The Prescott daily news., 1917-10-27
TUE FIGHTING FORCES
 lnD OF THE GERMAN ARMY
(Bv United Press.0

Rv MaiD-By an intensity of mob-
 s.Gon pG that has drained Germany
 ,u1 l of every man capable of military
 uy tbe German fighting divisions
 '. v +bo French and Russian fronts
 .a ,are been practially doubled since
 August 1, 1914'
 'Is nosnite this gigantic effort, France,
 r.rand and Russia, the three orig
 ..I I allies, have in every way kept
 naDo % with the result that at the pres
 ,rt time they still have the numerical
 nneriority in fighting forces. In addi-
 .inr # has been definitely established
 M.t tbe military of the allied armies,
 .. constituted at the present time, is
 constantly on the increase, while that 4 tbo German army is unmistakably
 on the decline.
 Since the beginning of the war the
 now allies that have joined France, ! Fncland and Russia have far exceed oa in the re-enforcements of troops which they have added to the allied .ouse those brought to Germany by tbe allies won over to her side. On August 1, 1914, when Germany had mobilized to the extent she deem- cd necessary to win the war, she threw onto the French and Russian fronts, 123 fighting divisions consti-
 nted on a basis of four regiments to
 the division. By first crushing France
 with the bulk of these and then throw
 ing them to the Russian front by
 means of her system of strategic rail ways she counted on a quick and com plete victory.
 By November of 1914, when the bat tie of the Yser was being fought, Ger many had found it necessary to in- crease her fighting divisions on the two fronts to 137.
 In September of 1915, towards the close of the Russian campaign, the German divisions on the two fronts had been increased to ITO. By this time, Germany began to feel the pres sure on her for new divisions, and to permit of this she began the gradual transformation of her divisions to a basis of three regiments each instead of four. The extra regiment thus saved went to constitute a new divi- sion.
 Towards the middle of the attack on Verdun, about June 1916, all of the German divisions had been reduced to the basis of three regiments only. By this change, and by a constant fine cOmbrng of the entire Empire for available men, Germany was able to augment her divisions on the eastern and western fighting fronts to 173.
 The fall and winter of 1916 wit nesSed Hindenburg's colossal effort at mODlllzation and the creation of new uNlslons. His plans included the in- corporation of the inhabitants of Ser Ola' Poland and other conquered dis ulcts' As early as December of 1916. ms efforts had permitted an increase Ill the fighting divisions of the two fronts to POS.
 by July 1917, at the end of the TT french and English spring offensive .nlndenburg had attained 234 divis- ,ooS' ~ on September l, at the time eermany undertook her counter-of- l''iSlVes on the Russian front. maxi mum Of 239 fighting divisions had :, v'en thrown onto the two fronts by the Germans.
 ,., Aganst the 123 fighting divisions "u,cn Germany threw on the French ' 'uu Russian fronts with the begin- ooa ons or hostilities she now has there rY' N ulvislons. Owing to the fact that ', ,r'se ss latter are exclusively on a basis :. :. 'ilree regiments to a division in- s,., F,sau of four as at the beginning, the Ss'eS are trifle deceptive. more accurate idea can be had bv sNOnlng in batallions as batallions h. e approximately 1000 men. al- l,sa se" It Is definitely known that hun ,op. u' or the German batallions are ,a'. % lar below this number. On this m n Germany started her campaign s,n t.,e Trench and Russian fronts with ,on' oataIllons. This number has by ioh.. Oeeh Increased to 2,334. These pto g units of course do not take ,o,.." I account the millions of men em- Teu T1. m service behind the lines.