South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-08-11
LITTLE ATTENTION
PAID TO BATTLES
People Living in Cities Along
War Front Go About Bust
& ness as Usual.

PARIS. Aug. 11.-There are sew
eral towns in France where the in
habitants have grown so accustomed
10 being bombarded that they eat.
drink, sleep and go about their daily
tasks under a continual roar OF can
non and bursting shells There are
Rheims. POnt-a- Mousson, and Arras
: for example. whose populations have
had but few days respite for months
past. To take the latter town as a
very typical instance Of what the
French have 10 bear at the present
time, a correspondent Of the Journal
gives an account Of the sufferings Of
the people. which English readers
will peruse with establishment and
admiration: and from stories I have
personally heard. it is not in any whit
exaggerated.
The last time I passed Arras in
the train on the journey TO BOu-
logne," says the correspondent,
shells could be seen and heard
bursting close by, and though this
was some lime ago the German spite
against this unfortunate town does
not seem TO have abated a iOt. To
understand the whole atmosphere of
danger and sudden death that hangs
over Arras, it has 10 be realized that
the German lines are just half a mile
away. the distance from Charing
Cross to Waterloo bridge, or from
Fleet st. to Nelson's monument And
for eight months they have never
been further off, and have shown
fiendish delight in showering shells
OF every calibre upon the town, until
whole quarters have been reduced TO
piles Of ruins.
The massively built cathedral is
hardly recognizable, and the railway
station IS a pile Of nondescript ma
terials. There is scarcely a house in
tact in the place. Il was on oct. OF
last year that the Germans began
bonn bardment that continued Tor
three days, and was taker up again
towards the end of the month. After
that IL became intermittent and ian
ciful without any apparent cause or
motive. as Arras has no strategic I'M
portance and is not garrlsoned IN
force. Towards the end of April,
however. the tactics changed ana
every dav since then at least a nun
dred shells have been sent into Arras.
I.atterly the heaviest 'marmites, or
Jack JohnsOns' have begun 10 fall to-
gether with incendiary bombs.
"One would have thought that the
inhabitants would have long since
Quilted the inferno, and preferred 10
put more than half mile between
themselves and their relentless toes.
When the bombardment began there
were perhaps $4,000 Inhabitants ana
in the first fright at least half of these
fled AS time went on others thought
life was scarcely worth living
under the existing conditions. but
600 have stoutly stuck TO their ma
tive place. and refused TO quit what Is
left of. or represents, their homes. !
These are mostly small tradesmen
and the working classes, the majority
OF whom lead troglOdytic life in eel |
lars and underground shelters. hut
still at home They know we'll the |
habits and customs of the enemy, and /
when they are sure that the firing IS
going to cease for while, they ven |
tureout and do their shopping and
meeting with each other.
with that love of order that as /
tinguishes French official life, the |
presecturaI service has never stopped
working, and though the walls OF the |
prefecture have long since been
blown down. and little but the skele-
ton is left Of the town hail. the stan
continues TO carry on their duties as
calmly as If in time OF peace one OF |
the most curious and touching Tea |
lures OF the life OF Arras is the |
school where so little boys and girls !
regularly attend. and where one male
and three women teachers daily give |
their lessons in a spacious cave. Inc |
hours are not very regular. ana the
bonn bar,5 ment often makes some OF
the children late. both in coming and
going home IN the evening The mid |
dav meal is prepared and taken In
the underground school room, and |
though several Of the children have /
fallen victims 20 the shell fire this has
not deferred n single one from COZ
tinuing the lessons.
"Another strange and admirable /
V-,sfitution Is the Coffin league !
When the commandments began the |
victims we're so numerous that IL was
not possible to give each a separate |