The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-08-27
Real Battle Capabilities Of
the Great European Armies
From the New York Sun.

lew York Sun.
AS a broad proposition the average
; German is sturdier man than MS
French rival, and this greater tax Is
wisely laid upon him.
i In the French army each company
Of infantry has the following portable
tools: Eight shovels, four pickaxes
] double headed), three axes, one fold
ing saw and a pair of wire nlppers.
i The German foot soldier on the otner
hand does not get off so easily De-
4 cause each company has to carry loo
small spades, ten pickaXes and nve
hatchets. Now what does this mean!
4 Simply that the kaiser's tnfantrymen
4 are able to entrench themselves
quicker than their French rivals, anU
! for that reason could hold an al
j vanced position more securely ar1
guard themselves against attack whlle
! there better than the soldiers OF the
tricolor
Now let us see what Russia repre-
sents as foe to Germany on the
fatherland's northern border. IN
questionably the cars army Is SUI
perior to the kaiser's in mere point OF
numbers in peace, in war and In the
total of available reserves, and so far
as personal bravery goes the Russian
soldier is unsurpassed. But battles
are not won these days by just num-
] bers; training and handling OF the
men are of supreme Importance.
i Broadly speaking, it is doubtful II
| 70 N
trained than they we're when they
measured strength with the Japanese
in 19O4-05. The infantry are armed
| with magazine rifles OF 1852 millimeter
] calibre. and as marksmen they are
nothing like the equals Of the Ger
mans. Each company of Russian foot
soldiers carry eighty shoveis ana
| twenty small axes, but in the matter
OF field fortifications they have not
| the knowledge nor the initiative OF
their German rivals But there are
other handicaps under which the
cars troops labor
! The Russian railroads cannot be
mentioned in the same month with
| those of the Prussian state lines. To
begin with they are relatively few
and years behind modern standards
generally. Nor have the lines been
| planned with the same ultimate serv-
| ice in view.
| Purposely the Russian authorities
have adopted gauge different from
/ that of the roads OF northern Ger
many, because in that fashion they
hoped to prevent invasion by rail.
! Wise. so far as it goes, but practically
j the precaut,on is a useless one; the
Germans have offset the protective
measure by making their car trucks
adaptable, and when they are ready
I to enter Russia by train the matter
! Of a difference in track width won't
worry the kaiser's strategists at all.
But have you ever traced the routes
Of the Pruss;an state lines? Well
nigh every railroad In Germany.
especially those nearing the frontiers.
has has its path arbitrarily laid out
for strategic ends, and this precau-
ton will add immensely to the speed
and the certainty with which the
! kaiser's troops can be moved from
point to point and bases. of operation
shifted to suit sudden developments.
| No other country in Europe is SINH
larly favored in this vital matter OF
transportation.
There is still another item in which
the German general staff has shown
rare longheadedness. Contrary to the
custom in most countries, where the
armies are recruited by CONSUMPTION,
the new men called to The colors are
sent to distant or unfamiliar parts
OF the empire. In other words, the
! recruits from south Germany are
called to regimental service in the
north, and vice versa, while the coun-
try lad goes to town or city barracks
and the city lad to suburban posts.
Unquestionably no army In Europe
today can be raised to its full war
footing with anything like the speed
of the German forces. The general
staff has had every move tabulated
for many months and the mobilizing
maximum will be reached in the very
near future. With that accomplished,
then Germany's real war moves will
develop one by one, and the fights up
to date will appear in their true light
as mere reconnoisances in force, Just
strategic feelings OF the enemy's
pulse. Then the ultimate fighting