The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1917-09-14
OUR men DON'T
LIKE TO ''DIG IN
Troops IN France Can't EnthusG
Over MOlGlikG Tactics.
PROBLEM FOR THE OFFICERS
Passion For Digging In Is So Strong
With Germans That They Have Been
Known Desperately to Claw Holes In
Ground With Hands Until Ends of
Fingers Were Practically Worn OFF.

Fingers were FTaoticaHy WOrn vi.
One OF the greatest problems Ameri-
can officers have before them is i'm
pressing upon their men the absolute
Importance of learning the best ways
OF keeping under cover. The Ameri-
can soldier is not natural digger
i'm He is much like his Canadian
brother in arms in that respect, for it
is an old saying on the British front
that Canadians will die in the last
ditch, but never dig it.
1t is the American spirit, as 1t was
that Of the Canadians, to stand UP and
fight, but the world war has long since
passed that stage, and now IN the long
wear and worry of a struggle of attri-
tion the best commander is the one
who best conseryes his men by keep
ing them under cover.
One of the great reasons why the
Germans still are in France and Bel
GUM is their wonderful facility for
digging themselves in, They have
perfect passion for it and an incentive
as well. for the allied artillery never
ceases to pound them day and night.
Can't Enthuse Over Shovel.
The German belief that they can dig
faster than a modern army can adj
vance is one of the principles of their
defensive tactics. Notwithstanding all
that has been told along this line. not
withstanding the heroic efforts to rouse
his enthusiasm owes the pick and SHOW
ell, the American soldier has remained
decidedly lukewarm. He came to
France to fight the Germans, he says,
and not to dig a hole and look at them
through spygIass. The French.
Canadian and Australian soldiers all
resent the idea of digging In and would
not admit the necessity of doing so un-
til bitter losses taught them a dearly
bought lesson.
: II is purely matter of temperament,
and there seems to be no doubt now
that only actual battle experience will
convince American soldiers that the
ability to take advantage of any bit of
cover is one Of the greatest assets the
modern man at arms can have.
"1t seems a shame to have to curb
the fine fighting spirit of our troops"
said an American training of Sbut
the men must be made t. understand
as far as possible that impetuosity
must be subordinated to steadiness.
This has become time clock r.
The men must advance in given time
and COMO farther Every step in
fantry advance must first be worked
out with the artillery, and when the
plan is arranged it must be strictly ad-
hered to-"
The natural fighting man, it seems,
has natural antipathy to digging in.
Even In these late months of war Brh-
fish Tommies would much rather remain
above ground and stand chances of get
ting killed by shells than to dig the
deep dugouts so adored by the Germans.
In planning the battle of Messines
Ridge, which was a model of clean cut
victory. the British commander took
into account the fighting mans point of
view, and when the advance had reach
ed stage where It gave the British
covered high ground the fighting men
were directed to take rest, while spe-
cially organized labor battalions were
rushed up from the rear TO do the neces-
sary digging and consolidating of new