The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-12-09
GERMANY


press staff Corr $,ndent.]
ON THE FIRM c.iNE IN THE
ARGoNkE FoRF . Nov. 21.-t5y
courier via Mar ~ AK La chappelIe
and Rotterdan ID by mail to New
York; Slowly but apparently ire
sistibly, the German crown prince -
advancing his lines here in the now
famous Argonne forest-the scene Of
some Of the wars most desperate
fighting. Literally yard by yard, the
Germans are trenckins and mining
their way forward.
BY special permission of the Ger
man crown prince, am visiting his
lines In the Ar0onne. This afternoon
! reached the foremost trench south
ward Of Granpre, which is az near as
! may give the location. About 16o
feet ahead Of me Is the French
trench. Picture to yourself cane
break-Iike woods Of fish poles rang
ina in size from half inch to sap
Iings Of two and three inches thick
and 90 dense that you can hardly see
forty yards ever now when the leaves
have fallen. Among these is scatter-
ing Of big trees, the trunks Of which
are veritable mines Of bullets. irresu-
lar lines Of deep yellow clay trenches
zia gag for miles. The trenches run
back from these to what looks like a
huge Kansas "praiiie dog town''-hu-
man burrows where thousands Of SOL
diers are literally living underground.
From the lines Of trenches running
parallel to one another comes con-
slant splitting, sputterino, popping Of
rifles; making the woods resound like
j Chinese New Year in San francisco
Of anSoid time Fourth Of July, field
guns Sand cannon furnishing the
crackers. Through the woods, the
hlah notes Of the zing Of bullets
sounds like swarm Of angry bees,
while high over head shrapnei and
shell 90 shrIsking on their way. Here
and There you may see sPadesfui Of
earth being thrown up az II by tnvis-
ibIe hands marking the onward work
Of the German sopher-like advance in
their subterranean warfare. That 10
the Araonne forest.
A. tho trench am In was stiiI in
the hands OF the French three days
ago and as the crown 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 Iedges
between fights.
The trenches also serve az ceme-
terry. When the enemy's fire is so hot
that II 10 impe ssibIe to stick your head
out or to take the dead out to bury
them, the grave 10 made in a niche or
q ledge cut into the side Of the trench.
Just in front Of me there 10 such a
grave on little ledge made by widen
ing the trench. A card fastened to
the tiny twia cross at the head has
written on It in indeIibIe pencil:
Christ" The name sug-
aests other things than the killing Of
men. Just above it, outside Of the
trench and very close by lies dead
The firing from the en-.
emy's trenches at this point 10 so
nerce In6S SNe OSFNdNU nave not ySt
been able to take the body away.
That there are others between the two
lines 10 Indicated by the odor. Around
. sharp angle In the trench the hand
and arm Of Frcnch soldier sticks out
Of the dirt where the Germans tun-
nsIed within ten feet Of the French
trench.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
BERLIN, oval wireless to London),
Dec. s.-official announcement Of tho
bombardment Of building near
Rheims, flying the Red Cross flag be-
cause Il was discovered to conceal a
French battery, is made In the war
OFFICE statement today.
Ground has been gained in the Ar
sonne, and many prisoners taken, the
statement asserts.
"Wsst Of Rheims, we bombarded
n