Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1918-07-22
Yankee Weapons Are
Effective In France

gun hnOWu anu lo'Su W SP"i i'Si1S' 80
America, have made their appearance
on the western front in France as
Cistinctively American contributions.
Early in the war the French fancied
the idea of weapons similar to these
a1d as a result gathered all the fowl
ing pieces they could use in the
trenches. But they did not develop
the scheme. The pump gun and the
riot gun both are being used with
telling effect in the trenches, and
The only umbrella that will help any
ore through the perfect showers of
lead they throw is an armored tank.
Another weapon with which the
American infantry has become fam
iliar and which is being used to great
advantage is the French 81, known
in trench parlance as the baby can
non." 1t is a French model and Is
known as the "anti tank gum" 1t
is the smallest piece of artillery sup
piled American troops and, whatever
else it may do, American soldiers
know it will stop a German tank.
1t was as an experimental weapon
that our sawed-off shotgun reached
the western front, though in suffici-
ent quantity to make itself useful.
OF course, it can not replace the
rifle, nor is it in any sense intende /
10. Neither does it perform the func-
1ions of the machine gun. But num-
her of these guns in the hands OF
cool men in tight place, each spray
ing approximately 45O slugs a min
ute, develops combination against
which the familiar German mass at
tack is exceedingly apt to wilt in the
act of blooming.
Some one with experience west Of
The Mississippi is believed to have
called to the attention OF Gen. Per-
shing the fact that mobs never liked
tie look of the sinister short barrel
of the riot gun and scattered when
ever it barked. The general lost no
time is approving the idea and giving
the sawed-off gun trial as an i'm
piement to keep Fritz home at night
and to discourage him from roam
ing about No Mans Land in the
dark.
Obviously, the riot gun, as America
makes and uses 1t, is essentially an
emergency gun, and not a major
weapon. 1t would be futile to dis
tribute it broadcast among the in
fantry as there are only certain stu
Gtions in which its peculiar powers
CAR be effectively employed. 1t can
rot be aimed, except in a general di-
Iection, and only has an extreme
range of $50 yards. But a single
shot does cover considerable area.
And this gives it a nocturnal effec-
tiIeness no other small arm pos
sesses.
For example, an American is sit
ling in listening post on a misty
night. His accurately attuned ear
gathers sounds, creeping, stirring
shuffling. He realizes that they are
enemy sounds. Yet he cannot sec
she foe. He can only judge the direc.
ton of approach. He barks "a. IS
with his sawed-off shotgun. He IL
reasonably sure to get some of his in,
visible adversaries and send the rest
scuttling for safety.
Again, one of Pershings men, dur
ing a raid, finds himself at the en-
trance of an enemy dugout. 1t il
dark in there. He calls on the oc
cupants he knows are inside to sur
render. There is no answer of "Ka
merad!'-only sullen muttering
lie send in a charge of bucksho
and Fritz decides to come out-wha
is left of him. Or the American troop
er may be alone in the traverse of {
trench with a dozen Germans crowd
ing abruptly around right on top o
him. He has no time to pick then
off with his automatic, which is on,
of his favortes, but grabs his rio
gun and lets go from the hip. 1t il
a most efficacious protest agains
crowding.
The French "S7", an artiller,
weapon weighing 175 pounds am
capable of throwing 25 shells a min
ute, is being used by Americans II
checking tank activities. The shell
pierce inch-and-a-half armor plat
and with with them a deadly charg
o. T 7, which explodes and clear
the tank of human occupants. On,
Of the chief uses of the "37" /
against machine gun emplacements
the concrete pill boxes" first de
Neloped by the Germans in Flander
during the British attacks of las
year and now universally used owe
the front. At $500 feet a single higl
explosive shell, which is a littl
longer than the a?mor-pierclng type