Bismarck daily tribune., 1915-12-29
GERMANS GIVE
UP ATTACK ON
CREC|AN CITY
Austro- German. Bulgarian Often.
sive Against Greek City Now
Seems Improbable.
CONSIDER ALLIED FORCE
Is SAFELY C0UPED UP
Renewed Activities Reported on
Both Eastern and Western
Battle Fronts.

London, Dec. 2S.-While there has
been considerable renewal of activity
at several points on both the eastern
and western fronts in the past "a
hours, the situation in the Balkans
has the most peaceful appearance in
weeks.
Dispatches from both Germanic and
Entente sources agree that the prob
ability OF an Austria.German-Bulgar-
ian offensive against Saloniki is dis
appearing with the withdrawal of the
Bulgarian frontier guard to purely de.
fensive positions well behind the
Greek frontier.
The Associated Press Vienna cor
respondent declares that the Central
powers have come to regard that any
offensive against Saloniki as a meas
ure promising only embarrassment
and no advantages.
Allies Force Useless. e.
In fact. the Central powers are in.
clined to regard the huge Entente
force at Saloniki as safely couped up,
useless and expensive, and that there.
fore it would be all advantage to the
Central powers to let it remain there.
On the western 'front.' the German
official communication admits a
French advance on Hirzstein, but
gives no details. There also has beel
further activity in the Vosges dist
rict, with intense artillery fighting
along the whole front Of Hartmanns.
Weilerkopf,
Russians Lose Heavily. e
Vienna reports: the Russian attack.
ing fiercely on the Dnyster and in
Bessarabia. The Austrian communi.
cation speaks Of the Russians @ad.
vancing lines, Is or 1G. deep, which
the artillery broke up with huge Rus
sian losses.
A dispatch from German source
says:
"A terrible battle has been going OH
since Friday in Bessarabia."
From many isolated fronts, come
reports of preparations for spring
campaigns either in the form of q
change in the location of large bodies
Of troops or in the building of fortiii-
cations
Along the Dvinsk and Bug lines,
the Germans are said to be construct
ing colossal Notifications, equipped
with heavy artillery and machine
guns and automatic rifles supplied in
unlimited quantities.
., Equipment Arriving.
The Bulgarians are reported to be
busy entrenching their armies we'll
back of the Grecian frontier, while
equipment continues to arrive for the
French and British at Saloniki, which
in the report of General Gastnau is
considered by its defenders impreg.
nable.
Discuss Peace Plans.
A dispatch to the Geneva Tribune
from Vienna says:
"Chancellor Won Bethmann Holl.
wegg is expected in Vienna shortly
with the full conditions under which
the Central powers will accept peace.
After discussing the terms with Bar
on Won Burian, the Austrian foreign
minister, the conditions will be Off
cially communicated to the Allies,
Germany suggesting that the first con-
ference be held at the Hague"
Troop Train Wrecked.
Eighteen soldiers were killed and
AZ injured when a train, loaded with
men, returning from their Christmas
furloughs, was derailed at the Bent.
schen station today.
Conscription Seems Sure.
The cabinet meeting, although it
failed to secure an agreement Of all
the ministers upon the next question
of the voluntary system, versus con-
scription. was of very critical and
decisive character and nearly reach
ed the condition that the application
of force may become necessary.
Therefore, it was resolved that at
the earliest opportunity a bill should
be introduced in parliament in order
that the government might have the
necessary power should it be found
that no other course was effective to
this end.
Premier Asquith is expected to
make statement on the question
Wednesday or Thursday of next week
and announces the speedy introduc-
tion of bill of permissive character,
making service in the army obliga-
tory on unmarried men who have
failed to enlist.
The anti-conscriptionist ministers
offered strong opposition and it is un-
know whether any designations will
follow.
Two Boats Sunk.
The British steamer van Stirum
has been sunk. The crew was land
cd.
The Swedish steamer Mereus of
1929 tons gross. was sunk in the
North sea on Christmas day. The
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