The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-04-17
AUSTRIA HAS NOT
ASKED FOR PEACE
Operations IN Carpathians and
Poland Give the Lie to
Previous Reports.
FIERCE FIGHTING CONTINUES
Teuton Allies Claim Gains in Uzsok
Fass-Big Battle Developing Be-
tween French and Germans
in Vosges.

in Vosges.
london, April "a diplomatic re-
port. which has created. immense in
terest, is that from Rome to the eff
feet that Austria is seeking a separate
, peace with Russia. This lacks confir-
nation and is not credited, as it is not
considered likely that Germany would
be sending reinforcements to the Car
| pathians if there were any doubt of
Austria's loyalty to her ally.
Italy takes the matter more serious
ly than the other nations, for should
it prove to be true it would end her
hopes of gaining territorial accessions
from Austria
Austria Is Stubborn.
However, the stubborn way in which
Austria is resisting the Russian ad-
vance in the Carpathians seems to
contradict the suggestion that she is
| ready to seek peace at Russia's terms.
The fighting in the mountain passes
continues as iercely as ever, and al
though Austria claims that her troops
! with the assistance OF the Germans
gained success on both sides of the
LabOrcza valley during Easter, the
Russians are, on the whole, much fur
| ther advanced than they were a week
| ago, and have now forced the Dukla,
Lupkow and Rostock passes, and are
| pouring troops into the region of w
sOk pass, where the heaviest battle is
now in progress.
So far as the rest of the eastern
front is concerned the only battle OF
importance is that of Bukowina, where
the Austrians are thrusting at the Rus
sian positions in the hope of COMPEL
ing the Russians to send reinforce
ments from the /Carpathians In West
Galicia and Poland the overf1owing
rivers and bottomless marshes prevent
movements on a large scale.
Fighting Big Battle.
These same conditions are hindering
the French operations between the
Meuse and Moselle rivers, the French
official report today stating that heavy
| rains have rendered the ground diff
cult for the movement of troops and
the employment of artillery
There is very important battle in
progress in this region, however, and
the French claim to be making ad-
vances-a claim which is contested by
the Germans, who declare that all the
attacks have been repulsed Which
ever report is correct, there is little
doubt that a sanguinary battle is be-
ing fought and that in the attacks and
couater-attacks very heavy losses have
been sustained.
French Fight Desperately On.
London, April 8.-The Russians, haV-
ing carried the SUBMITS of the princi-
pal chain of the Beskid Mountains in
the Western section, are coming down
the slopes to gain possession of the
southern spurs, some of which they al
ready have captured, according to the
official statement from Russian head
quarters.
UnQuestionably' heavy reinforce
ments have come to the support of
both the opposing forces and the Aus
trO-Hungarians now have added to
their strength numerous German con-
tingents which are giving them power
full aid in checking the Russians ad-
vance through Uzsok Pass, the one
line of defense which the Russians
have not succeeded in breaking
Between the Mouse and the MoseIle
the French, like their Eastern ally, are
on the offensive, attempting to force
the Germans to give up st. Mihiel and
the region in the vicinity of that now
famous town. The Germans in their
official report claim to have repu1sed
all the French attacks, but a semi-offi-
cial statement from Berlin says &C
cording to "a prearranged plan, the
German outposts retreated from Reg
Neville and Fey-en-Haye" The
French some time ago reported the
capture of these towns and claim to
have made progress almost daily since
then
"The Price Is Always Paid"
The operations around Verdun were
begun several days ago by the French,
whose offensive was undertaken for
the purpose of forcing back the Ger
man line at ST. Mihiel Claims are
made by both Of important successes,
which can be reconciled by the fact
that the official statements issued
bear respectively on different parts of
the line. The one thing certain is that
wherever an advance is made the
price is paid.
Old Race Track Hotel Burned.