Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-08-06
FRANCE FAR FROM
BEING ALL IN
Has Million More Men in
War Zone Than When
War Broke Out
DEFENDS MAJOR LINE;
EQUIPS THREE ARMIES

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6.-France.
the nation that suffered the brunt Of
the war at the beginning. has 3OOO.-
600 men in the battle zone. That is
100000 more than rushed to the
colors when the Teuton machine
surged on toward Belgium.
She can maintain this number eff
fectively for several years TO come.
France. although unprepared and
in the midst Of war. so co-ordinated
her industries that now her produc-
ton of munitions is almost inexhaust-
ible.
While doing this for herself the
remarkable nation has completely
re-equipped and re-armed the Bel
gian. Serb an and Greek armies.
Complete exposition of this won
derful work of France was given TO
Secretary Of War Baker by NJ. Andre
Tardieu high commissioner OF the
French republic and made public on
Saturday.
NJ Thaddieu's letter TO Secretary
Baker reads
July 30, 1917.
Dear Mr. Baker: I brought TO your
knowledge in a recent talk the sur
prise felt so often in reading in
American newspapers the utterly In
accurate information regarding the
military cond tions prevailing IN
Europe and especially in the French
army. In connection with our CONVEX
sation I would believe It would be
of interest 70 present some figures
which better than any continents Will
expose TO you the reality These fig
ures will show you France as she
really is. vigorous and powerful de-
spite three years Of suffering without
precedent in history
THE strength In men now present
IN the zone Of the armies alone shows
the maximum figure reached during
the war This figure. which amount.
to a little less than three millions
Of men, exceeds by over a million the
number Of men actually in the zone
~ the beginning and we must ado
10 that figure the men In the zone
Of the interior and in the colonies.
we arc certain With the resources
Of our metropolitan and colonial de.
pots TO be able 10 maintain that NUN.
Der up to its present level for a lone
time to come Our strength in mon
by reason Of a better command 5ud
Of better methods Of instruction, has
shown since the beginning Of the wal
constantly decreasing definite casual
tles (killing, missing and those taker
prisoners).
I'm the battles Of Charleroi and o.
the Marine. the losses we're Sal casu
llties Gin proportion to the total mo
blized strength.
First six months OF 1915. 2.3e pc
vent casualties
Second six months Of 1915. 1.6
per cent. casualties.
First six months OF 1916, 1.47 pc
cent casualties.
Second six months Of 1916. 1.2s pc
rent casualties.
Front held:
For measuring the offensive AM
defens We quality Of the troops who's
numerical strength l have indicates
above I can do nothing better than q
quote some figures
THE western front has an exten
sion OF 80 kilometers. Twenty-seve
kilometers are held by the Belgiani
13S by the English and 574 by tn
French. The French army holds. &C
cordingly, more than two-thirds Of tn
total front that is 10 say Of the from
where the enemy has always directe
its chief exertion. The German divi
sions in line on western front wer
moreover In June. 1917. distribute
rs follows:
"Forty-two opposite the Englisl
and 81 opposite the French. A Germa
division holds an average front of fou
kilometers. 700 meters: a French di
vision an average front Of five kilC
meters. 500 kilometers. that is to sa
one-sixth more.
Artillery:
1--WE have been amply furnished wit
75's since the beginning OF the wa
The number Of these guns was cor
stantly increased; il is adequate 10 on
needs. As for heavy artillery we ha
IN August. 1914. 300 guns grouped
regiments. In June. 1917 we had 600
ofthem, mostly modern. Our output
munitions was arranged in Angus
1914. for Is 900 shots OF 75's daily. II
now arranged for 250,G GOO OF los an
100 600 shots Of heavy guns.
France did not hesitate IN IN
midst Of war TO create new indusul'
and TO bestow on military industri'
the best of it's productive strength
He says there were fired on Ge
man trenches in one Of the last one
sives for one line:
Field artillery 407 Kilograms, trenC
artillery 2O3 Kilograms. heavy art
lery 704 Kilograms. and high pow
1913 Kilograms.
Monthly expenditure Of ammunio'
for the 75's we're: July. 1916, 400 90
September. 1916. 100000; Octob'
1916. 100000 shots
During the last offensive the expel
iiture was 100000 shots in all cal
bres. 81 might also add" he sal
that we completely re-equipped al
re-armed the Belgian. Serbian al
Greek armies. The number Of hea
guns given by us to the Allies e
leeds 500"