Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-12-29
MACYA DISTRICT
IS BLOODY SCENE
Small Area is Bitterly Contested by
the Austrian and Servian
Fighting Forces.
MUCH BATTLE UNDERGROUND
Enemies Undermine Each Others
Trenches and Use Bvry Imagfn-
able Means of Warfare 90
Reduce Men Engaged.

Correspondence of the Associated Press)
MITRovIcA, Hungary Nov, 22.--The
southern theater OF the Europear war
had its -'Yser canal and west Flanders ;,
in n terrain. the possession OF which
meant much to the adversaries. Before
the AuEtro-Hungary army could make
headway against SerYia. II was necessary
90 take the Macya district. and before
this could be invaded the Parasnica
peninsula. In the Have. north OF the
Drina's mouth had TO be taken.
The Austro-Hungarians first attacked
the servia position in the ParaHnica early
IN August and discovered that tho un-
dertaki1E was too costly. Then after a
month eontented themselves with what
may be called q siege of the position. BY
the end OF September Il became more APP
parent than ever that the ParasnicA and
MAcva would have 10 be cleared OF Ser
Wan troops and operations against the
entrenchment and Todoubts on tho penin-
sula were resumed. Toward ~the end OF
OCTOBER the ParaSniea was finally oe-
oupied after q most desperate struggle.
and from that time on the advance OF
the Austro-Hungarian troops. while slow,
made steady Roadway. until Yaljevo was
i'm their lands. and KragEJevas. the last
fortified position of tho Serbs, s-
Eurowed with Trenches.
The area OF the Parasnlca is approx
mately Two and half square miles. To-
day is level surface Is furrowed by hun
dreds OF miles OF entertainments, redoubts,
bomb-phoofs and covered passages frOn
one trench 20 another TheloeaAty has
the appearance OF a tremendous maze,
and In some paris the impression Is con-
veyed that a whole underground city
had existed there at one time Not q
few Of the trenches have been used az
graves. for men and animals. but or
the whole the Entertainments today have
the appearance they had when still oc.
cupied by ethel, Austro-Iiungarian Of
Serb.
In many places the trenches are bu
fifteen yards apart, and in but a few
instances they are separated by NOR
than fifty yards-eioquent testimony o.
the severity OF the struggle for thei
possession.
So well constructed were the trenches
shelter bitches and bomb-proof. that fiel,
artillery was useless. and so wei
defended were they by the Serbs tina
every attempt by the Austro-Hungarian
TO take them BY infantry attack resultei
IN terrible slaughter In the end prac
tios common In the wars Of the middl
ages had 10 be resorted to-counter min
ing. The Serbs had entrenched them
selves 70 a depth OF from five to nine Zee
and aug tunnels from one position 70 an
other. and. where this was not feasible
stout timber had been used 20 render IN
trenches safe against the field artiller
OF the Austrians. But the Austrian saT
pers and pioneers dug deeper tunnels Z
right angles 70 the Servian trenches an
parallels. through which their infantr
would advance under cover OF night !
this manner ground was gained one da!
70 be lost again perhapa. the foliowin
day b. similar maneuver Of the Serb
struEsis Cor siK Weeks.
For about six weeks this really subtel
ranean war continued Il was ended b
the bringing up Of heavy mortar batteris
b. the AustrianS The resistance OF n
Serbs continued. however. As herets
fore. their trenches had 10 be taken on
~ one. but this time artillery renders