The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-08-18
Present Struggle Expected To
Settle Dii1srsnces Of Opinion
Concerning Tactics
DEADLY WEAPONS MAY
NOT INCREASE CARNAGE
Revsrsion Of Fighting Methods
Counterbalances More Effec-
tive Ordinance
BY .. X. cANFiELD.
(vNrlttsn especially for The Detroit
.Tlmss.)


Europe u trying out its new arma-
mept--Is new scientific machines for
killing people--for the hrst time.
The energy, brains and money Of
the continent have been used since
the Franco Prussian war In improving
these machines. adjusting the engines.
taking all the little kinks and knocks
out OF the motors and getting every
thing In first-class shape for action.
The highest stage OF ability and
smooth.running. high-powered EN-.
cheney had been reached. All that was
. left was for the engineers to 60
| around with an oil can and handful
OF waste. admire the mechanism and
wonder Just what the machines would
do when cranked up.
Each engineer had agreed not to
start his particular machine unless
some one else started his and tried to
run into him. But all we're anxious
for o trial. Some one finally made q
motion as though he were going TO
start and In second they were all
going at once
What will they do with these new
machines7 Will the immediate de.
struction be as great as everyone
thought? Or will war be what II al
ways has been--a long struggle that
is not stopped by the horror OF II, but
ends only with exhaustion
Many predictions Of the damage
that will be caused by the big guns
OF battleships have been made since
the dreadnaught style OF warship came
into general use.
There are two schools among navy
experts on the matter Of gun.caltber.
The one that came into control re-
Gently was the big gun faction. Small
caliber guns have been almost elimin.
ated from the big new battleships. The
other school, believing In large
armament OF smaller guns, subject to
quicker action, closer range and a
larger percentage Of hits, now expects
to find vindication In the sea battles
of European navies.
The latter claims that 1t Is not q
question of the damage produced II
shot from heavy gun lands--that
IL tconceded--but the claim Is made
that larger number Of shots fired
within q short space OF time Will pro-
duce mere damage.
This school points to the battles
of the Russian Japanese war as an
-
largely, with the rapid-nrers,
~ ~ 80
rhs same scientific answers will be
worked out on human targets by the
latest appliances In infantry and ar.
till0ry. - It has. been freely predicted
that the Improvement In small arms
and especially In the small rapid-hre
guns OF the Calling type will cause
such immense slaughter and their use
In war will be SO terrible that war will
cease
Il iscertainly true that never again
will there be battle flags and columns
charging In close formation. For
merly large bodies Of infantry and
cavalry frequently were mHsset for
4 the assault and went into action with
little preliminary iong-range firing, ex-
cept that done by skirmishers thrown
out on. the front and tanks.
The old Misunderstanding muskets
were not adapted to accuracy In
shooting and the effect had to be ac-
complished by volley firing Of large
numbers Of men at close range FIRE.
uuentiy volley firing was done with
the muskets held at the hip and little
attention was paid to the carefulness
of aim that Is now Characteristic In
all infantry practice. As rifles Inn
proved the distances between oppon-
ents automatically increased.
The firing OF artillery into massed
bodies Of men advancing In charge
on the guns has disappeared and It
was under this formation that great
damage formerly. was done.
The infantry OF today first faces
its enemy at distance of about two
miles instead Of banging away at
pointblank range.
The attack means first the field
guns, generally using shrapnel. These
attempt to silence the enemy's ar.
tillery Are and sweep his trenches
Also the long range firing by the In
fantry. Then the advance. Squads
Of men break from the ranks and run
forward. There IL no formation Of
lines. Singly and in groups they run,
dropping for cover whenever an in
equality IN the ground affords the
chance. Meanwhile the field guns send
shells over their heads to protect
them when they have gone as far
as possible for the movement In
volved. they are halted. the lines
brought into some sort OF order and
then the operation IL repeated. So.
Dy QUICK anu OCCHsiOuhi uhbHcs, tnoy
reach a point where the final bayonet
charge can be made--provided, Of
course, the supporting artillery has
done It's duty.
The only branch of the military that
has undergone little change funda.
mentally n the cavalry. Every cam
paign has been followed by the pre-
diction that cavalry, as a large body.
had participated for the last time II
Is true that the charges OF large
masses Of cavalry belong to the past.
There will be nc, more Of the tactics
OF Murat. Sheridan and Stuart And
Gen. Forests favorite order Give
'em the saber' Is obsolete. But II ap-
pears that the cavalry Is az useful as
ever Their value IL not confined to
conveying supplies or scouting; they
are used In actual lighting. The Uhlans
OF Germany and the Cossacks OF Rus
STA undoubtedly will be as active par
Elephants In the present war - In pre-
vious ones.
And the. ancient. supposedly --obso.
lete lance Il still part Of the equip
ment Of immense troops OF horscmtn.
- 80 .tssft,. >
The greatest speculation exists
about the aircraft Military author'
tiles .re divided. one side holds to
th~ hxt(Sf fhnk vhile they will play en-