Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1916-09-22

on January G a bill introducing it
passed its first reading in the house
of commons by a large majority. The
bill was finally signed by King George
May 20
Allies Get Together.
Their defeats finally taught the al
lies that their efforts must be co-or-
dinated, like their enemies, if they
were 10 be effective. A new war
council, with all the allies represented,
met in Paris December Z and a kind
of international general staff was or
ganiZed. 1t is known that General Jo-
Seph Joffre, French commander in
chief since the beginning of the war,
and the hero of the battle Of the
Marine, was the presiding genius. The
effects of the council were not to be
seen for several months, but now they
are being realized in full measure.
To check a simultaneous allied Of
fensive, which they clearly saw COM
ing, the Teutons decided OF two at
tackS of their own. This follows the
well-known axiom of German mill
tary strategy that the best defense Is
an energetic attack.
The first of these offensive defen-
slveS was the attack on the French
fortress of Verdun, where the works
were subjected to a whirlwind of fire
beginning February 21.-The gains OF
the first week were great, and German
critics foretold the collapse of the
French. Two of the defending forts,
Vaux and Douaumont, fell, and impor-
tant positions were taken west Of the
Mouse river as well.
But Joffre rallied his men in splen-
did fashion and sold each yard Of
ground at an awful cost in German
blood. Step by step the crown princes
men pushed forward, but today they
are still more than two miles from the
ruined fortress town and the resist
ance Of the French Is as strong as
ever.
Austrian Drive Checked.
The second Teutonic offensive was
organized by the Arstrians in the
Trentino, and they struck in the di-
rection Of Vicenza with the object
of cutting off the northern end of Italy
from the main portion. On May 20,
as the result Of several days VIC
lent artillery fire followed by infantry
PUSHES, they were able to announce the
capture of $4,000 Italians.
General Count Cadorna hurried
about a hundred thousand men in mo-
tor cars TO the scene, while many more
arrived on foot or trains. Just when
it seemed the Austrians must reach
the lowlands the counter-attacks were
delivered.
On June 30 Rome announced a splen-
did victory. In bloody fighting the
Austrians, perhaps weakened by
drafts to bolster up their Russian
front, were driven from peak to peak
almost to where their lines had stood
throughout the winter.
In March the Russians delivered
vast but futile attacks on the Ger
man front at many points, probably tc
distract attention from Verdun. The
Germans seemed to have been lulled
into security by these efforts, which
they probably considered the best the
| car could do. But the tens Of thou
sands of Muscovite bodies lining the
Germans barbed wire were but a pat
ter Of rain compared with the storm
that was brewing behind the Russian
lines.
At the beginning Of June this storm
broke with full force and, following
the principle Of attacking the weakest
| point, the Austrians holding the line
| from the marsh district southwark
| were forced to bear the brunt Of it
Russia's Big Push.
Millions Of shells, manufactured
largely in British, Japanese ant
American factories, blasted away wire
trenches, dugouts and observation
| points. Then the hordes Of Sibe
rlans, Cossacks and others swep
over the field. The Austrians coulC
not Withstand the impact and the!
| gave way steadily.
June 6, General Brusiloff announced
the capture Of 1900 Austrians; JUNE
8, the number for the three succeed
ing days alone was $4,000, and tn,
numbers kept mounting until on Jul!
20 General ~Shoovaieff, Russian min
lister of war, estimated the number o
Austro-Hungarian prisoners at go,
900. The killed and wounded are un
told, but the number must be larg'
enough to bring the total loss vel
over half q million.
German support was rushed to tn
Austrians, but the foe captured LutsI
and Dubno, and reached the Stokho,
and Lipa rivers in Volhynia oyerral
all Bukowina to the Carpathlans an
sent patrols of Cossacks into Hungar,
to ravage the country.
That the car is anticipating furthe
great gains Of territory Is seen frou
Russia's action in modelling tn
males of the island Of Saghallen, Tur
kestan, and one other district to bull
rnnda die trenches and do other won