A WAR OF NATIONS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 38, 1 October 1914, Page 5

A WAR OF NATIONS

“Worst is over” for Paris THE (GERMAN FORGES REPULSED Severe Winter',. Campaign Ahead - 1 , i' BELGIUM’S FIGHT FOR EXISTENCE . ■ : ' \ I ■' f ■ Russian Preparations for Invasion

Many “Jack-the- Ripper" Crimes

Carrying Salvation to the Kaiser ipMyP ®, \ * ■■

France

UNCONFIRMED REPORT. GERMAN RIGHT STATED TO HAVE BEEN BROKEN. TJBI IUPTBIO TiUWBAPH—CoPTBItfHT i £Uprtu> Pemi Amooutton.l London, September 29, The News Exchange correspondent at' Paris, telegraphing at midnight, sent an unconfirmed report that the German right had been broken. and that all automobiles had been requisitioned for the purpose of pursuit. GERMANS SURROUNDED. ALLIES’ GOOD WORK IN THE SOMME DEPARTMENT. Paris, September 29. The official communique unmistakably demonstrates that the French surrounded the Germans in the Somme f Department. , An Exchange correspondent states that Peronne was re-cap: ared. FRENCH FIGHTING FRONT. Paris, September 29. An official communique indicates that the French left extends ,to Allert and Combles.

IN FULL RETREAT. ONE GERMAN ARMY CORPS SUFFERED SEVERE LOSS. (Received 9.30 a.m.) London, September 30. A soldier from the front at Tnianoourt and St. Mihiel that one German army corps is in full retreat'., the sixteenth army corps having sustained very severe losses. FALSE REPORTS. CONCERNING FRENCH TREATMENT OF THEIR CAPTIVES. Tikes and Sydney Sun Services: (Received 8 a.m.) London, September 30. French reports of the recent fighting go turnout on the fact that Germans aie relating stories of the French having shot their captives. They state that this is a mistake. Their terrified and supplicating attitude is disappearing now, and they are voluntarily surrendering when escape is impossible. DAMAGED RHEIMS. ESTIMATE PUT DOWN AT SIX MILLIONS STERLING. :: - V’- ■ . (Received 9.5 a.m.) Paris, September 30. The American Consul at Rheims estimates the damage to the town at six millions sterling. Unless tho fighting is removed in a week, tho champagne crop will be lost. It promised to be especially good. IT. MIHIEL RE-TAKEN. PRINCE OF BAVARIA A PRISONER AT NOMENY. (Received 9.30 a.m.) London, September 30. A Nancy telegram states that the French have re-taken St. Mihiel. It is also reported that the Prince el Bavaria was made a prisoner at Nemeny, and that the Germans are ▼ffcetMely assaulting Noraeny with the ebject ef releasing him.

JACK-THE-RIPPER CRIMES. BODIES WOUNDED WITH SWORDS AND BAYONETS. WOMEN AND GIRLS MALTREATED. New York, September 29. Mr Homro Copland, officially employed by the American Embassy in London to assist stranded Americans, ,has written to Mr Harold Sewell, ex-Vice-Consul at Liverpool, giving the results of his conversations with many wounded French soldiers. The letter states: “I had set down the reports of the German atrocities as hysterical exaggerations, but one soldier after’ another told what lie had seen,- including cruelties to women and .young girls, with circumstantial details which could not have been invented by a man lying at the point of death. All said the Germans had maltreated women, and that they had constantly seen when the Germans evacuated towns and vil-, lages, bodies not wounded by bullets, but with swords or bayonets.” "FRENZY OF RAPINE, RAPE, MUTILATION AND LUST.” OUTBURST OF PUBLIC ANGER. New York, Sepember 30. Mr Copland asserts that after the conquest of Liege, the German soldiery, who were so long baffled and starved and maddened with alcohol, fell upon Belgium in a frency of rapine, rape, mutilation, and lust. His statements have provoked an extraordinary outburst of public anger, which is greater because Mr Copland carefully distinguished between the riot of a section of the soldiery and mere sex excesses. Mr Copland, who refers to the "Jack the Ripper” crimes as a parallel, states that the whole of Belgium had been given over to the passions of maddened men.

BATTLE OF AISNE. FRENCH RIGHT STILL STANDS FIRM. Times and Sydney Sun Services. (Received 8 a.m.) London, September 30. Although the Germans claim that the French right at Aisne was imperilled, it is standing ‘firm. THE INVASION OF FRANCE. WHY IT FAILED. BELGIAN OPPOSITION AND BRITISH ARRIVAL THE MAIN FACTORS. London, September 30. The Times publishes an article by a well-known publicist of a neutral country who was in Germany when war broke out, and was since with the German army in Belgium. The writer states that Germany’s plan of tho invasion of France divided the forces into an army of invasion and an army of occupation. The former, composed entirely of first line troops, and the most modern light artillery, was to prepare the Way for the heavy howitzers and ,;-eigo gm< intended for the reduction of the Paris forts and other fortified cities. The army of occupation, composed of the Landwohr and the Landstruin. was to occupy the cities, garrison the fortresses, and guard the communications. The Belgians’ fierce opposition ard the speedy arrival of the British force made alterations necessary. The modern artilfery destined for F'anco has been diverted to the Landsturm, whose Mauser rifle* were 15 years old

and artillery much older. From gunv son guarus men between 35 anu 4o years, and older, liave now been turnid into offensive lighting units. Belgian forays from Antwerp, between September 9th and 14th, inflicted great losses of killed and wounded, and resulted in capturing 2000 to 3000 Germans. i'lie Belgian activity has necessitated the'maintaining of the last reserve at Liege, where there has been a great conjestion or troops, jucceutly j.00,dOU men destined for the Aisne wen held up, living in the railway trains or encamped on the hills surrounding .he railway yards. They could not be sent ahead of the supplies and munitions. It is reported that sicknos.. is spreading among these waiting I troops. jrto or three divisions with heavy siege guns, intended for the Aisne, nave been diverted to Antwerp. Even cue German infantry regiment has lb or 12 machine-guns concealed in light regimental transport. They are carried by hand, and can quickly be moved to the firing line. These are the guns that have changed the German infantry tactics. The accuracy of individual fire has been subordinated to the showered shrapnel and levelled volleys of musketry. Trusting to clearing a way in this fashion, the infantry moved forward in great masses. In the early lighting the commanders did not mind these losses, but the great mortality began to tell on the morale of the men. At Liege some of the regiments lost 60 per cent., and whole companies were left without officers. Profiting from the lesson., the siege of Namur was an artillery duel throughout, the 42-centimetre guns being tested for the first time. Each was fired every quarter of an hour. The dust from the impact of the shell could be seen from six or seven miles away, forming a geyser of dust 600 or 400 feet high. The Germans’ sole advantage at present is the possession of the great siege guns and the preponderance of machine-g i is and individual rifle fire and cannon, compared with the accuracy and efficiency of the British. The transport of the Landwehr and Landstrum is of the makeshift order, including furniture vans and many waggons commandeered in Belgium, while the horses are very inferior.