The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1916-03-03
VERoUN is OBJECTIVE OF TEU-
TONS, AND LOSS OF LIFE DE-
scRIsED AS FRIGHTFUL.
RUSSIANS FOLLOW Up TURKS
TIE Ruc3iarG Press the Turks Hard In
Armenia, While the Italians Force
the Austriana Back Near Tfent.
Air Raids, Etc.
Latest War News From All Fronss.

front, centering around the fortress
Of Verdun. Attack has followed at
tack against the French line after
COMPARTMENTS incessant and terrific
continuing for several days.
While the Germans have not been
able, despite the rain Of shells and
furious onslaughts by the infantry, to
break the French line, nevertheless
the French on their right and left
wings have been compelled to with
draw their lines, respectively, to the
south of Ornes and behind the town
Of Samogneux, six miles north of the
fortress.
The French describe the battlefield
10 be piled high with dead; the losses
under the terrific French artillery fire
Is declared to be frightful.
Troops belonging to the seven Ger
man army corps under Crown Prince
Frederick William are engaged alOng
q twenty-five-mile front north of Yer
dun in desperate effort to drive back
The French defending forces, probably
with the capture OF the great fortress.
of Verdun in view.
There had been very heavy fighting
for a considerable period in this dis
trict of the French war zone, but with
In the last few days the attacks Of the
Germans have taken on aided
strength The battle line has extend
ed and now reaches from MalancOurt
on the west to Etain on the east with
Verdun in the center only a few miles
southwark.
The Germans claim to have made
important advances and to some ex
tent these are admitted by the French
war office, which describes the battle
as one Of increasing intensity.
The German preparations we're ex
tensive and the bombardment Of the
French positions with thousands Of
shells was uninterrupted. AS the
French had foreseen this battle, al
their available guns were called into
action and responded In kind to tn,
heavy Smelling Of the Germans.
While at some points the French
were unable to resist the onslaught Of
the attacking forces, along much OF the
front, according to the Paris commun
ication, the attacks were we'll sus ain
ed and very heavy losses were inflict
ed on the Germans.
Again there has been vicious fight
ing in the Artois region of France, IL
Champagne and along both banks Of
the Meuse above Dun. East Of Sou
chez, after heavy bombardment, the
Germans attacked and captured 8Ot
meters Of French trenches and TOOK
seven officers and 319 men prisoners
So powerful was the attack that the
Germans, seven battalions strong, MOI
alone occupied first line trenches, but
at points gained access to some Of the
| communicating trenches.
The Italians, after weeks of ham
mering at the Austrian positions with
their big guns, have captured the
mountainous region Of Gallo (CoIlo)
in the Sugana valley, and also have
occupied the towns of Roncegno anG
Ronchi.
By their new acquisitions Of ter
rain the Italians now are almost with.
In striking distance OF one of their
chief detectives of the war, the city
OF Trent, which lies protected on the
north, east and south by a line OF
forts fifteen miles west of the cap.
tured region.
Another Of Germany's big Zeppelin
airships has come to grief, and it is
probable that some, II not all, OF Its
crew persisted. as 1t was enveloped in
flames as It fell to earth. victim Of
an incendiary shell fired from a
EAVhSh nhNthAAIAhlb gun.
The entire crew Of about twenty.
two men of the Zeppelin airship which
was shot down by the French near
Brabantle Roi persisted in the flames
which enveloped the aircraft as 1t fell
from a height Of 5000 feet. Berlin
admits the loss of this Zeppelin.
The Russian army which captured
Erzerum, in Armenia. Is endeavor.ng
to cut off the retreat of the Turks,
who are retiring with as much speed
as possible. Dispatches from Petro-
grad report the capture OF the towns
OF Mush and Ahlat, heavy fighting pre-
ceding their taking by storm. The
next objective Of the southern wing
Of the Russian army Is Diarbek, which
lies within striking distance of the
Bagdad railway. This line would open
the road for the Russians into Syria.
Along the Black sea coast Russian
warships are pounding at the Turkish
batteries and harassing the retreat.
ing troops. The nortnern wing OF the
Russian army has captured the town
Of Wide and is driving at the Turks
back in the direction of Gumish
Khaneh, which is on the road to IRE
bizond, while large Russian forces ara