Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-08-20

enemy side, and the valley of the Aisne
on our side, could have been haught else
but flaming hell of exploding she'll
From the enemy line they fell every
where. far behind our own front lines This
morning in a field hospital saw not ONLY
wounded combatants from California and
Classmates, but poilus who had received
shell fragments six kilometers back of the
line or contact, their injuries resulting from
high-power far-reaching Boche explosives
Our fire was more intense, greater in vol
ume, more rapid and more accurate than
,he German, so what must have happened
oehind their lines, even as far as Aubigny,
must have been powerfully destructive to
enemy life. AS for what happened in sight
OF the light itself, an officer of the general
staf tells me that he saw three companies
OF Boche leave their "abri" for attack and
the whole outfit blown simultaneously up
by the almost identical explosion among
them or two French 450-shells.
Veteran shock troops were used eyerv
where in the fight by the enemy In the
three points where they reached their OBJ
Sectlve their triumph was short-liyed. as
within ten minutes French 'tir de barrage"
ana 'mitrailleuse" wiped them out or caused
tlelr part retirement in disorder and almost
panic Part, l say. because the majority
stayed behnd-dead or wounded
Heavy Guns Used
The heaviest guns employed by the Roche
We're 42O, although they used quantities of
ioo' lo5 and II. In all calibers we beat
tieih IN direction, range, nicely of fire and
numerical strength of shell returned. our 75
proving ter the hundredth time in this war
ps genuine superiority over their n.
The most Illuminating thing about this
desperate battle, the most vicious I have
witnessed in this war, is the oyerwheIming
certainty that the poilu is not tired, that
age cannot wither his valancy and fighting
uuailty' Every French regiment covered
user with great glory. / have written
many times in praise of and in reverence
Tor the pollu. And so have many ADLER
men But nothing an army Of writers
could say would be equal to the full praises
uue this wonderful army of France, The
troops engaged in this fight are deserving
not only of the profound thanks of all the
nation, but of the liberty-loving world en-
tire, In the fulness of time, when history
Is lmpassionately written, long after I who
write these lines and perhaps you who read
nave passed out, it will be recorded that the
armies OF France at Verdun and Craoooe
performed deeds establishing preceients and
prototypes that will remain as a distinction
In all the history of wars and battles
AS l leave for Paris there rests in NV
memory perhaps no more deeply than the
moving, thrilling sights / have Witnessed
'hese last iour Gays, the vision Just outside
CORRESPONDENTS headquarters at -.
rom where write this story. 1t is of a
thousand fusees burning and a hun6red
fres burning. too. along the heights of the
Aisne, OF rumble and constant roar NJ
artillery that l would think impossible ~
greater volume had 1 not seen and heard
ns greatly superior within mere matter
q, os 'sot,s t,, aurlng which rest and sleep were
as thing forgotten. seemingly sometbins
that l but vaguely remember as NV pnn
ton back in the past =" my po''
Far up in the sky million stars t,v,rL,o
ana shine stars familiar that I can graa,
Dy name, stars l know not save os sorso
. .hing shining down in a great calm 'v,e, vnon
hnmnS tn,s scene where mems fury has stalked nnl
by science "mere nrae, zoos air has been poisoned
science prostituted. where silence ,s orI.'
ior the thousands OF dead who s,san rs oniy
haa ,ast sleep in hasty grave or unSer 'neir
heavens surmounting them, D"uer the