The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1915-01-28
GRANTS
PARDON TO MANY
ON HIS BIRTHDAY
ORDERS ISSUED FROM HEAD
QUARTERS ON BATTLE FRONT.
PRESENCE THERE INSPIRES MEN
They Make Simultaneous Attacks on
French and English from Sea
Coast to Rheims - New
Russian Offensive.

| huSStdn intensive.
Berlin (By wne.e.s to London
Jan. 27.-In commemoration of his
both birthday, Emperor William to-
day granted a general amnesty to
hundreds of offenders against mill.
tary rules since the outbreak of the
war. Offenders committed to Jail by
court martial were ordered released
and the fines of Others ramitted. The
kaiser also issued a decree annulling
the charges against persons charged
with eyading the call to arms. The
emperor's orders We're issued from
this headquarters in the field and
telegraphed here.
Germans Are Inspired.
Paris, Jan. 27.--Heaps of dead vic.
tins OF series of bloody charges
against the allied entrenchments
formed the German army's birthday
present to Emperor William today.
Inspired by the presence of the kais-
er on the battle front, the German
forces made simultaneous night at
lacks of unusual ferocity on the
French and English lines from the
sea coast southwark nearly to
Rheims. Except in the vicinity OF
Craonne where the French were
forced to evacuate a trench the Ger
mans were driven back and left many
dead and wounded on the field The
fighting along the wooded heights
west of Craonne was most furious
early to-day. Desperate infantry as
saults upon the French positions fol-
lowed the celebration and song ser
vice along the German trenches in
commemoration of the kaiser's seth
birthday.
New Russian Offensive.
| Petrograd, Jan. 27.-Developments
of new Russian offensive aimed at
Konigsburg, the capital of East Prus-
STA on the Gulf of Danzig was an
nounced to-day. The Russian forces
operating in East Prussia north of
Insterburg attacked along a inc ex-
tending from Malwishken to Lazie-
hnen and were successful in pushing
back the Germans. The Russian out
posts are now within so miles of
Konigsburg, nearly half the distance
between that city and the Russian
! frontier. The advance upon Konigs-
burg is being made along the route
| of the northern railroad instead of
the more direct route that lies
through Insterburg. The Germans
are offering stubborn resistance and
are being reinforced.
Germans Claim Victories.
Berlin, (By wireless to Sayville, L.
| -, Jan. 27.-Brilliant successes in a
series of infantry charges against the
French positions on the heights near
Craonne were claimed in the official
war office statement today. The
Saxon troops stormed and took sever
al important French positions extend
| ing along a battle line of 1900 yards,
pushing the French back upon the
southern slopes. The Germans made
counter attacks delivered after the
French had made unsuccessful at
tempts to recover trenches lost the
preceding day.
| The statement declares:
! I'VE took 900 unwounded French
prisoners, eight machine guns and
one pioneer station from which
the French sappers obtained sup
plies. We also captured other
material. English attempts to re-
take positions west of La Bassee
broke under the fire from the Ger
man artillery"
Southeast of ST. Mihiel an import
ant position was taken from the
French who made unsuccessful coun-
ter attacks. There are no important
changes in Poland, although the Rus
slams suffered heavy losses in their
attempts to assume the offensive par
tiCularly in East Prussia.
Dispatches from Vienna report Sc
we're fighting in the Carpathians and
admit heavy Austrian losses, assert
ing, however, that the Austrian artil.
lery has the advantage.
French Claim Victories.
Paris, Jan. 27.-German forces on
the west bank of the Meuse at st.
Mihiel have again been cut of from
direct communication with the main
body of Germans on the east bank.
French artillery has destroyed the
new pontoon bridges thrown across
the river at this point by the Ger
mans. Scarcely had the Germans
succeeded in replacing the bridges
destroyed few days ago when the
French resumed their bombardment.
The French infantry continued yes
terday their attack on the German
positions on the east bank of the
Mouse opposite st. Mihiel with the
object of cutting OF and surrounding
the Germans on the west bank.