New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-25
WAR.

Asst SHOT. By .treGerlSSh
~ LAii Emo, PIP. 81 Charles Serb
rs sons 800,
.nrnstance has given 10 this novel
/ ain tinslines' beyond that inherent 'n
:, orOfessiOnal handling OF Its sub
r,ljke so many novelists who
-.,,,en OF the great war that is
Mr.. Palmer is an authority who
.,,n,ssed and studied as a war
'....pondeut, the staging Of the
-, greatest drama in China Man
"" ~. Philippines. the Balkans,
.'n many lesser campaigns His is
.,ory OF scientific speculation, OF
IN the air, Of the destruction Of
:. by explosives dropped from
~, and Of the asphyxiation OF
-, by noxious gases invented ny
lTf,e> ~
,,,o but a picture Of war as it is
,,,,t to-day in the nth degree OF It's
o-ganization and methods. So
warfare itself is concerned the
'.ssrpisces 49, Tolstoy's and Zoia's
-, ,bem-have become antiQuated'
:, our fctional military futurists
-. without knowledge of facts. The
-. var Mr.. Palmer knows. will be
Odd no: by airmen nor by invent
= but by infantry.
u. erst-hand knowledge Of the
...g,ics Of modern warfare is seen in
,,v mage Of this book. The profess
.,,,, soldier. no matter whether he be
IN. star. line, reserve corps or med
:, aepartment, will find no misuse of
,-rs here or misapplication OF the
~.s that NAV relate to his particular
,,,ch OF the service. Automatic
,,,g.srers. steel-jacketed bullets, the
direct fire OF modern field guns,
,r,uortation and supply, sanitation
ana hygiene. team work and the FOL
sz me" leadership of present usage,
:, hsy. their proper presentation in
heir proper correlation. Selecting as
\. theatre Of war frontier in Con-
mental Europe that supposedly has NJ
recaphlcal significance, but which
vumistskably suggests that Of France
nd Gsrmany-the last charge is made
BY the Foreign Legion-the author
sssEes in conflict an army OF three
rEEcn Browns and one Of FIVE mill
:, Crews" TO compensate FOR the
Ewiority in numbers, the Browns .
IN placed on the defensive with AIDE
,8iis Qualifications, 10 which they fall
RA for q final struggle that is un-
1t.siented in its ferOcity and carnage.
u. conditions under which this
rnntic conflict is staged are purposely
,sts IDEAL. Unbroken lines Of COM
runicst;on with bases Of supplies are
Maintained without fear Of Interrupt
t.n by both armies. so that the chief
ss.af Of each has but one objective
tst Of overwhelming his antagonist.
u. sbb and flow OF the tide Of battle
~ contagious: the war fever" is
ss. The value Of human life is dis
sssrded. Regiments, brigades and
d'sions are thrown into the Unsuitable
1s Of the war god as one would toss
pisce OF meat 20 a hungry cur. And
asn-the climax. Withal. the story
A. be fully grasped by the layInan.
No ieehniealities obscure the meaning
% purpose Of the movements Of these
''sss q armed men.
nus iar the greater outline OF the
'fy. as for IT'S fiction, that, too. is
s@' from experience This officer
= Palmer tells Us, he met in Man
una. that private talked 70 him in
? Balkans. And thus, on either side,
see not only the professional mill
q! men. but the conscripts OF all
s''es o. education and social antece-
MS aristocrats and workingmen,
.''''a'es Of universal peace, Socialists,
1'@'ehisis-the collective intelligence
no nations under arms. 1T is bad
= 4 soldier 70 think too much says
= chef Of STAFF Of the "Greys.' To-
'ne European soldier, who is the
.''as citizen. is thinking harder and
"' oarngly than his seniors be-
va the fighting age left behind at
'-N Thus the novel foreshadows,
- nan prophesies. universal peace,