The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-09-24
FRENCH MINISTRY WAS
UNpREpARED FOR WAR
Failure TO Call Out Full Fore e OF Reservists May Be Traced
Directly To Lack Of Food a nd Clothing For Army-HaIf-
Starved and Barefooted Sol diers At Front PitifulIy Flo
Quent Of commissary's Ina dequacy.

faced. h Germans, despite the
heavy losses they ave suffered.
men in some quarters, are still in
such huge numerical superiority at
the point of attack that they may be
able to encircle the wings of the
army of the allies. BY such a flank
ing movement, executed either to the
north or south, or perhaps attempted
even in both directions, the position
of the French and British may be-
come not only critical but actually
impossible.
The admirable mobilization and
transportation to French soil Of the
contrast to the slow and incomplete
mobilization OF the French, n in
this lies the second great blunder,
amounting to a positive danger.
Germans Have Plenty.
It is noticeable that all the early
stories Of the hunger OF German pris-
oners in Belgium have petered out. I'm
doubtedly these hungry Uhlans were
scattering parties that had lost their
way and wandered far from their base
of supplies. Sue raiding parties r
expected in any event to subsfst on
the country. But the German commits
sary has ,lainly performed with ma
chine Ill a and accuracy SO far
the most remarkable task OF the kind
ever attempted In history.
Paris is reputedly an tmpregnable
city today. but this repute comes only
from French quarters and Is based on
the, ability Of the French to carry out
oyer 100 forts In the three rings, all
supposedly equipped with modern guns
and immense quantities of ammunition,
and all supposedly defended by aril-
~lerists Of the highest skill.
But are they prepared for the mod
n-~ ~--~ --~-- Z 49, CIV
man army forces its a through or
around the allies? This attack, sue
~cessful in a few days at both Liege and
Namur. consists of concentrating on
one or more of the forts such an over
towering mass OF howitzer fire that no
"bombproof" roofs can resist the rain
of shells. An opening thus made in the
ring Of forts, the infantry are massed
through it to invade the very city it
self.
The Germans have in the field now
many batteries of an enormous feld
are moved by motor power. The
World has printed pictures of this gun
and a deseripdo OF it. No such weapon
for siege attack has ever been placed
on wheels before and moved readily
across country.
With this gun added to their normal
batteries, the Germans have found no
trouble in reducing such forts as they
have attacked so far. or at least in eff
fecting an entrance into such sup
posedly strongly fortified cities as
Liege and Nanlur. which while smaller
than Paris. seemed equally as well for
tined for their size. So that II the
army of the allies is broken through
or routed and forced within the forti-
fed lines, the Germans may find nc
greater difficulty in making their way
through the Paris forts than they have
found in Belgium,
On the other hand 1t Is well to con
slider the great difficulties and disad-
t~yantages facing the kaiseT's forces II
! other directions. for these must In
, eyitably have their effect upon the
: progress of the war from this time for
ward. Until now they have not beer
! seriously felt; now they nus be faced
l every day, and unless counteracted b!
some powerful stroke, sue as tn:
!. quick rout Of the allies and the captur'
| of Paris, these difficulties viii increas,
in danger every day.