Evening star., 1914-12-20
Many Uses of Leather
in the European Armies

in the European Armies
81 EATHER Is q war article OF COM
manding importance. II might ac-
s curately be called a war necessity.
It does not seem that wars could
be fought without leather any more than
they could be carried on without gum
powder. steel. lead. copper, food and for
age. Some genius and dire necessity
might work out a plan by which sub
stitutes for leather could be employed
in the making OF many OF those articles
required in war and which are now
made Of leather. but any nation under
the need OF resorting TO such substitutes
would probably be lost. Leather Short
age is one of the dangers that menaces
Germany in the event Of the war being
long drawn out and an effective blockade
Of Germany being maintained.
The item of leather in shoeine armies
is one of tremendous consequence. MI
lions of soldiers campaigning In boots or
shoes make heavy demands on the
leather supply. The endurance OF a
stout pair OF boots in a campa ign is
great, but il wears down at last and
must be replaced. The marching en'-
cheney OF troops must be maintained and
there are not many instances In modern
times of barefooted troops or soldiers
in worn-out shoes winning wars. The
Continental army of the young Cnitec
States suffered in this way and is one 90
the executions where understood soldiers
have won victory for their cause Every
body can understand that the life OF
pair of boots Is less under the stress and
strain of campaigning than under the
easy and plea SAINT conditions Of peace.
German soldiers are outfitted not
only with one pair OF knee boots but
with an extra pair of shoes. and these
boots and shoes are double-soled and
F. heavy. 1t Is not believed that a shoe
shortage will be felt by the German
army for some time, because. with that
foresight which has generally charac-
terized the German military policy and
administration, several million surplus
pairs of boots and shoes were kept
possible. though. that Germany has
already put into the field. or will put
into the field, much larger force of
men tnan any plans of the general
staff contemplated
Shoes Tor an army represent but ore
OF the demands that is made on the
leather supply. Harness, saddles.
brides and various articles OF horse
by campaigning armies call for leather.
Harness is subjected 10 hard and rough
usage. and it breaks and wears out
under service conditions sooner than
uninitiated persons would believe. The
German soldier needs. OF. at least, uses.
a good deal of leather in his personal
equipment. The belt of the foot SOL
dier is of leather. and are the car
fridge boxes and cartridge box straps.
The German soldiers kuapsacN Is OF
calfsk-n, the case of his intrenching
spade is of leather. the rifie straps are
leather, and his pressed-steei helmet is
generally covered with. or partly COW
cred with, leather. which. after being
put on over the steel. is tapanned. Al
the outbreak Of the war officers of the
mounted service and enlisted men II,
the cavalry and artillery had breeches
reinforced with leather. and automo-
bile drivers and men in the aviation
service had leather suits.
The German government, according
to report-and there is not the small
est reason to question it as fact
not only had stored equipment for the
full Quitting of all reserve troops, but
a large surplus for replacing worn-out
articles OF for equfpping volunteers
Besides this, it has been given out
credible authority that each dealer
selling leather supplies to the govern
ment was Obliged to keep a stipulated
stock of leather IN reserve for govern
ment use, that il might be on hand
should there arise AN emergency call
ing for it.
While the United States army officers
charged with Such matters have con-
Quoted long series CT exhaustive test:
to determine the form OF shoes best
adapted to the feet Of men who must
march great distances under the burden
o. their arms ammunition and kit. the
German government has devoted its al.
tention in the main to the adoption OF q
shoe which will wear long. not over
king altogether the question of COM
fnr fY1I Ifs-aff linz hat ~fnr
comfort to soldiers feet was not given
the careful and scientific consideration
given to that question by the American
authorities. number of plausible state
ments concerning footsore German troops
have been received in the United States.
These stories may DE greatly discounted,
and yet it is beiievabie that there has
been a :air measure OF foot trouble
among the Staiwart marching men OF
tbs German army.
A writer in Hide and Leather" tell.
ing of the German soldiers shoes, has
said that the leather used fer German
army shoes is the result OF many tests
and Is rather dry Compared with Anlerl-
can vegetabe-taaned leather. II is
made SO that the oXid:zing oils ard fats
will not rot the leather fibre during the
many years that 1t ,r,cy he held In stoi-
age. Every soldier when he gets his
army shoes. also gets Il can OF speci.a-
oil with which he dresses his shoes. am
thus keeps them pliable and water-re-
sisting. The bocts are c.ilnped and have
only two seams and are practically
water tight. The thread used for stitch
ing them is hand waxed The absence
of backing OF any nature tends to save
the II OF the boot and II is said rejects
the sun, too.
Leather manufactures il all the
allies countries are busy with the
work of filling government orders tof
harness and shoes and leather ac-
counteEInents. and reports have 1t that
large amounts of leather goods have
been bought and contracted for in the
United States. In England there wer.
heavy stocks OF shoe leather and sac
dlery leather at the time of the out
break of the war. and today practical
ly every factory in England is working
night and day making army boots and
shoes. not only for British troops. but
for those of France and Russia. Mill
tary observers have been quoted as
saying that the British troops are the
best shod soldiers in Europe, and with
England's big supply and output o.
shoes Tommy Atkins Is not permitted
70 n-down footwear.