The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-07-08
A DRAW So FAR;
TELLSOF CONFLICT:
Thousand French Guns Rain
Shells on Villages Back
of German Lines.

the heights which the spendthrift
French artillery is now blowing up.
Splashes of dirt and smoke clouds
where the shells strike follow In such
quick succession that they produce the
effect of "A long drawn gray-brown mist
over the German lines or a dingy cur
tain that lifts occasionally.
"Those very white smoke puffs are
%shrapnel; the almost black clouds show
where the biggest shells are raining,
the general explains. adding with a
grim note of pride: Only the strongest
nerves can hold out under that fire,
but the French will never break
through there
Behind them, hidden from my view,
lies Melville. That narrow strip from
Neuville to Souchez Is a reeking grave
yard with hardly a grave, for the liv-
ing have been too busy killing to bury
the dead. At least 10000 French dead
lie out there. the general estimates,
and adds that the air is so pestilential
that latterly, he believes a gentlemen's
agreement between the foes has come
into force to allow the burial of the
dead unmolested at night, but only
those In immediate proximity to the
rival lines.
Heavy Losses on Both Sides.
There is reason to believe that the
tr.,1.h Ioxya lD.YxEt shnt. rains 1Aar
ly, the general says. He estimates
their losses between 10000 and 10000
opposite his division, where they made
their most desperate attempt to break
through.
''The German losses also were heavy.
The general made no attempt to con-
ceal or minimize them. lie told me
how many thousands his buffer divi-
sion had lost in five weeks, but asked
me to respect his confidence and not
mention the figures, which, however
were very much lower than those al
which he estimated the French cas-
ualties.
From my lofty observation post II
Is easy for even a civilian to GRASP
the preponderating part that ammuni
ton plays and to understand why the
French selected this particular point
for their attempt TO break through the
German lines and why the German:
are grimly ~endeavoring to stop them
at all costs. The next defensive line
is a long way to the rear. Ii the
French gain all the hills their artillery
can sweep the plains ahead. Such q
success would mean. probably, the loss
OF Lille, but possibly the rolling up OF
the whole German line. Hence the Il
tanic struggle.
"But the French artillery is not hav
sale law modernized-an eye for al
eve. n shell for n shell. Wherever
look In this sector of hell | see lashef
of flame from the mouths of German
, guns. A never ending procession o
, German shells walls and shrieks over
head on their way toward the Frencl
/, lines, and | can see them strike hom
! on the Iorette heights and near Sou
chez.
= 'sThe French have a line on one Gel
man mortar battery, but their shell
? are dropping just behind 1t. The Gel
man artillerists go right on serving an
, firing with the mechanical regulartt
OF trained factory hands. Another Gel
man battery Is planted among tn
! gravestones of a small village cemeter
at the right.
The French shells are beginning
come most uncomfortably our wa,
The general begins to look a bit am
ious. He Is responsible for not onl
the life OF a correspondent, but ais
that OF a Bavarian prince. He sayi
Perhaps we'd better go II you've ha
enough
II linger only long enough to j
I, down a summary of my final impre'
sions that the Germans are not wo
: ried by the military situation herr
: that they are more confident OF VII
. tory than / have ever seen them; ths
u Joffre's offensive appears to be dyin
of exhaustion; that the Germans hay
the necessary men, guns. ammunitio
and morale to smash a possible futul
grander style of offensive here an
that the battle for Lille looks like
t draw, with glory enough for all, but
moral defeat for the French"