The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-14
LULL AT VERDUN
WHILE GERMANS
AWAIT RESER les
Men. Guns and Ammunition
Are Needed Before Attack
Can BE- Renewed.
FRENCH TO STRIKE At
OPPORTUNE MOMENT

''' W. ~ ~ " wv
PARIS. April 13.-Thefe mas been a
mll IN infantry lighting in the verdun
'Ag.on for the last twenty-four hours. al
'Aoush the German artillery is still ac-
We against Hill 3o4 and lie Nor,
lIo'nme. on the west bank OF the Mouse.
These are heights which the German
rmmand. as lis decisions a.e shown by
.cCeui operutions. considers necessary Ia
further operations oS this side of the
river.
Last night the Germans made prep
artiIons for a. attack gains Hill 30t.
onc"ntrating troops in the Bois de Ma
ltlc"urj. The French batteries in n
eshhoiing sector concentrated their fire
go the assembling columns and q cur
AIN Of fire was thrown IN front OF the
French lines. These precautions resulted
y the Germans making no move from
'tcr trenches.
The meaning Of the present lull is
"ecc>sarils a matter Of conjecture. one
explanation offered by military critics is
lat the Germans need time 10 bring
tp new reserves of men. guns and AM
hinttion to continue the attack. An
"tler is that the lull is the natural Sc
- NV ~ VI Nv ktittIal ~ .
-tult begun by the Germans last Sun
IUty.
Granting that gains were made In the
scctor of lie Mort Homme, French mill
AIRY writer's do not believe they were
nroportionate TO the losses incurred.
The official %communique issued by the,
French War Office tonight follows:
Between the Disc and the Aisne
there was activity on the part Of
our artillery on enemy organizations
a. Moulin-sous-Toutvent and Mamp-
cel.
West Of tho Mouse the bombardment
continues against Hill 30i and our
/" Mort HomuIe-Cumieres front
East If 'hc Meuec and in the
Wre,rc there was moderate artillery
'%ctiNitN. but no infantry action in
the course of the DAY.
one Of our lang range guns fired
o. I'll" railway station at ~Noveant-sur-
Moscllr. aud on the bridge at Corny.
Ere broke out in the station build
Ing
The day was calm on the rest OF the
frou'.
The afternoon communiouc was as
',iluws
The night passed quietly in all the
Ae Wv
which was being prepared yesterday
evening against our positions at Hin
3"' did not progress to the point Of
leaNIue IA" trenches. The curtains Of
iro WtIrta,ued by our artillery and
tn homulrdment from our batteries
b. a uo ghboring sector directed
AGAINST 'n. columns of thS enemy as
s%'iuil'd do TIE Boise lie Malancourt
apparently pat an end to this ma
EuuNrc.
There has been no other event u
Importance on the rest Of the front.
Il u REGARDED ~ Improbable that ,;en.
l'e'a'u viii maxi any material change
hs methods. ~. is said to ne quite
-.tsted. 81 long as the Germans con-
u" 10 lose three men I'm causing the
}."u,h to lose one for unimportant re-
It's.
The French reserves. ii IL said here.
"' ample 10 press a COUNTER attack on
TAI gr' scale when Zen. Pctaiu ron.
Ul'i> The lime ripe for such AN opera
on. 80 FAR as ammunition is con-
erH'i, ne French supply II described
rs iucNatuStIhl".
TIL" main German plan behind the At
'ack Oh u" lie Mort Homme-Cumieres
'"ct"r. which had the obvious intention
~ getting 10 the south OF lie Mort
il'muc. n order 20 surround the hill. IL
believed % have collapsed after two days
" f-h'Iug. Furthermore. II il pointed
ont here. the morale of the French de-
''nl"'- ~ N.rdun IL being constantly
Increased hN the success OF Gen. Petain
rcpui+,ns Gcrman attacks with n mini
mum Nt-tdgc for the French. as con-
ras'"l With the heavy losses OF the
lierwars
IT," French War Office denied to-day
d, Statement made by the German War
'''i'" NAT 3i,N1i prisoners have been
'tfen hH me Germans at Ncrdun. Less
an lI."no prisoners. including wounded,
~" been taken, the French Wal Office
-dys