The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-10
FRENCH SPIRIT
UNBR0KE EN- BY
IS DAY BATTLE
win or Die" the Resolve
in Terrific Struggle
Around Veldun.
MORAHT PAYS HIGH
TRIBUTE TO HIS FOES

sp.r,al fdbir Despatch TO TIN ScS.
ro>trS. March iO.-The Paris cor
,,,ponden, of the Daily Mail. telegraph
INC under Yesterdays date. says:
Every day it is more clearly cvidcn.
,,,, -hc crandsons before Verdun excel
rs Ear their grandfathers before Metz.
This tribute In paid by Major Moraht.
v-,.'nr in the RcrHner Td0cbiatt. 70 tho
,n'. nd d bravery Of the French infantry.
"Never has infantry been called upon
~ nerfo-n a harder task than that al
Voted 20 Gen. Petsin's soldiers in the
n,,, forth ght. The men have asked for
,o.p,re better than to get at close quar-
tors with tho enemy. but that. for poltti-
ri reasons, has been denied them. The
French staff realized from the beginning
ina, this vas a battle in which the only
ts,ns that told VAS sheer weight OF
re,l,. The army which could hurl TO-
non tons more OF lydditc and melinite
uouId defeat the opposing forces even II
tne, numbered 100000 more. victory.
I, was recognized. would not In the first
instance 10 won by the bayonet. but by
biz guns ana niEn tApiosiNes'
German Forces Larger.
since the beginning OF the operations
d.. French troops at every point have
hs,n fewer in numbers than tho enemy.
for IN Gen. Petain's view to crowd men
into exposed positions on a narrow bat
,e front devastated by the German artil-
ir-v would entail needless sacrince win
no CORES bonding result.
That Is why, while the German
bordes have been coming increasingly In
mass formation to be mangled and de-
.,-oved. tn. French have waited Tor
,h.m IN snow and rain and cold OIL the
ue,yotS of the Mcuse. biding their time
Ill they should receive the order to at
;ark.
"While they waited their trenches
ecre knocked 20 pieces. Frequently the
ollv shelter available was h countless
.,ell holes. which transformed the grass
.ave-.d slopes and mr. plantations into a
vldernsss OF ploughed earth and eplin-
ter timber.
when from time TO time the French
men received the eagerly awaited order
20 advance they did 50 with IA pent ui'
.iry which nothing could resist.
'Ov. such occasion came yesterday,
v1cn the French stan decided to reply
IN -. menace Of the German attack
through the Crows wood tthe Bois des
Co-heauN) 20 the Cumicres heights. The
enemy on Tuesday night held practically
II the Crows wood and their advanced
po.,s had crossed the road into the
cr1liere> wood, from which they were
attacking the southwestern slopes or
,;o'se hill cote de rOie).
Had they advanced another 200
,a-iS hey would hay" conn out on the
nliu roaj from cumicres to FORCES ana
'..'t have cut on the retreat of
trs7.h d~ctschn.nts on Goose hill. To
tr.,,nt this the French were ordered 10
-rzaee the enemy.
Shortly before midday the combat
b,-lr. The French advanced from the
hli and crossed the Bethincourt-Cu-
.. r.. road. climbed the opposite side
. Entered Crows wood on its south
a'st"~r fringe. At the same time AN
or strong attack was begun from
Ia 'rur,ttes. about a mile further down
~, sam" lodd, acainet III. German posi-
tons fg the cumieres wood.
u ''N they reached the edge OF the
goods -" French losses were slight
- German artillery gave them no
l4.,'. tIt most II IN" shells apparently
e. lt'ti, ,1mag". The French infantry
81, s.1"sI intelligent alacri;y in getting
''- mo open ground and taking posi-
'"rs pl tire 'lauk of. the hill. Tn" most
-...lf- lighting was in the Woe it.