The Calumet news., 1914-09-15
GERMANS CONSIDER men THE
CHEAPEST MATERIAL; HURL
MASSES AGAINST THE GUNS
Allies Machine and Rifle Fire Now Down Kases Forces But Rigid
Discipline mpeIs Every Soldier to Step Into Places
of Those Who Have Fallen

takes thousand bullets to kill or
wound one soldier lie knows that if
he advances as ordered he may be
shot by the enemy. But he also knows
discipline he is sure To be shOt-by
an officer.
All accounts have agreed upon one
thing-the steadiness of the German
troops in this war under the terrific
fire OF modern guns and the remark
able precision with which maneuvers
are carried out under conditions more
deadly than ever have prevailed on
battlehelds in the past. 1t is disci-
pline that does this.
Maneuvers Called UnwieIdly.
The maneuvers of the Germans be-
fore the forts at Liege were called
unwieldly. clumsy and lacking i'm en-
thusiasm, by critics. The mass for
nation was denounced as suicidal.
But the Germans continued to ad-
vance.
It is the history of the German
army that II never shrinks from the
attack in mass formation because il
has seldom or never been made with
out the reward of victory. The at
tacks on the Belgian forts were
largely a repetition of the tactics of
1870. with little artillery prepara-
tion for the assault. immense bodies
of troops were thrown forward in mass
formation This, in a general way
was Napoleons plan. 1t was Grants
too 1t was Won Moltke's in the Fran
Coz Prussian war.
Even i'm that last war, with the com
paratively slow firing and low-powel
artillery and rifles the slaughter was
terrible. At Mars-laTou the Ger
mans lost 17,OOO men in thirteen hours
At Gravelo,te they lost 21,O0O in eight
hours.
In one part of the field 5000 men fel
in ten minutes.
That was in 1870. Today, with mod
crn weapons, the danger zone through
which troops are compelled to advance
is doubled or trebled, both for artiller!
and rifle fire.
There was nothing in 1870 to com
pare i'm destructiveness with moderi
shrapnel. Fire is also directed witt
much greater accuracy, owing to mor'
scientific methods of sighting and i'm
proved systems of battery control.
Another Gravelotte Impossible.
II has been stated by experts tina
another Gravelotte under these ney
conditions would be impossible be
cause human beings could not endur
IL and because the horrors that woul'
meet advancing bodies Of troops owe
the field would be appalling.
But that is exactly what Is bein
, done. Gravelotte was child's play II
comparison with Charleroi. Disciplin
has destroyed the theories ana ha
| dissipated the tactics of officers wh
! figured out new ways OF Formation
and attack.
| Rack of the discipline is the feelin
IN Germany that this is a struggle q
| the nation for it's life. There is pa
triotism among Germans as well a
among French. But once In the arm
discipline assumes control over pa
triotism. The latter may be strong
or compelling force in leading charg
with cold steel, but the former, thu
far has done the work in steady
machine-like operations without tn
exbilaration Of personal combat.
The Germans evidently believe i
the methods that have carried them {
success in previous wars. Cavalry
infantry and guns are massed oppo
site the point to be attacked. At th
anpointed moment the artillery opens
the cavalry sweeps forwards and tn
infantry prepares for a charge wit
the bayonet. That was the scheme q
Nopoleon, who said:
"The science Of winning battles
hoing stronger than the enemy at
! given point
Sheer Weight May Win War.
. II was the plan of the Germans
strike the battle line of the allies q
, confer or flank with a greater fore
than the allies could oppose to thei