The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-02-21
BATTLE FIRES
STILL RAGING
Endless, Perpetual Fighting Con
tinues Since Start of Struggle
There Two Years
Aao.
BY Henry Wood, United Press Staff
CORRESPONDENT

| by Henry Wood, United Press Staff
Correspondent
|, WITH THE FRENCH ARMIES AT
| VERDUN, Feb. 21.-Two years age
today the crown prince launched hiz
great assault on Verdun that was tC
bring about the quick termination oil
the war and to establish the INDY
ing prestige OF the house OF Hohen
zolleru-
Today. almost unknown to the
world public at large, the battle fires
of Verdun are still burning with a
degree OF intensity that is costing
/ thousands OF lives every month both
ito the Germans and the French alike.
Paradoxical as 1t may seem. Yer
| dun, which has already been assigned
| to an imperishable place in history
as one OF the greatest military vic
tories OF the French race, Is still a
raging battle It has become indeed,
veritable endless. perpetual battle
as though the great battle fires light
ed there Just two years ago this
morning by. the crown prince were
of such an all consuming immensit.'
and all enduring intensity that, like
some great volcanic eruption. years
will be required before they burn
The official communiques both OF
the French and the German general
stats fail 10 give any idea OF the fact
that yerdun Is still an open, raging
battle. But the staffs themselves
know II, and above all the soldier
who lives through the endless days
and nights of this never ending hell
knows It
AS French victory, yerdun is a
closed incident for ali time to come
but as an open battle 1t will probably
endure till the end of the war. With
a stubborness, a tenacity and a use
lessness explainable only by the
idiosyncracies Of German PSYCHOLOGY
the German general staff still con-
tinues 20 make verdun an ever in
creasing cemetery for the flower Of
the German army and the hopes OF
Hohenzollernism.
Verdun became definite, incon-
testable French victory on October
"a and December Is, 1917, when in
two MAGNIFICENT attacks, the French
took back Forts Dous oumont and
yaux and placed Verdnn once and
for all time out of danger. Yet the
Germans could not give up. There
was nothing to gain, but they kept
the battle ffreS burning, ana burning
nercely Now they broke out on the
left bank OF the Meuse and now on
the right
In another magnificent effort to
quench them once and for all time to
come General Petain on August 90,
1917, launched his great joint attack
on both sides OF the Mouse throwing
the Germans back onto the positions
occupied by them before the crown
prince launched his first wave Of as
sault at 4 o'clock In the morning just
two years ago today. After this.
there was less reason than ever for
the Germans to continue the battle.
And yet they continued it, alter
nately keeping the battle flames
burning first one side OF the
Meuse and then ON the ether, feeding
into them more and more OF their
ever diminishing electives.
Again on November %, In another
brilliant and successful attack, Pct
aims poiius endeavored to convince
the adversary of the iIselessness OF
the struggle. The attack put the Ger
mans farther away than ever from
the possibility OF ever realizing the
slightest progress against Verdun.
and yet they continue the effort and
the sacrifice.