The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-12
Germans Continue to Pound
Away on Deadman Hill.
French Motto, "EOld Verdun
Forts at Any Cost"
Ely WITHDRAWAL ORDER
Are Battling to Retain Rich
Iron Ore Region.
Without Supply Could Not Have
Maintained War.

Paris, May 1.-TWO heaVy German
attacks against the western slopes of
Dead Mans Hill last night were re-
pulsed by the French, said an official
statement from the war office today.
The German assaults, aimed at the
reca pture of positions taken by the
French on May 10, were repulsed by
French curtain fire.
Near the Avocourt wood and in
the region of Douaumonth and Vaux,
east of the Mouse, cannonading con-
tinued throughout the night but there
were no infantry attacks.
The war office early today gave out
a, brief statement denying the truth
of reports that the French, at one
stage of the Verdun battle, contem-
plated retiring from the forts north
east of Verdun and defending the cita-
del from the west bank of the Mouse.
/ The report said this move was con-
templated through fear that the Ger
mans would break the French front
| west of the Mouse and threaten the
| development of the forces on the east
| bank.
| No Such Order Given.
"At no time during the battle of
Verdun has the commander in chief
given orders for retirement of the
French forces on the right bank of
| the Meuse," it was stated. ION the
contrary, on February %, (two days
after the battle opened) General Ian
gle De Cary ordered the troops on the
| right bank that every point, every
small position. should be held at all
costs and that the only word would
be hold on
ION the evening of the gath, the
commander in chief issued instruc-
tons to hold the front between the
Mouse and the Woevre with every
means at your command
Must Hold Right Bank.
Eat the same time, he ordered Gen.
eral Castelnau to go to Verdun an6
the next day General Castlenau teIe.
phoned General Herr that the position
on the right bank must be held at al
costs. Finally, on the evening of the
18th, the commander in chief, il
sending General Petain to take com
mand, issued the following order:
L gave orders yesterday that the
fright bank of the river to Verdur
must be held. Every commander wht
issues an order to retire will be court
martialed'."
Expert Gives Reason.
Paris, May 12.-Senator Berenger
writing in today's Matin, says the Ike,
to the war lies in the possession of thu
Briey valley, between Verdun ant
Metz ,.-4
Since the war began" says Senate
Berenger, France, having lost tn,
Briey basin, has been obliged to i'm
} port almost all the iron required from
England and America, while German
, having occupied the whole Briey val
ley, is able to add 21,000,000 tons t.
her annual output. This explains tn
ass1du1ty of the Germans at Verdun
Ihey want to capture the fortress s,
as to effectually prevent the Frencl
from attacking Metz
War Depends on 1t.
I'm confidential memorandum ad
dressed to Chancellor Won Kuhmann
I II 0V Vxrvn
by the German Industrial Agriculture
association, on May 20, 1915, the fol
lowing passage occurs:
If the production of iron and stee
had not doubled since August, 1914
the continuation of the war wouI,
nave been impossible. The Briey re
gion now produces 60 to 80 per cen
. of our iron and steel and if that pro
, duction was hampered the war woul,
be practically lost