The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1916-12-29

BATTLE OF THE soMME Is
IN A STATE OF SUSPENSE
Bad Condition of the Ground and
Unfavorable Atmospheric Con.
ditions Render Active Opera.
tions in That Region Impossible.

Ivy GNehNh nHtafu heeaea WNel
striking back at the French In the
Verdun region but on the bank of the
Meuse opposite the scene Of the re-
cent French successes. the Germans
made a strong effort last night to
penetrate the French lines between
Iiill 3ot and Dead Man hill. the two
dominating eminences northwest OF
the fortress
According 60 Paris. the attack was
broken up. the Germans succeeding Ia
gaining footing In only one trench.
south Of Dead Man hill.
The activities around vcrdun have
been virtually the only breaks In tho
monotony Of winter trench warfare
along the Franco Belgian front The
battle of the Somme admittedly IN IA
q state 90 suspense. because ~ the
bad state OF the ground and unfavor-
able atmospheric conditions. accord
Ina 90 British authority.
From Rumauia. where the real ac-
tiv'ty of the war centers. Field Mar
shal won Macksnsen In keeping up his
thrust foi the line of the sereth. In
Moldavis. driving the Russians before
him IN none too good order. the Ger
man reports intimate.
Latest accounts placed the left of
Won Mackensen's line beyond Amnik
| Sarat. near the Buzeu- FokshanI rail
way line. while his right apparently
~ drawing close 10 nralia. az the
Danube end of the trunk line from
buzeu.
Brails. important az granary AMI
provisioning depot. ITSELF IL mean
while reported under fire from acrosa
the Danube where the Bulrarians with
| German and Turkish assistance are
vigorously asiauliing the Matchln
bridgehead. The apparent hope Is to
| clear Dobrudla completely Of Russians
and effect "A permanent junction
| with the ToutOnic forces In Wallachia
at a point where the lower Danube
will be closed completely 10 Russian
uses and the way opened rorth OF the
river for a possible advance into Bess.
ara bia Just beyond which lies odessa.
The latest peace move has been
made by Norway. sweden and Den-
mark. the three Scandinavian govern
msnts having sent a Joint note TO tho
bclligerents supporting the peace note
OF President Wilson.
| Important Offensive.
The opening OF what may prove 20
4 wv An liNHNIAAnA Nllflflhf " tue AfNN
tonic forces along the Moldavian west
| ern frontier " revealed In the current
Berlin statement. Apparently IL ~
the Austro- German purpose 90 break
through the mountain region here and
force the Russo Rumanian lines bacl,
along the lower CarpathIan barrier
into interior Moldavia.
Southern heights we're captured In
Ia. A. a..
conjunction with the northward thrust
OF the Teutonic armies from wallachia
to the east OF this line. the southern
flank OF which Is thus threatened.
From wailachia northward Field
Marshal won Mackensen's advapce has
been pressed on the west nearly IS
miles north OF Rimnik -Sarat and new
progress also has been made near the
Danube, where Braila. a grain aud oil
center IN the next important point In
the line of the Teutonic progress.
The Petrograd statement reveals the
Rumanian troops are again in the field
IN northeastern Wallachia and the In
dications are that resistance OF a most
stubborn sort Ia being offered 20 Won
Mackensen's thrust towards the sereth
line. which runs northwest through
central Moldavia from point en- the
Danube just north of Braila. The
Germans. however. have taken l.io0
more prisoners from the Russians, to-
gether with three cannon.
In Dobrudia. opposite Braila and
Galatz. tho Bulgarian. Turkish and
German forces have closed In further
upon the Matchin bridEehead. takinc
the town Of Ratchelu. on the Danube,
ten miles across the northwestern neck
of Dobrudia. from Matchin and op'
, poFite the Hessnra bian shore.