The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-19

porting the President in his editorials lowing Mrs. Wilson's death was said to- day by friends of both men to have made the meeting free from embarrassment. Every effort was made at the White House to make MT. Watterson feel that the President had forgotten the former unpleasantness.
 After MT. Watterson's visit if became known that the Manhattan club contro- yersy was discussed by Mr. Wattersou and William P. McCombs, chairman of the democratic national committee, in Paris months ago, when the editor ex- pressed regret for harsh words he used In statements about MT. Wilson Since then he has exchanged letters with the President in which both expressed regret over the controversy
 The Presidents Mexican and foreier policies were touched on briefly at to- days conference and Mir. Wilson ex- plained the objects he is seeking to achieve
 Held companies during this trying tina were worthy the best traditions of the royal engineers. Wet weather added to ~'N aiiAtNuitico. OIt lne evening or the l4th 1t was still impossible to decide whether the enemy was only making a temporary halt or intended to stand and defend his position. With a view to clearing the situation I ordered q general advance. The action of the frs; corps on this day under the direction and command of Sir Douglas Haig was Of so skillful, bold and decisive a char acter that gained positions which alone would have pnablad mo to oi, position for more than three weeks of severe fighting on the north bank of the river
 By noon of this day the position roughly was that two brigades extend ed along a line running east and west; on the north line to Troyon; on the south to Chemin Des Danes.
 Enemy Threatens
 About l D. m. the enemy obtained a foothold between the first and second corps and threatened to cut the com munications of the latter. General Haig was hard pressed and had no reserve in hand. l placed cavalry division at his disposal, part of which he skill fully used to prolong and secure the left flank of the guards brigade Some heavy fighting ensued which resulted in the enemy being driven back with heavy losses.
 "Aiout o'clock a weakening of the counter attacks by the enemy and other indications tended to show that his re- sistance was decreasing and a genera advance was ordered by the army corps commander. Although meeting with considerable opposition and com ing under very heavy artillery and rifle fire, the position of the corps a 7 the end of the days operations extend ed from the Chemin Des Danes on the right through Chivy to Lecour de Sou- Dir, with the first cavalry brigade ex tending to the Cahvonne-S -Soissons road. Or the right the corps was in close touch with the French Moroccan troops of the eighteenth corps. which were ertrenched in Echelon to its right. 3al ing the night they entrenched this po- stion. Throughout the battle of the Aisne this advanced and commanding posi- ton was maintained and I cannot speak too highly of the valuable services rem aered by Sir Douglas Haig and tn" army corps under his command. Day after day, night after night. the enemy $ infantry has been hurled against 'him in violent counter attack. which has never on any one occasion succeeded. while the trenches all over his posi- ticn have been under continuous and heavy artillery fire. Capture Prisoners
 "'rhe operations of the first corps on this day resulted in the capture of sew eral hundred prisoners and some field pieces and machine guns. The casual ties were very severe, one brigade alone losing three of it's four colonels. "I he third division commenced a further advance and had nearly reached the plateau of Ais when they were driven back by a powerful counter at- tack supported by heavy artillery. The division, however, fell back in the hest order and finally entrenched itself about a mile north of Vailly bridge. ef- Actively covering its passage. "The fourth and fifth divisions were unable to do more than maintain their ground
 "The fact that between the. 18th of September and the date of this dis. patch October Sth) the total number of killed. wounded and missing reached the figures amounting to 561 officers and .2.es0 men proves the severity of the struggle
 "The tax on the endurance of the ] troops was further increased by the heavy rain and cold which prevailed for some 10 or 12 days of this trying time. "On the morning of the 18th. after q close examination, I became convinced that the enemy was making deter mined stand. This was confirmed by 1 reports. reaching me rom the frenct
 armies operating on my right and left
 which clearly indicated that the enem,
 was occupying a strongly entrenched lin, along the whole valley of the Aisne 4 few days previously the fortress at Mau berg had fallen and quantity of sieg' artillery had been brought from ther, to strengthen the enemy's front.
 Position Shelled
 During the day shells, judged bysex : rerts to be from eight-inch guns. fell oi our positions These had range of 10, 1 GOO yards and during the course of tn battle our troops have suffered heavil, from this fire, although latterly its effect have been largely mitigated by more eff
 ficient and thorough entrenching, tn,
 necessity for which I have impresse
 strongly upon the army corps com
 menders.
 '.As the enemy was able to bring flank movement. on 1t, the. fifth divisio was unable to maintain its position an lhad to retire back to theSriver east 0
 Missy. where, with great skill and tenac lity, Mai Gen. Sir Charles Ferguson main tained his position throughout the whol
 battle although his trenches were Q