The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-29
Lessons OF . Year of War.

One of the things that has been i'm
pressed upon us Is that human nature
is unchanged and Interchangeable. Men
today are just as brave and just as
cruel and just as fond of that great
game called war as they we're In any
past era. The horrors of Belgium
and the Champagne and East Prussia
and Galicia and Russian Poland and
Serbia are greater than those of the
past only in proportion to the great
areas and numbers OF people involved.
The heroism OF soldiers who give their
| lives for a national ideal is just as
intense as it was in the days of Leoni-
das. Therefore. we may put aside
as vain and foolish all hopes that
this war will be the last one because
| 1t Ia so terrible.
| Another thing that we have had
| impressed upon us is that as the means
| Of offense are developed by mechani-
cal advance the means Of defense pref
| ty well keep pace. Where battalions
are annihilated now by SHELLS and ma
chine guns. armies were formerly des-
! troyed by the sword and spear. II
twenty million men had been arrayed
/ against each other in the days OF
| Caesar the casualties at the end OF
the year would have been vastly more
than the five millions at which con-
sentative authorities estimate the Eu-
| ropean losses. And the casualties
would have been principally killed.
1 War has progressed enormously In
the matter OF money cost.
| 1t 10 for military men 70 say what
purely technical lessons the first year
of war has taught US. but a few salient
facts stand out 80 plainly that even
the lay mind can grasp them. First,
artillery has increased enormously
in importance, while cavalry has de-
clined. not, perhaps, in ratio. but still
markedly. The pick and spade have
assumed q prominence that would have
been thought impossible twelve months
ago. The facility with which soldiers
under fire burrow into the ground has
caused decline in the value Of shrap.
Of high explosive shells, with which
/ the entrenched men may be blasted
out Of the earth.
The dirigibie has proven the biggest
bluff Of all the new inventions of war
The aeroplane, on the other hand. ha.
accomplished even more than was ex.
pected Of 1t. and Its development has
only started So far the aeroplans
has not proved a formidable weapon
Of defense. its possibilities in this tii.
rection may be developed with the
advent of the more powerful ma
chimes that all the nations are nov
building.
The submarine. on the whole, ma.
proved disappointment, although II
Is very potent source of terror. II
the promised submarine cruisers are
evolved. undersoa craft will be of in
creased importance.
One lesson this war has brought
home. and that is the advantage OF
preparedness. Motors have vastl,
increased the mobility Of armies, and
may. perha ps. be placed at the head
i Of all modern Inventions for the In.
crease of military efficiency In thi.
i war the use of strategic railways ha.
been of incalculable value to Ger.
many, who has been at least equa
to the best of her adversaries In tn,
] use Of the motor-driven conveyances
i Germany alone, OF all the nations
| appreciated fully what II meant Il
be wholly prepared for war. France
was her only rival In preparedness