Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-03-27

knock out machine-gunes in a
straight fight. The offensive side
OF the projected machine then as
sumed greater Importance; and it
was realized that the tank should
primarily be a machine-gun de-
stroyer
If it be asked, therefore. what
single factor was most instrument
tai into forcing the tank into being,
1t can be said that it was the logi-
cal exploitation by the Germans of
the machine-gun, usually the
Maxim, probably the most efficient
weapon of wholesale destruction
ever created.
There is an English proverb
which commends as a cure "A hair
OF the dog that bit you" And it is
an interesting fact, though hardly
coincidence if national invent
I've characteristics be born in mind
mat one of the most deadly man
killing machines, which the world
owes TO the genius of one American.
the late Sir Hiram Maxim, should
nave found its antidote in a de-
wee directly inspired by the inven-
tlon OF a compatriot = Benjamin
Holt.
A word of general description
and few more upon the functions
OF the tanks. They are powerfully
'engined armored automobiles, en-
closed in bullet-proof casing for
the protection of their crews. Pro-
PEELED on the caterpillar principle.
they possess considerable powers
OF travelling over rough ground,
Doth IN crossing trenches, craters,
and other cavities, and climbing
over raised obstacles, such as par
apets, can tear their way without
dlf1cuity through wire entangIe-
ments, can uproot largish trees.
and can throw down the walls of
ordinary houses Nevertheless. in
spite of their elemental strength
and apparent clumsiness, in the
hands of skilled drivers they are as
docile as trained elephants unde,
their own mahouts.
As has been said, are are divided
INTO males and females The male
IS par excellence the machine-gun
hunter and destroyer. He carries
light, quick-firing guns capable of
hrlng shell. and IS intended TO be
10 the machine-gun what the tor
pedo-boat destroyer was designed
TO be to the torpedo boat, or the
ladybird is supposed to be TO the
aphis. The female. which, in &C.
cordance with the laws of nature.
is the man-killer, carries nothing
but machine-guns for employment
against the enemy personnel Her
special role is to keep down hostile
rifle fire, to beat back counter-at-
tacks and rushes of infantry, and
10 act generally as d consort to her
lord and master.
Both sexes, however, are heavy
weights endowed with great brute
force, and share, in common. the
attribute of being able to roll out
and t1atten machineg guns and their
emplacements. Both, therefore, act
as protectors TO infantry, inso-
much as they can DESTROY or
blanket the one thing which has.
so Tar, proved its greatest bugbear
in the attack. Moreover, every
tank that goes forward, whether
actually moving or disabled as
sists the infantry near it i'll anoth-
eriway. 1t bulks above them and
is the center of attraction. 1t acts
as magnet for the bullets of the
hostile machine guns. and collects
them to itself as Arnold Won Win
kelried is supposed in 1886 to have
drawn to his own body the spears
OF the Austrians at the battle OF
Sempach. Every bullet that clangs
against its steel sides is one less
aimed at the infantry Every sill
yer star splashed on its hide is the
signature of one that has not drill
ed its way through the body of an
infantry soldier
To be the nurse, protector and
hacker of the attacking infantry.
who, in the vernacular, always
gets ii in the neck" was the motif
underlying the action of the new
arm. AS it was expressed in the
eXhortation given to the officers
and men going forth to take their
machines into battle for the first
time, whatever mistakes might be
made, whatever mischances might
befall, if the tanks gave reason for
their comrades on foot 10 thank
God for their presence, they would
have justified their existence.
1t has been justified
1t is true that in any considera-
ton of their employment too much
must not be attached TO
some of the results of their first
for certain influences
then came, into play which can
never again have quite the same eff
feet Against the Germans they had
all the advantages of being a sur