The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1918-01-04


began constructing the little pill box.
es." as the troops call them, or ca.
mouflaged blockhouses built Of blocks
OF concrete ten and twelve feet thick,
big enough to hold garrisons of tw MY
or thirty men, with narrow Sits 10 per-
NIT machine-gun fire and flame throw
ing.
These pill boxes are the backbone of
the German defensive system today.
They are SD strong that nothing but u
direct hit from the heaviest kind of
shell will demolish them. They shed
ordinary field gun and howitzer shells
like raindrops. Next to the pill box,
the ruined house now proves the hard
est nut to crack. Steel Orders are
placed across the cellar, then upon
them are poured many feet of concrete,
and below crouches the garrison, safe
against bOmbardment, with machine
guns, bombs, and emergency rations in
case they are cut off. Whole days are
sometimes required to reduce these re-
doubts, unless cases of high explosive
can be brought up to settle them.
Shell holes are also concerted, and con-
nected by underground passages, invis-
ible, unlike the trenches, from hostile
airplanes.
Trench Systems Easily Destroyed.
1t is by increasing the depth of the
defensive zone that the enemy is able
to hold out under the bombardments
to which he Is subjected: Trench sys-
TENS of the old kind could be entirely
destroyed, the Old-style deep dugouts
broken in or filed with poison gas,
while today 1t Is next to impossible
to smash all the hidden blockhouses or
discover which among thousands Of
shellhOles, over n devastated area sew
eral miles deep, are filed with defen-
ders.
When the Americans attack, they
will go forward in small groups, behind
an artillery storm of such intensity
that in all probability at least one can
non will be firing behind every infan-
tryman who advances. Already, in
the last Verdun attacks, more gunners
than infantrymen were employed. If
tactics develop along the present lines
II will not be more than year before
cannons are more plentiful than SOL
diers.
Poison gas, boiling oil drums, flame
throwing machines, are increasing in
effectiveness on both sides. The rifle
bullet. once the prime weapon of de-
struction, gave way at the beginning
Of this war to the machine-gun stream
and the shell. Many soldiers have
told me that they think the new weap-
ons Of scientific deviltry will have SUI
perseded the machine gun and the
bomb before another campaign has
ended.
American Power Already Felt.
If Germany fears American military
prowess and wants peace before the
American army is in the field, she is
taking a long view. But the blockade,
and the financial power of the United
States. are already making themselves
felt. The popular feeling In France
ships are going to do great things in
a few months is too optimistic; but it
is probable that BritOns and French
men do not sufficiently realize what
has been done by American bankers,
and by the stOppage of supplies to neu-
trails which during the whole war have
filtered into Germany In enormous
quantities.
America" said a member Of the
government recently, "is doing about
three times as much as we thought, last
spring, would be possible at this date.
If Americans are annoyed that our peo-
pie expect them to perform impossible
miracles, let them remember that such
hopes are the highest expression of
condolences and appreciation that we
can piya their nrnnt cnuntryn