The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-27
PARIS IS CALM

Paris, February 26.-Paris is extra ordinarily calm in the presence of the great battle now in progress around Verdun. There are no indications of tension or nervousness. but only sober confidence in the result prevails.
 The desire among those who know the defensive strength of the lines seems to be that the attacks should | continue, for, they argue, the losses on the German side would be in pro- portion to the efforts.
 There were few persons around the newspaper bulletin boards today and 1 no crowds at the ministry of war or other public offices.
 1 The whole front from the North sea to Switzerland is on the alert and all leave of absence has been recalled. | The French maximum effort has not yet been made. The total French losses in killed, wounded and prisoners since the Verdun battle began, it was au- thoritatlvely stated this evening, have been less than the German official com munication claims in prisoners
 TIMES SUMMARY
 The Temps military review. which is usually written by General Lacroix, sums up the situation thus 1 "The battle being fought is extreme | ly serious Even should the heights of l Poiyre and the Vauche wood be taken 1 haps, stronger, on the F'roideterre-D -Dou- aumont line. from which begin the 1 defenses, properly speaking, of the | fortress, covered with the forces and batteries. This Is not siege by the l Germans; it is a battle against one of our armies in the garrison at Yer ! dun, and it's forts do not figure in these combats as a support. The big guns of the enemy might destroy the fort 1 of Douaumont without destroying any 1 thing more than an inert block or ce- ment.
 l ''rThe snow has not caused any diminu- | tion of the attacks, because they cannot be suspended. They must be continued i to the end. The troops engaged would be unable to remain idle long in the l territory captured while awaiting better weather conditions. A thaw would rem der the situation worse, and 1t must all ready be painful"
 the attacks continuing for two weeks and adds:
 Let us continue to have complete and unshakable confidence in the final issue"
 IN GOOD HANDS
 The defense of verdun is believed to be under the direction of General -, who is commanding the group of armies 1 of the east, seconded by General one of the youngest and most active 1 French generals, who took an important part in the battles of Lorraine before and during the battle or the Marne.
 Another of the commanding officers before Verdun is General -. who. dur ing the battle of the Marne, was in charge of the artillery of the Sixth corps, while the army of the German crown prince was making the first attack upon the fortress. On this occasion a rumor was circulated in Berlin that Verdun had been taken. The general placed three groups of three-inch guns in the Boze woods and permitted the German troops, who were overwhelming the French infantry, to advance until they reached an average distance of seven eighths of a mile. Then the three groups l of field guns opened fire and checked the advance. The losses of the crown princes army on that day were estimated at 5000.
 The names of the three French gen. erals referred to were stricken out by 1 the French censor