The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-22
GREAT DIFFICULTIES
OF WAR OPERATIONS
Narrative Recent Developments in France and Belgium Tells
of Impednents Which Handicap Efforts of Soldiers.
The Allies Making Slight Progress

London, December 21.-(6:30 p. mo-
The great difficulties under which OPP
erations in France and Belgium arc be-
ing conducted are described in mar
rative of recent developments by an
official observer and made public today
by the official information bureau.
The report is dated December IL. 1t
says
"Theopposition now being encoun-
tered resembles to some extent that met
with by US In the beginning of October
when we first reached the Franco-Bel-
gian frontier. 1t has great difference,
however, and that is that the enemy
is in much greater force and his posi-
lions much stronger and better organ
lied than two months ago.
"At that time an advance on the
eastern end of the line implied move
ment across a very difficult country,
as it does STILL and for us it meant an
attack of skillfully but hastily forti-
fled strong points or villages, held to
a large extent by cavalry and Jaegers.
With the large proportion of machine
guns that we have in front of us today.
it no longer is succession of isolated
points. There still are such points,
but they are stronger and form part
of a practically continuous defensive
zone really amounting to a maze of
trenches and obstacles. Every known
form of obstacle is used. Entangle-
ments vary from loose coils of wire
to securely staked networks of from
IS inches to nearly six feet in height
and of different widths.
Measures of Defense
These measures of defense are only
such as is to be expected from troops
which are well trained and have ample
resources and time. The rate of adj
vance necessarily is slow. When it
is reported in laconic terms that ground
has been gained at a certain point,
geographically, the gain may amount
to only a few yards. On the other
hand, the progress implied by even
such a small step forward may be i'm
portant, for a trench. a cluster of
ing, village of knoll may have been
reached, possession of which Will facil-
itate further operations.
"Siege approaches such as saps help
the attacker to advance under cover
and to so minimize the losses but they
do not and cannot obviate the labil-
ity to surprise reception when once
the enemy's works are gained. The on
ly certain method of preventing this
is by a prolonged bombardment with
high explosive shells until trenches,
mines and machine guns are reduced to
scrap heaps, or to mine under them and
blow them into the air.
Actual Fighting
The report describing the actual
fighting, repeats in substance the daily
French official statements:
From prisoner captured on De-
cember a." the report adds. at has
been ascertained that both the Esd res
iment and the Jaegers suffered enor-
nous losses on November 4 and ). The
troops were suffering very much from
the presence of water In the trenches.
he also said. The Smelling that he went
through on the 14th of this month. he
states. exceeded anything which he had
experienced previously.
1.-THE Germans appear to be discard
ing their helmets, the pickelhalben,
with which they have for SO years been
associated in the eyes of the world.
appearing Some are wearing their
color than the gray service dress. There
is evidence that certain of the units
facing VI are much under strength.