The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1917-08-16
New Russian. Defense
Hold :Austro-Cerman
Attack Near Gahcia

On none Of the battle fronts of Eur
ope has the fighting activity of the last
"a hours been marked. In Flanders,
however, the great artillery battle con-
tinues most violently, seemingly pre-
pairing the way for further heavy in
fantry activity.
The only infantry engagement in
Flanders has taken place on the line
between Ypres and Dixmude, with the
French troops the aggressors in both
instances. Northwest of Bixschoote
the French have enlarged further the
gains made on Wednesday,. South
west of Bixschoote, in the region south
Of Langemarck, the French have made
some progress into the German line.
Rains Add to Difficulties
Terrain conditions in Flanders, made
more difficult by the rains of the last
10 days, are such that without the
destruction of enemy defenses by ar.
,tillery fire, it is nearly useless to throw
forward infantry attacks. There are
further indications that the Anglo.
French guns of all calibers are engag:
ed in leveling the German defense
positions.
Artillery Duel in Flanders
The German general staff reports
the artillery fire in Flanders as very
great and says it has been especially
heavy on the Belgian coast and from
Eixschoote to Hollebeke. The latter
sector takes in most of the important
Ypres salient.
Except for several local raids by the
French, there has been no infantry &C.
tivity on the long line from St. Quen-
tin to the Swiss border. The French
and German guns, however, are ham,
mering the opposing lines along the
Aisne front in Champagne and on both
banks of the Meuse in the Verdun re-
giOn.
Russians Gain Strength
Apparently the Russians have
checked greatly the Austro-G German
advance in Galicia and Bukowina, as
no notable advances have been made
by the Teutons since the Russian line
stiffened. To the south, in Moldavia,
the Russians and Rumanians are at
tempting to reoccupy the positions
north of Fokshani lost to Field Mar
shall Mackensen's men. They have at
tackled the Austro-G Germans with
strong forces, but Berlin says the ef-
fort failed. The number of prisoners
taken by the Teutons in this region is
reported to have reached $500.
Washington, Aug. 9.-Commandeer.
ing of American tonnage now on the
seas will be begun by the shipping
board, it was learned today, as soon as
an operating department can be found
to head it. The board has the names
of several men under consideration
and probably will make an announce
ment within few days.
The board deemed it unwise, it was
said today, to take over for operation
any ships until a definite plan is
formed and until it has an organization
to handle the vessels.
Two plans are before the board. One
calls for government operation of all
ships requisitioned and the other for a
system Of communicating charters.
Under the latter plan the vessels
would be turned back to their owners
lOI IOSI1Ol VI Vic
boards operating department. The
latter plan probably will be adopted.
Copenhagen, Aug. DIR. Michaelis,
the German imperial chancellor, like
Field Marshal Won Hindenburg, has
taken to answering messages from the
pane German league, which is conduct
ing mass meeting and telegram cam
paign to crystalline the peace condi-
TONS Replying to the latest pronun-
ciamento from pan-German mass
meeting in Hesse, DR.. Michaelis tele-
graphed:
IT am firmly confident that the splen-
did military situation will help us to a
peace which will guarantee perma-
nently the German empires condition
of existence on the continent, and
overseas"
The message, for which the chan
cellor thanked the senders, had ex'
pressed assurance that after the re-
cent great successes of the German
armies and the answers of entente
statement there would be a peace on a
sound basis, and that the ErzburgeI
resolution for peace without necessary