Evening star., 1917-10-04
NOT TO ABANDON
US. WAR METHODS
Pershing's Troops to Profit by
Allies Experience, But to Do
Own Experimenting Also.
PRACTICE TRENCH ATTACKS

BY the Associated Press.
AMERICAN TRAINING QUARTERS
IN FRANCE, Wednesday, October 81
"To carry on for the next six months or
year, with the best that the French
and British have evolved as a result of
their three years war experience, and
to do our own experimenting entirely
on the side" is the gist of the policy
which has been largely adopted by the
American Army now in France, and rec
commended in Washington. This policy
applies to material and various instru
ments of war as well as to tactics and
methods of handling men in the
trenches. '''',t'
While many of the more serious stu
dents of war among the American Off
GERS believe beneficial improvements
can be worked out by American inge-
nuity. inventiveness and resourceful-
ness, they realize the most important
problem just now is to get on with the
war. They believe America can most
quickly become striking force in the
war by taking the best of what the
British and the French have proved to
be useful and effective, and basing all
building programs of the near future
thereon.
May Improve Tanks.
In the matter of tanks. for instance.
officers who have made special study
OF the subject think there is much to
be said in favor of both the giant Brit
ish tanks and the smaller and faster
French tanks. They believe the Amer
lean Army should adopt both styles
an emergency measure, building them
Immediately, while American engineers
are working out what may prove TO be
a vast improvement over any tank now
existing. There has been some dispo-
sition on the part of certain critics to
belittle tanks because the Germans have
made little use of them. The tank.
however. is distinctively an offensive
weapon while Germany on the western
front is fighting a purely defensive
campaign.
Both Great Britain and France seem
to be putting every possible facility at
the disposition of the Americans, who
are studying both styles of fighting
tactics The fact that these styles are
changing constantly is one of the fas-
cinations of the great game OF war.
Airplanes also are engrossing the at
tention of the Army in France. The
great weight of the Americans in air
Diane construction is expected to, be
felt eventually in this branch of the
service.
Storm Supposed Enemy Trenches.
Mai. Gen. Pershing today watched u
battalion OF Maj. Gen. Siberts COM
mand as it s.ormed and took three
supposed enemy trenches which had
peen named Wilson, Taft and Roosevelt
for the occasion. The exercise was
part of a program of battalion prob
lens which is being carried out daily
and will be developed gradually into
regimental, brigade and divisional at
tacks.
French officers witnessed today's ma
neuvers. after which they were criti-
cised by American and French obseIy-
ers and by the general himself. He
said that in taking the three trenches
the soldiers, he noticed. did not use
their rifles. This he thought was
mistake.
is distinctly an American weapon" said
the general. II want to see it employ
ed. There surely will be plenty of OPP
| portunity for it's use, and If you are
unfamiliar with the weapon you will
| lose those opportunities. Bayonets and
bombs are all right and very valuable.
but rife fire still has a place in modern
| warfare.
] Urges Use OF hIfe.
! The general said he had heard Of sof-
! diers in this war who had been chasing
/ Germans a hundred yards or more for
an opportunity TO bomb or bayonet
them. If they had thought they might
have stopped and shot them easily with
the rifle.
| Some time ago the American Army au-
thorities here decided to devote much
attention to musketry, but neither the
French nor the British instructors are
inclined to spend much time on that
phase of warfare. having become accus-
toned to the tactics Of attacking sole
ly with bombs, bayonets and machine
guns. American soldiers always have
been fine marksmen. however. and the