El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-10-24

! w With the advent of winter q
new and frightfuI enemy ap-
Z pears on the scene IN embattled Europe
It is the coId-as a destroyer OF armies,
only less effective than epidemic dis
ease
Cold is not merely a killer; it dis
abIes the fighting man Soldiers suf-
fering from it cannot fight well They
are dispirited and lose the fighting
edge" Prostitutes totally incapacitate
many. Even numb fingers make it
difficult for q man TO handle a rifle or
other weapon properly
The climate Of the region where
most Of the battles will be fought dur
ing the next six months is hardly less
severe than that Of New England. In
Russian Poland and East Prussia it is
far colder, the thermometer falling far
below zero and staying there for weeks
at a time Deep SHOWS are likely to
interfere greatly with military move
ments- on the other hand, the freez-
ing Of rivers, and especially Of the East
Prussian lakes, may be expected to
facilitate in some instances the march
ing Of armies.
The digging Of trenches in frozen
soil viii be much more laborious and
difficult and troops will not be able
to occupy them day and night, as they
have been doing up to now in northern
France They would freeze to death
il they did Temperature from this
time on. and until warm weather cones
again, must importantly modify the
methods OF fighting adopted.
But what is to be done TO keep the
soldiers from freezing2 This is a
problem that is engaging utmost at
tentlon Just now at the hands Of the
governments for which they are fight
ing In. France a national committee
mas been organized to help in the work
OF providing warm clothing for the men
IN the field People in England are
getting together immense quantities Of
wooleE blankets, which already are
sOrely needed.
Little Houses for British Troops.
The British government proposes TO
provide little houses for its expedition
airy forces. They viii be "knockdown"
snelters OF sheet steel, readily trans
portable. and easily put up or taken
TO pieces one of them will ac-
oommodate. ten or a dozen men A
cantract for 100000 tons of the sheets,
cut 10 the requisite size and pattern,
mas been placed with Pittsburg firms
within the last few days. It is un-
derstood that the total cost in the
Of $4,000
THESE steel huts are a novelty in
warfare When troops are marching,
-hey viii be carried in collapsed form
on motor trucks. So simple is their |
pattern that the parts being con-
'ertlble, large encampment can be /
erected In few minutes. For keep ]
ng out the cold, they will be in j
'omparably better than tents
But it viii be asked, what means /
VII be adopted, if any, for heating 4
nem2 The answer is very simple In /
ne middle Of the roof OF each steel hut 4
ylu be a round hole. for a stovepiBe. |
ne stove Zone such heater being fur 1
-lsneu Tor each little house, viii be a /
one OF sheet iron. two and a half feet /
lgh and standing on four legs.
'rlmitlve' but satisfactory for the pur-
Fuel? Wen, it goes without saying
nat troops in the field are not supposed
o be supplied with coal Usually
.ood IS obtainable. When IT is not |
o be had, dry bones or even the dried 1
ropplngs Of animals can be made TO
erYe the purpose. Old campaigners J