The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-11-18
Germans Are the Most
Scientific Fighters.
They will s'BIeed to Death" Be-
fore Giving Up.
CAN HOLD OUT Indefinitely
TeutOns Have Studied Every
Detail of Military Strategy.
How the French Have Taken
. Lessons From Them.

Paris. Nov. 1S.-Germany will have
to "bleed to DEATH" slowly, drop by
drop. She fights SO well defensively
that there is no telling how long she
can stay in the game.
Competent, impartial military OBJ
servers here are coming more and
more to the belief that the Germans
are prepared to hold on indefinitely
and to fall back by inches rather than
by miles. The secret lies in the won
derful German system of trenches.
Even French military experts now
in the art of cOncealing and protect
ing her armies in the field.
German officers have studied every
recent war profoundly. No war mas
been too small for Germany to ignore
She has found something in all or
them to put into practical use.
The French army since 1870 has
made use of the three usual means
OF concealing infantry-sitting, kneel-
ing and standing room trenches. The
individual soldier, advancing few
yards at a time under fire, makes use
of a shallow individual trench which
he digs himself, throwing the dirt in
front and placing his knapsack on
top of the dirt. A company of $50
handled spades attached to the KNAPP
sacks 1t takes several minutes to
get at these utensils.
This means of entertainment has
been found to be insufficient and dan
gerous. The practice # placing KNAPP
sacks in front of thu individual
trenches. makes it easy for the enemy
to count the exact number of men
with whom they have to deal
The German plan is different The
German trenches are made as invis-
ible as possible. and in series. There
is an advanced trench two feet wide
by five deep. The excavated earth
is sprinkled about SO that at dis
lance of 800 yards the trench is in
visible. BacI- Of it, and connected
by zig-zag runways, is a second
trench, the same size as the first. The
runways permit the Germans to fall
back without exposing themselves.
These two trenches are 100 yards
apart. A third trench. 100 yards be-
hind the second, is carefully con-
structed. In it are the machine guns,
under turrets. 1t is usually covered
with green logs placed crosswise.
On the logs earth and bushes are
placed to conceal the trenches.
But the Germans. do. not stop even
here. AS soon as this series of three
trenches is completed. even though
they are under fire at the time. a
second series, far more elaborate, is
being constructed. This second series
of trenches is skillfully and intricately
protected. not only against infantry
attack. but from exploding shells as
we'll, SO as to be almost equal to
permanent outer defenses of a forti-
fled place.
1t must be said however. that since
the war began. the French have prof
tied by viewing the German trenches
from which they have driven the en-
envy. For this reason the war has
developed into Il series of sieges, or
it might be called war of the
trenches for frequently these en-
trenched positions are so close to
each other, that Gallo and Teuton
soldiers pass many moments kid
ding" each other. "Snipping'' has be-
come the astime of the DAYS.