The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-03
Positions, However, Are Held Against Furious Counter Attacks by Ger mans Forces in West
ALLIED AGGRESSION
 MAY BE RENEWED ALONG WHOLE FRONT
Russians Take Initiative in Galicia and Deliver Heavy Blows Germans Claim Repulse of Slavs

London, October 2.-Heavy fighting Is
 fronts, but 1t lacks the dramatic feat
 ures afforded by the early stages of the
 allies big offensive, which started a week
 ago today. and resulted in a considerable
 gain of ground in Champagne and Ar
 tois, still held by the allies, or the great
 drives which the Austro- Germans main
 months and that carried them from vest
 ern Galcla to the western border of old
 Russia
 In the west the allies. In the face of
 furious German counter attacks, are hold
 ing thei, new positions and are themselves
 making local attacks, which the Ger
 mans claim to have repulscd. official re- ports do not agree exactly as to what Is going on in Champagne and Artois, but apparently both sides are taking part In attacks which naturally follow when one enemy is e't-ff ting to consolidate t1e ffonn8 sBH
 In fhe Fapofta he French say they nave aaaa ii 'ther progress on the
 Ht ait in the Souchez area,
 eH Ii zhadtagne. Compared with
 iHes aApinrs of nearly 3o,O00 pris- af i1 ae innumerable machine
 k as F iHa clain to nave taken
 ittto aeu ane & ichine guns.
 HeHnefaf ina great offensive may
 e9As.-e.s-. =. sH end. and the question | Is being asked to where the next attempt to pierce the German line will be made |?
 That one will be made nobody here doubts, and the expectation is that 1t will not be long delayed
 Russia has been relieved to some extent by the withdrawal of German troops to
 meet the offensive in the west and to sup ply a contingent for the enterprise against Servia. Russia appears to be holding her own along virtually all her front. At
 any rate. the Germans make no claim to
 advances except by General Von Iinsing- en. and he Is moving forward very slowly. It may be that the Germans are making preparations for some new stroke, hay ing failed to capture Dvinsl by a direct attack. and having been countered in tEer effort to reach Minsk
 Russians Deliver Blows In Galca and at several other points the Russians have taken the initiative and are delivering heavy blows at the in- vaders, many of which. according to Ger mar accounts, have been repulsed. It Is said that Germany has under taken the offensive against Servia In dependently of Austria and a Bucharest report asserts that the Germans have attempted, without success. to cross the Danube near Semendria. It is at this point that the main Servia railway most nearly approaches the frontier.
 While many writers discredit the statements that the Germans are send | Ing a large force against Servia, others believe she Is doing so to influence Bull Raria, which almost everybody here is satisfied has decided to join the central powers and Is awaiting an op- perfume moment to throw the weight of her army in the scale against the allies. The moment she does so the allied force which has been promised for the support of Servia and which the Paris papers are confident Is already in or on the way to Macedonia, will take hand In cooperation. 1t is hoped in tho allied countries. with Greece. which is mob | ilizing. and Roumania, which, 1t Is re- ported. has again been threatened by Austria Hungary with reprisals unless she permits the passage through her territory of munitions for Turkey. | Interest strategically in the Balkans will be concerned mostly with the rail- way by which Servia can be supplied with men and munitions. This runs from Saloniki to Uskup. parallel with the west of the Vardar river and thence to lMitrovitza. About 50 miles from Salonikl fit passes within a few miles of the Bull tgarian border near Strumitza, the scene of the raid by Bulgarian irreguiars a few months ago.