The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1914-09-25
OPPOSING ARMIES
IN IMPROBABLE
ENTERTAINMENTS
IItantic Struggle in the Hills
North of the River
Aisne.
BATTLE HAS BECOME A
siege ALONG THE Line
GERMANS MAKE SUPERHUMAN
EFFORTS TO REcAPTURE
TOWN OF RHEIMS.
FIGHTING IN RAIN STORM
Reports in London That Germans Are
Preparing to Fall Back Upon
Their Own Fortifications.
GERMANS MAKE SUPERHUMAN
EFFORTS TO REcAPTURE
TOWN OF RHEIMS.
FIGHTING IN RAIN STORM
Reports in London That Germans Are
Preparing to Fall Back Upon
Their Own Fortifications.
Western Newspaper Union News Service

London.-The unparalleled strug
gle On the River Aisne, which com
menced about a week ago Saturday
has developed into siege operations
The two armies, strongly entrenched
are carrying on an artillery duel while
the infantry make attacks and coun
ter-attacks which are in the nature
OF sorties from besteged fortress.
Occasionally one or the other gains
little ground, but it Is so little that
the opposing forces remain in their
trenches or take up positions in new
entertainments Immediately behind
those from which they are driven.
It ic now becoming the conviction
OF military men that nothing but out
thanking movements can have any Sc
sious efeel on either army, The Ger.
mans, according to their own official
report, have been strongly reinforced
both on their right, where General
Won Kluck is making such a stubborn
stand in almost impregnable posi-
lions on the hills north of the Aisne,
and in the center, where the Germans
are making almost superhuman ef-
forts to recapture Rheims.
1t probably is the desire to recap.
ture this town at all costs. because of
its Importance as the key to import.
ant communications that will improve
all their connections for attack or re.
treat, that has led the Germans to con.
tinue the bombardment which has re-
suited in the destruction of the IA
nous cathedral.
Bombardment Of Rheims.
This bombardment has been of the
most severe kind and is being direct
ed from Brimont. which the Fvench
recapt'red. but lost again. and from
other hills around the town, and Is Of
deadly character. Che French have
brought up addition@ heavy artillery
in an attempt to drive the Germans
out of these hills, for until this is
done the situation in the town must
be difficult.
On the allies left the French claim
another advance on the right bank Of
the River Disc as far az the heights
OF Lassigny, west Of the Noyon. which
has been the center of heavy fighting
for week. past.
Severe fighting also continues north
of the Aisne and in the Craonne dis.
trict. where the Germans, a French Of.
ficial communication says, have been
repulsed at all points with considera-
BILE losses. This is an extremely diff
ficult country over which to make an
advance The plateau Of Craonne Is
OF limestone formation with the sides
almost as perpendicular as walls, and
the valleys in wet weather become
uuagmires. It wss on this plateau
Just century ago that Butcher failed
to check Napoleon.
Won KIuck Confronts Allies.
The allies apparently have scaled
the walls of the plateau and now hold
the heights. but ahead Of them they
have found Won kluck in grea.
strength and now are awaiting the
outcome of the attempt to turn his
flank, which would clear the road for
them. The French army, which is
trying to work around the German
right. is pushing its way slowly.
Starting from Compiegne, it reached
Noyon, and today is on the heights of
Lassigny. It's next objective point is
Tergnier, 10 miles from Laon, an i'm
port railway junction. which the Ger
mans are using for provisioning their
forces.
The French have made some head.
way in Champagne and on the west
slope of the Argonne and have reoc-
supied Mesnil.les-Hurlus and Messages.
but elsewhere the situation remains
as it was.
One thing Is certain, neither front
thss been broken. all attempts to do