Mexico Missouri message., 1917-09-20

mino by Cadorna's forces. In fact, a
general retirement of the Austrians on
that front was predicted. In the bat
ties on the Bainsizza plateau the Ital-
ians captured immense quantities of
arms and munitions, for the enemy fed
In haste and disorder. Nearer the
coast, the fortress on Monte Hermada
still held out against furious attacks,
keeping the Italians from advancing
on Trieste by that route.
Riga Taken by Germans.
Riga has fallen, the kaiser reJoices
and the war-to-victory party in Ger
many has a new argument. But this,
like the Galician affair, is rather a
cheap victory over a disorganized
army, and was expected. The Russians
have retired beyond the River Aa,
fighting fairly well as they went, and
the fierce bravery of the Battalion Of
Death enabled them to prepare new
line of resistance.
The taking of Riga gives Germany
complete command of the Baltic and
the way lies open for an advance on
Petrograd by land, but 1t is not at all
certain the kaiser will go on to the
Russian capital. The route Is long and
through difficult country, and the ad-
vantages Of possessing Petrograd
might be Offset by such an extension
of his lines just as winter Is at hand.
At the time of writing, it appears like
ly that the German Baltic fleet will
meet the Russian sea forces in battle
In the Gulf of Finland. 1t is believed
the fortified island of Osel at the head
Of the Gulf of Riga and the port of
Reval, which guards the entrance to
the Gulf of Finland, cannot hold out
long, and the Russian feet thus is like
ly to be cooped up under the guns of
Kronstadt, the great fortress that pro-
tects the port of Petrograd.
Part of the German fleet already has
been sighted at the entrance to the
Gulf Of Finland.
| Germany's offensive against Russia
appears to have been timed to coincide
with an expected counter-revolution
planned to restore autocracy in Russia.
The plot, however, was uncovered and
many arrests Of grand dukes and 9th
ers have been made.
General AleXieff, former commander
In chief, and General Vassilkovski,
commander of the Petrograd garrison,
agreed Thursday that the fall of Riga
did not threaten PetrOgrad and was of
moral but not strategic Importance.
On the Western Front.
In France and Flanders the week
brought little change in the positions
Of the opposing armies, though the
fighting was uninterrupted. The Brit.
ish deluged the German lines in Bel.
GUM with shell fire that indicated an.
other drive, and there were reports
that Crown Prince Ruprecht was pre-
pairing to execute another strategic
retreat" to the Courtrai- -Thourout line
and thus give up a strip of territory
east of Ypres from ten to twenty miles
deep. This would help the allies or
their way toward the German subma
rine bases at Zeebrugge and Othel
ports on the Belgian coast.
The Germans made several air raids
on England, killing number of per
sons, especially at Chatham, and on,
of their U-boats shelled Scarborough
The British press exhibits some un
easlness lest the Germans have ego
the jump" on the allies In the matte
of increased air forces. The Unitet
States, however, is coming fast In thi
respect, building machines as rapid!
as possible and training big army o
aviators, here and abroad.
Again on Thursday night the Ger
man aviators devoted their attention
, to the French hospitals behind tn
Verdun lines, bombarding them for 81.
. and half hours and killing 10 soldier
who already were severely wounded
If cablegram from Shanghai is t
, be believed, China is about to ente
into active participation in the wal
: The Twenty-fourth army corps, CON
posed of 5000 picked troops from tn
} northern provinces, is said to be mobi
t lied for immediate departure for Eu
rope, probably through Siberia to tn
eastern front to assist the Russian
, and Roumanians. The corps include
: several companies of engineers of
; cered by Chinese graduates of Amer
j can colleges, and an aviation corp
e trained by American and French ali
4 men. These troops would be the frs
y Mongolians to fight in Europe since tn
9 time Of Genghis Khan, 500 years ago.
Q Argentina two weeks ago was rejol,
8 ing over supposed diplomatic victor
+ ! over Germany in the matter OF I