The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-25
ITtNTf ARTILLERY
DOMINATES IN west
HinAenburE Coupellesiw 10 Change
Seyatcry In France~-"Puibns" Sys-
tern OF Defense observation-disclosures
Plans for Counter Attacks Fooled
tBY II. g. WALES }

fEI IL q. WALES
Paris. Nov. .24.--Much has been
wgI,.en OF Hindeuburgs new defen-
ave strategy, and the terms elias
ficity of defensive lines anc ad-
vAnced crater positions" have Agured
many times OF late IN the German
eomnuniaues edited by Ludendovff.
But the only difference IN the Ger
man defense today from what II was
4 year ago at the Somme IS that Tor
meriy the front line trench and rne
support position immediately behind
was held in force, hereas toda" the
advanced line IS sparsely held-bein&
ususlly only a line of shell holes con
nected up and reinforced by steel ard
concrete 'piliboxes, and the most ad-
wanced intrenched position ie the 500
Ond line, also thnly held The bulk
OF the defending troops are corce1-
frated in what appgoXimates to the
old third line of defense and even
further 10 the rear
Continually AuRnenting and crush
ingis superior allied artillery. rom
Nired with aerial supremacy fer bonn
harding planes, are directly and sole
III responsible for this slight change
in defensive tactics.
Until the opening British and
French attacks last spring, In April
fn the Artois, and IN May ia L4ou-
nais and Champagne respectively, the
Germans 6rsg-ine trench system
aionr the entire front, from the North
sea to the swiss border. WAS nm HIAb-
1ratsiy constructed pow ertul position
kept in the hisheTt stat" uf cts cnc}
srd condition for defense az all times
All nigh, long the garrison worked
feversshly reps ring the damage done
hv French and British guns dG~Ine
The daytime, and dayereak generally
found the trench 2srapet entiI ely TO-
paired and reconstructed from t}e
holes and crste-s torn in II by the
enemy guns.
But there tactics required 7te 30,
-sss.e-- iAr frat itf1e IF .-t7ttyf1tt-t-
able garrison Many so sefs were
required to mar the continuous Iirt
OF trench, TiezAgged back and foTtl
10 prevent being srrhladed ~ inachin'
guns il the enemy sent over raid
ing party. and ii was nccs ssary Il
have in position always great NUN
her of working parties Of soldiers u
10 repair work
To accommodate and protect shest
men the Germans built. dfrectiy be
low their advanced front line trenches
great sbrix. or bonn b proof shelters
usually dug thirty to forty feet unde
ground and accessible. by long stair
ways from the treBchta. Here III
working psrtIsS slept by day aud tn
active flghting men by night e<cep
when they were 'tumhted up e
stand guard against possible SUI
prise attack
But as time wore on and the Slle'
hesvs artillery increased IN numbers
the Germans found flaws ia TN
means OF defense In the arst place
IL soon became possible for the Brit
nh and F'renrf1 ~ sfiuf b5trerf-5 r
heavy guns--eiRht-inch and overt
Svery sector along the fr mt instea
Of only the places where offensiy
sections were planned. The big eigh'
inch guns did vastly more destructlo
To the trenches than the TE-millimcu
.--three-tnc h~-guns that the allies hs
formerly relied upon. And, furthe
more, an eight-inch shell with
penetration time fuse attache
could crush it's way thirty or fort
feet under ground before explodin
This rendered the underground she
ters worthless IN case OF direct hit
and since the allies we're so we
supplied with both big gums ri
sheils that they couid systeua'ical
plot the whole German front lin
Milling or entomblng the Occupant
Until Hindenharg WAC forced 20 a3a
sther defensive measures.
II is generally believed thai Ge
srsl Won Lossburg. who was chief
ataE of the ffht Germany army tn
6Aced the France British forces
The Eomme, is the creator OF the ne
enemy defensive tacticL He W
HAnsferrec TO Artois last spring
the face OF the big Canadian attac
against vimy ridge and lately has be,
sent to the FLANDERS front, where II
British, reinforced by the frs, Frep'
army under General Anthoine. n
SGrking again and again.
nAAlizing tie allied superiority
men, munitions and merale. Gener
Won Lossburg tacitly admits that III
can take any positions the Gerna