Omaha daily bee., 1914-09-22
BATTLE OF AISNE
AN ARTILLERY DUEL
Great Struggle Beginning Week
Ago Saturday Has Developed
Into Siege Operations,
TEUToN ARMY IS REINFORCED
Military Men Believe Nothing But
OutfIanISing Movement Can
Have Any Effect on Either
Of Forces.

LONDON. Sept. 21.-The unparalleled
struggle on the river Aisne. which COM
menced about a week ago Saturday, has
developed into siege operations. Tho two
armies, strongly entrcnched, are carrying
on an artillery duel while the infantry
make attacks and counter attacks, which
are in the nature of sorties. from n be-
sieged fortress.
Occasionally one or she other gains
little ground. but it is so little that the
opposing forces remain in their trenches
or take up positions in new entrench-
ments Immediately behind those from
which they are driven.
Germans Reinforced.
II is now becoming the conviction of
, military men that nothing but outflank-
ing movements Can have any serious ef-
feet on either army. The Germans, ac-
cording to their own official report, have
| been strongly reinforced, both on their
right, where General Won Kluck is max
ing such a stubborn stand In almost I'M
pregnable positions on the hills north OF
| Aisne, and In the center where the Ger
mans are making almost superhuman et-
| forts to recapture Rheims.
II is probably the desire to recspture
this town at all costs, because of its i'm
portance as the key to important COM
munications that will improve all their
connections for attack or retreat, that has
| led the Germans to continue the lombard
ment which has resulted in the destruc-
ton of the famous cathedral.
BOmbardment severe.
This bombardment has been of the most
| l., a.. haf HiFaHfRn
| Brimont, which the French recaptured
! but lost again, and from other hills
around the town. and is of deadly char
! acter The French have brought up addi-
/ tional heavy artillery in an attempt to
drive the Germans out of these hills for
until this is done the situation In the
| town must be difficult.
! On the allies left the French report
claims another advance on the right bank
! of the river Disc as far as the heights
| OF I.assigny, west of Noyon, which has
been the center of heavy fighting for
week past.
Fighting North of AisRe.
Severe fighting also continues north of
| the Aisne and In the Craonne district
where the Germans, the French official
| communication says, have been repulsed
ct all points with considerable losses.
| This is an extremely difficult country
/ over which to make an advance.
! The plateau of iCraonne is of limestone,
with the sides almost as perpendicular as
/ W walls, the valleys in wet weather be-
coming quagmires. II was on this pla=
/ teau just a century ago that Bluecher
failed to check Napoleon.
Now Hold the Heights.
| The allies apparently have scaled the
walls of the plateau and now hold the
| heights, but ahead of them they found
! Won Kluck in great strength and are now
awaiting the outcome OF the attempt TO
turn his flank, which would clear the road
for them. The French army which is
trying to work around the German right,
is pushing its way slowly along. Start
! ing from Compeiegne, 1t reached Noyon,
and today is on the heights of Lassigny.
/ It's next objective point is Tergrier
nineteen miles from Lson, an important
railway junction, which the Germans are
using for provisioning their forces.
neither Front PrOken.
| The French have made some headway
in Champagne and on the western slope
| of the Argonne and have reoccupied Mes
nil Les Hurlus and Messages. but else
| where the situation remains as il was,
1t is certain, neither front has been
broken, all attempts TO do this having
been repulsed, and while the German
right may be bending back little, it is
not yet outflanked.
All this fighting has been carried on in
most execrablo weather, a continuous
downpour, which often accompanied bat
ties, filling the trenches with water and
putting a brake on the movements Of
men and horses