| Show S L A V S SMASH SMA-SH MEN OF F FKAISER KAISER F Formidable T Teutonic Army Is Defeated in Great Battle Along Riga Front Is Report GERMANS USE GAS GA G Large Persian Horde Hord Joins Central Powers Powers' Army but Is Unable U able to Turn Fights Fight's 8 Tide Tid PETROGRAD Dec 27 via London The The defeat by RusSian Russian Russian Rus Rus- sian troops In Persia of a formidable formidable for for- force among which were several thousand Persian insurgents is reported In an official cial cia statement issued tod today today- y by general headquarters The statement statement statement state- state ment follows I At several points 90 n the Riga front our artillery silenced enemy batteries i t South of ot the ti d a tacked ack our trenches cn r. r to T of dl gal gns g On n the e front fron f lYe e Germans repeatedly tried to leave leav their trenches but were easily driven back In Persia our troops defeated a Turkish German-Turkish force among whom were several thousand rebel ersan gendarmes gendarme and others armed with artillery and machine guns The enemy lost several of their positions Many were killed or wounded and and the rest fled tIed BERLIN Dec 27 21 Via London p. p m Only m. Only mining operations along the Franco-Belgian Franco front are mentioned In today's todar's official statement statement state state- ment meat by German army headquarters The statement follows A crater made by a Fr French mine explosion in front of our positions northeast of Neuville has been occupied occupied pied by us An en enemy my mine explosion ex cx- explosion on Combres hill bill caused little lIttie littie lit lIt- tie tle damage Otherwise Othel there have been no incidents of or importance There is nothing to report from om the eastern and Balkan theat theatres s of r war var I I PARIS Dec 27 The The war office statement this afternoon says There were no events of Importance tance last night except in Lorraine where our artillery bombarded the tho positions of the enemy In the tho vicinity vicinity vi vi- of Bioncourt and southwest of Chateau DELHI Dec 26 Via London Dec 27 A 27 A vigorous Turkish assault against the British forces at Kut Kut-el- Amara was driven back Saturday with heavy losses according to an official report received from General Genral Townshend the British commander The report says Yesterday the enemy launched a determined attack against a portion of our positions which was rep repulsed with an enemy loss of or from COO to killed and wounded Our cas cas- were under ATHENS Greece D Dec c. c 27 Via Paris With Paris With our batteries of ot heavy artillery and the men behind them it is Impossible to oust the allied forces from said General Castelnau chief of the French general staff in a statement today to the Associated Press General Castelnau gave the interview interview inter Inter- view after behl being received by King Inn Constantine Constantino and attending a luncheon lunch lunch- eon on at the French legation Many Man Manot of ot the most Bloat important officers of the Greek army and navy and several several sev sev- eral of ot the kings king's closest friends attended attended at at- tended tho luncheon General Castelnau's Cas Cas- statement was submitted to the French minister Jean and approved by him The situation at loday today is most excellent the I spent several d days ys examining ex cx- the ground I must say I 1 have rarely seen an nn emplacement which is lends itself better to defense I 1 may say also that tho tito positions provide tha tha most favorable conditions conditions conditions condi condi- for offensive as well as defensive defensive de de- de operations ns I The geneal was asked whether the tile allies contemplate an offensive movement from in the spring Spring will tell teU he be replied It Itis Itis is impossible to discount the exigencies exigencies exi exi- or the of-the the military situation so far ahead Should it be decided upon the offensive from Salon ki Continued d on page 2 l i 8 34 L SLAVS SMASH MEN Continued from page 1 1 would be made under peculiarly favorable favorable fa fa- fa conditions What impression did lid you gain from your talk with the king th the correspondent asked I was was deeply touched by the fact tact that his majesty although in poor health received us He was most cordial The Greeks Greeke have shown me every courtesy And i in France how general how soon do you believe the war will willbe willbe be finished 1 Th That t does not matter The most moat important thing is that victory is certain soo sooner er or later In France Franca every Frenchman and every Frenchwoman French woman is ready to go the whole way for fora a complete triumph Whether in France or here there will be no weakening for France is not only determined France is is' sure Large crowds in which were many Greek soldiers gathered before the French legation and cheered General Castelnau |
