, 1915-01-14
WAR NEWS SUNNI

that comparative calm prevails ex
cept at a few points. Even in up
per Alsace and in the Argonne,
where there ave been violent en-.
counters recently, activity has slack.
ened. Near Scissors and in the vi.
cinity of perthes, however, spirited
engagements are in progress.
The German war office admits that the
French have captured trenches north
of scissors, toward the western end
of the battle line, but states that
further ~onslauehts were repuIsed,
The French announcement says two
more lines of trenches, covering SOC
yards OF the front, have been occu.
pied. There is a similar disparity
of statements concerning the proc.
ress of the fighting near Perthes,
which has assumed Importance be,
cause the prize at stake Is control
of railroads of high strategic value
The French communication states
that 200 yards of German trenches
were seized, while the German au.
thorities say that positions won by
their opponents were retaken.
London suggest that the inactivity Of
the allies in both the east and the
west is due to the fact that they are
awaiting the entrance of new mem.
bers into the combination against
the Teutonic nations. II is said that
Roumania with 500, 900 soldiers is
virtually ready to enter the war on
the side of the allies.
Another luIl in the fighting along the
Vistula, in Russian Poland. 10 re,
corded by the Petrosrad war office.
The fury of the German attack has
not spent itself, however. and al
though the attempt to break through
the Russian line west of Warsaw
may have been given up for the
time, the movement from the north
continues in full force. -Four sue.
cessive German attacks were made
In this region, and according to the
Russian version they accomplished
little. Berlin reports slow progress
on account of bad weather.
Renewed activity along the coast Of
German aircraft, which bombarded
Dunkirk, has revived rumors of a
Zeppelin raid over England. One
Zeppelin is said to have moved to.
ward the English coast from Dun
kirk.
The British press considers that Sir
Edward Grey's reply to the Amer.
lean note concerning British inter.
ference with American shipping has
virtually disposed of the issue. The
reply is regarded as satisfying to
British public apinion, but ls unsat-
isfsctory to Washington. It con-
cedes the principles laid down in the
American protest. but refuses to
stop the practice complained of.
The lack of stirring battles at the
present stage is attributed by British
commentators largely to the deter
mination of the allied commanders
to content themselves with holding
their present positions until the
projected ring of armies is consid.
cred sufficiently strong to strike a
blow which they hope will prove de-
cisive,
The British idea that operations up
to the present are only preparatory
to big vents fits In with a report
to the effect that Lord Kitchener,
when asked concerning the probable
duration of the war, said: ~ don't
know when it will end, but | do
know when it will begin, and that is
In the month of May"
The fighting in Poland recently has
been purely of a local character.
The Germans are said to be contem.
plating an attack at a new point.
Apparently the Russians are conten nj
for the present to maintain their
straight line north and south nth.
out attempting to push westward.
Further south, simultaneously with the
Russian progress in Bukowina, an
advance or cracow once more ap.
pears to be imminent.
Russia is still sending enormous
masses of men to within easy reach
of various points on her lono tlqht-
Ing line. The levles Of 1910, mount
Ing to 100000 men, are just leav.
ing the training camps, which will
be occupied Immediately by the 1915
Ievies now called out.
Germany's newest levy, lust an.
nounoed, amounts to 600. 900 men of
the age of nineteen and her masses
Of reserves already under arms ana
bic her to rush relnforcements wher-
ever required without withdrawing
troops already engaged at the front
In either the eastern or western
fighting zones. This was shown a
few days ago in Alsace, when the
Germans assaulted a force sufficient
to ~reoapture 5%urnhaupt. from which
point the French we're threatening