New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-06
GERMANS MORALE
APPEARS UNSHAKEN
British Eyewitness IN
statement Says Charge
Lacks Evidence.
RoMBS MUCH USED
IN TRENCH FIGHTING
,,,o Short Range Howitzers-
Shipping Is continuous-oer-
mans Impress Civilians.

ro,dOn. Dec. 5.-The Press Bureau
.,.5sy issued report from an eye
80. at the front covering military
.,;ons during the three days from
Ser.rber 26 10 November 20. This re-
e summarized as follows;
peal inactivity j. recorded along
rnclisb front. with the Germans
nc the attack in one quarter
Post the Indian troops, VINO nave
Sssn extending their trenches IN an en-
sssvor to get in close quarters WIN WIZ
~ enemy. There has been some sha.i-
80 Of the rear Of our front line south
llF,Ss Lys. but this form OF annoyance
S;m;nisbes daily along the whole 'front.'.
S-;n;ng however, Is carried on almost
sn..ipsssSntlv. There seems 10 be little
i ~. tbat the Germans are employing
o ,'';i;sns either willingly or unwilling
8 80 dc trenches. Some civilians have
p, seen and shot while engaged IN
this work. .. H.
While il is necessary 10 accept the
.-;5srca Of all prisoners with caution,
.sers Is a change in the views expressed
~ come officers captured recently
.rs;eb appears 10 be genuine They ad-
~, he failure of the German strategy.
srS profess 10 take a gloomy view OF
.Is future. At the same time II must
~ eonfessed that as yet there is no
-, tbat their view is that generally
IA by the enemy. nor has there been
any definite indication of lack OF
morale among the German troops.
Middle Aged Soldiers.
The highways Of northern France are
crowded with men responding TO the
various mobilization orders issued by
Inc French government. Thousands OF
sueb troops were encountered in the
eovrse Of q short automobile trip. The
strange procession includes a curious
mixture Of types A considerable pro-
norton Of these new drafts are COM
posed Of middle aged men Of good
physique and likely young men from
the countryside.
The change within the last few days
Of what NAV be termed the atmosphere
Of the battlefield has been marked.
The noise Of cannonading has now de-
creased to sub an extent that for
hours at a time nothing is heard but
the infrequent boom Of one OF the
heavy guns Of the Allies, the occa-
sional rattle Of machine guns and the
intermittent fire Of snipers on either
side.
So far as the use Of explosives is
concerned. the greatest activity Is
found in local attacks with hand gren-
AIDES and short-range howitzers. The
enemy has practically ceased his eff
forts to break through the line by as
saults, and he is now deyoting his en-
ergies 10 the same type Of siege OPP
era.ions which have been familiar 70
the Allies since the beginning of the
battle Of the Aisne.
Sgbter-anean life Is the general rule
in the neighborhood Of the firing line.
Even those men not actually engaged
in fighting live in underground quar-
ters. Some Of these quarters, called
funk holes" are quite elaborate and
comfortable, and contain many con-
venienees not found in the intrenches
on the firing line. They communicate
with the firing line by zigZag approach
trenches, which make enfilading i'm
possible. Attacks are made on the fir
ing line trenches by blinded saps, which
are constructed by special earth
borer. When this secret tunnel reaches
the enemy's trench an assault is de-
llyered amid a shower Of hand gren-
AIDES. The stormers endeavor to burst
their way through the opening and
then try to work along the trench. Ma
chine guns are quickly brought up to
repel . c0unter-attack.
Bombs in Common Use.
Most Of this fighting takes place at
such close range that the guns on
either side cannot be fired at the
enemy's infantry without great risk
o. hitting their own men. Bombs have
cone 70 take the place Of artillery, and
ihey are being used in enormous guam
uueA The short range howitzers are
o. mree types, and those used by the
eernSns have come 70 be termed the
'aek Johnson" Of close attack. The
smaller bombs and grenades thrown by
Asnai although local IN action, are very
unpleasant, particularly between the
Maosed space Of d trench. These gren-
aces are thrown continuously by both
Aaes' and every trench assault is first
preceded and then accompanied by
mowers Of these murderous missiles.
ms KIND Of fighting IS very deadly,
ana owing 20 the difficulty of observa-
"oh y Is az times somewhat blind.
ms difficulty has in a measure been
seereased, however, by the use Of the
ayperseope, an instrument which works
very much like the periscope on a sub
marine Il permits an observer to look
OF over the top Of a parapet without