Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-09-30

London. Sept. 30.-The great struggle
on the western front has now resolved
itself clearly into battle for Lens in
Pas de Calais. nine miles northeast OF
Arras. The capture OF this town. with
It's raa!at!ng railways. would bring in
the foreground the possibility OF re-
taking Lille.
Both north and south of Lens the al
lies hold high ground-the British on
hill No. 70, the French on hill No. 40,
the high crest between Souchez and
vimy. The onicisl report from Paris
last night satd merely that this crest
had been reached. so that presumably
q counter attack is raging there today
with final mastery Of this important
position at stake.
Rain, fog and soggy ground have
been hampering both contenders and
limiting the activities OF aircraft.
Battle Over Short Front.
The Offensive of the allies thus far
has been confined to stretches Of the
front amounting to less than thirty
miles in all. The general belief here
IL that these attacks are only the prel-
ude to what is coming. At any rate the
public would be disappointed II the
movement were not sustained.
There is the usual speculation as to
the shifting OF German forces from the
east to the west. AS against the re-
port that some Prussian guards have
been hurried west, there are rumors
that Field Marshal Won Hindenberg.
still bent on taking Dvinsk. has been
reinforced heavily. Moreover the Aus
..-:a.:., Judging from their new sue
cesses, apparently have received fresh
troops.
Turks Crushed In Mesopotamia.
The victory Of the British over tho
Turks in Mesopotamia brings Gen. Sir
John Nixon-s men within 150 miles Of
Bagdad. The news came unheralded to
London as the fighting in that quarter
had been almost forgotten. Whether
the British will try to push on to Bag
dad is problematical. but the concensus
OF opinion here Is that the resistance
OF the Turks In this region has been
crushed.
Whatever Is done with the Turks
elsewhere" says the Pail Mall Gazette.
their blood stained way in the Eu.
pirates valley"
Kaiser at Front.
with the kaiser at the western front
directing operations. the Germans, by
emily checking the offensive Of the al
lies.
What forces came with the kaiser to
the western front is not stated in the
dispatch that tells of his arrival, but
It Is known that the tremendous gaps
made by the allies on Saturday and
Sunday have been filled.
See Deciding Struggle.
Under the emperors direction Bel
gium has been almost denuded Of
troops to help In the desperate German
stand. From Berlin comes the report
that Germany believes the deciding
struggle is on-that the result Of this
Anglo French drive will decide the
great war.
In Artois tho French claim to have
reached hill 140. which lies directly
east of Vimy and Is the eliminating
point Of the crests named after that
town. The importance OF the hill lies
In the fact that 1t commands the plains
to the east, the network OF roads and
the railway which runs from Lens
southwark.
Aim at Rail Junction.
y 30 far as Champagne is concerned
the French appear at present to be
making their chief effort toward the
railroad junction north OF Massigeh,
which accounts for the desperate ef-
forts OF the Germans to stem the tide
and for the crown princes counter
stroke In the Argonne. as this railway
connects the German army In the Ar
gOnne with its base at vauziers.
The Germans are trying to divert tho
allies by a heavy artillery lombard
ment north and south OF the Aisne,
hne alans having been made by Gem