South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-01-29
Paris Statement Claims Con-
tinued Successes in Opera
tionS Against Germans in
Belgium.
PREPARE STRASSBURG
FOR EXPECTED SIEGE
Invaders in AISaCe-LOrraine
Are 25 Miles From Forts But
City is Being Made Ready to
Withstand an Investment.

PARIS. Jan 29.-Continued success
for the French troops in their opera
tions against the Germans is claimed
in an official cOmmunique issued by
the French war office this afternoon.
The French infantry has gained a
foOthold on the great sand dune near
Nieuport. and a German flying ma
chine has been destroyed by French
artillery.
There is a lull in the fighting at
Scissors. CraOnne and Rheims. The
communique states that an attack
made by the Germans on the French
at Fontaine Madame cost the attack
ing forces dearly.
AS a result of the failure of the
Germans 10 gain any great successes
in the hghting that eliminated on
Emperor Williams birthday the OF
fensive of the German troops has APP
parently slackened all along the line.
The official communique follows
in full:
The 2Sth Of January was marked
bv local actions which were favor
able TO US.
I'm Belgium in the region of Nieu-
port our infantry gained toothold
in the great dune 10 which there was
"a reference in the communique OF
Jan y. a German flying machine
In the sectors OF Ypres and Lens,
and Arras, there were artillery COM
bats. very violent at times, and some
infantry attacks were started, but
these were Immediately rolled back
by our fire.
I'm the sectors Of scissors, Craonne
and Rheims there is nothing TO report
Between Rheims and the Argonne
there were artillery cOm1ats of no
fl l-raT| N
the attack repulsed by us at FOntaine
Madame on the night of Jan. 21-2S
cost the Germans dearly.
ION the heights OF the Meuse and
in the Woevre region the day was
calm.
..In the Vosges there were artillery
combats our guns at many points
silenced the fire of the German bat
teries and mitrailleuses. We foru-
fled at all points our positions on the
ground taken on Jan. 81
Strassburg Prepares For siege.
Proof of the CONSERVATION caused
among the Germans by the Vigor OF
the French offensive in Alsace and
Lorraine is shown by the action of the
German general staff in putting Strass-
burg in "A state of siege. Although
the French army of invasion is about
% miles from StraSsburg and is IN no
position To begin even an investment
of the outer forts defending the city
on the west, the preparations for
putting the city in a state OF siege are
going forward rapidly. The families
of officers OF the garrison have been
ordered 10 leave at once. The in
formation that Gen. Won RuelOw. com
mander of the second German army,
has been elevated 10 bee field mar
shall. has led 20 the report that he viii
be put in chief command of the Ger
man operations in the western theater
of war. Gen. Won Buelows army has
been operating east OF Rheims. in
that section of the Champagne district
where the hostilities have been hot
and and heavy around Perthes Mesnil
and BeauseJOur.
Gen. Won Buelow is the second Ger
man general TO be elevated 20 be a
held marshal since the war began, the
other being Gen. Won Hindenberg.
commander-in-chie in the eastern
theater OF war.
The French claim that the Ger
mans were unable 10 retain the ground
they captured, on the other hand. the
Germans claim TO have beaten off all
the French counter attacks They say
they are Orgari.,a< their new posi-
tions.
Regiment Wiped Out.
The recent fighting near LaBassee,
II now appears, ranks with the battle
northeast OF scissors for fierceness.
One Scotch regiment stood its ground
until only one man was left.
In West Flanders the Germans are
again ttacking the English positions
on the Ypres- -Menin road with re-
serves. Farther 20 the north artillery
duels are in prOgresS The French
are violently bOmbarding the German
lines east OF Nieuport, Lombartzyde.
and St Georges
A dispatch from St Omer says:
German prisoners who were taken
IN the lighting along the LaBassee
canal, SAYS that the kaiser went
among the troops two days before the
attack was delivered against the Eng
lish personally exorting them 10 drive
and die II necessary to win a decisive
battle over the British enemies.