The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-12-28
INVASION Of.
RUSSIAN SOIL
Field Marshal Mackensen
Plans to Push Forward and
Reach Odessa if Such
Move Is Possible.
TO BE BITTERLY OPPOSED
Resistance by Russo-Rumanian Lines
May Be Strong Enough to
Check Advance OF
Teutons.
TO BE BITTERLY OPPOSED

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.] ]
LONDON. Dec. 2s.-Attempt to in
yade Russian soil north Of Dobrudja
or east of Moldavia is the next de-
velopment of Field Marshal Macken-
sens eastern offensive, expected
here Advance Of the Teutonic col
umns Is being opposed in fierce
fight by the Russo -Rumanian troops.
The German forces have lost heavily
in their northward advance, and from
now on they will have even heavier
fighting cut out for them, as the
o-Rumanian lines are now at
tanning their greatest strength
| through consolidation.
Very little doubt existed here today
in the minds Of military experts that
Mackensen's objective was Odessa,
Russia. They recalled recent dis
patches from the eastern front, hint
ing that this was the point beyond
Bucharest at which the Teutons were
aiming.
Almost seven-eighths of the entire
territory of Rumania is now in Ger
man hands. Moldayia alone remains
free from the invader. But here the
Russian and Rumanian line Is safe
from the sort of military tactics by
which Won Mackensen and Won Hind
enburg achieved most of their sue
cesses in the Rumanian campaign
thanking operations.
On the west, the allied front Is
protected by the great Carapthian
range and on the east the rivers
Danube and Pruth are safeguards.
London now expects stiffening OF
the resistance along this Moldavian
line and a halt put to the German ad'
vance. Capture of Riminicul-Sarat
announced last night, was not unex
pected here.
Twenty-fffth Plane Wrecked.
PARIS, Dec. 2S.-Sub-Lieutenant
|Guyenemer, Frances premier aviator
has brought down his twenty-ffth Ger
man aeroplane, today's official state
ment asserted The report detailed
considerable aerial activity. on the
western front, with aerial bombarding
expeditions on Rompbach. Dillingen
Briey and Hagondange. Two French
dirigibles, it was stated, bomparoeo
factories at Neuekirchen.
South of the Avre, a German raidlng
party was dispersed, the statement as
serted and in the region of Beauv-
raignes, French forces successfully eX-
ploded mines against German POSI-
tions. The crater of one OF these
measured 14O yards In length and
forty yards in width.
German attacks on the eastern
stones of Hill 304 were checked.
5000 More Prisoners.
BERLIN, (via Sayville wirelessl
Dec. 2s.-Capture of three thousand
more prisoners. bringing the total or
Russian soldiers prisoner during the
engagements about Riminicu-Sarat up
to 1920, was reported by the war
office today.
yesterday three thousand PRISON
ers and twenty-five machine guns
were brought in." the statement SAID.
"The number of prisoners made py
the Ninth army in engagements near
Riminlcu-Sarat amounts altogether 20
10 2ln Russians"
TIE statement said the Ptussiaa
and Bavarian infantry divisions at
Riminicu-Sarat pressed behind the
enemy as they flowed back. took oy
stampede new enemy positions con-
structed during the night and pushed