Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-01-06
.D0BRUDJA IS
CLEARED Of
RUSS TROOPS
Won Mackensen's Army
Occupies Braila aud Ad-
vances On Galatz.
SERETH LINE NOW
is THREATENED
Five Roumanian Towns, in Addition to
Braiia, Are Captured by Won Mack
ensen's forces-Break in Russians
Sereth Line Would ImperiI MoIda-
Wan Frontier Positions Probable
That Russians May Retire.

The capture Of Braila by Field
Marshal Won Mackensen, his ad-
vance on Galatz, twelve miles
north. the clearing Of Dobrudja
Of Russians and the further Teu-
tonic successes in Moldavia have
brought the Roumanian campaign
to new phase.
The Braila bridgehead. while not
itself an integral part Of the Ser
eth line now held by the Russians,
running northwestward from the
Danube toward the Moldavian
frontier mountains formed an out
lying defense of that line on the
Danube and its capture wcakens
the eastern flank of the Sereth po-
sition.
Galatz, likewise on the Danube
lies just behind the Sereth line.
and that town is menaced by
Germano Bulgarian movement
across the Danube from it in Do
brudja, made possible by the Rus
sian evacuation Of the province.
1t is not only here. however, that
the Sereth line is threatened, for
despite a tenacious defense by the
Russians and Roumanians the line
northwestward beyond the Buzeu
river is not holding we'll against
the Teutonic pressure, while the
effort to keep the Teutons in check
in the Moldavan valley is proving
less successful. H..
A break in this line on the
southerly front would imperil the
Moldavian frontier positions. while
the piercing Of the frontier line it
self, not an apparent improbable
ity, would endanger the entente
line running southweetward to the
Danube. {, -. <. 8. Sd s.s,. u .s,.-.s.-r
In these circumstances conmen-
tators in entente capitals are con-
sidering the possibility Of the Rus
slams being compelled to abandon
the line of the Sereth and with
draw to the Russian frontier or be-
yond it to Beesarabia.
The French. British and Italian
premiers and important military
subordinates in several entente
ministries are holding a war coun-
Gil in Rome for consideration of
the general situation. -
Emperor William Is quoted as
declaring in an order issued to the
army and navy that Germany's Of
fer Of peace negotiations had been
refused and that the war would be
continued with view to an un-
derstanding forced by arms.
Berlin, via wireless to Sayville. Jan.
-Bavarian and Austro- Hungarian
roops yesterday stormed Russian de-
enses on an extended front south OF
he Trotus valley, near the Moldavian
rontier, the war office announces.
In addition to Braila, the capture
f which was announced last night,
I've more towns in Roumaria have
,een taken by the Teutonic troops.
Sew operations have been inaugurated
n Dobrudja, following the expulsion Of
he last of the Russians and Rouman-
ans.
In an attack north Of the Ancre last
light, the British troops penetrated Il
;erman trench, the war office an
ounces.
There was vigorous artillery fighting
! the Ypres bend, along the Somme,
\ the Champagne and on the Verdur
ront.
The Russians brought up reinforce
Ients and renewed their attacks yes
.rday on the northern end OF the Rus
!, -Galician front near the gulf of Riga,
is announced officially. They enter
l German positions east of the river
a, but elsewhere were repulsed. In
,unter attack, the Germans took 900
risoners and several machine guns.
Greeks Arrest American Citizen.
London, Jan. s. - News dispatches
rom Athens quote passages from a
ote presented to the Greek govern
lent on Dec. "a by the American min
,ter detailing the case Of an American
itizen, Basil Saffis, who was arrested
n Dec. as q revolutionary by Greek
oldiers. The soldiers are said to have
,nored Saffis American passport and
} have taken 1896 francs from his
ockets, altho after examination he
as liberated.
AS quoted, the note describes
ow Saffis left his dwelling to
NY food when he was seized despite
is protestations and the production
{ his passport and taken before a
Ugh officer who refused to hear him
nd ordered the soldiers to take him
way.
Saffis soon realized that he was be-
lg taken out of the city and from
ests exchanged between his escort and
arious passing patrols realized that
e was about to be executed. He i'm
lored his guards not to put him to
cath and according to the dispatches
e was forced along with blows from
SITS and the butts of rifles until they
ere outside the city.
When an orderly overlook them he
rdered Saffis to be taken back to the
Here he was examined by
sveral officers, woh being convinced;