Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-09-14
FIELD OF BATTLE
DESOLATE SCENE
Place Where Armies Struggled Pre-
sents Dreadful Spectacle, with
Dead Awaiting Burial.
FOES CONDITION DESPERATE
GcrmRnH seek Now tO Get Near
TO Frontiers ms POsSibIc-COr-
respondents Learn They
Must Br Good.

PARIS. sept l3.-The hattleficlds on the
allies left wing over which terrible COM
bats in the last week have been fought
present a scene OF desolation. All the
troops have departed. following on the
heels OF tho fleeing Germans. Most OF
the dead already have been buried. but
here and there small groups Of three or
four lay together awaiting interment
Virtually oil tho wounded, whether
French, British or German, have received
treatment and have been transported to
ncghhoring villages from which places
they viii later be transferred to the pro-
vincial cities whore private houses and
public institutions have been placed at
the disposal of the army authorities.
Evidences of Fire.
Along the banks Of the Marne evidences
of severe artillery fire are visible every
where. Some parts, looking as though
they were plouRhed trenches abandoned
by the AustrIans who we're excellently
planned, but shells bursting overhead
field are fresh heaps Of earth, where
caused hundreds Of casualties over the
soldiers were buried The graves FOR the
most part are marked by rough hewn
crosses The officers were inferred sep
arately. their graves bearing their names
and in some cases decorated with flowers
All about are battered helmets. broken
rifles, bayonets, swords, belts and haver-
sacks
HOuses Damaged.
In nearby villages houses have been
greatly damaged, many bear bullet and
shell marks, doors and windows have
been broken, branches Of trees have been
Topped off by shells and SCARED by rifle
shots.
In the river Marne. which the Germans
made heroic efforts to cross many times,
but were always beaten back by the over
whelming French artillery, bodies occa-
sionally come to the surface The country
people. almost Frustrated by the ruin
which has been wrought. are gradually
returning to their homes from which
even today could be heard the far distant
firing OF machine guns and field ar
tllery.
No civilians or correspondents are per
mited 10 approach anywhere near the re-
serve firing lines of the pursuing British
and French troops Five correspondents
who vcntured out were arrested and
threatened with Incarceration in the fort
ress untn the end Of the war.
Glad to he Captured,
The constant rainfall for the last two
days has rendered difficult the move
mcnt Of troops. The Germans are SUI
fering from this more than are the allies,
who are fun Of ardor and flushed with
success They often capture isolated
bodies Of Germans who are usually fam
lshed and without ammunition and al
most glad to be taken prisoners, while
their horses are exhausted.
Persistent accounts Of a German short
age OF ammunition reach Paris. 4 British
officer declared today that he had seen
a letter written by a German officer in
which the officer stated that the invad-
ers' position was becoming critical. Tie
said that the transport was breaking down
oW .nR To the LONG lines Of communications.
II is generally thought that the Ger
mans are trying TO reach the frontier by
the quickest route, owing 10 fears that
their communication may he cut by the
fresh army OF the allies