OCR Text |
Show THE GERMAN DRIVE , ON VERDUN. Since last September there had been no concerted effort on either side to make a drive through the west front in the war zone, until the Germans started two weeks ago to feel out the weak spots in the French and British lines, and on Monday began a terrific attack on the trenches around the fortifications of Verdun. The crown prince is credited with having 300,000 men, made up of the veterans of the Belgium and Russian campaigns, and they are hammering on a front of 25 miles. On Tuesday and Wednesday they made gains over a distance of ten miles and are reported re-ported to have penetrated the French defenses to a depth of two miles. This compares with the French drive in the Champagne district last September. If the French can hold the crown prince's army in check, this may be the laBt of the frontal attacks either side will attempt, but should the Teutons Teu-tons break through to Verdun, there would be further German drives and the morale of the French army would be lowered. We are told Great Britain has a new army of two million to three million mil-lion men to throw into the fight. Now is when those recruits should be rushing rush-ing across the channel, to begin a counter offensive around Ypres. Messages Mes-sages from Belgium have announced the movement of trainloads of troops south to the French border. The plan seems to be to start a second German drive for the sea. While the French are centering attention on the rain ot fire aroundj Verdun, and perhaps are weakening other parts of their line to counter the attack, the Kaiser may be organizing for his mightiest stroke where the British guard the approaches. approach-es. Having placed rapid-fire guns on the barbed-wire trenches on the Rus-slan Rus-slan -front, the Germans, apparently, have drawn off much of their strength In a determination to break through on the west Now is the time for the Russians to strike, and the British to do Si ut- S fir?6 Whle baUle 1IDC - |