Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-01-28

feat by an inspired decision at the de-
"isivc hour Any tyro OF the 1916 class
after lie has spent Il few weeks in the
front line knows how TO take the iotu
of pulverizcd rubbish in his immcdia te
front just as well as Joffre or IIaig or
liindcnburG.
One OF the most dcplorablc features
OF the war is the prostitution of so
much genius on what is only tenn
porary emergency. When one sees ON
the Sommc the daily marvcls which
science accomplishcs. ana how that
science springs from so many different
and hitherto unsupported brains. there
seems 10 bc no limit to what man
might have done for himself and for
the world which is his. had his energies
stead of destruction.
VICTORY NOW DEPENDS
On HEAVY Guns
Take the case Of the artillery which
armies now have in the field. All have
learnt that victory depends on heavy
guns and unlimited ammunition. Ger
many appreciated the value Of heavy
guns in tho field before the war. She
was plcntifully supplied with eight
inch. twclvc-inch and sixteen inch how
i,zcrs. other general stafs did not
consider il feasible To drag along this
monster ordnance with armies Thus
we suffered heavily at the start, cspe-
cially the French. who relied cXclm-
sivcly on their superb scvcnty-iivc-
quick firing field gun For tho last
two years there has been a giant race
in gun production. Now the allies
have not only ovcrtaken. but have got
a long way ahead Of the central
powers.
our superiority on tn. Somme was
the most noticeable. and this. combined
with our air supremacy. rendered the
position of tn. Germans, at times al
most intoierabl". They were not so
short Of guns. perhaps Of ammuni-
| ton. In August, September and Octo-
hber. three separat" general orders were
found on the dead or prisoners from
different generals commanding groups
of army pointing out the absolute
necessity OF Outstanding tho ammuni-
ton supply. and 20 take greater care
Of the material itself
The amount Of guns Injured from
explosions in the barrels reached an
extraordinary total. This is caused by
mud getting into the barrels and the
guns themselves not been properly
cleaned. on. of III. last acts Of Won
Falkenhayn was TO issue a general or
der pointing out that the monthly ex-
Expenditure greatly exceeded the produc-
ton. and that unless this state of af-
fairs was rcm.dicd the war could not
go on.
EXPERIMENTS MADE;
WiTH ENORMOUS Gun
III" allies have not been thus handi-
capped Take. FOR instance. III. ar,iI-
!"ry the French now employ on the
S"nm.. Ih"y commenced the war with
as alone. They now have in the field
lo5 ON GinchD. 1873 en-. C6-inch).
2o3 en-. ,S-inch). go en- ts2s) $50 en-.
Gl-inch), 30. ON u2-inch,. $40 en-.
oi5-inch. 40" en-. l6-inch, and an
other monster gun. the creates, the
world has ever known, is now being eX-
pcrim.ntcd with
Tn" English army is as plcntifulIy
supplied. The Germans are busy aug
W"ntinp their material and ammuni-
ton 80 as to compete this spring and
summer On more even terms. There
ar. acres of heavy guns along the
Somm" front There arc whole fields
behind tn. fronts packed with guns for
which II" room can bc found along the
iront. When Il piec. Is damaged or
worn with urnlnnroJ usc I, i. son,
To tho rear for r.sr and r.n,ir md an.
other monster hungry for slaughter
is dragged by motor or bv train 10 lis
allotted post on this field OF glory"
imagine what a task il is getting
thcs. gums To their positions The
roads leading Ia III. Sommc front cam
not bear the weight OF the traffic
They have iisnDDcarcl into The mud