The Detroit times., 1917-11-23
By WILLIAM PHfLLiP sIhNS I.l.

BIZ WILLIAM PHfLLIP RIhh6
Stoe Coyrgep0r frrJ fpffea Press
WTTH TIE BRITISH ARMIES
IN THE FIELD Nov -a l.neia"1 I
master stroke aEa.ns, Cambrai was
carried thru to victory With an al-
most Incredibly small casualty t-l
The total number ~ German iI.-
oners taken today reached ihe iolHl
where II exceeded by several iAcl-
sand the whole OF the British losses
IN killed, wounded and missing
MACHINERY saved the British thon-
sands OF lives Use of tanks 20 boi.
ter down entanglements instead o.
artillery and the surprise nature or
tha British blow meant practcallf
no retaliatory barrace IRE Nheh
the Germans did get their s1rii
screen WORKING. the missiles did hoi
NOV down infantrymen. They rai-
tied of the steel jackets or i0e iahAs
for the most part harmlessiy
There was also The ltfe saving
machinery of the British supply sys-
tep--the war machine which KEPT
constructing yard after yard oI
gupply railways as yard after yard
OF ground was taken by the British.
Tanks. cavalry and infantry were
all In action. The enemy has now
collected great forces of reserves
and these were striving today 20
press back the pincers which The
Tomnies are squeezing around
CambraL
joyful French civilians from Ger
man-occupied towns now repatriat-
ed by the British blow were being
transported 70 rear lines by motor
Iorry today. Most OF the refugees
had been concentrated az Masnieres
All declared that practically all the
food they had eaten In months had
been that furnished by the American
relief commission. n this aid had
not been forthcoming they said they
would have starved.
So many OF these refugees were
frped by the British stroke that spe-
ciai arrangements had 20 be made
at rear depots for their transfer.
Load after load OF them were
brought 10 railway stations In mo-
cor lorries under care OF British
Tornmies who were embarrassed b.
their afectionate and extravagant
demonstration OF gratitude No
Frenchmen OF military age were in
Guided in the groups-au were old
men or children.
Back still farther behind the lines
wns the gigantic machinery which
enabled Haig and Byng 20 mass
enormous forces OF men and war
psraphernalia with the speed neces-
sary TO carry thru their plans for a
surprise attack.
The stream OF German prisoners
20 back lines was undated today
while hot hghting went on up front
The British victory around Cam
brai means the war has entered a
new stage.
II In war by machinery
II was machinery which won the
great stroke against the Hinden-
burg line.
II was machinery that made the
British casualty list so small as 20
be almost incredible IN view Of the
gains achieved
II was machinery and strategy
that permitted the cheapest victory
IN actual cost OF ammunition eXpend-
ed, that modern army has ever
won.
Foremost IN the array of mechan-
ism with which Byng cliuched his
victory was the tank
American with the ALLIES can turn
out this sort of machinery a. fast
as Detroit produces Ford cars.
Acting as mechanical cavalry. and.
unlike equine cavalry almost I'm.
pervious 10 German FIRE. the British
tanks saved thousands of lives Sub
stituted for the customary prppara.
tory artillery FIRE. they saved more
lives, always sacrificed where arfil
lery preparation warns an enemy OF
an impending attack and bring an
enemy barrage against the assault
ing waves.
British officers estimated today
that lack OF drUmhro preparatory
Smelling had saved literally millions
OF rounds of ammunifiou-and am.
munitiun which costs on eu average
$50 per round This was made pos
sible bv machinery