Evening journal., 1918-09-12

The appeal made to the German Gov
ernment by the towns Of the Rhine
valley to effect some arrangement by
which they may be spared from aerial
attacks is significant Of the effect
which the recent successful raids have
had upon that region. 1t is not alone
the historic or legendary interest of
the Rhine valley nor the imminence
Of death that has brought about this
Generalization but the fact that this
region is the avenue from central Ger
many TO the western front, and that
the Rhine valley from Basel to the
Dutch frontier is the expression Of
Germany's industrial conquest and
power.
There is scarcely a manufacturing
town Of the region that has escaped
the airmen. Insthe last week seven
teen raids were made. The most dis
concerting OF these, because the Ger
man defensive means were unable TO
cope with it, was the attack upon the
poisonous gas factories at Mannheim.
The airmen flew not higher than 200
feet and they were thus enabled to
direct their bombs with unusual ac-
curacy. They also destroyed the rail-
way junction at Treves, military ware
houses at Cologne, the chemical works
at Saaralben and the railway station
at Frankfort. There was compare
lively small loss of life, but there were
real military gains.
The Rhine valley Is the German land
Of story and legend, its charm OF
scenery. its ruined or restored castles
and its ancient and medieval churches
were before the war industriously eX-
plotted in the summer tourist liter
ature But more prominent than castle
and church in the Rhine valley seem
cry today are the great smokestacks
Of German factories. In the last quar-
ter OF a century the whole valley has
been developed until IL has become the
great industrial section Of the empire
It was the pride Of Germany that
Frankfort had one Of the most COM
pletely equipped railway terminals and
stations in the world. and that millions
expended upon waterways had trans
formed this inland city into practically
a seaport. Cologne with its suburb OF
Deutz: COblenz. Dusseldorf, and even
the university town Of Bonn. have all
become important manufacturing cen
tres, while the historic old town OF
Mannheim boasts today Of the great
est chemical works in all Europe. The
iron region of Essen and the krupps
lies not far to the east Of the lower
Rhine valley. The whole section, cut
by canals and linked by a complete
system Of railways, is the empires
best exhibit of economic and indus
trial development under Germanic pa
ternalism.
Since the beginning Of the war all
of these towns have become manufac-
turing points for munitions, and the
whole region has been turned into a
vast warehouse for war supplies. on
account of its proximity to France it
is the avenue to the western front
the chief base for the furnishing Of
guns. poisonous gases and ammuni-
ton. It's railways and canals have
been utilized TO the fullest extent In
rushing supplies to the battleteids.
The bridges across the Rhine, espe-
ciallv the bridges at Cologne and
GODlenL, nave luIlutu nuns pDiioobie
links in the connection between central
Germany aud the front.
So long as the German airmen were
dropping bombs upon English east
coast sea resorts. destroying Red Cross /
wrecking schools and homes
in London suburbs, and taking heavy
toll in the lives Of women and chill
dren. Germany in her elation over the
devastation wrought found the air