the battle line extends
north through VermeIIes to the east OF
Givenchy, then describes an acute
angle to Festubert and then shifts al
most due east by north to a point
east Of Armentieres and wavering be-
tween Ypres and Zonebeke through
Longemarck to Nieuport and the
coast. And all along this line severe
fighting has been In progress for sew
era days. The British forces which
are defending the chief portions Of
this line, have been heavily reinforced
and the latest reports received here
4 indicate that the Germans have suf-
fered severely.
In the Argonne regions, and the
Champagne district, the Germans have
ceased their endeavors to break
through the French lines.
| At half . dozen points the French
Ihave made distinct gains.
/ Along the heights Of the Mcuse, the
4 fighting continues with the French in
control Of the situation. They now
hold number OF bridge headsi fsady
to push their lines across the river
when the necessity arises.
Through snow that at some points 10
waist deep, the contending forces are
battling in the vosges. TheA Rcnch
4 troops have made small gains, but Il
siis believed that no definite results
lean be expected until after the spring
thaws. A similar situation exists in
upper Aisace.
FRESH GAINS MADE.
l[By Henry Wood, United Press STAFF
! Correspondent
PARIS, Feb. 2O-Fresh gains for
the French forces engaged In rolling
the German crown princes armies
back from Verdun, were reported In
official dispatches tonight.
The Germans renewed their assaults
upon French trenches several miles
north Of verdun. They made six fur
ious attacks with the object Of captur-
1 ing positions from which shell fire
could be directed upon Verdun itself.
Each onslaught was repulsed. The
/ French troops then counter-attaeked
and following close upon the heels Of
the retreating Germans. captured sew
erai rows Of trenches adjacent to
those occupied yesterday. Two hun
dred prisoners, two mcrtars and other
war material were taken by the
| French.
Success for the French offensive
movement north Of Perthe, was claim
cd In the official communlque tonight.
The French forced the Germans to
evacuate wood where the enemy had
strong position. The offensive move
ment In the Champagne region 10 de-
Iveioping favorabIy.
The official statement said that
violent eannonading continues In BEL
glum and all along the battle front
from the seacoast to Rheims.
BRUTAL TREATMENT.
PARIS, Feb. 2o.-Stories Of es.
treme brutal treatment while inmates
of German prisons, were recIted to
the French atrocity committee, Of
which Gabriel Hanotaux Is chairman,
! by several civilians today. The names
Of the witnesses were withheld be-
cause they asserted that they had fam
| lilies still living within the territory
held by the Germans and they feared
reprisas. One Of the witnesses, a
woman, charged that the Germans
compelled men, women, girls and
iyoune men to occupy the same quar-
! ters and to sleep In the same room.
Some times, she declared, there were
sixty men and women in the same
room that had space enough only for
twenty. Straw was thrown on the
floor for bedding and the entire build.
ina was filled with vermin. The air.
she alleged, was unbearabe and there
twere no sanitary accommodations.
i Another witness charged she saw po-
iiice dogs jump on children and knock
them down. The food, she declared.
was unfit for human consumption, be-
ing made up Of frozen potatoes and
black bread. The prisoners were as
sauIted by the guards and knocked
down by officers who struck them with
! the flats Of their swords. Others were
kicked and beaten with fists. Illness
was prevalent, particularly rheuma-
tism, typhoid and diphtheria. The
English were brutaily treated at first.
but later they forced respect by dig
nified bearing Il.
One old man, SO, charged he saw
two old men die of hunger because
they were kept without food which
they could mastieate for five days.
Witness charged he had been terribly