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Show AROUND LORRAINE GERMANS HAVE THE BETTER OF THE STRUGGLE, ACCORDING TO FRENCH REPORTS. Germans Have Begun Offensive Through the Valley of the River Launch. Ski Patrols Used by Frenchmen. The most severe fighting of the past week in the western area occurred oc-curred in Lorraine. From both the Panis and Berlin official reports it would appear that the Germans have had the better of the struggle. Desperate fighting is in progress to the northwest of Pont-a-Nousson, where the. Germans already have captured cap-tured the village of Xorroy and obtained ob-tained a footing on the surrounding heights, having occupied what is known as "Hill 3 Bo." The Berlin reports re-ports state that 151 French prisoners were captured in the actions in this vicinity. In Alsace, according to the Paris statement, the Germans have begun an offensive through the valley of the River Lauch. Two columns are reported as advancing along the north and south banks of the river. French ski patrols have hampered the advance of these troops, according to Paris, but outpost fighting has occurred oc-curred and contact of the main ar mies is but a matter of hours. Singularly, Singu-larly, the Berlin official report makes no mention of this new movement. In the Ycsges the Germans stormed and captured the Obersgegen, as well as the village of Wilsen, according to Berlin. They report the capture of 135 prisoners in these operations. Paris makes no report on actions in this district, merely stating that "a violent snowstorm is raging in the Vosges.'' Intense activity on the part of the Germans is reported from the Champagne Cham-pagne district. Following the French retirement from the wood near Sou-ain, Sou-ain, the Germans have been using their artillery incessantly. Both Rheims and Ypres have been heavily bombarded. All the fighting on the eastern front is regarded here as in a state of transition, but apparently two great battles are in progress, one on the East Prussian frontier, the other at Bukowina. In both places the Russians hava withdrawn before superior forces of Germans and Austrians. The fighting in, the Carpathians for the moment is overshadowed by these great battles. On the extreme right of the Russian Rus-sian position operations have spread as far as Jurburg. |