Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1914-10-20
THE GERMAN /
POSITIONS LIKE
f0RTRESSES
Infantry is Lodged in deliberately
Protected Shelter Pits Which
Are Shrapnel Proof.
ARE MANY FALSE ALARMS
Cheers of Soldiers at Fall of Ant
werp Cause French to Prepare
for Attack.
ARE MANY FALSE ALARMS

Berlin (via The Hague and Lon
dom, Oct. 19.-All signs indicate
that a tremendous change is i'm
pending in the protracted struggle
in northern France, where for weeks
the hostile armies have faced each
other in such strongly entrenched
positions that neither has been able
to advance, except at enormous cost.
The principal effect of the present
mutual flanking operations has been
to extend the battle lines without
either side finding weak spot.
The German army which besieged
Antwerp is now free and the invad-
ing forces have been strengthened
otherwise for an assault against
some point in the extended battle
front. Rigid secrecy is preserved as
to this offensive movement.
That the entrenched positions in
the centers have become full iedged
fortresses, is indicated by reports
from the front. The infantry is lodg-
ed in such deliberately protected
shelter pits that damage is done
only when a heavy shell strikes
squarely. Shrapnel or shell frag-
ments do not penetrate.
The soldiers have introduced mat
tresses, tables, photograph and 9TH
er comforts into these underground
rooms, in which they live in COM
parative comfort except when it is
necessary to man the trenches
against infantry attacks. Heavy ar
tillery is planted in masses near the
line. These guns include the TWEEN
ty-five which were captured from
the fortresses at Givet, France.
Demonstrations and false alarms
are frequent. The fall of Antwerp
caused a sudden outflare of activ-
ity, the cheers of the German troops
causing the French to believe that a
general attack was impending and
drawing a general fire from the
French forces. Near Rheims, the al
lies even launched a counter attack
to anticipate an expected German
charge.
German headquarters state that
the French report of repulse by
the French of a night attack near
Saint Die, in the department of Vo-
ges, on Oct. II, had no other foun-
dation than the German cheering, to
which the French answered with a
half hours heavy artillery and rifle
fire along the seventeen mile front.
The French still hold the eastern
frontier fortresses, although barrier |
forts have fallen. A letter from a |
German officer who was before Toul, |
describes the art with which the
French defend every yard before and
between the fortress. The French
infantry is sheltered in three-storied
trenches. The bomb proofs, even in
the infantry positions, are rooted
with concrete against which all ex-
cept the heaviest shells are ineffect-
I've.
The German officer in his letter
high praise of the avia-
.ors. Where the German earthworks
we're concealed from aerial recon-
Nuisance the French aviator was
followed by an artillery
attack upon the position.
"How tensely we watch our
hrapnel bursting around those aero
planes, and how seldom is one
brought down." says the writer.
"The German aviators are equally
Is good"
The Swiss newspapers report Sc
'ere fighting, and frequently artil-
cry duels in the vicinity of Belfort, {
france. The German papers are {
Without direct news regarding oper- ]
tions in this section.
Prince Joachim, youngest son of
Emperor William, has been promot- [
d to a captaincy and has been re- '
aimed as a staff officer in the Elev- I
nth army corps.
Mr.. and Mrs. Alfred Rasmussen, Z
Tho recently removed to this city y