The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-01-01

ta'icia, aitnOugn Ht the cOot VI hea's /
losses. Along the lower Dunajec river
the Russians are still battling In the
region northward and eastward OF
Unghvar In the Carpathians. No
news has come for several days from
the operations around Czernowitz nor
from Servia."
London, Dec. 24.-In Poland the GEN.
ter of interest has shifted slightly
south. Finding the direct road to
Warsaw blocked by Russian reinforce
ments the Germans made an attack
from the southwest and have reached
Skierniewice. which is some forty
miles from the Polish capital
They have thus far failed to pierce
the Russian lines, but have forced
Grand Duke Nicholas to withdraw his
forces from before Cracow. In this,
one of the chief aims of their offensive
against Russia, the Germans have
been successful.
In Galicia. Russia has resumed the
offensive against the Austro-German
forces, which have poured I'm from the
west and across the Carpathians. Ac-
cording to the latest Petrograd report
the Russians have inflicted heavy
losses on these forces, while in the
north they have pursued into the in
terror of East Prussia small German
army, which made a feint at Warsaw
from the northwest.
Predict Heavy Casualties.
Although the allies have scored
some successes in the battles in the |
west they are meeting with very stub
born resistance and military men warn |
the public that very heavy casualty |
lists must be expected before any
serious impression can be made OH
the German entertainments.
Activity seems to have been resum |
ed along the Belgian coast. for IL is
announced that slight progress has
been made by the allies between the |
sea and the road from Newport to
Westende. AT other points similar
fighting is proceeding with here sue |
cess, and there reverse, or failure of
attack
The airmen on both sides have been |
extremely busy and aeroplanes have |
been swarming over Belgium, the avi- |
ators reconnoitering movements of the |
opposing troops and occasionally |
dropping bombs.
Burgess and Brussels have been Wis |
tied by aviators from the ranks of the |
allies while Bethune and other towns |
in Northern France have received at |
tention from the Germans.
Petrograd. Dec. 24.-Russian troops
in the neighborhood of Tuchow, Cali |
cha. south Of Tarnow. on observing the |
advance of the Twenty-siXth Austrian |
brigade, slipped past on parallel roads
and surprised the Austrian rear, ac-
cording to reports received here. The |
Russians opened fire with machine |
guns and virtually annihilated the |
whole brigade.
During the last two days fighting |
i'm Southern Galicia. near the Car
pathians. the Russians are reported
to have captured more than 1000 |
prisoners. including a major of the |
general staff and FIVE other officers, !
besides three heavy guns and seven
machine guns. In this region the !
Russians, 1t Is said, are moving small !
detachments through the mountain |
passes. In the recent Austrian sortie !
from Przemysl the Russians captured !
a machine gun which they turned |
against the Austrians.
Washington, Dec. 2I-The British |
embassy issued the following state. |
ment: |
THE military attache of the Ger.
man embassy has justified the killing |
ot~women and children by the imperial
navy at Scarborough and Whitby on
the ground that these places were de-
Tended within the meaning of The
Hague convention.
Even were they defended the con. |
vention preseribes, "A reasonable time
for waiting, and due regard for sac
red edifices and historic monuments. |
AS a matter of fact Scarborough [,
is a seaside resort and Whitby fish.
ing village. Both are absolutely un-
defended. Their bombardment took
place without the slightest notice and
churches seem to have been specially
singled out for attack"
Washington, Dec. 24.-Delayed ad. |
vices to the United States govern.
ment from Constantinople say that
Turkish officials regarded the loss OF
the battleship Messudieh, which was
blown up by a British submarine re.
Gently, as a severe loss.
The feat caused CONSERVATION In
the Turkish capital, because of the
fear that more submarines would
penetrate the Dardanelles in the flu
ture.
The Turkish officials, according to
the same advices, have been much
perturbed about spies. They claim
that every time the Turkish feet en-.
ters the Black sea the Russians imme.
diately are aware of the movement
and send a stronger force to drive
the Turkish ships back into port.
Washington, Dec. 24.-while Presi. '
dent Wtlson Ia cnuuutfiuo spn fore md