Omaha daily bee., 1915-04-04
Big RESERVE ARMY
OF FRANCE A MYTH
British Observer Says Republic Has
No Great Reserve Force in Back
ground to Hurl at Foe.
ALL CORPS ARE IN THE FIGHT

LONDON. april 3.-The official
observer with the French army in
his latest report says: There is an
Idea in many circles that France has
number of army corps or divisions
somewhere in the background ready
to be thrown into the fighting when
the great day Of victory is at hand.
This idea should be dismissed.
All the army corps of France are
fighting and its reserves will enable
Them to keep fighting. and fighting
aard, SO long as the war continues"
Makes Comparison.
The observer compares the results
achieved by the French offensive IN
Champagne with the objects with which
the operations were undertaken. The OBJ
1ccts, he Gays. were TO keep a constant
pressure on the German first line defenses
in order 20 affect the use by the Ger
mans OF the railway from Bazancourt 20
challerange and 10 wear down their re-
serves OF men and ammunition.
''As regards the first object" says tho
report. the pressure continued for thirty
ono days, with the result that the enemy
has lost the fortified area which he had
been holding and continually strengthen
ing for five months. Ills use OF the chal-
lerange and Bazancourt line has not been
materially affected. for. although at GER
tain points It is within range OF tho
French guns, ne can without difficulty
continue 20 run the trains required for
the maintenance Of the corps on that
part of the front. and the junction at
Chalierange Is secure
UainE Up of Reserves.
THE using up OF his reserves has been
achieved in a very marked manner. At
the beginning of the operation there were
some eighteen regiments in that part OF
the line At its conclusion thirty-three
have been Identified. Fifteen that had
been called up TO Withstand the French
offensive were drawn from many parts
OF the German line. which indicates that
the enemy has no central reserves that
ne can cell up in case Of an emergency.
"As regards ammunition: The German
artillery has practised economy, which 10
Unusual with them. On many days they
made no effort to keep down the fire of
the French guns. although this meant
y heavier losses for their infantry in the
trenches. This showed clearly that their
supply OF ammunition was not all that they
could have wished. and an extra expen-
diturc may well have made itself felt IN
the amount available on all parts Of the
German front.
Valuable Lessons Learned.
Two valuable lessons therefore have
been learned from these operations. Tho
fIrst Is that the German front can be
pierced. There were moments IN Cham
pagnc and Neuve Chappelie, when the
way was opcns when nothing moro formid-
able than the weak resistance Of sorely
tried troops faced the attackers and Il
docs not follow because the hole was
closed before advantage could be taken
OF II that this win DO the case every time.
The second lesson learned IL that a
serious attack ON one point has an effect
on the enemy's plans ana fighting power
az every other point. Tho British attack
at Neuve chappelle ruined the enemys
chances OF a bis success at st. Eioi
The French attacks at Perthes helped
the British attack at Neuve ChappelIe.
and both these assisted Russians to with
stand the German offensive In the east
ern th0ater"
Taspectton by Joffre.
Speaking OF the inspection by General
Ioffre. the French commander-in-chief,
Of several divisions which HAD been
through tho whole OF the fighting. the
observer says:
we must not forget that these regl-
ments have had 20 be brought up TO
strength, some times almost reorganlzed.
after each OF their attacks. OF which they
carried out several during the last thirty
days. What we really are looking at Is
the French system OF reinforeements ana
the system which keeps army corps not
only up 20 their strength. but up 70 their
full standard OF fighting efficiency. II
Is one which plainly Is answering we'll"