Ottumwa Tri Weekly Courier

RUSSIANS AGAIN GET UPPER HAND
Austrian Forces Are Driven Back Into Mountains By the Czar's Troops
STRATEGIC MOVES OF TEUTONS FOILED
Germans in Poland Suffer Reverse; Trench Fights in the West Continue
Russian announcements of defeats of the Germans are disputed today by the Berlin war office, which states that the attacks of the invading armies in Poland have made progress, and that strong Russian assaults have been repelled. No mention is made, however, of the situation in Galicia, where the Russians are described as having inflicted a severe defeat on the Austro-German forces.
The French campaign for repossession of its lost province of Alsace, one of the first objectives of the armies of the republic after the outbreak of the war, apparently is making progress.
London, Dec. 29. British observers of the progress of the war point this morning to the admission in the Austrian official announcements that Russia is once more master of the passes in the Carpathian mountains, and that the troops along the entire Austrian front from the Biala river to a point northeast of the Dukla pass seem to be falling back. This means the withdrawal of virtually all the forces which swept across the mountains to form the extreme right in the concerted Austro-German attack on the Russian armies, and it marks another surprising reversal of form on the part of the Austrian soldiers, whose battle fortunes since the outbreak of hostilities have been conspicuously erratic.
Their defeat apparently breaks up the maneuver aiming at a combined Austro-German attack on the southern forces of the Russians, which if successful might have imperilled the Russian left wing. Berlin, however, views the situation in the east with optimism, intimating that important developments in Poland may be expected shortly.
Fighting in the west has been interrupted by a violent storm. Notwithstanding this hindrance further progress has been made by the allies, according to the French war office. The slow and tedious trench warfare goes on uninterrupted, with only slight gains on either side.
The British press concedes the importance of the trenches near Hollebeke, south of Ypres, which have been taken by the Germans, and points out that the strategic value of these positions has been emphasized recently in a dispatch from Sir John French, commander in chief of the British forces on the continent. They command an important crossing of the river Lys to which the Germans have been holding tenaciously. The taking of these trenches gives them a stronger foothold.
Fear of a Zeppelin raid over London which recently has more or less subsided has been replaced by the possibility of a raid by German aeroplanes. The comparative ease with which English airmen reached Cuxhaven has driven home the idea that a retaliatory visit would not present any greater difficulty.
All the machinery to meet air invaders has been tightened up. The official warning as to the best steps to circumvent danger, heretofore issued only in coast towns, is now being circulated in London.
French Report.
Paris, Dec. 29.—The official communication on the war today says:
"In Belgium, the village of St. Georges has been occupied by our troops, who have established themselves in this location.
"From the Lys to the Somme the enemy has rather violently bombarded our positions in the vicinity of Requelle, at St. Aubin, at Le Quesnoy and at Pouchoir, to the northwest of Roye.
"The forces of the enemy which had occupied our trenches in the vicinity of the redoubt in the burned forest to the west of Apremont, have been driven out after three successive counter attacks.
"In upper Alsace, following a violent engagement, we are today closely investing Steinbach, our forces have taken possession of the ruins of the chateau which is located to the northwest of this village."
Germans Make Claims.
Berlin, Dec. 29.—(By wireless to London)—The German official statement given out in Berlin today says the German attacks in Poland have made progress and that Russian advances have been repulsed.
In the west the Germans claim gains near Nieuport and Ypres; they defeated the French not far from Ste. Menehould; captured a trench west of Apremont and repelled attacks elsewhere.