New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-31
Germans Try in Vain 10
Train Hessians to Cope
with French.
ALSACE CENTRAL
FIELD OF BATTLE
Contest Advancing in Kaiser S
Territory-Neutrals Ordered
to Get Out.
Nv {. INMAN BARNARD.
Paris correspondent OF The rr'Du'''

Paris correspondent w
Dole. Jan. 3O.-The military opera
lions in Upper Alsace are the oniy on
m the war in which the opposing oo.m
handlers have any tactical anu
o,ical freedom Of movement as 'i
Germans have not dug tnehse'''
&c on the rest Of the ightlhR llne
For two weeks u battle mas -
ing fercely, the Germans Hgn'us ~
The greater desperation now J"as NV
nol,ito German official reports 20
30 oortrarv. the success Of the French
o,a,;ors has been considerable.
30 ~ this was given by the order
'seucd on Wednesday by the millIaIy
,rtborities I'm Alsace ordering an ~
,ors of neutral eta.cs TO leave the yer
to-, between February ana ~
Tto,, uore forbidden previously. 20
80 inner Alsacc for fear they mignt
.aLe with them Information useIui "
''T Their expulsion is proof that ta IN
,.o,,,ors fe1r a general French al
yanca in Alsace, and as they cou,u no
sorco tho citizens of neutral states 70
nm war risks they have ordered I"e'i
IN order. however, that they may n99t
c,rry avav information on leaving AZ
sace thev will be interned for fourteen
d. ON the right bank of the KANE
taforo leaving Germany, so that any
hing they know will have ceaseu 70
have any military value. AZ the 800
limo The frontier between Swit%etlanJ
and Asace was completely eloSeO
against ncutrale.
Hampered by Snowfall.
Aro.ber ominous sign was the or
.i.. ;,sned The same day for the wives
~ al officers Of the garrison OF Stras-
D,ra 20 leave that city within forty
, -, hours. Military operations are
creatiy hampered by the heavy ran OF
nov. which is lying a metre deep III
the mountains. This, however i
greater disadvantage to the Germans
+ Tbsn tho French, as the latter nave
brouobf M their famous Chasseurs
AIpins 20 the Nosges. As tney an ar
expert ski runners and at nome III 1hy
mountains. they can make rings aIOH"u
The German infantry.
( The Germans are hastily trying 70
train Ressian regiments on SKIS D"'
The mountain soldier cannot be mace dl
short notice. Better results perhaps
NAV he obtained from the volunteer SKI
rorn9 now being enrolled At Munlch'
Rnt if the members are expert SKI run
uers on the other hand, hey are
Youths from eighteen to nineteen year
old entirely without military framing
The snow has caused a lu!l IN the
German attack on the line Of villages
near the Swiss frontier having Ftet-
torbausen "a its centre but IN the
north the inclemency Of the weather
has done little to diminish the fierce
ness of the fighting
The central point Of the struggle is
the erinence known as HartmanhSs;,
weller Kopf. which few days ago tel
into the hands Of the French. it is
tho centre of a chain Of hills running
from Thanh 20 Guebweiler. ms
eioht-mile front the Germans for
days have been attacking with desper-
ate ferceness Time after time they
have hurled their best troops up me
snowclad slopes to attack with the
bayonet. but only TO meet WIN an
equally desperate resistance; Mach nv
runs and rifles Of the French infantry
and mounted batteries OF the ChSs-
seurs Alpins moved them down oy
commands. while with the bayone'
the French were more than a mateh
for the Germans.
Fighting for Heights.
The object Of the German attack Is
To obtain possession OF the heights be-
vond Hartmannsweiler kopf. known az
he Molkenrain. These heights, OF l'l-o
Etres altitude, lie to the west of Hart
mannsweiler Kopf Once in possession
the Germans would practically command
the valleys running up 20 Thanh and
could bring strong pressure TO bear IN
The direction of Stenbach. They were
captured at heavy cost by the French
A fortnight ago, but If the Germans
hone 10 have an attack on the heights
TO the north of Thanh crowned with
success they must attack all along the
line so as TO divert the fire Of the
French batteries when line the crests
Of the Nosges.
This action seems TO have begun. as
French official communicates as far back
as last Saturday said that the heights
facing Cernay. particularly the famous
425-metre hill, had been continually
attacked by the Germans. The Ger
man plan is clear. II they should
capture Molkenrain. and by that
threaten the lower valley of ST. Amarin
they will certainly attempt a forward
movement 20 the south TO cut the