Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-10-25
By ELMER ROBERTS
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NiSs CNNs
forces Of ruin and death IN Europe
nave been extraordinarily busy since
the collapse Of Germany's fighting
machine ten years aco. The f%estruc-
tive power Of arms Is now twice or
three times as great.
General stats which during the
war had eliminated all dead wood
and inertia were at the end COM
posed Of the select fit. The les
a9ns Of the war have been studied
and applied with professional en-
thusiasm. War in the future will be
more highly mechanical. Man power
will be multiplied BY machines.
Distrust. fear. suspicion, which
we're ingredients or the pre-war Sit
%uation. arc produced in part today
as they we're then by the secret
services Of the several countries.
Every army wishes 10 know what
every other army is dong. Military
secrets Of possible enemies ere OBJ
tanned By highly organized SPY ser
vices. Such secrets are comnaunl-
Gated 10 a minister Of war.
He perhaps feel obliged u men
ton those of convincing value &c ms
colleagues in the cabinet ~ order
that he may win them 70 support
OF appropriations which he Is urg-
inG upcn the government as neces-
ssrT for the national safety. =
secrets will p~ercolate, whispered be
hind doors. limited in moments o.
controversy or debate. The news
papers are too loyal 70 publish them
II anything is printed of a dramatic
or sensational character everyone
concerned in either country hsstens
TO issue denials. The confusion ana
uncertainty as 70 what is true
what Is not true are among the FAC
tors creating suspicion.
No one in position either N me
army or in the civil administration
will admit that he wishes 70 ilght
or that he thinks he will nave TO-
but preparations continue. i.
Artillery instead OF being moved
10 position by horses will now he
! drawn across any kird OF open
eountry by tractors. The automo-
bile transport az troops has oeeh
al dayelored that they can now as
semble troons three times as fast
upon snv section of the front as ~
November 1918. Light cross-country
tanks capable of covering n oun
try except marshes have been en-
Moved effectively in autumn m1neu-
ers in France, England, ltaiy .
Belgium.
The French have particularly IN
proved in armored car models eapa-
4 bic Of fairly high speed WORK. ~ %
25 miles an hour. These cars nave
Aturrets, proof against bullets arc
light shells. but they must keep TO
the road. The French have botn
light and so ton tanks for cross,
country work. The British stsit
have been particularly successful
ujth their tanks. Of which they are
~renorted 10 have three types, . ION
is ION and 20 ton, capable Of ad-
vancing from Z 10 9 miles an hour
IN A movement across any except
p~recipitous or marshy country.
Trench mortars. which were only
canable Of lobbing over shells Tor
three or four hundred yards, have
been improved 50 hat they now
| throw low velocity projectiles eff
fectiyely at 5000 yards, with a total
range Of 1900. This is particularly
true OF the British Stokes mortar
which also happens to be the one
lnron which the American army mas
~odAlsd irs trench pieces. The NOR
lt.r ear be fed snd fired with bombs
a. the rate Of ten q minute. These
horhs are particularly adapted as
Iroison gas containers. Althoush
[they are Of low velocity. having en-
|~initisl sreed Of about 5000 feet ?
| second, they have sn ingenious tali
Arrangement which enables them e
Eeep their direction m spite OF
Etrong side winds.
Small arms have been improved
a an amazing extent. The auto
matic shoulder rifle. with which
most armies are now equipped, VIII
)Sischarge from 200 to 500 shots a
rinute. II can be so set that II
rill give spurts Of fire Of 10 or 10
,hotN because the tactic IS not 70
Dire the rifle continuously, as II be-
Games o~verheated. The machine gun
I. now made lighter so hat the
nsrts can be easily carried. The
.sliher. instead of the usual 90
,-ehas. has been reduced TO .26
;r,he.. Bullets OF this caliber are as
deadly as those Of the larger size.
X
Military aviation during the war
vas hindered by having no reserve
- ayiators to draw upon. Now, be-
s;d.s the regular force, the army
sv;stion can be recruited from the
Commercial. Some five hundred
rilots Of transportation companies
are in daily service in France and
-yobably an equal number are N
.,sininr. The French army has
considerably more than the number
q rad at the end of the war. IL
h,s in service twelve hundred
.Isr.s and three hundred training
rsehines. There is an indefinitely
is-ce number Of reserve planes.
one element of much Importance
~;.h;n the view Of military observ-
-. Ia that Europe is becoming In
sr.,ri.lly organized on the Ameri-
=. nattern. Although mass pro-
sretion is only partially developed
orsr in great industrial countries
lie England. France and Germany
xst every year sees an advance 50
y 49,. ~A ~ nnU Fnnn@