The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-08-01
BLOODIEST STRUGGLE
THAT WAS EVER KNOWN
fron&sr,>5 $rop, D,Oa1
Continued from PAGE l.

tSOAL1uu9u uoAh e1kC 49,
the supply of the French product
which nobody likes-is shy.
Plans for General Pershing's camp
inspection today were simple ana
characteristic of the commander In
chief
He merely intends to visit all bill
lets and watch his men at trench
practice.
Drive Hampered by Rain.
nv Lowell Mellett, United Press
Staff Correspondent
LONDON, Aug. IA deluge OF rain
that turned the historical mud OF
Flanders into sticky ooze, hampered
the British drive today.
Field Marshal Haigs' report de-
clared all gains had been consolidated
during the night and all German
counter attacks repulsed. The only
offensive fighting reported. however,
was in the nature of minor opera
TONS south of the YpresComines
canal while the British positions were
improved.
Hostile counter attacks yesterday
afternoon and evening on our new
positions around La Baskerville and
north to the Ypres-Comines canal
were repulsed." Haig declared. in
the neighborhood of the Ypres-Roulers
railway. our artillery crushed Ger
man counter attack at night A heavy
rain has been falling since early yes
terday afternoon"
With such extensive gains on the
British and French troops registered
in their initial effort of the drive, the
utmost energy Is required for con-
solidating the positions against coun-
ter attacks.
What brought favorable comment
here today was the total failure OF all
German attacks against the ground
won by the drive and this despite the
fact that all battle front dispatches
agreed the British artillery had prac-
tically eradicated all vestise OF the
trenches and Notifications. TINS
meant, it was pointed out, that the
victorious soldiers were forced at
once to dig themselves In and erect
strong lines to hold their guns
The French official statement de-
tailed how those troops had likewise
consolidated their gains and also men
toned the torrential rains.
Fighting In Rain.
LONDON, Aug. IA heavy driving
rain did not impede British forward
progress in their great drive today.
Field Marshal Haig reported in the
neighborhood of the Ipres-Roulers
railway British artillery had crushed
a German counter attack which
formed during the night He said
rain had been falling steadily since
early yesterday afternoon.
French War Cross.
PARIS, Aug -Four more Amer-
can drivers and workers in the Amer
lean ambulance service were form
ally cited in today's orders for the
French war cross. They are mem
bers of section 66 and include W. G.
Rice OF Albany, N. Y, Durbin Row
land of Toledo, Ohio, j. Woodbridge
of Shanghai, China, and ]. Rothermel
of Reading, Pa.
Todays War Map.
NEW YORK, Aug. Natures OBJ
stacles and the necessity OF intrench-
ing in pulverized ground to hold gains,
apparently impeded the great allied
drive today. A downpour OF rain
steadily falling since yesterday after
noon turned the churned up battle
field into a sea of mud. Field Mar
shall Haig and the French command
.er both reported merely that their
victorious troops were consolidating
their positions. Haig mentioned
local successes as improving the Brit
ish positions around the southern end
of the advanced front
Counter attacks have all been re-
pulsed in the sectors of the allied
gains.
Despite the fact that il is automatic
in military history that the attacking
force always loses more heavily than
the defenders. all Official and semi
official news from the front declared
that the German losses far exceeded
those of the British and French The
allied casualties were declared amaz-
ingly small This is attributed TO the
accuracy and massed effect Of sup
porting artillery.
Battlefield is Marsh.
by Wm. Philip Simms. United Press
staff Correspondent
WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES IN
lHL rLLb, aug l. 4L- great
Flanders battle had 70 come 10 z
slight pause today-because fighting
men can't swim in charging the foe
= drsnching night long rain trans
formed all Of Flanders into z muddy
marsh The country is barely above
sea level
Shell holes were flied with water
and advancing became as much a
matter OF swimming as walking
More than 8Ts tons OF gas were
loosed b. the British against the
German inventors OF this weapon ii
last nights fighting in the great
drive
II vas probably the greatest guam
tity OF gas ever used in Z single
battle. A Eest wind made IT'S use
particularly favorable for the British
Artillery continued its execution to
day. The guns Toared an uncezsinS-
~ chorus Of death all along the line
British gunnsrs got on that the
Germans were r1zzEfrlz for q rf.rsrrs--