Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1939-10-05

many of the places mentioned in
his article.
Heavy artillery fire from points
along the Maginot Line. This is a
sentence we see daily in our local
newspapers, but few who read it
really know very much about this
all-important line of defense to the
French and their allies.
The object of Frances fortifca-
lions was for the defense of her
soil rather than the attack on
Germany. However they do bring
large areas of German territory
within the range of her cannon, in
GLIDING territory extending almost
to Munich, the towns of Ingolstadt,
Nurmemberg, Bayreuth, Coburg,
Eisenach and a large portion of
the Rheinish Westfalian indus
trial district to far beyond Dussel-
dorf.
Since Herr Hitler's regulations
Of the Treaty of Versailles,
Frances preparation was not to
confine herself to the renewal of
those forts already existing or to
the erection of few new ones.
Its aim was an armed Eastern
frontier between Dunkirk and
Mentone. First and foremost how
ever, the entire territory which
borders on Germany was made to
form a continuous organization of
| fortified works.
This territory extends from
Basic to Luxembourg. 1t is about
200 miles long. lis miles of this
line runs along the Rhine. The
Maginot line is approximately 8 to
IL miles from the frontier and at
some spots runs in depth to a dis
lance of Is miles.
All types known to the science
of Notifications are to be found
here; large fortified zones, rein
forced by an organization of spec
ial Notifications; modern single
forts; round forts of ancient type;
group Notifications of smaller and
larger dimensions. A powerful
structure of strong foundation
walls, subterranean galleries and
Imarching-ways; casemate batteries
and underground railways are rem
dered complete by movable over
ground trains of artillery and
gunner's requisites.
All these constructions are so
firmly consolidated with concrete
and extend so deeply into the
ground that they may be regarded
as bomb-proof. They are protected
from poisonous gas by over-pres-
sure air apparatus and special
ventilators. In addition to this they
have running water, electric light
and telephones. The larger subter-
ranean places of arms are equip
ped with all army requirements and
have shot-magazines, as well as
their own electrically equipped
kitchens, mess-halls, recreation
rooms where the fatigued soldier
may play, write letters home or
otherwise relax, all within range of
enemy shot, and yet to all extents
and purposes as safe as though he
were playing in his gay capital of
Paris. Most of these forts are
marvels of perfection. They com
pare with the old types as much
as would the old Monitor" and
our present day submarine.
These facts lead to a natural
question. If Germany attacks
France can easily defend herself
but what can she do on the offens-
i've? With what arms are these
forts equipped?
Up until now the French general
staff have kept grimly taciturr
and reticent on this point. How.
ever it is only reasonable to pre-.
sumo that the science of gunnery
has made as much progress as the
art of Notifications. At the end Of
the World War the range of artil
lery was approximately 80 miles
What is now the range of the new
French guns. If it is 100 miles, i
means that French cannon con
stantly threaten a vast and i'm
portant part of German territory
Large towns, factories and railway
functions in Germany can be de
stroyed from the site of the French
armoured positions. These arm
CURED positions afford the maxi
mum amount of safety and mak'
it unnecessary for a single Frencl
soldier to have to incur the slight
est danger.
1t is perhaps necessary to give ;
more graphic representation of thu