The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-09-23
Exhaustion Forces LuI|
in Battle Of the
Aisne.
WAITING FOR A CHANCE.
Preparations Oh Gor Stro,.D OF
fenSve Movemr.. ~
Strategic Point.
WAITING FOR A CHANCE.

The nature of the struggle between
the Germans and the allied forces on
the battle front in France, which
stretches from Noyon in the west to
Verdun, is indicated by the latest Off
>cial communication from the French
war office, which says that the en-
gagements have become less violent
From this it would seem as If both
sides had reached the conclusion that
the gaining Of few yards Of ground
hardly warranted the losses entailed
and that preparations are on the way
for strong offensive movement at
some strategic point.
The French also report they have
made progress in the territory be
tween Rheims and the Argonne forest
On their left wing they have reach
ed the heights Of Lassigny. With the
French On this part Of the battle line
are the British who, according to an
official statement issued by the British
press bureau, have Jared badly since
the beginning of the war in the loss
Of officers.
The casualty lists show that 797
British officers are among the killed.
wounded and missing, very high
percentage of the total losses. Among
these are 80 colonels and lieutenants
colonels, So majors and 246 captains.
The Codstream Guards have lost 81
ftheir officers, the highest on the
list.
The ten days of desperate battle
fierce artillery fire day and 'nightSis :
fantry charges in which the fighting
has been hand to hand, and cavalry
onslaughts when opportunity offered,
nave shown one result-the soldiers
of the three nations engaged are be-
coming exhausted. The human ma
chine is weakening under the fright
full demands upon it. Lulls in the bat
tling are ascribed simply to utter ia
tigue.
Another factor which has had a
notable effect on the conduct Of the
operations has been the weather. An
incessant cold rain has flooded the
valley of the Aisne The river has
overhowed its banks, roads and fields
are heavy and trenches are filled with
water. The men are drenched to the
skin day and night and French SOL
diers coming to Paris from the fr nj
are encrusted with mud. Worn out
men are succumbing to the hardships
of fighting and living in the open un-
der such weather conditions. Trans
portation of all kinds, for both sides,
is rendered much more difficult. 1t
is even said the Germans can NJ
longer move their heavy artillery with
effective promptness on 1T OF
heavy roads. The men .amping
in water and the French " the Ger
mans are suffering from lack of food.
While neither side claims a decisive
outcome, there appears to be good
reason to believe that the battle is
drawing to some definite development
Military opinion both in London
and Paris leans to the conviction that
the present lines, battered for ten
DAYS. soon will have to show notice
able changes. The fighting has been
fiercest on the allies left, where des'
perate efforts have been made toturr
the flank of the German army under
Gen. Won Kluck. Won Kluck has bear
reinforced but in spite of this tn
French in late official reports claim
an advantage though it is admitted u
be slight. The Germans appear to b.
making desperate and persistent Ell
forts to turn the right wing OF tn
allies. resting on Verdun. The hell
of this fortified position is of advan
tage TO the French.
on the centre the fortunes of wa
fluctuate. The positions now held b,
headway in Champagne and on tn
west slope the Argonne and hav
re-occupied Mesnil-lesHurlus an
Messigns, but elsewhere the situation
remains unchanged. One thing i
certain, neither front has been brok
en-. While the German right may b
bending back little, it is not We
outfianked.