Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-06-20
Cars Forces at Beginning Of.
War Struck Austria With
One Arm and With Other.
EaSed Pressure on Paris,
WAR WITH JAPAN HAS
TAUGHT LESSON WELL
Mccormick Gives Observations
on Efficiency of Russian
Troops in Action and De-
SCribeS Their Methods,
BY. RonEnT II. MCCORMICK.

(COpyrirht. lJlos By 1he tnlchgo Iflbunc.|
Great Russian Headquarters, May
III have never seen the German
army and therefore cannot use that
standard of comparison in discussing
the Russian soldiers. The Germans
and Russians have met four times in
decisive combat in the last year.
Twice the Germans have triumphed in
East Prussia and twice the Russians
have won in Poland.
The Germans had created certain
advantages in the years of prepara
tiOn for which the Russians had no
parallel. The Germans had built a
network of railroads purely for mill
tary purposes. They had gone beyond
this. They caused farmers to con-
struct and locate their buildings as
to be of great use for military pur-
poses.
Throughout East Prussia farm
houses occupy all strategic points.
They are invariably built with heavy
walls and small windows toward the
Russian frontier and with thin walls
and wide doors toward Berlin. Many
of these are connected with secret tel
ephones, thus early in the war the
Russians were surprised To find their
first shot of the enemy. This system
of construction has also been carried
out by the Prussian farmers In Rus
sian Poland, and especially along the
railways and highways leading to
Warsaw.
Profit by Experience.
On the other hand, the Russians
have pr0fited much from the war
with Japan. Weaknesses that were
disclosed in organization and person
mel have been remedied and the mill
tary talent developed in that war has
been brought TO the front in this
Whereas the war found the French
army totally unfit to cope with Ger
many and the English army too small
to be of decisive assistance and the
Belgian army absolutely neglible, the
Russian army was Immediately able
to strike the Austrians with one arm
and with the other pun the Prusslans
from the gates of Paris.
The Russian light field piece resem-
bles the French ~, copied, / believe,
after the latter. On the other hand,
the Russian six-inch field gun has
been used as a model by the French.
The batteries are complete to tripod
ameters and telephone system. How
great foresight is shown in providing
this equinment for so enormous an
army will be understood when it Is
realized that the little British eXpedi-
tionary force of $50, 900 men was lack
ing in both of these requirements.
Cossacks Great Horscmen.
OF Russian cavalry have only seen
a mounted drill of two troops of Cos
sacks. whose extraordinary horseman-
ship lends confirmation TO the story
of unbroken successes in mounted
conflicts, recounted by officers OF all
branches of the service.
They tell me that at the beginning
Of the campaign In Galicia there were
many encounters between cavalry
units, in which the Russians were al
most invariably successful. Among
the opponents they speak highly only
of the lHungarians. The Austrians
they say are poor and the Prussians
worst of ALL
The Russian cavalry charges with
the lance and saber. The Austrian
first rank charges with the lance, the
second rank is armed with an auto
matte pistol. This weapon has not
Austrian troopers.
However, as Europeans are not gen.
orally accustomed to the use of the
small firearms, / do not feel that their
failure is evidence that in the hands
of trained men it is not the best weap
on for mounted warfare at short
range. 1t is the policy of German
cavalry to avoid mounted actions and
TO fight on foot.
Russian Horses Wiry.
The Austrian and German mounts
at the outbreak of the war were on
the whole faster and heavier than the
russians, but they have been unable
TO stand the hardships of campaign
ing. The Russian mount averages
about fifteen hands in height and is
quick and wiry, much like the polo
ponies that were ridden a few years
ago
With the south front in the Carpa-
thlan mountains and the western and
northern fronts in trenches, there is
now little work for the cavalry to do.
The troopers take their share of the
work in the trenches even to the dan
dies of the guard.
The Russian carbine is considerably
smaller than the infantry rifle and
less effective at longer ranges. 1T is
Just as good. however. for the short
range fire of trench warfare. The
soldiers are now improvising bayonets
Tor hand-to-hand conflict.
The Russian transport is entirely
uifferent from that used in the other
theater of war The great motor
trucks are entirely lacking and so are