The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-09-11
In. strongest BattsIiou,.

luF NtTbuAFNA bsA'aiA"hN'
The obi mlyrm that Con - on me SIDE
II the strongest battalon- - up for
review am ,ng the military theorists If
Germany and France Il Is not surpri~-
ing to ind that the ksl--r- strategistS
have AN abiding faith IN u, while the
French opinion ~ that II has been alb
-urdly oyerworksd IN recent appralsals
Of the fighting capacity OF armies The
French dispose Of 1t with sheer II -
m" craze of numbers they say
Colonel GoDEE OF the German army
started the discussion After cheery
reference to the RSOOO 90 people be
hind the German army he makes an
onslaught On the French muster roll
u il always based ~" asserts. uu purely
theoretical calculations The lew should
AFFORD CERTAIN uuIn'-'r ~ men a~ord-
Iug to Law. therefore. Their" - that
number ~ men u lh- ranks 80 h. de
scribe 't. French NET nod ~ iguIuE
rl.r- arr, d,,aI H. desert on- di-iuISsal-
shortage. IN ~ annual draft IN" a'tIaI
number of men with the colorS mover
comes anvwh.r" near the numb"r or
paper a. published hv IN" French Gov
"rum"u'
en- the utn"r land saws Colonel
CopkE H.. German fur,r - actually
larger at all t.m'-~ than the -hudS"tIy
estimate w allowance i always
mad. Of pe- cer' fpr the difference be
tween the number II rec 1Ilts each wear
and rh.. rnrnr,., 90 feasibility. large al
lnwaur-~ are made for lrss-,-, from IN"
rank through ydr.ou- 'iuse. and no
allowance. whatever j. made for the - ~
mon who nn an average enlist volun-
r.-.. ,I.h s",r "a m" arm,
Tl.. NOT r,.sIl' - hat IN" German
,p.pr,. ,"ah.S Down the ''fr"' iI," French
force, With rh'' rulOr~ AT any gwen mo-
mont 10 not mor' man jiI.UD men, IN
stead. OF CONSIDERABLE. more than GpIU'
a. n gwen 10 no" statistical manuals
The German efficiency he Trokons AZ
49, ,sD men a flgur- which nv the way
4. not IN ,N,sS- of tEr total Of about
Gal .,sst APPEARING IN tho latest text book
bat which CIv'e Germany prlma facIc
advantage. Of ~ 49,, men. or more than
II Der cent 81 the outset Of 4 struggle
However important this superiority
may b." IN" Colonel goes on arguing
II j. ~ nothing 10 m" numerical dr.
FarenrrS IN later levIr- When u comes
10 tn. las, call to arms G"rmanv -
ready to place 2OOoUD men more than
! France in the field THIS h" seems ~
think. means neither more nor less than
that Germany could eat France alive
! IN the long run assuming that the latter
country should survive the shock Of
first collision.
Now here comes that dashIng soldier
OF France -Ie Colonel y who hardly
thinks u worth while 20 question any
Of his adversary figures, but who 10y
"A PROCESS Of reasoning all hls owr
demonstrates that all the Indications
they afford point 10 certain victory for
the armies OF the republi" In the first
place. ~ he shows a 'riflinR difference
~ e1uO IN the troops on active service
j. weakness -emedied with q srrat' !
Of zen In case Of mobilization n
simply means the ordering out A. ono
OF ~ 80 reserve troops Surely not Inns
can be "as'"r
But IN" number Of men enrolled ~
nv" army on usa'" footing IA ONLY d
MINOR matter any NaN The moment
war - declared 'ur fore" with the color
- Swump"d bg IN" calling o'It ~ th'
. first rrsaryc ~" number Of 'mer
under arms alto tliS 'all constitute,
th" MI. hghi,ug siTrng' h of a country
and uI.On ihIr call Colonel y ~
. -t-t- Franc. AMI Germany arr abou
on All equality IN" urmb-r oi m"i
thai each an oppOs'' 10 III" other ~
million more or less and ~ H. NJ ~" 81
I. counter 81 tho. NO millions that tin
, fortune Of the war $40 b" decided Tn
/ QUESTION - not 81 numbrrS ~ ~ o
/ equipment training. courage. fighting
, powcr In these qualities. though h
, docs not saw ~ IN ~ many words. m
70 Fr-nch officer plainly considers his owl
, army equal II not superior 10 that q
. Germany
% ~ for ne. subsequent loves 10 ~
r. ,tarhe- small .mportHnor TO them 20
4 internal d"f"nrc they my have ann
value tEcy arc useful ~ q source upo
, ~hslh 10 draw IN flung Up The broke