Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-11-13
ALLIES PREPARE
= FOR the winter
Warm Clothing Being Rushed
From Factory and Home
to Men in Trenches.
Big MOVES NOT LOOKED FOR
Short, Sharp Blows at Selected Points
During Fine Spells, With occa-
sionaI Airplane Raids To Be
Order Of Day for Winter.

Paris.-Preparations for the fourth
winter campaign on the western front
are already in full swing. The sum
mer campaign is over. md while both
the English and French may be ex-
pected 10 make a few big drives, IL Is
not anticipated that the beginning Of
winter. for military purposes. will see
any radical alteration in the war map
of France and Flanders.
Millions Of sweaters, socks. paper
suits, rubber Wellington boots. head
wraps, mufflers, gloves and mittens
are beginning 10 flow out from fac
tory and home to the French p0ilus
and British Tommies. hundreds of
thousands of whom are facing their
fourth winter period in the trenches.
The comfort of the fighting man IN
so carefully studied now. after three
years experience. that nothing will be
overlooked 10 make the coming harsh
trial bearable.
Practically all the way from Nieu-
port to ycrdun the armies are in quar-
tiers totally different from those they
occupied last winter; with the excep-
ton Of one or two stretches - as
around Ia Bassee and the Argonne-
the French and British are stationed In
captured German lines. Throughout
the spring and summer the men have
shown little inclination 10 die. feeling
that In view of the possibility of a
further move forward. just enough
shelter was good enough for the time
being. Turning over earth has never
appealed to any infantry In thls war.
but necessity Is likely 10 force them 10
do a lot Of il In order To provide thea
selves with snug and well-drained
trenches for the winter.
Little Change In Line.
Until next spring the western line
Is not likely 10 vary to any great PIX
tent. unless the totally unexpected
happens. High winds. morning and
evening mists. snow flurries and rain
will limit the usefulness Of the air
plane and diminish the enormous help
II gives nowadays In every big Often
sive. The machines are capable Of per-
forming wonders I'm any weather short
of n hurricane. and there will be pien-
~ of aerial activity. especially bomb
ing raids. right through the worst
months: but poor visibility will make
cooperation with the gun batteries diff
ficult. the more So as the Germans
latest type Of archibald" or anli-air-
craft gun. enforccs respect and com
pels pilots 10 fly high.
In these circumstances big sweep
ing moves are not looked for. but rath-
or n repetition on a more intensive
scale of hast winters tactics. Short.
sharp blows at selected points durin.
fine spells. n continual hattering on
wide fronts by concentrated gun fire
~lengthening out 10 closeup rest sta
tons, hundreds Of airplancs swarming
out 10 attack cncampments. aviation
sheds. munition dumps and lines OF
communlcation-thcse will he the reg
ular order Of the day throughout the
winter. The enemy will be kept on
the jump all the time. great gaps viii
be torn In his dwindling reserves and
every possible step taken, first ~ pre-
vent his ever again assuming the int
tiative upon the western front. and,
secondly. 10 weaken him ir~reparably
for the final Knockout blow i'm 1918. ,
The part the American c%ontingents
will play In the winters activity Is
the closest of all military secrets M
this time. There Is nothing that Hin
ienhurg Il burning 10 know so much
as just what Pershing's plans are, and
there Is nothing that Pershing i more
bent upon doing than keeping the
slightest hint from Hindenhurg.
Prudence the Motto.
But while no light can be shed at
his stage upon the plans ~ the Amer
can commander In chief. l am able Ia
give this assurance. that prudence \