The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-08


Col. Baron Felix l. d'Andre OF the
French army. Before the war Baron
d'Andre was the French military adj
wiser OF Peru and las such was virtually
In command OF the Peruvian army.
This expert observer. who has been In
many engagements on the western front
and who has been wounded twice. says
that in spite of the wonderful work
done by artillery in the European strug-
gle. In spite OF the Krupp cannon and the
famous French 75s. It Is the infantry
with the rife that will decide the des-
TIMES Of the warning nations.
He mmen on the weakness of con-
crete n steel fortiiications las demon
etrated by the events In the war and
contends that II has been proved again
that "the best wall Of a fort he's always
been the breast OF It's defenders"
Col. d'Andrc's Letter.
baron d'Andre says that in some OF
the infantry engagements the losses
have exceeded co per cent. In the letter
he says
you know very well what I have
hlWdNt tdIi concerning lHc VIZ hlth ~
portanco VI infantry. Only a people
which has good infantry can triumph 4:
n people Is worth what its infantry Is
worth. The history OF peoples is a his
tory of their infantry when tho value
Of the infantry diininishes the people
fail. Wherever the infantry is Is the
country and the victory.
These truths have been proved in
blood. II suifices to convince oneself
OF these truths 10 live IA the trenches
with our veterans.
yes. my friend, t is the triumph OF
the infantry which We have to proclaim
to-day. 1t Is vain TO speak Of hallistics
and pyrotechnics. The soul stands very
much above them. And in battle II Is
the most resisting soul that triumphs.
1t must never be forgotten that the de-
cis,ve victory o. the Marne was won
by France without heavy artillery. For
my part, my regiment never knew WHAT
Il was to be supported Ivy the cannon.
] do not know where our artillery was
but we fought without its cooperation.
Yes, my friend. thus II was And never
theless I have never had the impress
sion of a hostile infantry capable OF
resisting US. Whether In the retreat
from the Woevre, AT J"andehzs, the 9th
OF August, or covering the retreat De-
fore the battle OF the OurCa. the LIST or
September at Senlis, or again taxing
the offensive tbattle OF the burcqD on
the 9Th. capturing Saint Soupplets with
the b. yonet. or (battle of the Marne)
on the eth at Etrepilly, where ] took
two herman machine guns. being
wounded for the first time, or on the
18Th A. Pernant Chattl" ~ the Aisne),
falling wounded for the second time. !
have never met infantry which pursued
our retreat or could resist our advance,
And ! repeat. we were not supported
- .,-- ,.ItI. H1. lNrt1pHa ~ 4le
ravages among US,
Very we'll We have made immense
progress. Of course. sincc then, the
accord between III" arm Is now ~" ac-
copied rule, In the union OF tho arms
lies strength tn" struggle Of one arm
against two j. not possible. infantry
must always be supported by tho can-
non. ON the other hand, a. soon as
the infantry retreats tho cannon with
draws. since artillery cannot iGnt
against %nfantrv The greatest losses
which the artillery sustai = occur pre-
clselv when II has TO y Il the sno"K
Of the hostile infantry. 1t IL the losses
which make one understand IN" r"spec.
tive value of the different arms, ~
course YOU know that there l. no COM
pariSon between the infantry and Other
arms In som" infantry regiments the
losses exceed 80 per cont. ~ 10 ON
GERS, they have varied from So to loo
per cent. ON the other hand, the most
exposed OF the other arms has not nat
zen 10 per rent loss, Tho only losses
which cavalry sustained were received
I'm the trenches Is infantry 'my poor
brother, a splendid avalry leader, died
fighting IN the trenches a. an infantry
mani.
"a trench in which there is a good sho'
is !npr.rnab., The machine gun
served 10y a professional shot, is tn,
deadly wee pon par excellence, Fire =
king. A. to the other arms III" N
fantrymen never presume to dcspl"c ans
of them. They recognize the services
which the latter render them But say
>. ing this. they do not admit, nor Wi
they ever admit. that any arm shoulS
presume to compare !tscl: To- the III
, fantry, since the infantry is the cs
, scnce Itself OF the cntir" nation Tn
infantry is the nation! The other arm!
, serve tn" nation.
/, Thus il Is that for our Veterans q
the war Of i9ll the arullerymap wht
l serves his cannon is no more useful, /
y Of no more value, than tn artiII"ryIna
4 who serves in an ammunition section
, supplying cannons. mortars, rifles an'
machine guns with ammunition. With
out ammunition tine armament would b
, useless And the present war consume
/ an enormous amount Of ammunition
But the artilleryman who supplies tn,
troops with ammunition ia no more use
full, IL of no more value Gin the opinion
/ of our yetcrans) than the intendon
| who supplies the troops with ritions-
: since without soup there is no troop
q But tho intendent Is no more useful, is q
no more value than the doctor VIII
comes TO pick up the wounded and % RI
them to "A place where he will save thcr
: Il speak of this through experience
Tho doctor Is 81 no more value thun tn
aviator who d scovers and attacks IN
enemy than the railroad officer VIII
! transports tho troops h the valian
sapper who blows up the hostile trench
$ than the "a ~valryran who acts as
ommunicating agent. To conpar tn
1 artilleryuran to the iuteudent, the doc
tor. &c, is then to place the truth In tn
right place. The opinion of our veteran
= Is worth a gold dollar. And we ough
to pick it up with vcneration.
of the Infantry.
An these artillcrym"n, aViators. SAP
, pers, intendents, doctors. &c, are III
a%uxiliaries Of the infantry, the SCI
: wants of the infantry, the mistress G
the house.
!, Let us look ut this mistress. At IN
= same time we shall nail to the pillor
the dcceitful opinion OF certain in
. terested people who wish to do a goo
A business by affccting TO see In "A wa
between two people. two souls, two CT,
q ilizations. only q question of material.
Certain Germans affect to attrihu'
q their defeats to the perfection Of ou
n material. Honor TO the ~! What a lie