The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-12-17
RETREATING SERBS ARE
HACKED FROM ALL SIDES
TEUToNlc ALLIES KEEP UP UN-
CEAslNG OFFENSIVE AGAINST
DISTRESSED SERBIAN ARMY.
RUSSIANS USE Big GUNS
Along the Entire Russian Front Heavy
Artillery Pieces Are Hurting Shells
Against the Germans-Afi Bat
tie Fronts Active, Etc.
Latest News From Battle Fronts.

Latest news from battie FTonLB'
That neither side Of the great war Is
disposed to make the first advance
for peace would seem to be indicated
by statements of Count Tisza, the
Hungarian premier, and Herbert P.
Asquith, the British prime minister.
when peace shall come" said
Count Tisza, depends exclusively
upon our enemies" While AsQuith
told the British parliament, that II
any proposals of a serious character
for peace are put forward by the
enemy either directly or through a
neutral power, they would be discuss
cd by the entente governments.
The German imperial chancellor, an.
swering a socialist query in the reich.
stag Thursday, said: III our enemies
make peace proposals compatible with
Germany's dignity and safety, then
we shall always be ready to discuss
them"
The extreme southwestern neck Of
Serbian territory lying between the
Greek and Bulgarian frontier, where
the British and French forces have
their lines, is the scene of violent
fighting. The British, near Lake
Dorian, which is almost on the Greek
border have twice been compelled to
withdraw from their positions by the
Bulgarians' violent bombardment and
infantry attacks
Reports from the Russian front say
the Russians have captured the en-,
tire staff of the Eighty-second German
army division.
Considerable heavy fighting, mostly
with artillery, is in progress on all the
battle fronts in Russia.
No appreciate gains have been
made by either of the belligerents on
the AustrO-Italian front.
A Teheran dispatch coming by way
Of Petrograd announced the defeat of
a Turkish force in the region of Ha-
MADAM, southwest of Teheran, while
Constantinople reports that the Turks
have been successful against the Brit.
ish in Arabia and are marching In the
direction of Alden,
Sir Edward Grey, the British for
eign secretary, and Earl Kitchener,
secretary of war, have conferred in
Paris with Premier BRAND, Minister
of War Gallieni and General Joffre,
the French commander in chief.
The French cruiser Descartes has
searched at sea the New York and
Porto Rico Steamship Company's
steamers Coamo and Carolina and re-
moved four firemen and a steward, all
said to be Germans.
The Teutons continue to harass the
Serbians and Montenegrins both in
Western Serbia and several sections
in Montenegro Albanians are said
to be participating in the engagements
against the Serbs
While the Bulgarians report that
the French are retiring along both
sides of the Vardar river in Southern
Serbia, the French official report said
the Bulgarians have been forced to
withdraw at Demirkapou on the Var.
dar
The Austrians along the entire Aus
tro-ltalian front have shown greater
activity with their artillery, and also
are using asphyxiating gases exten.
siVely. Vienna admits the occupation
by the Italians of Austrian trenches
near San Michele mountain, but says
the Italians were later driven out
Austrian infantry attacks at several
points preceded by heavy artillery
preparation were repulsed.
Commandments from land and sea
are being carried out against the
Turkish positions on the Gallipoli pc
Ssninsula by the entente allies.
The German government is to ask
the reichstag to vote a credit of S.
5OOOOO,OOO supplementary to the 1915
budget.
The United States has sent to Aus.
tria-Hungary note asking for a dis.
aVowal Of the submarine attack upon
the Italian liner Ancona, assurances
that such an act will not be repeated.
some degree of punishment for the
commander Of the submarine and re.
paration for the American lives lost
The communication started by cable
Wednesday from the state department
to Ambassador Penfield at Vienna
Austria.
Reports that the Italians have sent
force to take part in the Balkan
campaign appear to be confirmed in
the Austrian official report of naval
engagement in the lower Adriatic sea
The sinking in the Mediterranean
by a submarine Of the American oil
steamer Communipaw, reports of
which come from Rome, overshadow
other incidents of the war in so far as
this country is affected. The Com