Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-09-15
) THREE MONTHS OF
POSITION WAR BETWEEN
ALLIES AND TURKS.

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| Correspondence Of Associated Press
| Constantinople. Aug. EXACTLY three
months have passed since the posi-
J ton war between tho allies and the
ton" war between the allies and the
Turks. at Ari Burnu and Seddul- Bahr
started. On May 4, tho Turkish troops
| had dug and occupied the trenches IN
which. with few exceptions, they are
still found today.
| Offensives by the allies. and coun-
ter offensives by the Turks, have led
| to but slight changes in the terrains
occupied Immediately after the landing
of the allied troops during the last
week Of April. At Ari Burnu very little
terrain has been lost by either side.
| While temporary changes have been
somewhat greater and more FREQUENT
at Seddul- Bahr. both. Turks and allies.
have strained constantly every re-
source to regain what had been lost
In most cases the allies have reoccu-
pied lost trenches by virtue OF over
whelm:ng commandments. while the
Turks have retaken their last trenches
at the point Of the bayonet. as q rule.
Latterly, too, the sapper's mine has
ShN>S
when a trench Of the opponent had to
be taken, or when q trench had to be
/ reoccupied.
| During the last three weeks posi-
ton" fighting on the Gallipoli PENN
! sula has diminished to what may be
| termed its minimum. The Turks have
not pressed the allies, because, for the
/. time being, little was to be gained by
! driving the French and English forces
from the penir sula. 1t has been argued
| here, that SO long as the allies are at
Ari Burnu and Seddul-Bahr. other
! landing operations elsewhere are un-
+! likely The allies landed on the
| peninsula under the cover of a naval
artillery fire the violence of which has
not yet been forgotten by the Turks.
To have the same experience on some
| other part OF the European, or Asiatic.
coast. does not appeal to the Turks.
Meanwhile the naval and land artil-
lery of the allies is no longer as ac-
tive as IT has been in the past. The
action radius OF both arms has been
greatly limited by the nearness to one
another of the opposing trenches. Sew
eral weeks ago, the Turks and allies
| tried to make bombardment Of the
other sides trenches easy and safe by
white signs The first step in this di-
rection was taken by the Turks. But
the allies soon discovered what had
been done. ard placed similar signs
along their trenches. Then the British
and French trenches were marked with
a light-yellow sign for the guidance Of
the allied naval and land artillery. The
Turks learned OF this and placed SINH
lar signs along their own trenches.
Several bombardments attempted after
tina, led to Smelling ones own positions.
Since then tie trench has become the
safest place against artillery FIRE near
the front.
That the artillery markers. the signs
spoken Of are OF no value when ex-
posed by both sides. IL due 70 the fact
that the lines Of trenches run In and
out of ons another. and that. usually.
either side must so label several
trenches running parallel TO the ad-
vance position which established the
boundary Of the terrain that may be
sheiled without placing friendly troops
in jeopardy. This condition is large
| ly responsible for the long spell OF In
activity which the allied fleet has had.
tho the presence OF the German sub
marines has also had deterrent effect
Everything considered. 1t may be said
that under present conditions, the
Turkish artillery on. the peninsula can
DO as mucn work as the numerically
greatly superior allied artillery
On The British and French troops
this has had 70 good influence As ali
iufantryman. the Turk is fully the
. equal. If not the superior. Of the
Frenchman and Britisher. In addition.
the Anatolian peasant, who forms fully
SIS per cent OF the Turkish forces on
the peninsula, has the advantage OF
being used Ia the climate, which dur
| ing the summer has made itself felt in
| a surfeit OF sitting heat. Together
with the enforced idleness OF the allied
ship batteries, these circumstances
| seem to have caused q feeling in the
| British and French trenches which
does not aEsur well for a speedy ad-
Ivance on Ccnstantinople.
| There is no longer any doubt that
! the allies believed firmly that the
Turkish artillery would soon be with
/ out ammunition. Prisoners OF war.
and the letters and diaries found in
| the allied trenches, have again and
again reiterated this. But this state
Of affairs has never set in. During the
last two weeks, the Turkish batteries,
lat Ari Burnu, Seddul-Bahr and on the
Anatolian shore of the Dardanelles,
have been very active, and have shown
| that there is no lack Of ammunition to
be hoped for. owing to the resourceful-
lness Of the men forming the Ottoman
general staff. Employees Of the Krupp
establishment are making artillery am
munition o. I'll sortssi in and near this
city. The Turks have the situation so
ho< al
the largest calibere are being turned
ont under the management OF German
| ordnance officers brought here for the
purpose. Even an infantry rifle fac
tory is now in operation.
A London girl has freed a bootblack
for the fighting line By taking up his