For the first time since the inception of the European war the Germans yesterday attempted an attack in the lower Rhine sector, where, until now, action has been limited to heavy machine-gun fire between casemates and the different peace propaganda manifestations of both the Germans and the French.
A German detachment attempted a surprise crossing of the river at 2.15 am. with orders to capture a French casemate on the island between Huningue and Kembs, where is situated the important hydro-electrical dam that supplies the entire region with current, Kembs also commands the entry to the Rhine Canal, which, flowing northwards, joins the Rhone-Rhine Canal. Not important at the present stage of operations, the island could be a strong point for defensive action and counter-barrage should the Germans ever attempt a mass sortie over the waters of the Rhine in the direction of the Kembs dam. The German attack was "easily repulsed," however, and the attackers were dispersed, it was said.
was understood here that French offensive aviation has been highly active, many reconnaissance missions having been sent out over German front lines and the immediate hinterland during the past two days, watching for the slightest indication of any unusual movement on the part of the German forces, such as troop concentrations at a single point, or an abnormal number of supply trains making their way the front.
The French reported, however, that only a few German reconnaissance planes have visited the French front line zone during the past week because of the poor flying weather,—United Press,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.