The Benson signal., 1916-08-05


of commons by large majority. The
bill was finally signed by King George
May 26.
Allies Get Together.
Their defeats finally taught the al
lies that their efforts must be co-or-
dinated, like their enemies, if they
were to 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
Marne, 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 on 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-
sives was the attack ON the French
fortress of Verdun, where the works
were subjected to 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
Meuse 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 Austrians 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 26,
as the result of several days vio-
lent artillery fire followed by infantry
rushes, they were able to announce the
capture of $4,000 Italians.
General Count Cadorna hurried
about hundred thousand men in mo-
%or M VIC, +o +ho eoo,,o xrhilo Doopv mora
arrived on foot or trains. Just when
it seemed the Austrians must reach
the lowlands the counter-attacks were
delivered.
On June 80 Rome announced spleE-
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 to
distract attention from Verdun. The
Germans seemed to have been lulled
into security by these efforts, which
they probably considered the best the
czar could do. But the tens Of thou
sands of MuscOvite bodies lining the
Germans barbed wire were but 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 and
American factories, blasted away wire,
trenches, du gouts and observation
points. Then the hordes of Sibe-
rians, Cossacks and others swept
over the field. The Austrians could
not withstand Nhe impact and they
gave way steadily.
June 6, GeneraE Brusiloff announced
the capture of $4,000 Austrians; June
8, the number for the three succeed
ing days alone wAs $4,000, and the
numbers kept mounting until on July
20 General Shoovaieff, Russian min
lister of war, estimated the number of
Austro-H Hungarian prisoners at 27O,-
900. The killed and wounded are un-
told, but the numbeb, must be large
enough to bring theI total loss well
over half a million.
German support was rushed to the
Austrians, but the foe captured Lutsk
and Dubno, and reached the Stokhod
and Lipa rivers in Volhgnia; overran
all Bukowina to the Carpathians and
sent patrols Of Cossacks into Hungary
to ravage the country.
That the czar is anticipating further
great gains Of territory isl seen from
Russia's action in mobilizing the
males of the island of SaghAlien, Tur-
kestan, and one other district to build
roads, dig trenches and do other work
of organizing the ground wonA
Allies Drive in Somme Region.