Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-10-20
Not q Brick or Beam Len
In Former PopulouS
French Towns.
BIG BRITISH GUNS
LEAVE ONLY DEBRIS
Aodies Of British and Frsneh Soldisrs
Hidden From visw by Wrsekass Of
Buildings, Forests and Trsnehss -
Terrific Destruction Wrousht On
Battle Fields Of France Described in
Official Canadian Communication.

Ottawa, Ont, Oct. 20.-The terrific
destruction wrought on the battle
fields Of France is described in an Of
flcial communique from the Canadian
war records. which has been made
public by Lieut. Gen. Sir Sam Hughes,
minister OF militia. Incidentally It re-
iterates the claims OF the British lead.
ers in regard to the superiority OF the
allies in the air and In artillery. In
the latter respect the Canadian OFFICER
says the allies are firing i've shells to
the Germans one.
Describing the devastation caused by
the tremendous struggle the communi.
cation says:
Never has human agency controlled
such engines Of destruction: nor h4s
war so profoundly impressed itself up-
on the face OF nature. No plague
could be more ruthless, no natural
blight more devastating"
Peaceful Scenes Near Battle Limos.
After describing the peaceful scenes
in the rear Of the battle lines, the per-
fectly titled fields, the farms cultivated
to the last inch Of their available
space, and after paying . tribute to
the brave, silent industry of the
women. the old men and the children
OF France. the statement continues:
"The transition from this scene Of
beauty, peace and ancient prosperity
Is infinitely distressing. Fields are
given over to the trampling rows OF
tethered horses ana are dladxvrea ~
variety Of encampments From or.
dered white tents to huts Of rusted bis
cult tins and low. discolored shacks Of
nondescript material This area Of &C.
tivity gradually thins and abuts re-
gion Of mors sinister appearances. Here
trees have broken bodies and The
housn seem in pain for their roofs are
rent, their windows gone, their wallis
SCARED and pierced. But the full view
OF the land Of war is reached after
crossing the greasy slopes east Of Al
bert with their chalky scars cut by the
long lines Of trenches.
'"The view suddenly sweeps into the
valley. Before La Boisselle there wers
the original German and British lines
on July l. This was the outer wall,
the stoutly resisting shell Of the de-
tense thru which the indomitable Eng
lish had fought their way and 80 per-
mitted those who followed other Eng
lish. Canadian. South African and
Australian. to come and deal their
blows.
Upheaval Of Tortured Earth.
There Is more on the map than on
the ground here A splintered beam.
a cornerstone OF two, and cellars. 9th
erwise only the upheaval Of tortured
earth, mine craters, heaps Of rotting
white sand bags half ch oked trenches
and a dreary litter Of old wire, cans
and human rubbish remain.
"On the left Is the twin city OF des-
olation. Ovillers and between the two
the white road runs beyond and
mounts to the level Of Pozieres.
'Pozieres shared the fate Of La Bois-
selle. No hand could trace the OUT
lines Of a single house or garden plot.
There are no bricks or beams which
could be used In restoration. As vil-
lage. Pozieres has disappeared.
"Just beyond Pozieres and below the
summit runs a line OF trenches first oc-
cupied by the Canadians. This Il In
the midst Of the ground which has
suffered most. Here is the same scene
Of desolation. Ruin appears not only
in the devastated earth and crushed
houses. hu: also In the saiiar waste OF
human life That Is all ground sacred
to the memory OF our dead. Also In
the scarcely defined trenches Of tho
enemy the German corpses lie thickly."