Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-12

"Bally awful. We tried three times yester-
day to- get through. Couldn't make It, Now
they're trying 1t on. We've stopped two
rushes today in our trench. Wen keep on
stopping them. But, damn II, we're not get
ting anywhere"
What do you make of It, sir2"
TITS fizzle, a bally hzzle. We're licked
but we're not beaten"
turned him over to r. A. NJ. c. orderly
by the door OF one of the hospital tents, and
came on down to this little orchard. And as
think 1t over that Anglo Saxon officers
grim little admission, We're licked but
we're not beaten" seems to sound the key
note of the general spirit have noticed in
all the branches OF the service during the
past week.
"First Two Years the Worst"
The thousands of wounded pouring into
the base hospitals every day all seem to re-
fleet this feeling of bitter disappointment,
crushing realization-and doubly grim de-
termination.
Everywhere and with every one there has
been but one topic of conversatlon-the col
lapse of the British dream OF immensely sue
oessful operations in the spring and a speedy
termination Of the war A hundred theories
are advanced. Arguments wax hot and cold
But always the disputants come back to a
mutual admission that whatever the causes
tho new British army has been cut to rib
bons wherever 1t has attempted the offensive
and that the foemen are the most marvellous
fighters, individually and collectively the
British have ever been called upon to face.
But the old British spirit has not been
killed There is no perceptible feeling of fear
as to the hnal outcome. Nowhere can one
hear a single voice raised to suggest any
other possible finish to all this horror than
complete and glorious victory for England
and her allies. They put 1t into sort of
gloomy joke as is Tommy's habit. He meets
you' asks you how you're getting on what
you would give to be home again, and winds
up with the cheering comment "Weu. the
first two years win be the worst"
And that, too. holds something of the
psychology of the British army in northern
France today. The first two years will ba
the worst meaning, obviously that, II it
takes dozen years, they are going To stick
to IT, and stick to It, until they win.
But there is no discountlng the atmosphera
OF gloom that hangs over the entire expedi
tionary force Just now. The shifting fortunes
at that terrible little mound known as HIN 40
the horrible effect Of the new German pas
shells. the loss OF the ground gained south
east of Ypres at terrific cost, and the appar-
emily undiminished vigor with which tbs
enemy presses home his ter-cbargss
nave all made their deep bitter impression.
Somebody's Blunder
And through It all comes the undsrcur-
rents OF gossip and rumor and suspicion that
Indicate things are not quite what thew
should be at general headquarters. that soma
where, somehow. some one has blunderad
Where are the big guns to match the German
hoWitzers? All winter we have heard about
these new huge guns that were to tear tba.
German trenches to pieces and open the road |
10 Berlin Where, too. are the hish-poVar
explosive shells so necessary at this stage Of |
the game before any general advance can he
made? '''A DO
wounded artilleryman told me yestsrdsy,
that before the British charges the only sbsus
ms battery had TO fire to prepare the way 10
the German lines were shrapnel
Wot oleedin' good Is shrapnel" ba cam
pialned' wen them blokes is hidin' An tbar,
aug-ootsf You might as well sprinkle 'em
with a garden 'ose"
This same R. H. A chap told me what
hau heara from other and less authoritat,vs
iess, aha haa hardly credited It was that
.t'ells7 OF fFeneh artillery had been pressaa
,-'S ,. We around fpres to aid in beating
80 - .he German attacks on the British line
= naaht been for them French seventy
ssia the artilleryman, "gaWd knows
wot would ave appened. I 80, 80. -.
GU wofRln on the hill next 10 a.
ana We card there was more than ten roo..
y sAat section From Wot our on-
--ts sa'a 4 vas the French guns mat savsd