New-York tribune., 1918-08-18

DIlClSn lOHR-DOWS WON III Cne nun.
dred Years. War.
The word runs that neither gas,
airplanes nor massed artillery will
be counted the epochal innovation Of
this war; but that the honor will
be reserved for tanks. Even the
naughty airmen are beginning to
think that the tortoiselike machine
that keeps close to Mother Earth is
the coming conquering instrument of
warfare.
See Hosts Of Tanks
Advance on Berlin
These may be but dreams of the
enthusiasts who do and get things
done, but they are very interesting
and stimulating. Officers of the tank
service are already imagining count
less squadrons of the new armored
cavalry, or "charging artillery" as
the French are beginning to desig-
nate them, as sweeping steadily and
relentlessly on toward Berlin, fol-
lowed by hosts of we'll protected in
fantry, pausing now and then for
the great guns to come up and blast
the Germans out of some particu-
larly we'll defended stronghold and
then resuming the irresistible march.
They believe that if there were a
hundred thousand tanks on the front
now, the advance Of the Allies to
the heart of Germany would be al
most a continuous procession.
Save Our Men
And Destroy Enemy's
The tank meets two great require
ments of successful warfare. 1t de-
stroys the enemy and conserves it's
own sides man power. The smaller
tanks, or "whippets," as the British
call them, are practically armored
cavalry, only the steed is mechani-
cal and the driver sits inside instead
of atop. The larger tanks are prac-
tically moving fortresses-land bat
tleships. Between the two the eager
visionists foresee a return in prin-
ciple to the warfare of the Middle
Ages and the days of feudalism and
knight errantry, when the effective
fighting men of armies were prac-
tically confined to the mounted
knights in armor.
They believe that if Germany does
not collapse in the near future the
time will come when practically al
the essential fighting in the nature
of close contact with the enemv will
be done by a number of tanks larp,
absolutely but relatively small com
pared with the numbers of tn,
armies that will come behind then
to consolidate and organize what tn,
tanks have won and make way fo,
their further advance.
More Room for Tanks
Than for Aeroplanes
1t is conceded that the Limitation
on the number of airplanes that ca
actually be used in fighting are muc
greater than on those of tanks. So ia
as the manufacturing capacity an
transportation will permit it is DO.
sible to mass tanks at the front a
fast as men can be trained to operat
them, and in time this number ma
come practically to represent all tn
lnfantry-so that it will be the on]
kind Of actual fighting, and men wi
- longer expose their unprotecte
bodies to the chance of certain deaf
or injury from bullet or a piee
Of shrapnel coming their way.
The knights of old expected to
nit by sword and arrow, but the
expected their armor to save thel
IN most cases. The tank men expet
their tanks to be hit, but, except fe
the chance Of heavy projectile hi
ting them, they do not expect a h
TO mean death or wounds. TI
modern infantryman trusts for lii
TO chance and casual protection {
flxed barriers, such as trenche
earthworks and the like. If he
hit he is casualty.
American Plans
Carefully Hidden
just what the United States
doing 10 take advantage Of this ne
phase Of modern warfare in shroude
in mystery. No other arm of th
service In 80 gecretive as that of th