The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-01-21
RANCE

PAHlS, Jan. 21.-The new German
assault on SCISSORS has begun. Ger
man gunners have resumed sheiling
the city; many buildings are reported
to be in flames and fresh infantry reg
ments arc taking positions for a gen
erai assault on tho French position
north Of the AIsne.
Relnforcements are being rushed to
the allied trenches both at st. Paul,
north Of the AIsne, and on the south-
ern bank. While showing no alarm,
officials are fully prepared for an at
tempt by the Germans to force pass
age Of the Aisne. The most desper
ate fighting Of the past few weeks on
French soil Il anticipated.
Military experts here express diver
gent cpInons az to the real object Of
the German efforts at Soissons While
the kaiser's armies, II they succeeded
in occupying Soissons, are expected to
follow Up the advantage with fresh
march on Paris, II 10 believed by many
military men that this 10 not the pri-
mary purpose Of the present forward
movement. These experts hold the
effort to pierce the allied lines at Soils
sons was planned to lit the pressure
on the German limos at the extreme
eastern end Of the battle, line. II Sois-
sons should fall and Paris be threat
ened by new frontal attack, the
French offensive In lowNr Alsace and
in the LePreter woods would Of neces-
sity be abandoned.
This same object, the Germans hope
to accomplish, it is believed by fierce
attacks In the region west Of Verdun
The German offensive in this region,
reported In both the Paris and Berlin
official statements yesterday, is be-
Iieved to have opened general drive
upon the French lines in the Argonne.
Hand to hand fighting for posses
sion Of trenches In the forest of Le-
Prefer continued today, with the Ger
mans endeavorlng TO resume the ofen-
sive.
Protecting verdun.
[By VIM. Philip simms, United Press
STAFF Correspondent
PARIS. Jan. 7.-tBy mail to New
York. ii have just returned from
Verdun, the most closely watched
fortress-city in all France.
Correspondents were told, almost
WITHOUT exception, that trip to the.
besieged city was out OF the question.
A newspaper man might reach Yer
dun, they were told, but he would
find himself bottled up until the end
of the war. Yet my credentials car
ried me into the city itself and out
again and on tour Of the entrench-
ments beyond which the army of the
German crown prince steadily con-
tinues its attack.
Verdun has never been cut off from
the rest OF .France-or at least 1t
wasn't UP to this date. The German
lines, ranged in a sort OF loop about
the city, with ST Mihtel their most
western point, had not been pusha'
forward to complete the circle. The
French were attempting to drive a |,
wedge into the German lines south
east of verdun in an effort to force
retirement from st. Mihiel
The city itself Is amazingly guard
ed. Every path and byway leading
into the town is patrolled by ring
after ring Of pickets. A commissioned
officer accompanied me through this
GORDON and to every section OF the
Telegraph, telephone
and railway lines were keeping the
offenders In close touch with Paris.
Supplies and mails were arriving reg
llarly. There seems to have been
some mystery why the crown princes
army has not shelled Verdun. After
, round OF the French entrenchments
he reason is plain. The Germans
ira not close enough for effective
work. They were closer on se2tep'
Ter than at any time. Even then
hey succeeded in landing shells only
N the outermsot ring OF fortifca-
ions.
The French learned lesson In the
all of Liege and Namur. When the
,rown princes army formed for the
.ttack on verdun. the French forces
lidn't settle back behind the forts
md wait until the German mortars
,attered the walls in upon them. In
tead thew set up field works miles
rom the outskirts, works of such a.
ormidable character that the army of
he crown prince had not succeeded
penetrating even the most ad-
anced OF these fortifcations when
eft verdun. The only shells that
ave fallen upon the CITY were drop
ed bv aviators. They did some dam