Evening star., 1914-10-04
Speed With Which Cars
Army Moved a Surprise
to the Germans.
TRIBUTE TO ARTILLERY;
INFANTRY'S AIM POOR
Teutons Have Larger Respect for
Private Soldiers Than for
Muscovite Commander.
Of the Associated Press.

Correspondence Of the Associated Prees.
BERLIN, September l4.-Now that the
Germans have succeeded in clearing
East Prussia of the Russians. German
army officers are giving their views as
to the fighting qualities Of the Russian
emperors soldiers and oficers. This
East Prussian campaign. IL may be re-
marked by the way. is the most remark
able on record for the number Of prison.
ers taken in so short time and in field
fighting. In less than three weeks. ac-
cording to Official statements, Gen. won
Hindenburg made prisoners of nearly
150.0 900 Russians.
The first surprise the Russians gave
the German military leaders was the az
gressive way in which they pushed this
campaign. 1t had been supposed In MILL
tary quarters here that they would oc-
cupy strong defensive position behind
the Fistula and other streams and await
the attack of the Germans and Aus
trians. Instead. however. they pushed
into East Prussia in great numbers at
a very early stage of the war. and they
are still moving forward in Galicia-
Russia Ready for War.
From this fact it is inferred here that
Russia's mobilization was very far adj
vanced and other preparations for war
begun long before the st. Petersburs,
government admitted that even one sol
dier had been called to the colors.
The next surprise was that the Rus
sian generals no longer send their
troops into battle in close format:o.,
as in previous wars. but have modern
lied their tactics and try to utilize all
the advantages of the ground. The
shooting of the infantry. however.
was found to be still very Ineffective.
This is no wonder if prisoners told the
truth in saying that they had had no
target practice whatever and had only
used their rifles shooting with blank
cartridges in maneuvers. With the
held artillery the case is quite differ
ent- Its firing is remarkably good.
The accurate Russian gunnery was
considerably neutralized, however, by
the large proportion of shells which
failed to explode. fact which soon
found a legendary explanation in the
report that many shells contained sand
| instead of explosives. Artillery ex-
perts find more probable explanation
many places along the Russian from
tier, the shells burying themselves in
the soft earth without exploding.
Weird Rumors of War.
This origin and DEVELOPMENT OF
| rumors Of the enemy's defects has
been an interesting study of war A
report. for instance, that French pris-
oners had been captured wearing pat
| ent leather shoes would appear in
some local paper. It would be taken
up. tossed from newspaper to soldiers
and from soldiers back to newspapers.
until in a few days the entire French
army was marching into battle in
dancing pumps.
The Cossacks have again proved that
fhaxy ~
German officers, either for reconnois-
sance work or in fighting. On the other
hand. the German officers speak much
cavalry.
The conduct of the troops in the in
vasfon of East Prussia, partfcula rly
when together in larger units and un-
der the command of higher officers, ap-
pears to have been, in general, excel.
lent They appear to have respected
private property and paid for supplies
requfsitioned, even If payment was
only In Russian script. Small detach-
ments. on the contrary. seemed to have
looted and burned.
Not Impressed by Officers.
The Russian officers have by no
means impressed the German military
men favorably. In many cases it was
remarked that they failed to grasp the
most elementary tactical points in sit
uations on the battlefield. 1t was also
frequently charged in newspaper ac-
counts and letters from soldiers and
officers that many Russian officers lack
courage.
1t is pointed out that among the
$4,000 prisoners taken in the great bat
tie near Allenstein-the Germans call
it the battle Of Tannenberg-hardly a
third of the normal quota of officers
were found among the prisoners The
seventeen generals captured in this
battle were quite broken in spirit and
one wept like a child. The higher Of
f1cers are much too old for their work,
according to views prevailing in the
German officers CORDS