The Dolores star., 1917-02-16
BY ELLIS AsHMEAp-sARTlETT.
British War Correspondent. }

SuhA uCCp khto AAC Ahuos ASASSph 49,
the second French offensive at verdun
in December and the successful ad-
vance Of the British north Of the Ancre
there has been very little movement
since then. All the combatants are
preparing for the coming spring.
Could we have put back the clock
for three months I am convinced that
the struggle, as far as the western
front is concerned. would have been
over before Christmas. But we had
not the powers Of Joshua at A1alon,
and therefore the final issue has been
delayed. 1t was the mud and wet
which alone prevented the allies from
pressing home their successes. In ev-
cry engagement more positions are
won and more prisoners are taken, but
the present state Of ground renders op-
erations at all times difficult and very
often impossible. Those who have not
can have no conception Of what the
mud Is like.
1t may be argued that there has
been mud in every war. and the great
Napoleon after his experiences in Po-
land described 1t as the "ffth ele-
ment." But no general who ever led
an army either "B. c." or "A. D." ever
had to face the problem such as ex-
lists now. 1t Is q new factor which
has not been experienced before. The
terrible mud Of the Somme and Yer
dun is created by modern shell fire.
In normal times the roads might be
muddy and the fields heavy, but this
woHld not stop an army. 1t Is the con-
centration Of modern shell fire on re-
stricted areas which brings about
these abnormal conditions.
Torn by Artillery Fire.
Modern artillery fire leaves not a
yard Of 40-acre field untouched. The
shell holes overlap one another, for
each cannot fnd an Independent bed.
They make craters six to twelve feet
deep. according to the caliber Of the
shell. The terrific explosions scatter
the surface soil and bring the under
stratas to the top.
All this ground on which the armies
are now fighting will. according to the
agricultural commission that visited
the front, be utterly useless for CEN
turtles after the war. The surface soil
has been so utterly destroyed that no
crops of grass will grow there until
time and nature eventually provide a
fresh deposit.
As soon as the rain falls these era
ters become filled with thick mud and
water to a depth varying from four to
eight feet. 1t Is over ground In this
state that all infantry attacks have
now to be made at this season Of the
year. -.t
The artillery smashes the enemy's
trenches to mud and pulp. Your in
fantry are then launched to the at
tack. Then they reach their objective.
What do they find7 Simply the bat
tered outline of what was once line
Of trenches and hundreds of these gi-
ant holes filed with mud and slime.
They must lie out In the open or on
the edges of these craters, exposed to
the merciless fire from the enemy's
guns, which have the exact range, un-
til some kind Of a fresh trench has
been dug amidst the ruins of the old.
Consequently in all these latter at
tacks 1t has cost very few men to take
a position in comparison with what 1t
costs to hold 1t afterwards. Many
hundreds Of men have been drowned
in these latter advances. For. In
stance. 1t cost the French under 1000
men to retake the positions of Douau-
mont and vaux and the quarries of
Hardenmont, but they suffered twice
as many casualties from shell fire,
deaths by drowning and frostbite be-
fore the positions were firmly consoli-
dated. Think Of the fate Of some of
the unfortunate infantry. They ad-
vance to the attack carrying a dead
weight Of over 60 pounds.
Sinks to His Death.
There is natural inclination to
dive for cover when the shelling be-
comes heavy. A man drops into the
nearest hole. He finds himself In five
or six feet Of mud. He cannot extri-
cate himself. aud slowly sinks to his
death as IL he were in quicksand.
1t Is almost impossible to attempt
to describe the battle Of the Somme
the task is hopeless; its dimensions
have become too monstrous, its same
ness is as wearying as "a twice-told
tale vexing the dull ear Of. a drowsy
man." and its manifold horrors will
not bear constant reiteration. 1t is
divided into varieus subdivisions of
scientifically organized slaughter. 1t
is almost impossible to see or to de-
scribe what happens on the many sub
divisions of this huge battlefront
But day after day. night after night.
hour after hour. the grim work Of
gradual attrition goes on.
Tie whole extent Of the front is
swept by two vast semicircles of ar
tillery fire. You cannot lose your
way to this international holocaust. for
you are guided "by cloud Of smoke
by day and pillar Of fire by night"
Miles from the front the air vibrates,
q 49, 4 =