Evening journal., 1914-12-10
Stories From the European Firing Line
As Related BY Some Eye Witnesses
BY KARL II. Won WIEGAND.


UNITED Press STAFF CorrespondenD
ON THE FIRING LINE IN THE
ARGONNE FOREST, Nov 21.-CBy
Courier, Via Namur, Aix-la-Chap-
pelle, Rotterdam and Mail to New
York; Slowly but apparently ire
sistibly the German Crown Prince Is
advancing his lines here In now fam
GUS Argonne forest-the scene OF
some of the wars most desperate
fighting. Literally yard by yard the
Germans are trenching and mining
their way forward.
BY special permission Of the Ger
man Crown Prince ] am visiting his
lines in the Argonne This after
noon l reached the foremost trench
southwark of Granpre, which is as
near as I may give the location.
About 100 feet ahead of me is tho
French trench Picture to yourself
a canebrake-like woods OF fish poles
ranging in size from half inch TO
saplings of two and three inches thick
and so dense that you can hardly see
40 yards even now when the leaves
have fallen. Among thefe is a scat
tering Of big trees, the trunks Of
which are veritable mines of bullets.
Irregular lines of deep yellow clay
trenches zig-zag for miles. Other
trenches run back from these to what
looks like a huge Kansas prairie
dog town"-human burrows where
thousands of soldiers are literally
living underground.
From the lines NJ trenches running
parallel to one another comes con-
slant splitting sputtering popping Of
rifles. making the woods resound like
a Chinese New Year in San Francisco
or an old-tme Fourth of July, field
guns and hand grenades furnishing
the cannon cracker effect Through
the woods the high-noted "zing-zing'
of bullets sounds like swarm Of
argry bees, while high overhead
sLrapnel and shell go shricking on
their way. Here and there you may
: see spades full of earth being thrown
up as If by invisible hands, marking
/ the onward work OF the German
gopher-like pioneers in their sub
terranean warfare. That is the Ar
gonne forest.
AS the trench I am in was still IN
the hands of the French, three days
ago, and as the Grown Prince is ad-
vancing steadily. the trenches are
temporary and contain little in the
way Of comforts. In deep inches cut
in the side, the soldiers rest, play
cards or even sleep on damp ledges
between fights. The trenches also
serve as a cemetery. When the
enemy's fire is so hot that 1t is i'm
possible to stick your head out OF
TO take the dead out to bury them
the grave is made in a niche or q
ledge cut into the side of the trench.
Just in front Jf me there is sucf
grave on a little ledge made by
widening the trench. A card fasten'
ed to the tiny twig cross at the head
was written on II with indelible pen
ell. "Musketeer Christ"
The name suggests other things
than the killing Of men. Just abov'
IL outside Of tue trench and ver'
close by lies a dead Frenchman. Th'
firing from the enemy's trenches a
|, this point is so fierce that the Ger
II mans have not heen able to take tn
n body away. That there are other
|, between the two lines Is indicated b.
the odor. Around q sharp angle q
the trench the hand and arm Of
French soldier sticks out Of the dir
wnere the Germans tunnelled With
ten feet of the French trench.
There they planted So pounds
4 explosive, blew up the trench an
took IT by storm few moments late
|, AZ that time the two trenches wer
II within 35 feet Of each other. TIL
Germans and French had fought froT
these positions for one week. chieh
with hand grenades. neither bein
able to drive out the other. When
was presented to the Crown Prime
Yesterday at his headquarters, h
said:
Il would like very much to hav
YOU see the operations in the Argonn
4 forest and the work of my army.
n would like to have you convince your
self that | am not retreating as ha
been repeatedly reported. I cannc
guarantee your safety, however, an
the visit will have to be made on you
own responsibility"
Later, the Crown Prince said hi
personal physician would accompan
me ito render first aid if necessary
Y "Yes, / will attempt to put th
= press together II the French hit II
remarked the surgeon-general., Pre-
lessor W. eliminated by censor
Better first make your will an
leave us the address of your family.
was the cheering suggestion OF Liel