The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-01-23
GERMANS FORCE
The ALLIES BACK
French Admit Reverse Along
River Aisne in Neighb0r-
hood of scissors.
KAISER WATCHED The BATTLE
Several Thousand French Troops
Were Observation-Disclosures Claim
Progress on Right Bank of
VistuIa in Poland.

London, Jan. ia reverse Of the
allies along the River Aisne, in the
neighbOrhoOd of scissors, is admitted
in the latest French official statement,
although the possible effect of the Ger
man advance is officially minimized.
After continuous engagements which
lasted nearly two days, the Germans
forced the French to yield in front of
Vregny, to the east of Crouy. 1t is
explained by the French war office
that the flooding of the River Aisne
| destroyed several of the bridges and
thus rendered precarious> the commun-
ications Of the troops operating on
the right bank. These troops were
withdrawn, as it was thought impos-
sible to send reinforcements to their
support.
The success is a partial one for our
adVersaries," says the French state
ment, but will have no influence on
the operations as a whole"
Emperor William was present at
these operations, which resulted in
the capture of several thousand
French prisoners and were continued
throughout January II and Is.
CNAOSA al CldAll1S TIE hUSSldu
have progressed on the right hank Of
the lower Vistula, where the German
cavalry was repulsed. On the other
front the fighting is made up largely
of skirmishes and artillery duels.
Within 25 Miles of Warsaw.
The Germans great 11-inch guns
at last brought to the front in Rus
sian Poland south Of the Vistula are
now pounding away at the Russian
positions along a 15-mile line east Of
SOchaczew and Skierniewice, the
nearest point of which is little more
than twenty-five miles from Warsaw
Hard Fighting in France
London, Jan. 14.-BattIes large and
small, all having an important bearing
on the situation, are in progress at
| widely separated points in the war
areas in Europe and Asia
The Russians have resumed the Of
fensive in East Prussia, while the
Germans continue to attack them in
| Poland
The battle, which is creating the
greatest interest, however, is that in
the Aisne Valley to the northeast Of
| scissors, where the French have been
attacking the German entertainments
for a week. They succeeded in TAX
ing some important positions Friday
and Sunday, but the Germans, bring
ing up reinforcements recovered some
of the lost ground Otherwise, the
unfavorable weather has compelled
/ the Germans and Allies to confne
themselves to artillery engagements.
The renewed activity of the Rus
slams in East Prussia indicates that
! the freezing over of the Mazurian
Lakes for which they have been wait
ing, at last has occurred, for other
wise it would be impossible for troops
! to advance through the narrow de-
! files defended by the Germans.
The Russians claim also to have
made a further advance to the south
west of Rawa, another indication that
they contemplate a repetition of their
attempted invasion of East Prussia
from the east and south despite the
fact that repeated German attacks
south of the Lower Vistula in Poland,
are keeping them fairly busy.
Allies Pushing Attacks.
| London, Jan. 13-The French at
tacks to the north of scissors, on the
Aisne and near Porthes, east OF
Reims, are developing into a danger
Gus offensive. The gains the French
have made at these points, if followed
up, would have a twofold importance.
They threaten the railways which the
Germans are using to supply their
troops in the fighting line and are q
good menace to the German forces
which hold positions to the north OF
Reims
The French have found it impossi-
bic to take, by frontal attacks, those
positions, from which the Germans
are bombarding Reims, but advances
on either side would envelop them
and force a retirement, thus giving
the cathedral city much desired re
lief from the German shells.
In the Argonne and on the heights
of the Mouse the Germans are on the
offensive and claim to have made
further progress. 1t is reported that
the Germans have sent heavy rein.
forcements to this district to prevent
the French from breaking their lines
| which are very close to their OWL
| border and not far from Metz.