Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1916-02-24
Germans Gain Two Miles in Bitter Fighting to Reach
 Verdun.
BELIEVED TO BE
 KAISER'S WATERLOO
Military Experts of French Confident Grown Princes Army of 2S0,O0O Will Be Hurled Back, and Oifen-
 siye of Germans Ended Forever.

London, Feb. 23S>Led by the crown prince, 2S0000 Germans are attack ing the French on front of 20 miles. in a colossal smash for the great fortress of Verdun.
 They have broken through the French lines on a front of ten miles 10 depth of two miles and are within eight miles of the fortress.
 The village of Haumont is in Ger man hands. The Nrench are inflict- ing bloody lcsses on tho attacking troops.
 The battle is developing into the greatest of the war. French an1 English view it as last tremendou, effort of the Germans which, if it fails, will condemn then, to shack eled defensive Of every front.
 The most terrific artillery duel in history is proceeding on the 25 mile stretch between Malincourt to tn" region in frcnt of the Etain. The great German guns atpN0eeping up an uninterrupted bombardment, with shells of great caliber. The French in reply are unchaining hurricanes oe lead and iron. The losses on both side; arc counted in the tens of thou sands, according to. all accounts. The Gel mans have captured 1000 Ffench- men and great .sores of booty in the area where they cut through the l French lines.
 | German Losses "Appalling." l Paris correspondents describe the 1 Gernan losses as appalling. The a.- lacks are being made by picked t.oops. veterans of Russia and the Balkans, men who took part in tse first great smash at Paris which carried to the Mons. s, ..
 "In the region north of Verdun, ' says a French official statement, "the German attack has developed into 9 l very important action, prepared with powerful forces" ss
 The drive on verdun is the main ac- tion in a .four-pronged offensive movement cn the west front. FFarther east, in the Ai!ls of uppe;' Alsace, a determined offensive i against the fortress of Belfort is under way. The German report t. day announces the capture. east of l Heidweiler, of a French position on front of more than 400 yarda, to a depth of 25O yards. ,. .@aN.9,
 The other drives in Artios and against the British'' in the Yprss regicn are believed to have their. oh- ject in preventing the allies from transferring troops to the imperiled front before Verdun and from re-en- 1 forcing Belfort.
 The present German offensive has been in progress for about three weeks. The first attack was launched in the Artios region and was fol- lowed by attacks south of Somme. in Champagne and in the Yser region. Tn all their attacks, the Germans have made gains, most of which they still hold.
 Dispatches reaching Paris tonight state that the attacks on the Verdun front were Launched after a terrific artillery bombardment lasting 4S hours, that leveled the French de- fense.
 T Germans Fall Like Files,
 The first move was made by a a picked division of 10000 men. On these the French unleashed hurrl- cane of shrapnel and high explosive shells. The Germans fell like flies Reaching the French position, they could find no cover in the wrecked trenches. The carnage was sicken. ing.
 A Paris correspondent writes that military critics are unanimous in oe, claring that the Germans are effec- lively checked, anlb that 1t is con. sidered that this is the last offensive the kaiser win undestake in the western theatre, and if he fails. te attain either Verdun or Calais in the next few days. he will be definitely forced to defensive on every front "The war will then be question of wearing down the, central em. pires," says the authority.
 The military critia of the Parfs Temps writes: sa
 "The German attacks around Yer, dun have thus lar only encountered Cur advance line and are only tensA' l tive. They have occurred at leas' five kilometres from the defenses o1 verdun. which is a big morsel t swallow, protected as it Is by our acl tive army in this region. under ! chic: of great energy. General Hum bert. We are convinced that the Germans are cnly feeling out oul lines and the resistance they aTe i, going to meet will defer them iron } -. ... ..----ss 'sss7