South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-31
Captain Granville FOrtescue,
War Correspondent Back From
Front, Compares Fighting Men
Says Germans Superior in Mobility Frenchman Most Intei-
gent Fighter, Russian Most Stubborn, While First
Line English Will Hold Own With Any.

the tasks allotted TO them. Since L
left the zone of their operations
have heard that Gen. Joffre has sum-
marily retired some As general ohi
GERS. This cannot but help to raise
the general standard of the army.
The general officers commanding
at the beginning OF the war were men
who had risen TO their positions by
simply sitting still and waiting for the
usual accidents of promotion. A test
of war soon demonstrates whether
these men are fitted or untitled for
their positions.
Dry Edict Aids Russ.
My observations of the Russian
army led me TO believe that a great
change had been brought in the
forces Of the car since L had seen
them at Port Arthur. 1t is rather
difficult to impress upon anyone not
familiar with the situation the ire
mendOus effect of what 1 might term
the water wagon order which placed
all of Russia on a prohibition basis.
The common soldiers cannot obtain
anything TO drink and the officers are
in the same situation, for although
the latter may be able to obtain wine
! with extraordinary effort they never
made this attempt.
The Russian army is we'll equipped
and we'll organized but here. too, we
find that corps and division COM
manders are lacking in experience.
ut is a very serious problem how
to give these officers who must carry
out the orders of the cOmmander-in-
chief in war, the proper training IN
time Of peace. Germany is the only
country as far as 1 know that has
seriously attempted to solve this
problem. German maneuvers are
largely taken up with the entraining
dot mi IF 4 81
armies This special work gives the
generals in command an unusual op-
portunity Of learning how to handle
most effectively the forces at their
disposal.
Russians stubborn.
Here is where the Germans excel.
They have. as has been so often
stated, superiority of mobility.
Against this the Russians place their
native stubbornness and there are no
more stubborn fighters in the world
than the Russians on defensive.
"Of the AustTians / do not wish TO
make any definite statement, as L
know that some of their best troops
have not been thrown into the firing
line. If Italy should enter the con-
test on the side of the allies II IS very
possible that Austria would give a
much better account of hersen
against the Russians"
! Can't. Fortescue was reminded that
/ Hilaire BellOc, the noted authority on
military affairs, had estimated tnaI
for the summer and autumn cam
paign this year the allies will be aDle
to put 100000 fresh troops IulIy
/ armed into the field and that Ger
many and Austria will be able to put
only 100000 more men IN.
what do you think of these hg-
ures?' he was asked.
"There is no greater delusion IN
! calculating the probabilities OF war
than that of numbers, he answered,
1T has been demonstrated asaln anu
/ again in the past that numerically IN
feriOr forces can defeat opponents or
| vastly greater numbers. therefore,
we cannot place much reliance upon
mere statistics. This statement as 10
the increased numbers OF the aliles
is actually of little value, because on
tho face of it, it makes for a dlHer-
ence of 100000 men; ana e G
binary as it may seem the GerIIl4 on
euneriOritv of organization mlShI
easily offset this advantage in mere
numbers. c
ITO my mind the decisive factor IN
all lighting is ammunition ano am
munition supplies. From what l nave
/ choose between men OUTSIDE ol 'nle0
| classes of courage.
"There are the ordinarily brave, we
Mill cav first: the men who take the
cbances of shot and shell because
they are held to 1t either oy sens
of duty or fear of the othcers, OF Ihe
| circumstances under which they are
! fighting. 80 non Who on
f., forward promptly on the wofd OF
commend and never calculate the
risks of charge.
"Revond these we have the super
latively brave man who alone carries
I through some extraordinary Iea',
s11cb as that performed by Mlchael
! or oorv Y G. of the Irish guards
Rut # can almost be taken for grant
| ed that most men are brave Win
+his in mind we must never be mlsleu
! by mere figures.
VIII the heaviest lighting of the
next three months occur on lle RuS
/ sian or on the Franco Belgian front
/ was asked. 90,
/ DraT1e EFFORT of offensive on the part
| Of the English and the French dur
] no the spring months" said capt.
/ FVortescue. But there can be no
question that there will also be severe
/ lighting in the Russian theater OF OPP
/ eratiOnS. III Is dllloS1 liiiP
saw where the most severe hghung
! viii be.
f., Seeking Weak Spot.
obviously the present plan OF the
allies is to try and engage as many OF
the German corps as possible IN the
! coming operations and thereby give
them the opportunity or breaking
/ through the German line at some
point. 49,.
/ Because in America we are almost
! entirely dependent upon Engllsh
sources for our information as 10 the
! operations in France ana laIlue 80 .
Ne qet y disprOpOrtionate view of the
mart that the English troops are
! Dlaving in the present line of combat,
! splendid as it must be conceded the
] English soldiers are.
| They cover not more than 40 miles
Of the 400 miles of front put the
/ nublicitv they receive is out OF all
! nronortion To- tie effect they may be