The Washington herald., 1916-01-16
By JOHN r.. BALpERsroN.

BY JOHN r.. BALDERsTON.
tCopynsht, las. By Mcclure Newspaper syndicztsl
London, Dec. 2.-''Men, Money and
Munitions"
necessarily win be won by the side which
can put the most men In the field or when
you have proved that the Austro-German
armies must continue to lose in effective
man power during 1916. while the armies
Of the entente grow relatively stronger
with the passage of time, to announce
that this process OF attrition spells GER
tain victory for the entente
Probably still more erroneous than the
delusion Of certain military critics Just
mentioned Is the belief OF hnanciers and
business men that the war must be won
by the side with the most money regard
less OF other considerations. The French
republic was absolutely bankrupt, its pa
per money scarcely worth dollar a bar
rel, when its armies commenced the daz-
zling victories which lasted under the
generals OF the Terror and Napoleon for
more than twenty years.
And II would be equally wrong to claim
the ultimate decision for the group of
powers which can turn Out the most can
non and shells. But believe the formula
above, Men, Money and Munitions"
includes the three caiculable factors of
the situation, and that, given accurate
knowledge OF the actual and potential
size Of the rival armies, Of the financial
resources Of the nations, and Of their
ability to equip their hosts with destruc-
tive machinery, it would be possible to
calculate with some probability the result
and duration Of the war.
There is, however, one elusive, meal
culable factor which lodges In and out
among the sheaves Of reliable figures Of
the mmanders-in-chlef, as well as
mocking the most careful analyses Of the
calculable factors drawn up by writers
for the neutral press who have less data,
but try to remain unbiased. This in
calculable factor may be called the stra-
tegical defensive.
The British Navy
The British navy? Is 1t not a factor
in the final decision? To that organiZa-
tion is paid by critics here and in Ger
many the supreme compliment Nof tacitly
accepting 1t as force which has already
fulfilled its purpose. The issue is no
longer, will the entente or the central
powers win decisively? The British navy
makes It impossible for the central pow
ers to crush their enemies, and, thanks
to that navy. the supreme question be-
fore the world may be stated: VIII the
allies crush Germany and her partners,
or will they be forced to desist from the
attempt and call the war a draw? The
lance, now realizes that Germany can
not hope to dominate her opponents, and
II should not forget, in criticiZing British
muddling, the silent fleet" which with
out fighting one pitched battle has scored
the only decision yet registered in the
world conflict.
Any impartial analysis Of the calculabIe
factor OF men. which includes the angles
OF losses, quality, and potential reserves
and OF the factor Of money, which in
Cludes foreign and domestic credit and
trade, must result in a verdict against
Germany. The third calculable factor,
that of munitions, is dealt with in this
article. The facts about the great in
dustrial upheavsl In Britain since last
summer, which is yielding incredible re-
suits, contain no comfort for Germany.
They are all obtained from oficial
sources, and despite the many supremely
interesting things which must not be
revealed am able to give, in the words
Of an official Of the department Of NUM-
tiOns who looked over my notes, "accu-
rate conclusions concerning the present
situation here as regards facts, and so
far as we know as regards comparisons
with the probable munitions situation in
Germany"
StrntegicaI Defensive.
Before discussing munitions. as in pre-
viOUs articles I have discussed men and
money. the incalculable factor Of the
strategical defensive will be explained,
to do away with any idea that in this
article, or in preceding ones dealing with
the number OF fighting men available and
the rate Of wastage, with the financial
burden Of Britain and with other import
ant phases Of the war, any attempt has
been made to prophesy.
Suppose that by a miracle an observer
were able to learn all the truth in all
the countries at war about the calculable
factors Of men, money and munitions,
considered separately and in relation to
one another II he knew, as no man liv-
Ing knows, the last man and the last dol
lar and the last shell every government
can wiring out Of its people, he could not
with certainty predict what is going to
happen.
During the September attack In Cham.
payne, ninety Germans, acting on the
defensive with about forty machine guns
according to Mr.. Lloyd George, held up
"a very considerable French army fol-
days and even for weeks" and the
French army lost heavily in making the
attack" The British minister for mu-
nitions told the story to prove the I'M
mense Importance OF machinery in pres
ent day fighting Those ninety Germans
were able to kill and wound 1000 French
men because they occupied a new form
Of subterranean fort, shaped like a star
FISH. II had six passages running to the
surface from a shell-proof central cham
Der forty feet below the ground, with
machine guns placed at each outlet
Shell fire against the defenders was use
less, excepting a shell struck fairly in
the mouth OF one of the outlets. In each
passage was a narrow-gauge railway
leading down into the interior, and each
passage was mined so that as one by
one they were carried by storm the ma
chine guns were withdrawn and the in
vaders blown to pieces.
Value of Machine Guns.
This amazing account Of how ninety
men stood off for weeks one Of Gen. de
Castelnau's armies indicates. as Lloyc
George desired to drive home, the great
value OF machine guns But the baf.
fled army which struggled in vain around
The "starfsh." as the fort was christened.
had hundreds Of machine guns and scores
of cannon The story shows not only
then, the importance Of machine guns
but also the supreme advantage con-
ferred by the defensive.
IL l.. a.. L.