Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-12-10
MARKED CHANGE IN
POLICY IN THE WEST
Quiet Reigns on Most Parts
of the Long Battle Line
No More Reckless
Waste of Ammunition by
Invaders.
BY HENRY WOOD.
Omitted oress Staff Correspondent
win the French Armes)

win the French Armies.)
With the French Armies Some
where" Between Picardy and Cham
payne, Nov. 19.-(By Mail)-To meet
the gigantic artillery concentration of
the allies on the Somme, Germany has
been forced to call in her guns from
various points until there are portions
of the German front in France where
the war has been reduced to half a dozen
cannon shot day--and even those by
the French alone.
have Just visited three different
points of the French front between
Picardy and Champagne where Ger
man activity has ceased to such an eX-
tent that they can actually be described
as the most peaceful spots in the
world. Yet, all three of these points,
previous 20 the allies big push on
the Somme, were centers of some of
the most desperate efforts the Ger
mans have made to break through the
French lines.
This remarkable change came about
quickly. when following the terrible
losses both in men and material at
Verdun, the Germans found themselves
compelled to cease practically all ac
tivity on the rest of the French front
in order to concentrate every possible
man and gun on the Somme.
Not only has it been established
that the Germans have taken off as
many guns as can safely be spared in
order to augment their concentration
on the Somme, but those that remain
are apparently under orders not to
waste a single shot
One of the spots visited found being
held by one of the most famous regi-
ments in France, one that has par
ticipated in every big offensive on the
French front, and which after playing
a heroic part in the Somme offensive,
had been sent to repose itself in the
trenches at This point. There was alb
solutely no firing on the part of either
the French or the Germans, but the
colonel in order to show me the per-
lection of his artillerymen, ordered a
battery of "soiXante- quinze" to place
four shells on a demolished church be-
hind which the Germans We're installed.
The shots were fired, without even so
much as rifle shot in response from
the Germans.
At another point, during the course
of an afternoon, | did not count over
half q dozen cannon shot, and those
all French. The general in charge of
the sector explained that his artillery
men were under orders to fire at every
thing back of the German lines that
might look as though it was something,
so as to enable the men to keep in
practice. To these shots the Germans
have ceased replying almost complete
ly.
French regiments that have distin-
guished themselves in battle receive
usually as n supreme recompense the
privilege of acting as guard of honor
at General Joffres headquarters. Since
the beginning of the Somme offensive,
however, there are so many of these
regiments that othcr means of repose
have to be found for them, and one of
these IL to assign them to duty on these
portions of the front where the Somme
offensive has forced the Germans to
cease all activity. This system has
the double advantage not only Of Civ
ing the men the necessary repose but
of making it certain that il the Ger
mans should attempt "A renewal of ag-
gressiNeness they would find them
selves facing regiments that have
proved their worth in the severest
flghting of the entire war.