The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-07
PERSHINC'S ARMY
WORLDS FINEST
FIGHTING MACHINE
Return to Border Posts Per1ect-
Iy Trained and Equipped.
Plume to Z. S. by Man Who Has
Seen Them All.
PRACTICE EUROPEAN TACTICS
Put in Time Perfecting Men in
Modern Warfare.
March Across Desert No Hard
ship for 10000 Men.
Plume to L. S. by Man Who Has
Seen Them All.
PRACTICE EUROPEAN TACTICS
BY WEBB MILLER.

F1 Paso. Tex, Feb. After eleven
months rigorous training for war con-
ditfons in the field, General FER
sLing's expeditionary forces marc.ieu
along the border to their pests To-Day
ethe finest fighting machine IN the
world
foreien military attache who saw
Iyitcbener train his million Brltohs;
eaNv Germany's horses in action anu
who saw Japan's armies tlShtlilS 4-,7
slams in the Russo-Japanese war slo ~
at the international line Soutn armv
Iumbus as the America
Irarched across. 49,. e:r,,+
..Without doubt it is the finest flght-
ing machine in the world, ne ue-
riared ION this globe there is no
army of its size to compare with inns
Iittle army of Americans They are
equipped to perfection. Not even
buckle on the mules harness Is iack-
nc And with it is the spirit OF the
american soldier What 1t is can
not say, but it is there In the SWING
of their bodies and the set OF thelr
AS the attache spoke, General
Pershfng's army of 10000 men. sea
soned by nearly one year OF service on
the Chihuahua desert, swung over the
slln-baked plains of New Mexico ana
Arizona to their stations. Every de-
TaH i
complete.
AItho the chase after Villa was
halteo by international complications
ire war department did not halt IN us
efforts to make the army efflclent.
While the column remained inactive,
Stretched across the Mexican desert, 1t
vas busy experimenting and perfect
iues The lessons of the great war IN
rrogress in Europe were taken to
teart.
In the infantry branch of the ser
vice. the new style of trench war1a1e
as developed in Europe was taught
the troops During months of seem
ing inactivity, the men We're drilled IN
trench fighting tactics from every an
Gle Throwing hand grenades from
trenches was taught and pracuced'
and the use of rifle grenades was
shown.
In the artillery branch, barrage and
curtain fire and fire protection for in
Cantry attacks were taught
Advantages Gained.
During months of constant scouting
and patrol service, the cavalry was
increased in efficiency as never be-
fore. Some modern additions made to
the army equipment during the cam
paign in Mexico are:
More than one thousand motor
trucks with experienced drivers.
Wireless and tractor motor outfits
Complete equipment of "goulash
cannon" or portable cooking wagons
One hundred road building ma
chimes.
Caterpillar tractors for hauling
heavy guns.
Scores of aeroplanes with mer
trained under war flying conditions.
The development of air photogra-
ply.
Practice of bomb dropping from the
air.
The equipment of ambulance trains
with motor trucks and hospital rail
way trains.
From a physical viewpoint, General
Pershings army is in the finest fight
ing trim. In straight-away hiking
every infantryman of the expedition
has hiked at least 500 miles in the
past eleven months. on the with
drawal march to the border. the foot
troops made record hike of twenty
three miles across the desert stretch
in Chihuahua. known as "'HeTrs
Hike" under a blazing sun, without
discomfort.
The men in the cavalry regiments
had ridden from 1000 to 1000 miles
in the Villa chase and in patrol serv-
ice in Mexico.