The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1916-07-12
hacked on Everu Side
Germans stag9s as Allies
Continue PreSS2 on Armies
Tremendo Concerted Drive
Brings Mo 'rucial Phaze
of the War. ne Russians
Sweep Onward.

With the allies attacking on all
fronts the most interesting period of
the war is at hand. Vigorous often
sives now beset the central powers
on all sides, and are likely to try
severely their capacity of defense.
The initial success Of the Russian
drive in Volhynia and Bukowina was
quickly followed by an Italian count
er offensive, when the Austrians
withdrew men and material from
their Trentino and Izonzo fronts to
hold back the Muscovite tide. Then
came the beginning of the long-her-
aided French and British drive in
central France. In the first "a hours
nine villages and so square miles of
French territory were retaken and
10000 prisoners captured. These mi
tial successes were rendered possible
by a tremendous bombardment,
which destroyed the German de-
lenses, tearing to pieces trenches,
wire entanglements and great con-
crete emplacements alike.
Another Verdun.
The Franco-British offensive has
created another Verdun, this time
with the Germans as defenders. The
attack is proceeding over 25-mile
front. For the British it means the
most extensive action of the war they
have attempted and parallels in
strength and intensity the great
French attack in Champagne last
year. 1t does not appear to be an
attempt to break the German line,
but rather the beginning of long
continued drive constantly extending
north and south of the Somme re-
gion until some portion of the Ger
man front is brought near the break
ing point.
Terrible Display of Fireworks.
The region of fighting is a pleasant
rolling country cut by the River
Somme, along which the French are
attacking, and its tributary, the An
ere, which is the center of the Brit
ish offensive. The tremendous battle
has gone on night and day, with lit
ale cessation on account of the dark
ness. The Associated Press cores
pondent describes the night shelling
as ''the most terrible display of fire
works in all time. Far in the dis
lance those flashes in quick success
sion are the French 75's on the hills
above the Somme. Other flashes of
the same kind far to the north are
the British field guns. Near by the
small calibres make ugly and sharp
flashes from their muZZles, and the
big calibres, larger ones, as the mis-
siles go swishing through the deWy
night air and burst in balls Of eX-
panding fame.
II "a flaming sheet is laid across a
ridge, and that is the barrage fire OF
the German guns anticipating a Britt
ish attack. A long, billowing glow as
from phosphorescent mist-and that
is the spray of high explosives from
the Stokes mortars sent from behind
the British onto the trenches OF the
Germans. Sheets and chains of man
made lightnings show trees and build
ings, or ruined walls, in weird sllhou-
cites.
GAS set pieces the German flares
slowly rise with dependable, steady
illumination between the trenches.
Green and red and other signal lights
add to their variety until the eyes
ache and senses are numbed with the
thought of the struggle that IS pro-
ceeding."
The Importance of Peronne.
Several of the villages captured by
the French are within seven miles OF
Peronne, on the chif railroad that
supplies the head of the German sa-
lient. For that reason the fighting
for Peronnne is likely to prove most
desperate.
The attack on the Somme has not
induced the Germans to let up IN
their attempt to capture Verdun'
They are within measurable distance
of success, unless the allies on the
Somme and Ancre, 100 miles away,
succeed in delivering a smashing blow
that will compel German retirement
before the fall of Verdun. 1t IS
tremendous race like that for Paris
in the early stages of the war.
The Race in the East.
Another race is under way on the
eastern front, where the crux of this
years campaign still lies. The Rus
sian capture of Kolomea in southern
Galicia has given them possession. OF
a railroad center of great strateglcal
importance, which, in their hands,
forms a serious menace to the Aus
trian armies defending Galicia from
the Russian attacks from the east. A
Russian advance northward from
Kolomea would mean an attack from
| two sides.
Meanwhile General Won linden
buro has begun an offensive around
Riga which may have important bear
ing on the operations farther south.
Since the beginning of their drive
the Russians have taken $4,000 Aus
trian and German prisoners from
June A to the end of the month.
nr0ApT THAT MPc RIIJS