Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-09-06
Troops In France Can't EnthuS0
Over MOIeIike Tactics.
PROBLEM FOR The OFFICERS

One of the greatest problems Ameri-
can officers have before them is i'm
pressing upon their men the absolute
importance of learning the best ways
of keeping under cover. The Ameri-
can soldier is not natural digger
in He is much like his Canadian
brother in arms in that respect. for it
is an old saying on the British front
that Canadians will die in the last
ditch, but never dig it.
1t Is the American spirit, as 1t was
that of the Canadians, to stand up and
fight, but the world war has long since
passed that stage, and now in the long
wear and worry Of a struggle of attri-
ton the best commander is the one
who best conserves his men by keep
ing them under cover.
One of the great reasons why tho
Germans still are in France and Bel
GUM is their wonderful facility for
digging themselves in. They have q
perfect passion for it and an incentive
as well. for the allied artillery never
ceases to pound them day and night.
Can't Enthuse Over Shovel.
The German belief that they can dig
faster than modern army can ad-
vance is one Of the principles of their
defensive tactics. Notwithstanding all
that has been told along this line, not
withstanding the heroic efforts to rouse
his enthusiasm over the pick and shov-
ell, the American soldier has remained
decidedly lukewarm. He came to
France to fight the Germans, he says.
and not to dig hole and look at them
through spyglass. The French.
Canadian and Australian soldiers all
resent the idea of digging in and would
not admit the necessity of doing so un-
til bitter losses taught them dearly
bought lesson.
1t is purely matter of temperament.
and there seems to be no doubt now
that only actual battle experience will
convince American soldiers that the
ability to take advantage of any bit of
cover is one of the greatest assets the
modern man at arms can have.
"It seems a shame to have to curb
the fine fighting spirit of our troops"
said an American training officer, "but
the men must be made to understand
as far as possible that impetuosity
must be subordinated to steadiness.
This has become a time clock war.
The men must advance in given time
and go no farther. Every step of in
fantry advance must first be worked
out with the artillery. and when the
plan is arranged it must be strictly ad-
hered to-"
The natural fighting man, it seems,
has a natural antipathy to digging in.
Even in these late months of war Brit
ish Tommies would much rather remain
above ground and stand chances of get
ting killed by shells than to dig the
deep dugouts so adored by the Germans.
In planning the battle of Messines
Ridge, which was model of clean cut
victory, the British commander took
into account the fighting mans point of
| view, and when the advance had reach
ed a stage where it gave the British
| covered high ground the fighting men
were directed to take rest, while spe-
cially organized labor battalions were
| rushed up from the rear to do the neces-
sary digging and consolidating of new
I trenches, so as to make them thorough
ly proof against counterattack.
American o. KS That Plan.
The result was that the fighting men,
| unhampered and unworried by neces-
| sity of digging, went forward later in
the day and took 0bjectives that were
rather hoped for than actually expect
ed. Those are the tactics the Ameri-
| can fighting man would like to see.
They appeal to him. but just now he
is being put through pretty stiff
course Of digging. This does not ap-
| ply to digging trenches alone. He is
being taught how to dig himself in in
dividually while lying fiat on the
ground in face of enemy fire, thus get
ting temporary shelter and protection
in sort of grave-like excavation. It
is not so often nowadays, however,
that a man has actually to dig himself
in on solid ground. for there is sell
dom an infantry advance made over
anything but ground pitted and torn
with shell craters
Fighting from shell holes is an art
| in itself, and one that Americans must
learn before taking their place in the
allied line German prisoners declare
they would rather fight from shell
holes on an active part of the front
than from a regularly organized trench
system The latter affords the artillery
too good target
They Are Regular Moies.
The Germans even conceal some of
their shell holes by putting brown wa
terprOof sheets over them whenever
an allied airplane is seen approaching.
The passion for digging in is so strong
with the Germans that they have been
known desperately to claw holes in
the ground with their hands till the
ends of their fingers were practically
worn off. Thus some were, found