GERMAN OFFENSIVE CHECKED

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2346, 31 December 1914, Page 5

GERMAN OFFENSIVE CHECKED

■;f:-.gj> TURKS ROOTED-v'''.'. 'THE-; FESTUBERT FIGHT INDIANS MID ON CUXHAVEN THE'RAISE CALLS I:CONFERENCE PRINCE HENRY GIVEN COMMAND OF GERMAN BATTLE-FLEET

Interest in the military developments of the war is to some extent overshadowed at the moment by the stir which has been created, chiefly in America, by the American Note" on neutral trading. Germans and German sympathisers in the United States are urging that country to take action against Great Britain, and some other tqually foolish proposals of-a like character have be en ; circulated, but the cablegrams make it perfectly clear that these' proposals, in no way represent the sentiments of the American Government and nation. President Wilson has honestly pointed out that the position is complicated by the action of. some shippers who include contraband articles in allegedly noncontraband cargoes, and furnish false manifests. While these practices continue, President Wilson intimates, suspicion will be caused and all ships will be liable, to 6earch., The view taken by recognised authorities is that the Note, while it embodies a vigorous protest, is in no sense hostile to Britain, and the prevailing opinion seems to be that the American Government 1 is really intent only upon laying a .foundation for compensation claims at the close'of the war. As to tho events of the war, the Russians are driving the,Austrians before them in Galicia -and Southern. Poland, and . the activities of the Germans are reported to be slackening all along the line from' Central Poland to their junotion with the Austrians in the south. , In the region of Skierniewice. .'42: miles south-west of Warsaw,, the Germans have evacuated their trenches on the right bank of the River Bzura. Little change is reported .in the Western theatre, hut the Allies have made some progress between the River Somme and the Argonne, and,the French are'pushing ahead in Alsace.,; There is a report that Rumania has broken her neutrality and mil shortly join the Allies.'. The Turks are apparently suffering a..series ; of, reverses at the hands of the Russians in Asia Minor, and it'is alleged that, a rupture 'has occurred between. 1 the Germans, and the' Young Turks, who until Recently were in complete sympathy.A story comes from Amsterdam that the Kaiser spent some hours discussing .with his principal naval advisers the damage done by the' British raiders, at Ouxhaven,. and that Prince Henry of Prussia hasbeen appointed to the supremo command of the German battle-fleet.