The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1915-01-22
IMPLICIT HEAVY LOSSES ON THE
FRENCH IN REGION OF SOlS-
SONS-PARIS WAR OF
FICE is SILENT.
HUNDREDS ARE KILLED
WHILE CROSSING RIVER
AS French Troops Retreated Across
Swollen Stream They Were Con-
tinualiy Under Fire Of Ger
man Guns-Both Banks
Lined With Bodies.

London, Jan. 1S.-The German war
Offices claim that the kaiser troops
have entirely cleared the north bank
of the River Aisne, in the region Of
Scissors, Of French troops, capturing
six towns formerly occupied by the
French and intlicting heavy losses. has
peer met by the Paris war office with
silence. The French statement simply
says there is nothing OF importance
to report,
That the check suffered by the
French troops in the battle of Sois-
sons is important is admitted here by
British military critics, though all
agree they cannot determine the OBJ
ject OF the German drive except as II
furnishes a diversion, relieving the
pressure in Flanders and in Alsace.
French Lines Imperilled.
The violent German attack, conduct
ed under the direction of the kaiser
and the German general staff by Gen
eral Won kluck, is easily the most
striking news from the western the
alter.
Strong re-enforcements, drawn from
the right and left TANKS of the Ger
man center army, combined with the
Intervention of the food stage of the
River Aisne, which imperilled the
lines of communication of the French.
preventing them from bringing up
added forces to meet the increased SUI
perior strength OF the invaders, made
possible the German success, say Brit
ish students of the progress OF the
revival of the Aisne battle.
Dead Fall Into River.
The German statement asserts that
by continuous fighting they were able
to take the towns Of Cuffies, Crouy.
Bucy-le-Long. Missy, NauXret and Val
lerie, all to the north and northeast of
scissors. These captures Indicate
that the French were driven in order
from II after another Of all their
positions on the three roads leading
to the north from Scissors and from
the river road which parallels the
Aisne.
AS the French retreated across the
swollen Aisne they were continually
under the fire of the German guns and
the crossing, perilous at best, owing
to the rushing torrent which carried
bridges and trees before it, was doubly
disastrous. Hundreds of dead fell into
the river and were carried down the
stream. Both banks were lined with
the bodies Of French soldiers.
1t will take weeks for the French to
repair the loss of the bridges, even
II they are able to hold the Germans
to the north bank Of the stream.
Germans Take Trenches.
London, Jan. 19.-While the main
Russian army has been busy repelling
what Grand Duke Nicholas, in his Of
fetal report. describes as a series Of
violent attacks by Field Marshal Won
H~indenburg to break his way to War
saw, the other Russian forces have
stormed and taken Kirlibaba pass, on
the borders of Pennsylvania, and have
made further progress in their ad-
along the right bank of the Wis
tula toward the German frontier.
h Germans, in force, have deliv-
cred seven successive attacks which
developed into desperate bayonet fight
Il6 ol tIC huooldH lilies on the le1v
bank of the Vistula and have succeed
ed in the taking of the Russian ad-
ance trenches.
Further south there have been SINH
lar attacks, in each case preceded BY
heavy artillery engagements. The Rus
slams have succeeded in s~ilencing the
heavy Austrian guns, which from the
banks of the Dunajec have been bonn
harding the town of Tarnow.
Will Hasten Action.
The capture Of Kirlibaba pass,
through which roads lead into the
ieart of Pennsylvania, is likely to
nave a political as we'll as a military
effect. 1t possibly will hasten the ac-
ton of Roumania and may compel
the Germanic allies to send troops
for the defense of eastern Hungary.