The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-15
WAR ECHOES

man guns, whether they be of 16-inch or of some less impressive caliper, have al- ready taught a definite lesson. There is nable fertilization.
 It required actual war to prove that the strongest of modern forts cannot with stand the battering of the most powerful
 of modern guns. The photographs of the ruined Belgian works are sufficient
 evidence that the ingenuity of the mili-
 tary scientists has done far more for
 the offensive than for the defensive.
 Liege, Namur, Maubeuge and Antwerp
 have driven home the truth that the
 power of destruction at command of the
 German artillerymen cannot be resisted
 by any structure hitherto devised.
 It is not likely that this immense power
 will be decisive in the present war. The
 decision will come not through sthe cap
 ture of forts or cities, but through the struggles of vast armies.
 Germany, perhaps realizing the com
 paratively futility of defenses, has done
 less than the other nations to fortify her borders. Her defense is her wonderfully effective army, and on this she must rely if the scene of war shifts to German ter- ritory.
 Military experts of the future may seek to build ever stronger and stronger forts. but the gunmakers will probably devise ever mightier engines of destruction. It will be another example of the wild com petition of war, the draining of national resources for the upkeep of barriers of hatred and fear.
 Scientific American: The German 11-inch mortar marks a great stride in power and weight, and particularly in mobility, over any other mobile artillery as yet constructed. The outstanding feature of this great mortar is that it is so mount ed that the gun and it's carriage can be hauled either by motor or by horse power at speed approximating that of the lighter siege artillery, and that when it has reached the designated position it
 takes but short time to have the gun
 in battery, ready for the attack. The barrel of the gun is made of steel, and it consists of the inner tube and an outer jacket the total length of the gun being Il feet. The breech is opened and closed by turning a handle through a horizontal arc for about 1S5 degrees; and safety device operated by hand is pro- vided which prevents premature firing or accidental opening of the breech. In spite of the fact that the breech mech anism weighs over 100 pounds, the con struction is such that the opening and closing of it can be effected easily with fox., de. f,ao The gun is transported on two separate vehicles, each of which can be hauled by a single motor truck. During transpor- tation one unit consists of the gun car riage, slide, recoil cylinders, trail and permanent axle and wheels the last named being fitted with broad. flat feet after the manner of the Diplocl pedrail. The after end of the trail during trans portation is mounted upon pair of wheels. The gun itself Is transported upon a carriagerupon which it is placed in such a position that the majority of the weight will come upon pair of pedrail wheels.
 To mount the gun when it has reached it's assigned place, all that is necessary is to back up the section carrying the gun against the section constituting the mount and then, by means of wire cables, draw the gun forward into the sleeve and bolt the lug to the piston rod of the recoil cylinder. The gun transporting sec tion is then drawn away, the trail is low cred to the ground and the gun is ready for firing.
 Philadelphia Public Ledger MiIitarism has power enough in it to save the world | by realizing every reform and attaining every rational ideal. The power that ruins a city could save it. The courage that ] sweeps Europe with gleaming line of
 deadly steel could lift up every head to- ward the everlasting light. Militarism is power perverted. Its moral equivalent could cover the earth with beauty. | War Is energy misapplied The soldiers attributes of prowess, courage, fanatical patriotism and willingness to suffer and l die are not to be destroyed, but con- verted.
 l There is enough real grit on the battle- l field of Europe to lift all the world as | the sun and moon lift the tides. The transportation of these qualities into new motives and methods of constructive liv- | ing is the next task of Christian civiliza- l ton.
 Washington Post: Thomas A. Edi- sons inspection of the battleship New York and the submarine G-4 at the Brooklyn navy yard may bear results of the utmost importance to the military defenses of the United States A
 scientific principle which may be the
 means of making the submarine the most important implement of war was ex- pounded by MT. Edison when he re- marked:
 Several years ago 1t occurred to me that if fish could extract enough oxy- gen from water to live on, man could dc
 the same thing. have thought much over
 the subject since then, and I am sure i
 would not be difficult. It is as simple
 as can be-anybody could do it. All tha is needed is device with potash batteries as the principal part. Such apparatu:
 could be installed in submarine, for i
 would not take much space. and it woule
 break water up into it's elements of hydro
 gen and oxygen
 Most great discoveries seem very simple
 after they have been made. Mir. Edisoi
 rarely talks at random, and there il
 every reason for believing that his presen
 it proves possible to manufacture oxygel
 in submarines under water. the maya
 policy of nations may be changed.