The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-08
SEES LONG STRUGGLE
IN NORTHERN FRANCE
British Eyewitness" Says AL
lies Are Making "SlOw and
LabOriOus Progress"
SITUATION Is FAVORABLE
specio, cable Despotcs 10 THE srS.

Special Gable Despdfch 10 THE SrN.
LoNpoN. Jan Tn the course OF long
message under date OF January I, given
out by the official press bureau to-day. the
eyewitness" with the British troops at
the front says:
THE Lys is flooded for the greater part
or It's course. In some places both sides
have had to evacuate their trenches in
order to keep as dry as possible Many of
the men go barefoot down the long COM
nunIcation trenches and put on their boots
and socks only when In the better drained
fire trenches
Even when active operations are not
! In progress life on the fighting line il
not so monotonous as might be supposed
continual work Is required to keep the
trenches dry and to prevent the earth
from falling in. There also is the daily
and nightly work, more exciting than the
preceding. resulting from the continual
EFFORT OF each side to gain an advantage
by sniplng, sapping, the bomba rdment Of
trenches by mortars and hand grenades
the construction and repair of barbed
wire arrangements. digging trenches at
night within close range OF the enernv's
sentries and carrying messages nv dav
| over open ground swept by the enemy's
( FIRE.
| The new year has opened upon a more
! favorable situation for the Allies than any
they have known since the commencement
/ Of the campaign. SO far as the British
/ are concerned the small expedltIobar,,
/ force OF four divisions which took the aeid
! IN August has now been swelled to a great
/ army, steadily increasing in numbers,
| which has become Injured to war and ca
! look BACK upon record Of hard, hghtinr
Y HFifigh
1 tanned in the past.
! IF We retain the initiative IL will n,ear
! that the German soldier will graduaIi,
/ become increasingly conscious that h. mo-
longer Is marching on Calais and paris
ana ,hat instead OF pressing forward his
/ role is merely to maintain what no has
I won. And even this limited object Is not
| being attained.
Hitherto he has continually been told
/ thdt reenforccments are about tn ,rri,o
/ ana that an advance in force is imn,I-
1 hcat while reports OF startling Veto
/ res on laud and sea are disseminated
I broadcast But such fabrications can ma
l longer carry conviction when IN. troons
! reaIlIe that instead Of attacking they ar.
| stationary or even retiring and the NOR
aye oi the enemy must inevitably be
"rhe more thoroughly they are poy,
u'''.Ned as 10 the true position the
| r. -" 'c 'lc ulslIluslonment "
! they realize that ultimate victory ia M.
attainable; while upon such an army a.
mat OF the Germans. which has hen
I taught to eNast the cult Of the oft.rsiv,.
almost into a fetch, the mere copsc,o,s.
ness OF being reduced to acting On tba
defensive must have a most dlscourapins
! effect" "s''s
VI Speaking Of the cumulative effect OF ,b.
SINAI! successes OF the Allies. the "eve.
i witness says: '"' wye
/ III must not, however. bo though. fin,
this Is other than "A very SLOW M -, ,''',
Gus progress or that the result IL Ui,bi,
immediate reach. Vet every capturc Ly
! IN" Allies of trench represents tho Ins,
TO ne Germans Of ground for which tboy
nav expended much blood and treasure
ana ~ step forward In the process n,
attrition which eventually win br,re ~ VI
war TO an end" Inns '"'