Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-09-18
LESSON NO. 2s-wARFARE IN EUROPE.

thing IN warfare. Ii il being done in Eu-
rope, however, on n much bigger scale than
ever before. A complicated network If
trenches now protect the men on both
sides. Tbs spade has become one Of the
soldiers best weapons of defense.
In seeking protection against heavy ar
tillery fire a very interesting develo, men.
has taken place. This j. the use of various
devices of concealing field guns AMI troops
from the view of enemy airplanes. Some
times trees are brought up and PLANTED
near the object to be hidden. Sometimes
the gun or other object has an awning
spread over it which il painted 10 look from
above like grass or earth. For the same
season tents may be painted in greens and
~yellows.
The chief Improvement in methods III
defending entrenched troops is the Ia
creased use of machine guns. Machine
guns must be put out of operation bv ar
tillery fire or by rifle fire directed against
the gunners before infantry can advance
directly against them. There has been also
a great Increase during the present war
in the use 81 barbed wire in front 1T the
trenches a. a means of defense. Similar
devices have beer used in entrencae posi-
lions for many years. but never nj 80 large.
= scale. Throu IN their use II J., now known
TO be possible ia defend the from. line posi-
tons with smaller bodies ~ rlen than were
Years OF the war. thus con .'dcrablv r-'iuc-
'nc the strain IN tie Individual ~,.Ier.
DEVELOPMENT or AiRpLANE>.
The chief new instrument Of warfare
developed during the i,reS.nt war i ;le
a;rplane. As pr 'vlUn-iy e-l lainra. Il -
r>ed for scouting. dir-;n. .unf re-. IN
cropping i.0mh-. 'rhe -.pIr.. marlin. -
. >ual!v equipped With 4 rtr:, camera Winch
axes = series vi %nrt'.,e- Whrr 'hr>e'
pictures are developed and compared day
by day ihey give invaluable information A.
10 the exact location Of troops. guns, aud
supplies. The scouting and bombing ma
chimes are usually protected by swift fight
ing machines. Airplanes have also been
used at times 10 descend close Ia the
ground and fire from n machine gun upon
bodies oil troops.
Another very interesting and promising
device i the 'tank"-a heavily armored
machine 50 constructed that II can advance
under It's own power over almost any OBJ
%stacle. and thus lead an attack on enemy
1t IL armed with machine guns.
Armored motor ear, have also been used
effectively under some conditions.
In the front line trenches men are often
armed not only with rifle and bayonet, but
also with bombs which can be thrown by
no larger than an ordinary lemon. MANY
men become extraordinarily expert in
throwing these small bombs into enemy
trenches. They even become expert IN pick
ing up enemy bombs before they explode
and throwing them back.
Another weapon OF the trenches into
duced by the Germans. in spite Of Interna-
tional agreements 10 the contrary. II pols-
anous gas. This was At first very effect
i've, since no defense against IL had been
prepared. AT the present time. however,
each man in or near the front carries a
gas mask. which enables him to meet an
attack of this kind without serious injury.
WONDERFUL STAFF ORGANIZATION.
Back of the lines the organization of the
staff branches of the service ha- been
enormously extended. Railroads are con
structed up 10 within D short distance Of
the front. Transport Of supplies and am
munition BY motor trucks has been argan-
lied on q big scale. The MEDICAL depart
ment~ nave also made notable gains in.
methods of treating wounded men. with
the result that a very large percentage re-