Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-28
By HILAIRF BELLoC

LONDON Oct 2S.-Tn the German Off
cial reports from day to day constant
re ference Is made to the efforts to cap
ture Verdun fortress. More than six
weeks ago the Germans officially report
ed that the bombardment of that for
tress by the Kaiser's famous siege guns
had begun. The Germans have succeeded
in taking st. Mihiel. one of the defensive
line of forts between Verdun and Toul.
The strenuous efforts of the Allies to
recapture that fortress have not sue
ceeded. but the persistence of the at
tacks and Counter-attacks show how inn
portant is this short line of fortifcations
between the French and the German
frontier from Toul to Nerdun.
Why this Is so Is shown simply and
clearly in the outline map printed above.
This map eliminates all details of the
great battle line between the River Oise
and the forest Of Argonne (about S6
miles,. except the railway lines of com
muncatlon. These railway lines. over
which nearly all the German wounded are
taken back 10 Germany and over which
all the food and the ammunition for the
great German armies are brought into
France, are shown in heavy black lines.
There are only two lines which ult-
mately lead from the bases of the Ger
mans-the depots, the stores and the
arsenaIs in Germany-to the army in the
field. Without these railroads the great
army could not be fed or munitioned. 1t
will be seen that the main trunk lines
now used come a long way around from
the heart of Germany and pass through
AiX-la- Chapelc Liege, Namur and so
down the valley Of the Oise to Paris.
This line is marked A. A. A. The sec
ond line, marked b. B. B.. connects with
Germany by a more southern but still
indirect route. No railway leads directly
from the German front to the German
stores at home.
one Of the railroads goes through Lux
emOurg (nOminally independently, the other
through Belgium, and both through n
hostile country, every hundred yards OF
which, and especially every bridge, has
10 be guarded TO prevent blowing up and
thus cutting off the German CommuniCa-
tions.
While Nerdun stands the Germans can
not use any OF the direct railway lines
to the heart of their own country. Should
Veriun fall, or should the line of forts
between Verdun and Toul be pierced, a
whole set of new, short and excellent
roads would be opened 10 the Germans,
The second of the railways, B, B. B.,
is very long and twisted. II cannot 60
through Verdun Cheld by the French),
so it has to run through Montmedy, down
the Meuse as far as AIeZieres. There Is
no opportunity TO turn Ddck SOlln 10
feed the army until Mezeres Is reached,
There Is a light railway crossing the
forest al MaZarn and the River Bar,
and so uniting the main railway from
Rheims TO the frontier. But there can
be no continuous traffic along II because
it is Of different gauge with very small
rolling stock and light rails Supplies
must. therefore, come 10 MezieTes and
then painfully down 10 Rheims. past
Rethel, and ammunition for a battle line
nearly 40 miles long toward Nerdun has
TO he distributed Dy automobiles or
wagons
The wounded soldiers not too III 10
he transported 10 the rear for nursing,
have to be carried over the same round
about route.
Operations OF the German army de-
PEND upon heavy artillery, and the Ger
mans have actually doubled some OF
these railroad lines 20 facilitate the ham
ding and the feeding or their great guns,
Why has not Verdun fortress fallen
before the German seige guns after nPe
weeks incessant attack? The most re-
markable facts in this great war thus
far have been, first, failure OF even the
greatest modern foTtresses TO Withstand
heavy siege guns, and, second, the abil-
ity OF mobile armies In the held 10 dig
themselves into intrenchments and 70
Withstand even continuous shell fre OF
she greatest siege guns.
The latter fact explains, probably why
Verdun has not fallen French armies
In the field have prevented the Germans
from getting their heavy siege guns near
enough 10 VeTdun fortress 10 batter IL
10 pieces. In other words, il is the army
in the open field that has saved the
fortress, and 1t is the fortress which has
saved, not only the tanks Of the army
in the field. but has also so blocked the
lines OF communication that the German
army cannot use them.
These facts explain why the fighting
is so severe and so long continued In
this region, and why the name Nerdun
IS SO often mentioned IN the official re-
ports. both German and French.