Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-08-12
TWO HUGE ARMIES NOW ENGAGED ON FRANCO GERMAN FRONTIER

Poincare to proceed to Russia with
fresh assurances for the car that
France was prepared to do still more
when the time came to enable the
partners In the dual alliance to crush
their mutual German foe. e
General Keim asserted that instead
Of being numerically inferior to the
German army at the present moment
France, with 100000 troops under
arms. was vastly superior. Her artil-
lery also was in no respect less ehec-
tive than Germany's. In one or two
directions it was even superior.
An amusing incident throwing char
acteristic light on the unerring thor
oughness of the French intelligence
service was learned. A German from
tier cavalry regiment near Metz was
recently alarmed early in the morning
and was ordered to carry out make
believe war maneuver consisting In &C.
cupying a certain strategic point on
the adjacent frontier.
0OOu0 SUS n00NJs
The regiment executed the order
with brilliant dash and with the great
est punctuality. but the officers were
astonished to find as they approached
cavalry was also riding toward the
same point from the other side Of the
frontier. The two regiments arrived
at the border line practically stimuli
taneously. Both the German and the
French officers considered it huge
joke and, dismounting, mingled for
agreeable conversation and exchanged
smokes for a matter Of fifteen minutes.
The French had prompt knowledge
of the maneuver and met 1t.
The death warrant for the French
soldiers famous red trousers was sign
ed in the chamber Of deputies in July.
In the future the army Of the republic
will go to war clothed in a neutral
shade Of gray blue, which, it Is assert
ed. will make the wearers invisible to
the enemy at 500 yards instead. as ut
present, being plainly discernib.e at
1,5OO yards. The change is expected
to take seven years and does not affect
the present situation.
NJ. Messinly, the minister of war, In
urging the necessity for the measure
was supported in his argument by cit
ing the example Of the British army,
which adopted khaki In the Transvaal.
and the experience of the wars in the
Balkans.
In military aeroplanes the French
army Outclasses any other. The num-
Der of machines available for war use
is put as high as LOCO, with aviators
Of experience to man them.
For century France has adhered to
the belief of Bonaparte that the artil-
Iery. properly supported by infantry, is
the most effective arm Of the service.
Napoleon himself was an artilleryman,
and the handling of the big guns was a
favorite study with him. 1t will be re-
called that his placing of the guns in
the streets Of Paris during the revolu-
ton did much to make him the master
of France.
In all of the wars In which France
has been engaged since the era of the
first Napoleon-in the Crimea. In Aus
tria. in the unsuccessful contest with
Germany in 1870-1-Frenchmen have
distinguished themselves by their ham
ding of artillery. Their batteries are
noted for their mobility and the ease
and Quickness with which the ammu-
milton is handled. In addition, the
placing Of the batteries in time of ac-
ton has been made special study at
the French military schools. Various
foreign observers have certified their
belief that in this branch of military
work France leads the world
Indeed. it was asserted that the over
whelming defeat of the Turks in the
recent war in the Balkans was due in
some degree to the fact that their field
guns, of German manufacture, were
outclassed by the artillery Of the allied
Balkan powers, which was made in
France. French military writer's ex-