Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-11

heard the .gunfire plainly at Havre.
| which is 120 miles away. Those inter-
ested have made inquiries which seem
to show that in this case, at least, the
/ sound bounded like a rubber ball.
There was the zone of hearing ''by first
| intent" and then a belt: of silence. and
then another zone in which the sound
| was heard, and then aother belt of 81
lece. and finally the sound died out
near Arras.
The vindication is bit late for the
IWaterloon pamphleteer.
1T is utterly impossible for the Ger
mans ever to break through in Bel
GUM said an observer who has Just
returned from that part of the front
| IF the Germans were ever able to
smash through the English and French
lines there. all the defenders would
have to do would be to fall back ten OF
a button. All Belgium is mined, 1t
seems to me. The greater par. of the
Belgian army has been withdrawn from
the front line and has been set to dig
| gfng mines. 1t seems to me that con-
cealed mines are everywhere"
repeated that conversation to a
friend who is an airman. He said that
the observations of the visitor were
quite accurate.
| Only" said he, I've flown over every
inch of that ground, think. and so far
! as l can see the Germans are doing
the same thing. How are the other fell
| lows ever going to break through in
| their turn? And what will happen
when they do?'
Dunkirk Is Deserted.
Three months ago l was in Dunkirk
1t was then a pleasant, rather empty
city Twenty-Five or thirty houses had
been destroyed have not the exact
number-by the great German howitzer
| which is concealed twenty-five miles
away and which at intervals drops
rev 1.600-pound shells into the place.
most OF the inhabitants have left. but
rev brave souls held on. This week
an acquaintance visited the town.
1T is deserted" said he. mo one is
tnere except the few who have a valid
reason for staying-such as serving the
sololers in some way-and the soldiers
themselves. 1t has been pretty well
banged to pieces. The cathedral has
Deen shot full of holes and hundreds of
houses have been destroyed. The de-
struction was not what appalled, me. 1t
vast Vas the utter loneliness Of the place.
people and busy port"
me Dig gun doesn't fire every day
sometimes weeks go by without a shot
ihen 1t viii pour dozen shots in an
hour and stop. The reason for this in
termittence is that the French and
English airmen are trying desperately
to locate it. that an attempt at silenc-
ing may be made. The shots must now
De hred almost surreptitiously, when
no prylng filters are in the sky
La Panne is the only happy town on
the Belgian front. That is because the
Queen of Belgium lives there.
NO German shell has ever dropped in
La PaHne. Its activities go on almost
in a normal way. with the addition of
those interests peculiar to war The
lights burn at night. La Panne's ladies
take tea cheerfully at o'clock. The
fearlessly in pretty costumes. just as
though it were not within hearing dis
lance of the German lines.
The other towns along the Belgian
kirk is being Systematically banged
to pieces. Pathetic little Bergues is a
mass of ruins. Elverdinge has been OBJ
liberated. 1t is no more. 1t is doubtful
If second story remains to any house
in town. OF the beautiful Hotel de
Vile only portion of the gateway re-
main, on which is chiseled the fact
that it was erected in the sixteenth
century. Poperinghe is gone. One
might go down the list of these frontier
Destroyed in 1915 by shell fire"
Only La Panne remains untouched and
unfrightened, although 1t is nearer the
German lines than any of the others
mentioned. The reason is that :he
Queen of Belgium lives there. She is a
Bavarian by birth.
A Picture of Modern War.
4 neutral observer recently visited
the part of the Belgian front held by
the French. He was permitted to talk
to the crew, of great gun that had
been humping away persistently all
morning.
What were you firing att" he asked.
1--WE don't know said the officers in
command I'VE get our orders by tele-
phone"
Did you hit anything"
1--WE don't know" said the officer.
when will you fire again.
I'VE don't know" was the reply. Per
haps in ten minutes, perhaps in two
weeks"
Have you been under fire.
I'VE don't know" said he. The Ger
mans fire often, of course. We don't
know that they have been firing at us
The officer asked for some novels. He
said he was bored.
An odd story comes from .unt-a-
Mousson At one point there the
trenches of the two sides closely APP
proach each other. One morning Ger
man called across the thirty feet that
separated him from the Frenchman:
Don't shoot. l want to throw you
note"
Then he rose above the rampant and