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Show KAISER PLANS GREAT I SMASH AT RUSSIANS I Petragrad, Aug. 26. Russian scouts and dyers on tho Riga front returning from oxtonslvd reconnols-sanceH reconnols-sanceH report that bohlnw the regrouping re-grouping of their forces along tho Mltan-Rlga roads tho Germans aro making Intensive preparations for on-ergetlc on-ergetlc operations. Tho bringing up of Important military supplies is Incessantly In-cessantly under1 way. Endless troop trains aro continually on the movo on all tho rails of communication. Behind tho front also a foverlsh activity promalls, showing that tho massing of troops continues on a grand scalo and without pause. With every hour It la becoming moro evident evi-dent that a German drive Is near and Inevitable. Thero aro also unmistakable elgns that tho Germans hopo for the co-operation of their naval forcea In tho Riga bay. On tho DvlnBk front the Germans have been making zealous but absolutely abso-lutely fruitless efforts to luro tho Russian troops Into fraternization. These efforts aro made, it Is boliovod, primarily In order to bring about a virtual armistice on this front which would savo thom tho cost of an offensive. of-fensive. Special mention Is mado by tho war offlco of tho exceptional bravery of Ensign Popou, of the mortar division on tho Riga front. Taking advantage advant-age of tho darkness soveral nights ago, he moved his howitzer to within 300 feet of tho German lino nnd op ened up a terrific "close-up" flro against tho Touton dofenso works. His flro annihilated tho strong field fortifications, together with all tho machlno guns stationed in thom. Tho Ocrman attacking operations are particularly Intensive In tho sector sec-tor of Kokau (Kekkau, nlno and a half miles southeast of Riga, whero tho German lines aro closest to that city), and Baltlona. Austrian Unable to Unit Italian Drive. With Monto Santo securely In their possession, tho Italians are continuing continu-ing their drlvo eastward over tho Balnslzza plateau notwithstanding tho violent resistance of tho Austrl-ans. Austrl-ans. Italian airmen aro lending wonderful won-derful aid to General Cadorna'a forces, dropping bombs or using their machlno guns with telling effect on troop concentrations behind tho lino. Tho number of prisoners taken by tho Italians Is mounting, tho latest report showing that 600 officers and 23,000 men have been captured. Tho capturo of war stores by tho Italians has been enormous, Including gunB of all calibres and arms, ammunition, horses and motor tractors. nWM On both sides of tho Meuso In the fM Verdun sector French troops contlnuo H their gains against tho Germans, hav- H in captured positions over a front of two and a half miles to a depth of I two-thirds of a mile, taking tho Fossos and Beaumont wood and H reaching tho environs of tho villages I of Beaumont and Bethuncourt. Tho Germans In counterattacks H twice have endeavored to retrieve lost ground on the heights of the Mouse, H but each tlmo met with repulse and I heavy losses. H Asldo from artillery duels, espeel- I ally severe east of Ypres and in tho I 'neighborhood of Lombaertzydo, thoro I has beon little activity on tho Brit- H l8h front. Field Marshal Haig's men, U however, havo carried out several I small trench raiding enterprises with I success and repulsed German coun- I torattacks. I llritlslt Drlvo Germans From (Jlllemont Form. I London, Aug. 26. Tho British last 1 night attacked and drove tho Ger- I mans out of a portion of tho trench I northeast of Glllomont ' farm which I tho enemy had captured In tho morn- I ing, re-establishing tho British for- I mer positions, according to tho offl- I clal communication Issued by tho war I offlco this morning.- A German coun- ter attack later was ropulsed. I (ionium Lino Smashed I By British .Troops. I London, Aug. 26. British troops 1 today mado an advanco of half a I mllo along a mllo front cast of Margl- I court (north of St. Quontln), storm- 1 lng and capturing sstrong points at I Cologne and Cnlakoff farms, accord- I ing to tho official report from British 1 headquarters In Franco tonight. I Russians Heat Back I Advancing German Horde I Pctrograd, Aug. 26. Attacks at 1 Beveral points on tho Russian and Uu- B manlan fronts wero beaten back yes- -SMC terday by tho Russians, the war of- I flco announces. A further advanco I on tho Caucasian front, whore the I Russians recently began offensive op- I orations, also is reported. I |