Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-08-05
Ernest Nor.

The hostile countries have far larger
nonulation than have the two central
mowers and their combined armies
originally outnumbered those OF the
latter. The central states, however
have known how to improve this DIM
cult situation by alternately taking tne
offensive and defensive on the western
and eastern fronts. =.
"In the west the German armies IN
a rapid, triumphant advance carried
their standards within 30 miles OF
Paris and have kept them flying there
since mid.September Even though the
TIGHT and left wings of our wide-hung
hattie front In France and Belgium
lave been bent back since then (pe-
on ause there was no other method LOT
or he time being of counteracting the
numerical superiority Of the British.
French and Belgians) still we hold the
nositions fortified during the nine
months, firmly in our hands. so that al
!, most all of Belgium and the north
eastern departments of France have
been occupied by the troops OF Ger
many.
"Ir the east the Austro- German
armies first held up the Russian mil
lions on the Galician frontiers ana tnen
were forced to retire before a manlIoia
numerical superiority. to intrench
themselves on the crest or the Carpath-
fans and to beat back until May the
Russian assaults with heavy losses.
Meanwhile Field Marshal Won Hlnden-
burg in East Prussia was able to des.
troy several large Russian armies ana
free East Prussia; to occupy conJolnty
with Austrian troops Poland almost to
+he vistula river and in the northeast
to carry the war into the Russian pro-
vinces.
"while the positions in the war in
! the west continue to surge to and FRO
and three great attempts made TO
| break through our lines in the winter,
sprine and summer, were repulsed with
awful losses to our enemies, the Ger
man and Austro- Hungarian armies on
NAV I launched a great offensive
Axainst the Russian main armies III
Galicia.
s'1n a series of battles and under con-
slant pursuit the Russians were hunted
out Of 43,47O square miles OF Gallcla,
their principal force was severed at
several places and they were driven
eastward and northward
"The west bank of the Vistula in Po-
land has been cleared OF Russian
armies. The siege of Warsaw is about
to begin and Field Marshal Won Hin
denburg in the northward has pressed
forward against Riga and now has
reached the vicinity of the city atte'
numerous victories. The successes OF
the Germans have cost the Russian
army many millions in dead, wounded
and prisoners. The Russian empire
possesses only fragments Of it's mighty
armies and no longer can supply these
adequately with arms and munitions
Their fate will be decided very shortly
The Russian forces will be destroyed
or forced to fee deep into the interior
to the eastward.
"The battles in the west have cut so
deeply into the French strength that
now 1S-year old lads must bear arms.
Great Britain's original army has been
destroyed and only enough substitutes
can be raised to hold 44-mile front in
Belgium. The British losses, partic-
ularly those of officers have been very
heavy. The army Of 100000 men
which Lord Kitchener promised six
months ago has not yet appeared and
our opponents in the west never again
will be able to raise superior forces to
. expel the Germans from the country.
"The action in the Dardanelles
which has been in progress for months
against the Turks shows results for the
British and French only in great losses
of men, ships and war supplies Of all
kinds. The Turkish army steadily Is
improving In numbers and quality. The
Turkish Notifications are quite as
strong as they were at the outset. The
prospects of the attackers reaching
Constantinople, therefore, have vanish
cd and since none of the Balkan
states are willing to enter the Anglo
French service and since the Russian
army which should have participated
dalicia, It is difficult to see any
chances for France and Great Britain
Should Italy send an army to the
Dardanelles, 1t will find superior
Turkish army ready to receive her
Italy, after conducting mobilization
field against Austria Hungary at the
end Of May. An Italian army, 100000
men strong, has been attempting for
Two months 10 sweep over inc lOTtl'
fed Austrian passes and to cross the
1sonzo river, behind which the Austro.
Hungarian defensive army occupies
strong positions. All the attempts OF
the Italians up to the present have
been unsuccessful. The cost Of the at.
tackers has been hundreds of thous.
ands In dead and wounded. Austria.
Hungary grows stronger day by day
and although it's valiant struggle Is a
dificult one against Italian superiority
in numbers, it will be able to bar the
way to the coastland and to Trieste
and Tyrol.
Meanwhile italy has lost her entire
colony at Tripoli to the Arabs and ap.
parently is about to declare war on
Turkey. -.
"The Serbian army after great losses
In the winter has undertaken no mill
tary operations, being content to guard
the frontiers of Its country on which
there no longer is an Austro-Hungarian