The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-09
German Govt Warns Leaders
Conservation Is Necessary.
Using Munitions on Front Fast
er Than Making Them.
SITUATION LOOKS SERIOUS
Official Document Found on
Prisoner Reveals Fears.
Must Abandon Tactics "WaSt-
ing" Soldiers and Shells.
BY HENRY WOOD.

With the French Armies in the
Field, Oct 9.-Germany's So military
chiefs, TO- Il e first time in the war,
are beginning to talk about economic
ing the nations human material
German army orders signed by
Ouartermaster General Ludendorff
have recently been taken from pris-
oners, emphasizing the need for this
economy.
Heretofore, economy orders cap
tured on prisoners dealt only with the
nitions and other material supplies.
Even in the present order Luden-
dorff, while still placing the utmost
Importance upon economy of shells,
comedies now that economy of lives
is more important and must here
after take first place.
Man Power Reduced Half.
The Ludendorff power lends added
significance to the United Press dis
patches from this front on Septem-
Der %, in which it was stated that
out of 100000 men who figured
in the army rolls, the Prussian army
machine now had only about 100000
left in the fighting ranks.
Germany is beginning to realize the
grave significance of this tremendous
loss of man power.
the copy taken on a German prisoner
declares:
THE consumption of munitions has
remained constantly very high recently
on the fighting front in spite of the
fact that the com bative activity has
generally diminished"
(The order was apparently issued
very early in September. before the
British drives in Flanders.)
In particular the consumption Of
shells for mortars and heavy field
howitzers is much greater than the
production.
This Is Serious Writes Official.
This is serious. However, the
superior direction of the army cannot
issue a new general order for further
restriction in consumption of NUM-
tions, because our losses on all the
fighting fronts continue to be very
high and could be even higher if
higher general restrictions were made.
Economy in men is even more i'm
portant than economy in munitions.
1t is necessary to try to obtain an
improvement in these two points. To
this end it is necessary to use NUM-
tons as carefully as possible, accord
ing to orders previously given and
also to regulate the tactics of our
fighting methods according to regu-
lations given and the circumstances,
so as to diminish our losses =.
seen and according to the complaints
of the troops, it is no longer in doubt
that we persist in our old ways of see
ing things and that we continue along
those (wasteful?) lines on certain oc-
casions. These tactics are in first line
positions:
Instructions on Conserving.
TOO severe fighting for possession
of ground, even a trench element
which is of little tactical value, with
out Importance and even disadvan-
tageous to defend.
'Hasty counter-attacks without in
formation from the artillery.
Too dense occupation of the first
lines.
Large reserves kept too close or in
the open when no attack is planned.
Too much artillery fire against
positions where there is no enemy,
such as destructive cannonading of
empty trenches; useless barrage fires
and cannonading. especially at night
when there is not sufficient informa-
ton for regulating the fire"