New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-28

Canada. 1917. jy The Tribune AtsociatoH
/ For over year Germany has been
stratogically prepared on the Western
front. Almost Immediately after the
occupation of Northern France and
T Belgium Germany began 20 fortify
+ every possible position or to draw up
+ plans for the fertilization, so that
they would be ready for instant use.
/ Throughout the territory which the
German army still holds ] have trav-
+ clled as q correspondent and ! have
seen many of the limitless defensive
+ positions which have been prepared.
Even cities as far back as Namur, for.
merly one of Belgiums strong fort
resses, have been rebuilt at an cnor-
nous cost. When ! was in Namur the
commander Of the city said the German
army had spent 100000 marks purely
for the new Notifications. And this is
only drop in the bucket Of what
Germany has spent 10 make one gigan-
tic fortress of this occupied territory.
Germany has not only fortified every
strategic position; she has not only
staked of trenches and planned under
ground systems Of defence, but Ger
many has carried out gigantic engineer
ing feats. The courses Of rivers have
been changed, batbed wire stretched and
mines planted in the old river bottom;
/ then the river turned back in its Gus
tomary course. On one tnp through
Belgium ] saw two rivers the courses
Of which had been changed. In North
ern France | saw a dam which had been
built so that upon an instant notice
he countryside for miles around could
be flooded. saw fields and forests
where barbed wire entanglements had
been stretched through the grass and
underbrush in continuous network
Il was explained that the streams IN
that neighborhood could be so diverted
that this ground could be flooded just
above the TOP Of the low barbed wire
netting so that if soldiers attempted
10 wade through they would be trapped.
In som, sections Of Belgium ! rode for
at least an hour on the railroad train
and saw nothing but this barbed wire
netting.
Namur Defence Recognized
In Namur. which is considered one
Of the best strategic points IN Belgium
the Germans have reorganized the en-
tire system Of defence. Trenches and
underground means Of communication
have been established between every
one Of the individual forts. So wnen
Germany maintains that there rs no
definite defensive line in the west Ger
many means that the whole country is
fortified and that the army as IT moves
backward can stop almost any place
and fight defensiyely.
There are in this occupied 'erritorE'
which American troops may help re-
cover from the Germans. many oIg IN
dustrial and commercial cities. Ll1le'
France. which in peace times mas a
population OF 250,Uoo, is the largest
citv directly in front Of the ADVANCING
British troops. Laon. CharieviIle ana
sedan are Immediately IN front OF tLe
attacking French forces. Cambria the
English are already threatening iheSe
ave big industrial cities, oil great 4l'
no.tance 10 the Allies. Cambria IS one
70 tbo centres from which the amer
,c,r Commission for the Relief or bel,
INN, and Northern France dlstrlouleu
American food. There are enormous
s+orobouses on the outskirts Of OHe
civ but last December wnen ! va
,bcro there was only sufficient 1000 LOT
tbreo months. Unless another quar- I,
tcrIv food allowance has been ShlPvJ'
there the German army VIII not DC 49, 49,
10 confscate much OF the Io0u ~
IL L.
Uncle Sam has sent. CharleNlht 10
nortant 10 the Germans because u - 1ie
boadouarters on the western lrCH0 to'''
which all operations are I'Ic0 80,
When General Won AITeIl"0l ,Lo
cbiof of tho General staff he ana th'
Kaiser had their headquarl-I1I -
INT since Field Marshal Won hIluV,'
burg has directed the herman Ioi -
only sub-gencral stan mas 'TS" .h
catcd in Charlevllle. Nheh 'nS -
roach this city they VIII p'ou"otS -;
surprised TO find so fe" rchcn me ,,ro
80. because the Germans over w
-. -, 400 compelled nearly NeIy
b French man. woman and c"'I" ~
SLOW. Ruthless Retreat Expected
t-rl,,s the Allies are able to breaTI
. -, tho Western line and 'ompel
Co,p,ans 10 retreat IN DISORDER
D ,..1oss tho morale Of the German army
brotsr slow. ruthless retreat h"'
l,.~octed IN this occupied dls'I 9.
- coee the retreatcrs take lhel'
- - i certain that they WIZ oy no"
r,,;to or burn everything when '"''
arc compelled TO leave: .to r~cr,b
most Of these cities the fIVi''I
and Belgian inhabitants. have PEI De-,
ar.aitinc day and night for over =" >
49, 10 return OF the Allied arm 50
RI. have beon awaiting dehyerahce'
i rbo;r suffering they show I'D e'eiy-
49,, .bcv do. ! have seen WON"
standing in tho doOrways OF par t'"'''
dcstroved homes. and ther 81
.bo,ycd such bitterness. hatred'
s,,Tcrir- and distress, that one Woui
,L,nl tbcv could neither cry 'o'
Iare,h again. have seen cnNlir.ii
,,iori,c, in tho streets with dolls an
-. ,rbicb they had before tho WaI'
because they have not had an opp,
tunitv 10 get new ones Li''ie
. nlav with headless and ARMIES uIli
and consider even these Ht,ie a.
i thing, AS sufferers under inc lh'A',y,i
few months ago. when traNt Gu
through most Of this territory lhel
was not an ounce Of candy 20 ..
hought any place. one couiu
small quantities of milk chocolate , on.
II was so expensive that ch'''l.. q.
could not buy n. These chlIdreh ".
France have probably forgotten ma "a
candy tastes like. Just as thcE "o
longer know how II Is to play WIN "
real pretty new doll.
/ Grateful To Americans
4 number Of times when ] talked 20
sbonEeepcrs and convinced them 'hat
was an American | heard paihcii,
taIc- OF suffering and depression
/ when the people in this territory ID, u