Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1916-02-17
ASSOCIATED PRESS RESUME.

ilrzcrum Turkeys chief city in Ar.
mcnia, Is in the hands of the Russians.
Heavy assaults by the Russians along
the long line of detached forts pro.
tccting the city. lasting over Il period
Of five days. and described by Grand
Duke Nicholas, the Russian command.
in-chicf. as unprecedent. have result
ed IN the capture Of the fortress. I'm
official reports early In the present
month said the German field mar
shal. Won Der Goltz. with $4,000 men.
were besieged in that city with pro-
visions for only II fortnight. The cap
turc OF Erzerum is considered OF great
strategic importance From II rad'
ates road Leading In al directions
Over those to the southeast and south
1t will be possible for the Russians
now to fight their way toward their
compatriots operating against the Per.
slams and Turks In Northwest and
West Persia. or proceed south toward
Bagdad to the relief or the British bot
tied up at Kut-ElAmarn, on the III
ers, southeast of Bagdad.
The immediate effect OF the Rus.
sian victory on the situation In Persia
and Mesopotamia is problematical,
however. for despite the roads. the
country is mountainous and there IL
much ground to be covered d--some.
thing over 200 miles. before the Lake
Urumiah district OF Persia Is reached.
and over 600 miles before a junction
with the British at kut Ell -Amara could
be formed.
aH rf M \,
on the western battle line the heavy
fighting OF the last few days seeming.
ly has simmered down again to artil.
lery bOmbardments and mining Oper-
ations. Berlin reports, however, that
the British and French have endeav-
ored to recapture trench positions TAX.
Ell from them by the Germans. respec-
lively, southeast OF Ypres and In the
Champagne, near Tahure, but that the
attacks failed. Paris asserts, on the
contrary, that near Tahure the French
have retaken portions OF their former
trenches.
The British and Germans are still
at deadly grips for possession of tha
trenches captured from the British
southeast of Ypres. artillery and hand
srenades being employed in the fight
ing London reports that In the at
tack in which the British lost 600
yards OF u front line trench, the Ger.
mans attacked over front of 1000
yards but were everywhere repulsed
with considerable losses. except at the
point the trench was captured.
On the Russian front a driving snow
storm along the entire line has al
most stopped operations. The usual
bombardment. interspersed with In
fantry attacks, continue on the Aus
trO-ltalian line.
In Albania the Austrians and Bul.
garians are said to have formed
luncture and are battling of the cap.
ture of the important seaport Of Du.
razzo. which is being defended by
Essad Pasha's forces. comprising AL
banians, Serbians and Montenegrins.
The question of submarine warfare
still remains an open one by reason
Of Germany's announced intention to
treat as warships all armed merchant
men after Feb. 20. Secretary of State
Lansing is making careful study of
Germany's latest reply with reference
to the Lusitania question to ascertain
if there is anything in the German
concerning armed mer-
chantmen which conflicts with the as.
surances given by Germany in the
Lusitania negotiations regarding the
sinking of liners and the safety of
their passengers.