Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1914-10-09
NINTH WEEK OF WAR
BATTLE ON AIsNE EVER DRAes
ALONG AND END is NOT
IN SIGHT.
NEITHER SIDE REAL VICTORY
kaiser's Men Seem on Defensive Most
of Time-Berlin Admits French
Progress - Antwerp Attacked
to Keep 5elsians Back.

Another week of agony in the Battle
Oh the Aisne-which might fifty be
called the War of the Aisne-has
dragged its painful length along. Its
third week ended last Friday. Yet
the struggle continues, and the stroke
of doom to put one side or the other
out of the fighting has not fallen.
Neither combatant has been able 10
win the strangle-hold that renders the
other helpless.
The general character of the conflict
has not been quite the same as before.
Then it was siege, bombardment and
assault; now it is mainly defensive
offense by the German in endless eff
fort everywhere to break the allies
advancing investment at the center
and their ~outflanking movement in the
west and north. A week ago the mill
tary experts believed the end at hand.
but today they only feel sure that it il
near. The French n British action
on the allied left and the German en-.
deavor on the allies right to pass the
eastern forts and pierce the French
lines there persisted obstinately. The
invaders gained a little ground tenn
porarily, but the allies center and left
simultaneously made constant and
lasting gains. The German left in
eastern France a month ago suffered
a much severer defeat than was then
suspected and has been ineffective
ever since, though struggling desper-
ately to outflank the French right be-
fore the Anglo-French left could out
flank the German right. Whoever sue
ceeds first in these thanking actions
acquires a decisive advantage. The
German center has been materially
weakened by reinforcing the German
right, and only its artillery and almost
impregnable entertainments, the prep,
aration of which during the advance
on Paris betrays German uncertainty
of success, enabled it to delay the
French advance here, which, neverthe-
less, gained and kept new ground. The
German right, despite the strategic
genius of it's general, heavy reinforce
ments and inexpressible heroism ana
endurance, has been forced north and
east within 80 miles of Belgium. Sig
nificanct evidence consists in the fact
that, whereas it originally faced south,
it was forced to face west to prevent
development, and now fronts north,
west, leaving it's flank and rear ex,
posed. 1t is in the air, unsupported
like the French right, by fortresses
and entrenched positions. It's base IS
critical. Its next nov must be to
face north and retreat-if it can, and
if its roads are not held by the enemy,
Judgment of the weeks develop
ments is based on German evidence.
The official authorities at Berlin &C.
knowledge that the French and Brit
ish progressed steadily. German news
papers publish damaging admissions
that a fortnight ago would have caused
suspension. German attacks on Ant
werp have been begun in order, If pos
sible, to keep the dangerous Belgians
from harassing the German garrisons
towns all along the Rhine are being
strengthened. These preparations far
in the zeal of the French battle reveal
real views as to the course
of military events in France. Mean
while-Russia is at the east gate.