The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-09-25
FIGHTING At FRONT
NOW LESS VIOLENT
Exhaustion Forces Comparative LulI
in the Battle OF the AiSne.
The State. 22nd.

The State. 22nd
TIE nature of the struggle between
the Germans and the allied forces on
the battle front in France, which
stretches from Noyon in the west to
Verdum, is indicated by the latest Off
cial communications from the French
war office, which says that the en-
gagements have become less violent.
From this would seem as if both
sides had re-. ned tee conclusion that
the gaining of few yards OF ground
hardly warranted the losses entai-ed
and that preparations are on the way
for strong offensive movement at
some strategic point.
The French also report they nave
made progress in the territory between
Rheims and the Argonne forest.
On their left wing they have reached
the heights of Lassigny. With the
French on this part Of the battle line
are the British, who according to an
official statement issued by the British
press bureau, have Jared badly since
the beginning OF the war in the loss
Of officers.
The casualty lists show that 797
British officers are among the killed,
wounded and missing, very high
percentage of the total losses. Among
these are 81 colonels and lieutenant
colonels, So majors and 246 captains.
The Coldstream Guards have lost 81
of their officers, the highest on the
list.
The ten days CT desperate battle,
fierce artillery fire day and night, in
fantry charges in which the fighting
has been hand to hand, and cavalry
onslaughts when opportunity offered,
have shown one result-the soldiers Of
the three nations engaged are becom-
ing exhausted. The human machine
is weakening under the frightiul de-
mands upon it. Lulls in the battling
are ascribed simply to utter fatigue.
another factor which has had
notable effect on the conduct o. the
operations has been tine weather. An
incessant cold rain has flooded the
valley of the Aisne. The river has
overfown it's banks, roads and fields
are heavy and trenches are filled with
water. The men are drenched to the
skin day and night and French SOL
diers coming to Paris from the front
are encrusted with mud. Worn out
men are succumbing to the hardships
of fighting and living in the open un-
der such weather conditions Trans
portation of all kinds, Tor both sides
is rendered much more difficult 1t
is even said the Germans can no
longer move their heavy artillery with
effective promptness on account of
heavy roads. The men are camping
in water and the French say the Ger
mans are suffering from lack Of food.
While neither side claims a decisive
outcome, there appears to be good
reason to believe that the battle is
drawing to some definite development,
Military opinion both in London
and Paris leans to the conviction that
the present lines, battered for ten
days, soon will have to show notice
able changes. The fighting has been
ferest on the allies left, where des-
perate efforts have been made to turn
the flank of the German army under
Gen. Won Kluck. Won Kluck has been
reinforced but in spite of this the
French in late official reports claim
an advantage though it is admitted to
be slight. The German appear to be
making desperate and persistent ef-
forts to turn the right wing OF the
allies, resting on Verdum. The nelp
of this fortified position is of advan-
tage to the French.
On the centre the fortunes of war
fiuctuate. The positions now held by
the Germans were we'll selected and
we'll fortified Some of their heavy
artillery is described as resting upon
cement foundations.
A news dispatch received in London
from France says an aeroplane recon
naissance has given rise to the con-
viction that a large portion of the
German force is retiring in the direc-
ton of fortified positions on tine Ger
man border.
The destruction by German she'll