The Hayti herald. (Hayti, Mo.) 1908-1922, 1914-10-01
GEN. FRENCH TELLS HOW. lBRl1ONS
HAVE FACED GIANT GERMAN GUNS

by this 1t Is not implied that their
artillery fire Is not good. 1t is more
than good--it is excellent But the
British soldier is a difficult person to
impress or depress, even by immense
shells filed with high explosive,
which detonate with terrific violence
and form craters large enough to act
as graves for Ave horses.
scoff at German shells.
"The German howitzer shells are
from eight to nine inches in caliber,
and on impact they send up columns
of greasy black smoke. On account
of this they are irreverently dubbed
coal boxes black Marias,' or Jack
Johnsons' by the soldiers.
Men who take things in this spirit
are, it seems, likely to throw out the
calculations based on loss of morale
so carefully framed by the German
military philosophers.
"A considerable amount of informa-
tion has been cleaned from prisoners.
1t has been gathered that our bonn
bardment on the fifteenth produced
great impression. The opinion also is
reported that our infantry makes such
good use of the ground that the Ger
man companies are decimated by our
rifle fire before the soldier can be
seen.
From an official diary captured by
the First army corps it appears that
one of the German corps contains an
extraordinary mixture of units If the
composition of the other corps is sim
liar it may be assumed that the pres
ent efficiency Of the enemy's forces is
in no way comparable with what it
was when the war commenced.
Germans Lose Many Officers.
"The losses in officers are noted as
having been especially severe. A bri-
gade is stated to be commanded by
major; some companies of foot guards
by one-year volunteers, while after the
battle of Montmirail one regiment lost
fifty-five out of sixty officers.
THE prisoners recently captured ap-
preciate the fact that the march on
Paris has failed and that their forces
are retreating. but state that the OBJ
ject of this movement is explained
by the officers as being to withdraw
into closer touch with the supports
which have stayed too far in the rear.
"The officers are also endeavoring
to encourage the troops by telling
them that they will be at home by
Christmas. A large number of the
men believe that they are beaten.
Among the items of news are tho
following: Recently pilot and OBJ.
server of the Royal Flying corps were
forced by breakage in their aero
plane to descend in the enemy's lines.
The pilot managed to pancake his ma
chine down to earth and the two es-
capped into some thick underground I'M
the woods.
"The enemy came up and seized and
smashed the machine, but did not1
search for our men with much zeal.l
The latter lay hid till dark and then
found their way to the Aisne, across
which they swan, reaching camp I'M
safety but barefooted.
Numerous floating bridges have byI
now been thrown across the Aisne and
some of the permanent bridges have
been repaired under fire. On the
twentieth Lieutenant (name deleted)
Of Third signal corps, Royal Engineers
was unfortunately drowned while at
tempting to swim across the river
with cable in order to open up fresf
telegraph communication on the north
Telephone Aid to Spies. 1
"Espionage is still carried on by tn,
10 D.
Gently the suspicious of some of tn,
French troops were aroused by con-
ing across a farm from which tht
horses had been removed After som
search they discovered a telephon
which was connected by an under
ground cable with the German linea
and the owner of the farm paid th
penalty in the usual way in war fc
his treachery
"After some cases of village figh
ing, which occurred earlier in the wa i
| it was reported by some of our of 1
GERS that the Germans had attempte \
to approach to close quarters by fer |
| ing prisoners to march in front I
| them. The Germans have recently r
| peated the same trick on a iarg, I
| scale against the French, as is show
by the copy of an order issued by ii
| French officials. 1t is therein referre
| to as ruse. but If that term can !
accepted 1t is distinctly illegal rus
Charges Tricks to Germans.
"During a recent night attack Il /
order reads. the Germans drove a C,
umn of French prisoners In front
| them. This action is to be brought
the notice of all our troops, % \
| order to put them on their qua
against such dastardly ruse, (2)
order that every soldier may knt
how the Germans treat their prise
ers. Our troops must not forget ii
if they allow themselves to be TAX
| prisoners the Germans will not
to expose them to French bullets.'
| Further evidence has now been q
lected of the misuse of the white f
| nd nfh tufp