Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-21
VERDUN'S YEAR
OF SIEGE FINDS
FRANCE VICTOR
Anniversary of Crow n
Princes Attack Shows
His Dream Smashed
NIVELLE'S GENIUS WON
Greatest Slaughter and Most
Sublime Sacrifice Elements
of Conflict
BY HENRY WOOD

WITH THE FRENCH ARMIES At YER
DUN. Feb. 2l.
One year ago today started the German
assault on verdun. Twelve months of the
most gigantic siege operations in the his
tory of mankind have passed and today
the French occupy almost precisely the
same positions they did at Z 10 n. m. Feb
ruary 21, 1916. when the German guns be
gan their roar of artillery preparation
Within one year, Verdun has sounded
the death knell of Germanys hopes Of cap
ture. Seven hundred thousand Of her
choicest soldiers have gone to death in
vain efforts to realize the German Crown
Princes fondest hopes. Tho quantity of
war material utilized and destroyed in this
titanic twelve months has been greater than
that ever so utilized in any preceding battle
For the first time in history also, the
defenders of n besieged fortress have with
stood the maximum effort of their assail-
ants. and then, taking the offensive them
selves. have completely liberated their
citadel
This page in French history has not been
written, however. without tracing on Mother
Earth marks that may take as many years
to efface as VIII be required to wipe out
from the minds of sorrowing thousands the
memory of loved ones who went down In
the glorious defense
The battlefield of Verdun breathes from
every square inch Of its surface the in
effaceable marks of the titanic struggle
that is still convuls ng the entire soil Some
marks may be obliterated in time. But
others. including complete sterility Of soil,
may last forever.
1900 GUNS IN ATTACK
The roar of German artillery began early
In the morning on February 81 1915, and
, before long resulted in massing of pieces
of all calibers that finally reached 2600 In
number. the greatest artillery concentration
In the worlds history.
Verdun then was pastoral Although
ranking one of the worlds greatest fort
resses, the whole aspect Of the country was
peaceful. Its fortiflcations were hidden be-
meath rolling green hills.
But now a terrible mark stretches across
what were once fair lands. II extends on
both sides OF the Meuse marking on the
north line where the Germans began their
assault apd on the south the line nearest
Nerdun they attained.
1t ls a deep. black. blood soaked cash. It
begins the west bank of the Meusc at
about Avocourt and crossing the river runs
to near Abaucourt II IL between twelve
and fifteen miles in length, In width It
varies from few hundred yards at those
points whore the Germans made least head
way to a maximum depth of three miles
where. In their six months of struggling on
the defensive, the Germans made their
greatest approach. Within the limits of this
narrow crooked strip of land are found
Mort Homme, Hill 304. Crows Wood, Gu
mieres, Douaumont, Thiaumont Vaux
Fleury. Chenoise and score Of other woods,
Frol de Terre, Pepper Hin and a dozen
other stops fought over for days and weeks
and months.
WHERE ROYAL, HOPES DIED
This is the graveyard of the Crown
Princes hopes, too.
There is nothing in this strip to meet
the eve but shell-churned midland mud
of such. impalpabe fragments of earth
stone, timber and human bodies that a
chemical analysis would be necessary to de-
termne what the fragments are. The
strip is one vast pockmarked area. II Is
impregnated with the decaying flesh of it's
dead and with slimy, putrid water in the
pockmarks.
Those who died on this strip--and the
number mounts to more than a million
had little If any chance of eyer finding
other grave. Any effort to carry off the
dead meant merely additional sacrifice
of life. Before any human being could ar
rive to carry off a dead soldier it was far
more probable that the body would be
struck by shell and driven deep into the
muddy. blood-stained earth, A little later
another shell, close by, might bring II again
to the surface. Others might scatter the
human fragments everywhere. The ele-
ments of human flesh now impregnate
every cubic inch of this soil Authorities
doubt whether the strip will ever again
regain its fertility. They think for years
to come IT will show the horrors of the
days that are past by its monstrous. glar-
ing lack of verdure by its black, shriveled
soil and Its hideousness across the face Of
fields that will later bloom and blossom.
AL the horror of Verdun is centered there.
But II this tragedy and ghastliness Is
written broad on the strip there are other
portions of the field in general where one
might even be proud OF what human genius
possible to forget the hideousness Of the
black cash.
GIGANTIC MILITARY DEPOT
For miles back of the battle front the
hills and valleys of the Meuse and of
Verdun have been transformed into one
gigantic military depot To appreciate
what now exists back OF Verdun 1t must be
. remembered that this great establishment
did not exist at 7:15 a. m. one year ago.
Instead of the scores of railway lines that
now cross-check the whole contributory
territory for twenty miles back there was
only one winding railway that led into
verdun.
II must be remembered that in place Of
the many bridges now spanning the Meuse
and scores OF them crossing the entire
Meuse valley, there existed only the half
dozen structures necessary to supply the
needs OF a peaceful rural population.
II must be remembered that in place of
the half dozen great railway military de-
pots. many with scores of tracks, there
formerly existed none. Nor were there
hospitals, aviation camps, artillery parks,
engineering depots, stan headquarters,
troop barracks, cavalry sheds. munitions
\ depots, garages and all the multitudinous
services that make up the great army
organizations of today.
Last. but not least, the battlefield of
v Verdun, as Il stands today, and, above all,
those unending miles of perfected organ
ration. bring sharply to mind the man who
( created II all. the one man who built up
tho machinery to save Verdun. As a Just
!. xocompense he now heads the French
armies, He Is building up the entire French
+ front for final victory as he built up
Vordun.
49,. a.. n.