Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-12

magnificent retreat from Belgium has the
allies position looked SO promising. Al
the same time we should be cautious iT
proclaiming the good news
The Germans want repose. The Ger.
man prisoners have seen are dead beat
possible the German commanders will
give their troops breathing spell. II
they can remain content to hold ths
allies at bay for time.
Having cleared themselves from the
DANGEROUS country north and northwest
of Paris. they are in much better terri
tory for just such a defensive work
! Further. they. have. effected their juno
ton. venture this suggestion because
there is a cessation Of the heavy batter
their efforts hitherto: they are also wait
Ing for Maubeuge to fall.
Austrians With Germans.
prisoners confirm reports that two
Austrian army corps are operating with
the Germans in France. If 30. they must
be upon the lines Of communication, fol
they have not been in action. since nc
! Austrian prisoners have been taken.
| Among dramatic Incidents in the re-
cent fighting may be mentioned the grim
| work at the ancient fish ponds near
Ermenonvil.e. These ponds are shut IN
| these woods, q Scotch regiment hustled
| its foes right into the fish ponds. the
] Scotchmen jumping in after the Ger
mans up to the middle to finish them IN
the water, which was packed with their
bodies"
| Evidences Of Retreat.
| p.r+.-,, ro~ry Eronce corresnondent.
in a dispatch sent Thursday says:
| "a trip along the valley Of the Marine
today brought gratifying evidence OF the
reality of the German retreat. SUNDAY
| the British and Germans were at grips
| east Of this place. Shattered shop fronts
| and empty houses still testify to the
| German menace.
! The Teuton has been driven steadily
\ back beyond the Triiport and Crecy-en-
! Brie line, where the hardest lighting oc-
CURED beyond Meaux. where the Teuton
| now Is. In this strategic movement OF
Gen. Won Klucks army rearward along
/, the Marine valley the British army has
Played a leading role.
Gen. French's army advanced to meet
). the German emperors hosts with what
| must have been forced marches from
! their temporary base to the southeast
/ Of Paris. The whole British army except
cavalry passed through Lagny, and the
!
many Of them at the first opportunity lay
| down in the dust and slept where they
were But a few hours rest worked q
great change and a few days later the
British troops were following the slow
German retreat up the valley with bull
dog tenacity.
Work Of British Artillery.
THE British artillery did notable work
in IN he
military surgeons who were stationed al
Lagny. At points near here the bodies
of slain Germans who fell before the Brit
ish gunners still litter the ground and the
grim crop must be still heavier on the
soil farther up the valley where the fight.
ing was more desperate.
"As far as possible the bodies are
burned at night. each side attending to it,
own fallen.
'.sanguinary incidents are plentiful In
the week of fighting to the south of the
Marine. In an engagement not far from
who had given up their arms and were
standing under guard when, encouraged
by a sudden forward effort Of the Ger
man front, they made a dash for theil
rifles. They were cut down by q wolfe,
from the British guards before they coulG
reach their weapons.
I. Lagny Bridge Blown Up.
At Lagny one Of the sights Of the tow,
Is a shattered bridge which was blown
un by Gen. French week ago as soor
as he got his army across 1t. At tina
time British infantry and artillery hat
poured through the town and over tn,
bridge for several days. Exactly VIII,
the bridge was blown up is not clear. a.
the British army was full Of confdenc,
and advancing against an enemy who hat
been brought to halt. Possibly Gen
French's idea was to keep raidng de-
tachments of German cavalry from In
cursions into the villas and gardens Of
the western suburbs.
AT Lagny one is told that fifteen min
utes after the bridge had been reduced
to twisted mass Of steel and broken
masonry, a belated order came to save
it, hut the British engineers who had re-
ceived the order to destroy 1t had done
their work we'll The inhabitants were
cleared out of all the neighboring houses
which were shaken by the terrific explo-
sion when the charge was set of Every
window in the nearby houses was shat.
tered. and much damage was done to
ceilings and pictures.
| Grateful for Deliverance.
THE people of Lagny. who now have tc
use a makeshift to cross the river, take
the destruction Of their beautiful bridge
| III SOCQ part 4Hcy arc toc 6idlciu III AOi
their deiiverance from the Germans t.
grumble about the wrecked bridge.
, CLOSE to Meaux the Germans seem t.
; have stayed their retreat last night. ant
, even to have made slight advance. l,
, was apparently merely rear guard COW
er'ny movement
"Al along the valley the confidence o.
the people has been restored. and tn,
, people are returning to their abandoned
homes
) The British army no longer forms TIL
eft wing Of their allies. On its left Is {
French army-one Of seven which ar
l now in the field"
: Depicts Fight In Crecy.
A graphic picture Of the fight in Cree,
wood is given in the Daily News.
The French and English In over
whelming numbers had poured in from
!. Lagny toward the River Marne to re
inforce the fianking skirmishers. One o
the smaller woods southwest Of Cree,
furnished cover for the enemy for
s time, but led to their undoing. The allies