The Cordova daily times., 1918-07-24
SHELL RAILWAY
 TO STOP TROOP
 CONCENTRATION

BEHIND THE BRITISH LINES IN FRANCE. July 24. The task of con Centratinc divisions for modern bat tie on the western front is by no means an easy one, for it is naturally the cncmy's chief concern to prevent such movement from being sue ccssfuIly and easily accomplished.
 Rapid concentrations are essential, or else the all-important element ot surprise is lost. and rapidity depends largely upon the skillful use ot rail ways already ovcrburdened with the normal demands of the troops in the assault area. For this reason the enemy'5 long-range fire. as well as a considerable proportion of his bomb ing airplancs, is concentrated upon the railroads in the back areas.
 Under normal conditions the ordi. nary straight railway line is not par tiCularly vulnerable Being so mar TOW, il is a difficult target to hit. The curves Of railroad are, how ever. much more important The de struCtiOn of section of rail on q curve means more trouble than the destruction of half a dozen sections on the straight.
 Sidings. railway stations and places where there is a network of rails, and where there are points. functions and other special types of rail, are even more important than curves, for dam pletely delay traffic for many hours. Such rail centers behind the German lines are subjected by the British to- a form of time bombardment" so di- vided that all repairs have to be car ried out under the most harassing conditions; and not an hour passes | without shells or bombs bursting in the affected area
 An important result of this concen- tration against the rail Centers is that troops can not be massed for an at tack without undergoing a certain amount of morale-shaking experience l first There is no peace for them by day or by night. Under these condi- tions the troops are stale before the attack is launched.
 As this long-range bombardment Is | controlled chiefly by airplane obser- vatiOn, an enormous advantage lies with that side which is predominant i airmen the allied armies are able to sweep all roads and railways in the encmy's rear with concentrated artil- Iery fire by day and night; whilst large sQuadrOns of bombing airplanes keep the German rest areas and bil-I lets ptrpctually under fire.
 Thus the German soldiers are kept 1 in state of nervous tension, the cas- u"lties are heavy, and the extra work involved hy the cver-inrreasing dih-I vulties leads to the concentration be ing continually delayed and hung up. Divisions suffer and lose their fight . ing value without ever being launched . against the enemy.
 All these things together cOnspire to make the German concentrations | difficult of accomplishment and more and more dependent upon the weather. which alone can suspend the British and French aerial activity and . hamper observation. Every days de- lay in preventing a German conC"n-' trat:ou ia of the utmost value to the allies. who can prepare and strengthen positions. bring mp rciVlorcomcntS, , construct roads and light railways, . and generally make valuable use of the time thus gained
 When the delay occurs between the phases oG big hattl" it is even more important; for experience goes toI show that an arrested offensive thatI fails to attain it's objects is little bet ter than a real defeat