Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-26
of the European forts that the motor
tractors have
Swift Movement played such
of the Heavy Guns, an ''''p ~, '',''.

VI IuC ncdVy UuuS. role They
have invaded the theater of diplomacy,
and it is not too much to say that the
necessity for the rapid movement of the
big guns-which was synonymous with
easy transportation by the tractors
led to the invasion of Belgium during
the first days of the war. The high
ways of Belgium and those connecting
northern France with the Flemish Dor
der are much more level than those
elsewhere on the frontier, and it is an
open secret abroad that this was po-
tent reason for the choice of the Ger
man route.
Certainly a war which includes the
demolition of fortresses made pos 81 BILE
by motor tractors and the attempted
changing of the entire political map of
continent in order that these lumber
ing 1uggernauts may have an easier
path is something novel in history.
Who knows but that Germany's deci-
sion to invade Belgium may not lie at
the door of some contractor, long since
dead, who failed to build the roads to
the south of that country as well as he
should?
If the motor driven artillery has sup
piled the body blows of the present
war, the armored automobile, a mem
Der Of the same family, has been re-
no less telling victories. Both the allies
and the Germans have used the fort
on wheels" with excellent effect, and
the entrance of Italy into the war as
sured the allied forces of large num-
Der OF very valuable machines, the
lsotta Franchini type of armored auto
mobile, with revolving turret not un-
like that of a Gruson battery, being
considered to represent the finest
achievement in this line of offensive
warfare.
Inc armored autom obile has proved
most effectual weapon in preventing
the depredations of snipers and in dis
posing OF large forces of armed citizens
or smaller forces of trained troops 1t
is almost certainty that the plan of
campaign of an invading army for the
next decade or two will be to throw
out a fan of these rapidly moving forts,
eacn armed with machine guns and
CARRYING crew of three or four men.
ana sweep the country clear of anipers
and isolated bodies of men who would
otherwise render the advance of the
invading army very difficult.
**
This procedure is applicable not only
to open country, but also to the towns
= in which citizens
dImOTeQ Autos may have barri-
Power in Streets. eaded themselves
in anticipation of
the enemy's entrance. A few armored
automobiles, the crews of which are
amply protected from rife fire by the
light steel coverings, could sweep the
streets and effectually dispose of any
armed resistance. Light barricades
could be overthrown by a charge of
these machines. while heavier ones
could be shot away with the machine
guns. In this manner the entrance of
the invading army could be made COM
paratively safe. and sniping, one of the
terrors of warfare, would be practi-
eally eliminated.
The lessons of the present war have
been many, and, from military
standpoint, revolutionary. But when
the final accounting is made and the
nations take stock of the weapons
which they will need to hold the pace
of the god of war. it is doubtful if any
single weapon will take precedence
over the automobile, with it's infinite
possibilities of adaptation to the SUI
preme emergency.