New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-25
Efforts to Break Through
Made in Front from
Ypres to La BaSsee.
GREAT STRUGGLE
NOW UNDER WAY
Calais Must Be Taken by
Dec. lO," Kaiser's Order
to His Fresh Troops.
LBy Cabls % The Tribune !

Northern France (name of town CEN
sored), Nov. 24.-The combined French
and British armies have been attacked
by the Germans in force from Ypres
to La Bassee. and a battle on the
scale Of the battles on the Marne, of
the User and of the first and second
battles Of Ypres has begun. In this
terrific struggle, into which the Ger
mans enter with large reinforcements
and fresh guns, the French and British
armies are acting directly in concert.
Already the fight has been in progress
forty-eight hours.
The mightiest guns in the worlds
military history have been brought
into action. carrying death and de-
struction for from fifteen to eighteen
miles from their emplacements. Under
cover of these infantry attacks are be-
ing developed. The German objective
is the town Of Ypres. TO capture which
they have sacrificed thousands Of lives
under the fire of the British during
the 'ast month. Their guns arc bat
tering the town once more.
Everywhere along the line the Allies
have succeeded in checking all the en-
emy's assaults. The Germans were al
lowed to exhaust themselves to such
an extent that their whole line of
trenches is threatened by the English
and French infantry.
The English artillery has thwarted
every movement Of the Germans. The
opening stages of the battle have, in
fact, been dominated by the guns OF
the British Royal Garrison Artillery.
Armies Seek New Positions.
The frost has so hardened the roads
and fields that both armies hastened
TO lose no time in snatching new van
tage points for their heaviest pieces.
The Royal Garrison Artillery of the
British has performed some astonish
ing feats. Although the strain of lay
ing their guns is enormous. they re
piled 10 the German fire on Sunday in
the lightest of moods. In intervals of
hurting shells at the enemy's bat
teries the soldiers sang variations OF
the song called Hold Your Hand Out,
Naughty Boy" This was worded ex-
pressy for the Kaiser. with the re-
frain: "Hold Your Hand Out, Billy
Boy" much to the amusement of the
men Of the battalions of supporting
infantry, who were awaiting develop
ments ahead.
Fresh activity, reminiscent of the
lightning advance on Paris, has spread
through the German forces. Since Sat
urday their aviators have thrown
bombs on Hazebrouck. Cassel. Amiens
and Armentieres. Civilians were killed
in each place. At Armenteres alone
were the aviators punished. Here they
exposed themselves TO the fire of the
English aerial guns. Two OF their ma
chimes were brought TO the ground and
their four occupants killed.
From the best information available
the Germans are preparing to make an
effort this week TO burst through to
Calais with half million troops.
Within the next few days, it is be-
leved, 100000 Germans will lay down
their lives in the frantic effort to form
a pathway for the survivors, obeying
the Kaiser's desperate order that Ca
lais must be taken by December 10.
The Germans know how to die and the
legions marching across Belgium 10
ioin battle with the Allies in surely
decisive contest IN lnlS TtBlon hHOH
that for tens of thousands among them
there will be no return.
Two Reasons for Bravery.
There are two dominant impulses
which make the Germans fling them
selves headlong upon death with reck-
lcssness that inspires sincere admira-
tion in their enemies. One is a genuine
devotion to the Fatherland. Every Ger
man soldier now, whatever his opinions
about war in general and this war in
particular, realizes that the success of
German arms alone can avert the most
awful disasters TO his beloved coun-
trv. The other impulse is sheer terror
of their officers. The German officer
dares not lead his men into action as
the British do-not because he is afraid
of being shot by the enemy, but be
cause there are always men in his own
ranks who would joyfully snatch the
first opportunity of shooting him. The
brutal tyranny permitted to the Ger
man officer enables him to make his
mems lives a purgatory of torment and
often the men who suffer most are su-
perior in intellect, education, refine
ment of mind and behavior TO their