Salt Lake Tribune | 1917-03-25 | Page 4 | Whole Country Laid Waste by Germans

WHOLE COM LI WASTEJUERMANS Scene of , Desolation Confronts Con-fronts French Troops as They Advance WITH THE FRENCH ARMY IN FRANCE (From a correspondent of the Associated Press), March 24, via Beau-vais. Beau-vais. The rapidity of the German retreat re-treat has somewhat diminished, but the French advance continues eastward of St. Quentin canal. The fighting between be-tween the advance and rear guards has been sharp, but the Germans have been unable to withstand the pressure. All obstacles placed in the way of the oncoming on-coming French are overcome with indomitable in-domitable energy and spirit, with which the men are imbued more than ever since they left the trenches for the open country. The hardships of bivouacs are borne with the utmost cheeriness, because the French soldiers feel that they are liberating lib-erating from serfdom their fellow citizens, citi-zens, who have been under the sternest German rule for more than two years. The Associated Press correspondent with the troops encountered some of the difficulties that confront the pursuing army. At five different places the French tried to cross the canal, but on each occasion they were pulled up suddenly sud-denly a yawning opening where a bridge had "been blown up, but eventually crossed by a pontoon. As the French progress continues the extent to which the countryside has been laid waste increases; not a dwelling dwel-ling remains intact. This is not the result re-sult of artillery fire, but specially prepared pre-pared bombs. Every well has been rendered ren-dered useless and the homeless people now must rely on supplies of water brought in barrels by the French soldiers. sol-diers. The wife of the village doctor at , Nesle. who had housed the German re-! re-! imental staff, protested to a German lieutenant against the wilful destruction destruc-tion of her furniture. He appeared to regret what his men were doing, but said: "I cannot do otherwise; it is my command. " Most of the liberated people nre with-' with-' out money, their metal coinage having been taken by the Germans who gave paper in exchange. Everything possible is being done for the refugees by tho French civil and military authorities.