The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-09-21
SOLDIERS EXHAUSTED
Each Side Claims Successes and
Favorable Positions Troops
Fight in Water

There is no victory as yet for either
side in the great battle of the Aisne,
which has now ragged in France for ten
days
Both sides claim successes and fav-
orable positions.
The ten days desperate battle, with
fierce artillery fire day and night, in
fantry charges in which the fighting
has been hand to hand and cavalry on
slaughts, have shown one result-the
soldiers of three nations engaged are
becoming exhausted. The human ma
chine is weakening under the frightful
demands upon it.
Men Drsnehed to Skin.
Lulls in the battle are ascribed sim
ply to utter fatigue. Another factor
has been the weather. An incessant
cold rain has flooded the valley of the
Aisne. The river has overfiowed its
banks, the roads and fields are heavy,
and the trenches are filled with water.
The men are drenched TO the skin day
and night.
French soldiers are coming into Par
is covered with mud. Worn out men
are succumbing to the hardships of
fighting and living in the open air un-
der such weather conditions.
Transportation of all kinds on both
sides is rendered much more difficult.
1t is said the Germans can no longer
move heavy artillery with effective
promptness on account of the heavy
roads
Men are camping in water and the
French say the Germans are suffering
from lack of food.
Definite Result Soon.
While neither side claims a decisive
outcome there appears good reason to
believe that the battle will soon he
drawn to some definite development
Military opinion in London and Paris
leads to the conviction that present
lines, battered for ten days, soon will
have to show noticeable changes.
Fighting is fiercest on the allies
left, where efforts are being made to
flank the German army under Won
Kluck. Although Won Kluck has been
reinforced the French claim u slight
advantage.
The Germans are striving to turn
the right wing OF allies resting on
Nerdun. The help OF this fortified po-
sition is an advantage to the French.
ON the center the fortunes of war
fluctuatc
The German positions are well Sc
lected and fortified.
London, Sept. 21.-While the for
tunes of battle have nuctuated between
the lines along the center of the ex-
tended front in France. desperate cf-
forts are being made to execute turn
ing movements on both hanks.
The Anglo French left wing Is ex-
orting every ounce OF its strength TO
turn the flank OF the German General
Won Kluck. who is reported to have
received heavy reinforCements, while
the German left. according to a eau
tiously worded announcement I'm Ber-
lin, is making equally strenuous ef-
forts to out-hank the French right
resting on Verdun.
Allies Task More Difficult.
Under ordinary weather conditions
the allies task would he the easier.
for the reason that Verdun is heavily
fortified and must fall before the
French right can he seriously threat
ened. but on the German right heavy
| rains have made such morass of the
valley of the Disc that the Anglo
French are not likely to move along
what would be their natural course
until the German front north of Sois-
sons has been driven back
High ground between Noyon and
Chauny has been heavily fortified by
Continued on End Pace. tst Column.