The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1917-09-14
LESSON NO. 90
WARFARE IN EUROPE

Europe, however, on much bigger |
scale than ever before. A complicated
network of trenches now protects the
men on both sides. The spade has be-
come one of the soldiers best weap-
ons of defense.
In seeking protection against heavy
artillery fire a very interesting de-
velopment has taken place. This is
the use of various devices for conceal
ing field guns and troops from the
view of enemy airplanes. Sometimes
trees are brought up and planted near
the object to be hidden. Sometimes
the gun or other object has an avn
ing spread over it which is painted to
look from above like grass or earth.
For the same reason tents may be
painted in greens and yellows.
The chief improvement in methods
of defending entrenched troops is the
increased use of machine guns. Ma
chine guns must be put out Of oper-
alton by artillery fire or by rifle d.
rected against the gunners before in
fantry can advance directly against
them. There has been also a great
increase during the present war in
the use of barbed wire in front Of the
trenches as a means of defense. SINH
lar devices have been used in en-
trenched positions for many years,
but never on so large scale. Through
their use it Is now known to be pos
sible to defend the front line positions
with small bodies of men than were
considered necessary during the ear
lier years of the war, thus consider
ably reducing the strain on the in
dividual soldier.
Development Of Airplanes
The chief new instrument Of war.
fare developed during the present
war is the airplane. AS previously
explained, it Is used for scouting
bombs. The scouting machine Is usu
, ally equipped with large Gamers
which takes a series of pictures Wher
these pictures are developed and com
pared day by day they give invaluable
. information as to the exact location
a Of troops, guns, and supplies. TIT
: scouting and bombing machines ar,
usually protected by swift fighting
y machines. Airplanes have also beel
a used at times to descend close to tn
ground and fire from machine gul
upon bodies of troops.
:, Another very interesting and prom
. Using device is the "tank"-a heavil
. armored machine so constructed tina
- 1t can advance under its own powe
n over almost any obstacles, and thu
lead an attack on enemy trenches.
is armed with machine guns. Armol
ed motor cars have also been use
rs effectively under some conditions.
In In the front line trenches men al
L often armed not only with rife ar
e. bayonet, but also with bombs whiG
IN can be thrown by hand or by machin
n Some of them are no larger than g
OF ordinary lemon. Many men becon
wv extraordinarily expert in thrown
III these small bombs into enen
In trenches. They even become expe
D. in picking up enemy bombs befo
n they explode and throwing them bac
Is Another weapon Of the trenches
lis troduced by the Germans, in spite
ay international agreements to the co
co. trary, is poisonous gas. This was
or first very effective, since no defen
EN- against it had been prepared. At t
present time, however, each man
ye- or near the front carries gas ma.
es- which enables him to meet an alta
ro- of this kind without serious injury
IN Wonderful STAFF Organizations
en- Back Of the lines the organizati
es- of the staff branches Of the service
i've been enormously extended. Railros
led are constructed up to within sh,
the distance of the front Transport
the supplies and ammunition by mo
ing trucks has been organized Gu
me scale. The medical departments hi
)ig- also made notable gains In meth'
ist- Ct treating wounded men, with the
the suit that very large percentage
lew cover. Even In the early months
. In the war 1t was announced that Of
wounded actually treated In Frel
hospitals 54.5 per cent were retur
, 10 duty within q short time; 24.5
, o6nt we're sent home TO corr iete u
recovery and later returned to du
II per cent at the time q making
report we're still in horpitals, with
|. al ability Of complete recovery;
e. reit we're unit for further
vice; 2.5 per cent had died from
effects of their wounds
There is probably little basis
= the idea that the number OF casual
, In this war Is any greater, in prof.
4 ticn 10 the number Of men enga
~ than in previous wars. In the Ere
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