The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-10-28
ALLIED VICTORY
UPT0 AMERICA
Col. Repington Says Our Army
VIII More Than Offset
Wastage of French.
by COL. CHARLES REPINGTON.
Special Cable DesposeA 10 THr srx from sAe
london Times

by COL. CHARLES REPINGTON.
Special Cable Desposeh 10 Trr srx from ,Ae
london Times
Copyright 1917. all rights rescpred
LONDON. Oct. 21.--So far as can be
ascerta'ned. the Germans have still in
service an aggregate OF 5.so0.o00 men
Os these there are 100000 on the
western ard 100000 on the eastern
front. the latter consisting to a large
extent of inferior troops. The remainder
includes depot. coast and other garrl-
sons and Administrative services
There Is no longer much behind ex-
cept the young classes and the wounded
100000 men In the depots OF Germany
now. OF these about $4,000 are below
the 1919 class, which Is still under train
ing. although few have been picked
UP as prisoners in the recent fighting
The annual class OF Germany numbers
$4,000. but there are only 100000 At
to serve. and exemptions reduce this
number to 3SO. 900 or thereabout The se
and the recovered wounded are now the
only sources from which Germany can
sustain her armies In the field. These
armies already have been reduced by
a diminution in the number Of battallons
in all divisions except about a dozen and
by n reduction in the number OF rifles IN
d battalion.
IL fighting continues In 1918 on the
scale OF 1917 or 1915 Germany will
have to bring forward next year her
classes Of 1920 and 1921 or she will be
either to leave her divisions
very weak or TO reduce their number.
Proba bly, this winter she will make
superhuman efforts to catch up with US
in artillery and to beat us In the air,
but this will not make the maintenance
Of the German infantry any easier,
Hav. 100000 In West.
The above figures are aggregate.
which include all moblixed men. TAX
ing the combatants next the Germans
have l4s divisions In the west and
IN the east. The 14S divi-
sons in the west. including all artillery
and special troops. number a little less
than 1000. 600 combatants. hut the
strength Of the nirety-one divisions In
the east is probably not so high pro-
Two facts stand out clearly from this
bare enumeration and will appeal to
any one acquainted with the numbers
NJ the respective allies armies IN the
that the British armies can
not win ire war by themselves sec
,ndly. we come back to Russia In every
Of the plans for 1918. for
We cannot eliminate her from our cal
,ulat'ons.
The situation OF Germany internally
ia much less easy TO define. She has
oecn through hard times. With tho in
ayitabls withdrawal next year ~ three
quarters OF million more youth of II
and Is from civil occupations abe Is
sure to be faced by much worse time
The supply Of food and raw materials
viii become less while the increas sed
striugency Of the blockade pressure
upon neutrals win and must asgravate
tho internal situation.
Political divisions within Germany
nill become moro acute. Although there
mas been no rut!ny In the army or an
Important scale there have been many
acts Of serious ind'scipllns In units up
10 battalions at least. such cases are
we'll authenticated
Superiority Of AIIies.
In this war We have TO consider not
,nly ourselves but our allies we cannot
AFFORD to run in hlirkers. Major Mo-
-aht. the German military critic. in the
Berlin Tdgssseitung OF October 8 dis
,usses the numbers OF the French and
asserts the French fighting strength now
stands at little more than 100000
men. including all available reserves.
He says the French battalions were re-
iuced from 900 to 500 men in July.
1915 and in 1916 the battalions fell from
FOUR companies to three. He places tho
permanent or net losses Of the French At
, 270.O0 and the number OF the French
yearly class at 100000. He argues that
The number Of French divisions must
Tall and the French front must either be
thnned or the reserves
must be Incorporated in II, IN which lat
er case. he says. the abandonment OF at
lacks must follow. as strong reserves
arc needed for them.
It is not our business to comment upon
hese figures. but assuming that they
,re credited IN Germany and that our
,wn estimate Of the German numbers In
no west IL near the truth. the supe-
'iority Of numbers that we allies pos
less in the west must he. In the German
opinion. equal TO the combined fighting
'trength OF the British. American. Portu-
,uese and Belgian armies, whatever this
trenRtr may De.
We certainly admit that we have the
numerical superiority in the West, IN
10Th men and guns " tho French
lasses for the year number 100000
nd ours number 100000, then France
nd Britain combined can place more
nsn In the field annually than Ger
many Moreover the French classes for
9lS and 1919 have not been embodied.
rhile our youths of the 1918 class still
re at home. as are our men over ~
ne Germans also must know that We
ave between 5000. 900 and 1000. 900
len Of military age still IN civil life
nd under the age OF ~.
German Public Kept In Dark.
Tho American armies In France will
1crease constantly. Taking these vari- !
us figures into consideration. tho pros
ect OF Germanys winning the war by !
int OF numbers passed long since.
I.udendorN and his young men must |
q perfectly aware OF all these things, |
ut OF course they mlsrepresent them |
Continued on Second Pu1c.