Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-07-18
METHODS OF MODERN WARFARE
TO Be SHOWN AT STATE FAIR

Until the outbreak Of war between
Germany and the Allies, the war be-
tween the North and the South fifty
years ago was considered by war ex-
perts to have been the greatest mill
tary contest the world had ever ex-
perienced. 1t was commonly and
freely predicted that contest OF
such awful proportions would never
be witnessed again, because the hor-
ror of it was so appalling and the
waste so terrible that nations would
fore allowing themselves to be drawn
into such folly. Which goes to demon
strate the fallacy of human prophecy.
1t was a gigantic struggle, that war
of 1876, but puny affair COM
pared to the present titanic conflict
that has converted the entire civilized
world into a seething maelstrom OF
hell. More astonishing progress In
the line of invention has been
achieved in the last thirty years than
In centuries preceding. This applies
to war and the machinery Of destruc.
ton used in prosecuting war as we'll
as to civil life, more's the pity. There
Is as much difference In the methods
Of carrying on warfare fifty years ago
and today as there is between one of
those dinky sailing ships of the May
flower age and a modern liner that
puts the traveller across the Atlantic
In days where the other took months.
Whether we quite realize it or not,
this country is actively engaged in
the present war. The terrible fact
has not come home to us yet but 1t
will, soon or late. Naturally we are
all interested in learning how war is
conducted. Only a very small pro-
portion of American people will be
privileged to see anything of the con-
fict in actual operation. The rest
will have to acquire knowledge and
| Information by way of the printed
page, pictures and peaceful demon
stration of one kind and another.
The "boys in blue and gray" fought
but their differences with ancient
bmooth-bore guns, big and little. They
did some very effective shooting, ac-
cording to the records, but an army
equipped as the armies Of Grant and
Lee were equipped would cut about as
much figure In the present war as an
army OF kids armed with Niger
shooters. Even the military experts
themselves confess amazement at the
terrible war engines and methods of
destruction evolved by modern in
ventors.
1t was with this idea in mind that
the Iowa State Fair officials arranged
to put on the great open-air pageant
entitled Modern Warfare" at the
coming fair While listed under the
head Of entertainment 1t Is strictly
educational in character. 1t is de-
signed to give the rank and file Of the
people some idea of how war is car
ried on this twentieth century Mod
ern methods of trench warfare will
be shown; the huge siege guns In oper-
lation; battles between air machines,
the inventors most recent contribu-
ton to the trade of war; the great,
slowmoving, but terribly destructive
tanks" and various other schemes
and contrivances by which aceful,
producing land Is turned into bar
rem waste in the course of few days.
1t will all be very spectacular, this
Imitation warfare, and furnish the
spectator with more real information
In that line than any amount OF read
ing.