The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-28
BOMBS, RATI0NS
Big Guns of Germans Seal
Fate of Verdun.
Fires Blaze Continuously
Throughout City.
BUT ENEMY CAN'T REACH IT
Fortress Impregnable; Resem-
bIes Giant Ant Hole.
Soldiers Loaf Underground
Safe From Shells.
But ENEMY CAN'T REACH IT
BY WILLIAM PHILLIP sI,rMs.


Headquarters of the French Army
baff1ed in their efforts to enter Yer
dun, the Germans are now seemingly
bent on destruction of the city.
Daily they hurl incendiary shells of
large caliber into the purely business
and residential districts.
In these sections 1 saw several large
fires raging simultaneously. (The
German official statement Saturday
reported Verdun in flames)
From a military viewpoint, Verdun
is unscathed. Otherwise the city seems
destined to become another Rheims,
Arras or Ypres, through the utter de-
struction of its beautiful cathedral,
bishops palace and other buildings of
note. About $50 big shells fall upon
Verdun daily.
Shells, Daily Rations.
Our party arrived in Verdun in the
morning at coffee time, when there
was a lull. We asked the general in
command if the bombardment would
occur.
Certainly" he replied with smile.
That's our daily rations."
AS he spoke the explosions recon-
menced from an elevation outside the
town. The scene was intensely grip
ping The great clouds of smoke,
pierced by red shafts of flame, arose
over the city. GINS hammered an &C
compartment.
To the northeast the crest of
Douaumont, scene of so much bloody
fighting, was shaking under the fire
of heavy French guns. The ridge re-
sembled Vesuvius belching black
smoke. We soon saw German shells
bursting in flashes of fire. Smoke
geysers shot up like imitation mush-
rooms.
Confident Fort VIII Hold.
Paris was confident about the sit
Nryn 10 II
we found the axiom that the closer one
gets to the front the greater the con-
fidence of the French soldiers, to be
quite true.
During the bombardment we en-
tered the underground city of Verdun,
dug beneath the citadel many months
ago in preparation for just such shell
fire. A group of soldiers off duty
were lying calmly on cots or sitting
on boxes of army beef, listening to a
'Lecyone'' and other classics.
| Elsewhere troopers were smoking,
writing, shaving or fiddling around in
small routine affairs as if monot-
| onous peace brooded over the world
and only petty events occurred to pass
| the time away Up above the guns
were spouting fire and dust.
Expect More Attacks.
| Further heavy attacks on the YER
dun front could not surprise French
| soldiers, but they believe they are
foredoomed to failure. Officers say
they would like nothing better than
a continuation of the attacks since
the enemy's losses have been higher
with each new onslaught.
Verdun seems inpregnable. Ger
tain1y it cannot be taken without
enormous losses to the attacking
| forces This whole sector is like a
giant ant hole. Men and transports
/ CT mis- in
methodical movements, unconfuSed,
unexcited and without undue haste.
Ammunition is stacked like cordwood.
at vantage points The number of
guns seems unlimited, likewise the
spare parts. Apparently there will be
no lack of ammunition in any con-
tingency The French soldiers are at
their best when they are the busiest.
Verdun's defense will mark an
| epoch in the history of the war.