The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1915-09-03
World Surprised by the Remark
able Defense Of the Republic.
Capturing the Labyrinth-Ljfe
OF French Soldier at the Front
Is Full Of Comradeship-Scoff
at Talk of Heroism.
ME astounding work Of the
French troops in the great Eu-
ropean war has made the

French troops in the great Eu-
ropean war has made the
world sit up and take notice.
1t has been the remarkable defense Of
the republic which has kept the Ger
mans back. In every arm Of defense
France has shown wonderful inge-
nuity.
When the full history of the wal in
the north Of France comes to be writ
ten an entire chapter may we'll be CIV
en- to the Homeric struggle which gave
the French possession of the tract Of
land north of Arras known as the
labyrinth" This combination Of forts
and trenches had been prepared by the
Germans during eve months after
the retreat from the Marine, and when
the French reached the outskirts Of
souchez, to the north, and the railroad
embankment almost to Givenchy from
Arras, the "labyrinth'' became a sa-
llent of the first Importance, the worst
thorn In the side Of the French in the
advance on Lens.
Labyrinth Had 70 Be Taken.
The sector north Of Arras'' has been
Tor the last month the opening para
graph In almost every communique is
sued BY the French war office. It Is
here that the French and British forces
Join, and the general objective is Lille.
toward which the French are moving
IN an easterly drive, the British ad-
Vanc1ng south and east.
The "~labyrinth" had to be taken at
any cost. Before victory crowned the
arms of France her soldiers had fought
Tor eighteen days without a moments
respite day or night, hammered by un-
ceasing shell fire, in many places en-
gaging In ferocious hand to hand con.
nlcts In underground tunnels and con-
crete trenches.
The losses On both sides were enor-
nous. The French lost 1000 men. OF
the picked German troops ordered to
Mold the position to the death one reg
iment was annihilated. I'VE took 1000
prisoners. All the rest were killed." is
the lacon1c manner in which this is
told by the French official observer.
Ingenious Defenses.
The ground where this most terrible
OF all the infantry engagements in the
western theater Of war was fought is
situated just north Of Ecurie and south
Of Melville Saint Vast. 1t is about
two square miles in extent. The Ger
mans had toiled with infinite pains for
MONTHS adding trench to trench and
digging deep into the earth to provide
bombproof shelters for the defenders.
In 1ntricacy Of plan and In detail
of arrangement the "labyrinth," which
name was given to the position by the
French "poilus," has been compared to
the historic Hampton Court maze.
Hinged by an outer circle Of loop
holed parapets and barbed wire entan-
clements, the whole arena was stud
ded with entrenched strongholds, each
village and farmhouse within the cir
Gle being Independently fortified and
connected by zigzags and trenches
lined with concrete and made extra
deep as shelter from shell fire. Under
ground galleries and tunnels a cross
wise everywhere, bristling with can
non, trench mortars and machine guns.
Pitfalls, barricades, blind alleys, death
traps Of every kind, barred the way
against the French assailants.
The actual storming Of the "laby-
rfnth" was begun by the French on
May 80. For days before this, how
ever, there was rained on the French
positions a little to the north of Arras
such an awful fire Of shell as had new
or before, perhaps, been directed
against an army.
Terrific Struggle.
Everywhere, except on the right"
rays the report of the observer, made !