The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1914-08-27

muir.
The immense line extends through
fields and meadows, over rough hills
and through thick woods where artil-
lery Is almost useless. Such a forma-
ton gives opportunity for the exercise
OF military genius in selling positions
OF advantage and maneuvering the
troops which can best be used on any
particular part of the field.
The Freneh-English line was ostensi-
bly, meant merely to halt the German
advance, but dispatches indicate that
the allies did more than this--that
they actually flung their weight against
that ponderous, deadly German war
machine and tried to break through
it's lines.
infantry Loses Positions.
This accounts for the ferocity OF the
struggle about Charleroi, where after
artillery fighting for hours, infantry
charges were rssorted to and positions
taken at the point OF the bayonet, only
to be lost again when the enemys
shells filed the spot with clamor and
death, and under cover of the artillery
fire the enemy's column came on in an
Infantry charge that would not be de-
MED
Death rioted over the hills about
Charleroi, for that was the key to the
battle line. IL the allies could make a
decided break In the German line there
fha mnlllH he n % Hnp.
man army into two parts along the
! Sambre and Mouse rivers, where are
the stubborn forts of Namur and
Liege, still defying the invader. Charlie
'roi was taken and lost, taken and lost.
nobody yet knows how many times in
the course Of that three-day grapple.
That Is why the war Office will not
even undertake to guess what may be
the loss IN lives.
In places along that 100-mile front
the Germans broke through the line of
the allies, at fearful cost of life, and
were hurled back as the French artil.
lery rushed to the rescue from some
reserve spot and poured hail OF
| shrapnel on the invaders. At other
points the Germans, Smelling the allies
position steadily for hours, would
make a magnificent infantry charge
facing first artillery fire, then the
machine guns, and lastly the French
and English riffemen, with splendid
gallantry, and finally were forced bacl
sometimes repulsed from some es
! oI INT Inn hnafnn--nnuaJ
really defeated.
London Menaced by zeppelIns.
Three days of this, with the dead ly
ing in windows over hill and valley
and plain, and the unceasing moan Of
wounded rising like dirge from thai
hundred miles of battle front. Three
days of charge and counter charge
with the heroic defense of the allies
equaled only by the magnificent couF
age of the invaders, until finally, By
sheer force OF strength and persist
ence, which crowded two men forward
wherever one fell, the Germans broke
the line. And this battle was decided
The Germans have won a great vic
| TORY, YET IL is nOl 81 uCSl5lNS 40 "OuiN
have been a German defeat. In tina
case, If the allies could have pressed
their advantage and cut the German
forces In two, severing the line of com
munication OF the German forces nov
In western Belgium, 1t might really
have ended the war.
But the defeated allies, unless i
shall develop that their losses in mel
and guns have been overwhelming!
heavier than they have inflicted on thu
invaders, have only to fall back oil
their original line of defense, wher,
they will be supported by forts and in
ttrenchments, and where fresh troop
can be poured in to their support.
Judging from this battle and tn
spirit and terrific weight carried b.
the German advance, II may be e1
pected to bear straight down on tn
French second line in an effort t
break 1t before any further preparation
can be made.
London is gloomy Though the wa
office had already discounted the d.
> feat and warned the people to b
ready to bear temporary reverses wit
Portitude, a victory had been expected
Now there is a renewal of the fear c