New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1918-09-21
THE TANK CONES BACK
OPENING A ROAD TO VICTORY.

| VI tdlIho. nv 1dI 40 lAC AAoAuA"S
turing capacity and transportation
will permit it is possible to mass
tanks at the front as fast as men
can be trained to operate them,
and in time this number may come
practically to represent all the
infantry-so that it will be the
only kind Of actual fighting, and
men will no longer expose their
unprotected bodies to the chance
of certain death or injury from a
bullet or a piece Of shrapnel com
ing their way.
The knights of old expected to
be hit by sword and arrow, but
they expected their armor to save
them in most cases. The tank
men expect their tanks to be hit,
but, except for the chance Of a
heavy projectile hitting them,
they do not expect hit to mean
death or wounds. The modern
infantryman trusts for life to
chance and casual protection Of
fxt barriers, such as trenches,
earthworks, and the like. If he
is hit he is a casualty.
1t goes without saying that the
United States is preparing to take
full advantage Of this new phase
of modern warfare; and also. it
goes equally without saying, the
actual preparations are shrouded
in mystery No other arm Of the
service is so secretive as that of
the tanks. The reason for this,
says The Tribune, is that the AL.
lies are away ahead of the Ger
mans in the development and use
of tanks, and that the new ideas
that are being introduced into
them are large part Of their eff
fectieness. To quote further:
The German lives in daily dread
of a new tank surprize, and it is
important to satisfy this dread.
The Germans have testified that If
the British had had thousand
tanks ON hand when they first
sprang them the war would have
ended then and there in a chaotic |
German defeat. So now the Ger
mans are kept in the dark both
as to the numbers and varieties
Of. the tanks that the Allies are
bringing up against them.
Nothing Of definite nature IS,
therefore, officially permitted 10
get out, and it would be most un-
wise and unpatriotic to publish
what becomes public property |
the revelations of the ba.-
tle-fields. Even the recent phe-
success Of the French
and British tanks. which in respect
to the performance Of the former
brought out special acknowledge
ment from General Petain and
Premier Clemenceau Of the pivotal
character Of their achievements,
has not exhausted Allied power
and inventiveness.
It is impossible to say anything
about on how large scale the
United States is building tanks
and training the personnel to go
with them. Some Of the enthu-
,iasts recommend the enlargement
If the tank service to the dimen-
,iqns of the Signal Corps, which,
when it still included the army
air service, numbered more than
%, 900 men. They also insist on
he immediate building Of not less
han 100000 Of the small tanks
'or two men and possibly one-man
anks. /.
No announcement has ever been
made of what is actually being
lone in respect to the number of
anks being built or planned or
he numbers Of the men that are
@ use them. But there is no
loubt that the High Command is
'ully aware of the immense
,otentialities of tanks and firm
y committed to their use on a
arge scale. 1t is held that the
Utilization Of tanks in immense
lumbers at an early date is much
more feasible than that of large
lumber Of airplanes, because their
is not so novel a
hing to American automobile
nd truck manufacturers.
The production Of the tanks is
function Of the Ordnance De- ,
'artment, in which special di. !,
ision is charged with the task.