New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-29
Paris War Office Puts Cas-
ualtieS at CraOnne This
Week at 5000.
INVADERS BRING
UP GREAT FORCES
Prepare to Give Smashing
Blow at Allies at La
Basse and Ypres.
BERLIN CLAIMS GAINS
French and British Say All At.
tacks Were Repulsed-ln'
fantry Assaults Abandoned.
BERLIN CLAIMS GAINS

Paris. Jan. Apparently discour-
aged by the repulse Of every one OF
their many assaults along the battle
front in Flanders. France and Alsace
on the Kaiser's birthday. the Germans
desisted entirely from infantry at
tacks during the night and the early
morning hours of to-day. The artll-
lery of the invaders, however. kept
pounding away. especially near Zonne-
beke. in Belgium, along the Aisne and
in the region of scissors, in the Ar
gonne forest and in the neighborhood
of the Alsatian town of Thanh.
The French official communication
issued to-day struck a jubilsnt note.
"The day was a good one for u.s. the
earlier statement announced. The war
Office estimates that the Germans, IN
their various attacks on the Emperors
birthday. and those OF the two pre-
ceding days leading up to the hnai
efforts, lost at least 10000 men.
The lighting in the region Of Cra-
onne. northeast of scissors, alone, Is
reported to have cost the invaders
5000. At this point. however, the OF
fetal report says, the losses to the
French through the capture OF two
companies mentioned yesterday as inn
prisoned in quarry Dy landsHue'
amounted to 800 men.
Germans Ready for Blow.
While it is evident that the attacks
a..d counter attacks of this week have,
cost both sides dear, they have made
no great difference In the relative posi-
tions Of the opposing armies. they
convey the intimation, however, that
the Germans have by no means given
up the idea Of delivering a smashing
blow at the allied armies.
With the approach of dryer weather
and the consequent hardening OF the
ground, the German commanders mad
brought new troops with the inten-
ton of getting in their blow before
the full strength of the Anglo-freneh
forces was ready to meet them. thus
far they have made little, II any,
headway. but. undismayed, they are
sending still more troops through Bel
0ium 10 Ypres and La Bassee, points
at which earlier in the winter they
attempted to break their way through
TO the coast.
Knowing, as they must, that the
Anglo-French armies have been great
ly strengthened since then, they
themselves must have increased their
striking power.
The Allies. however. are confident
of their ability TO hold their present
lines, and move forward when all
preparations are completed.
"MsrseiIlaise' Starts Trouble.
According to the French war office,
the Germans took an unwarranted I'D
erty in the celebration Of their busy
holiday By appropriating the French
national air for their festivities. The
incident is thus described:
"On the heights Of the Meuse, oppo-
site the French position At Eparges'
German soldiers, during the celebra-
ton Yesterday Of Emperor Williams
birthday, began singing the 'Marseii-
laise' TO the accompaniment of ffes and
drums. violent fire from the French
troops silenced them"
The initial engagement in La bassee
of January 26 was but prelude TO the
severe engagement still in progress
Yesterday. This revival Of desperate
lighting synchronizes with the spell OF
very cold but dry weather which has
made the ground tirmer every day TINS
week, lending increased mobility TO
both infantry and artillery. and hlling
the men with more Of the exhilaration
of hand-to-hand fighting. Neyerthe-
less, the countryside was stiii sott
enough TO make the Germans IN their
attack show decided preference for
the roads, and this explains how, on
the main thoroughfare between Bethune
and La Bassee. such grim massacre
Of the enemy took place.
7, was veritable death trap. The
accuracy of the British artillery proved
a barrier TO the Germans advance at
this point.
British Infantry Trapped.
After re-establishing their old posi-
tions the British broke fresh ground
and part Of regiment IN its forward
movement had 10 90 across level
span. On it's right was what appeared
TO be a deserted haystack. but as the
men came in line with the stack =
deadly Maxim fire poured from IL. The
dummy haystack and its occupants be-
came a target for the watching British
artillery, but the infantry, ncverthc-
less. suffered severely by the uncX-
pected strategem.
Following is the text OF the official
communication issued by the War Once
tonight;
ION the night OF January 27-2s no
attack by the infantry Of the enemy
was delivered. To the northeast Of
Zonnebeke there was bomoardment
BY the Germans and violent rifle firing.
IAN artillery duel occurred on the
Aisne. and in the Argonne cannonading
on all sides. In Alsace, TO the north
west OF mmerzweiIler, our troops
maintained their positions, notwith-
standing a violent bcmbArdment dur
ing the day of the territory which they
had gained, and succeeded In organiz-
ing themselves.
"Quiet prevailed along the remain.
der Of the front"
Good Day for U.s."
The earlier communication of TO.
day says:
January 81 vas the anniversary cf
the birthday Of Emperor William Of
Germany. Oar adrersaries announced
for this day a very particular effort,
but il II was made by them II did not
result TO their advantage.
! "The day vas . good ONE fcr US along
=