Evening star., 1939-11-18
French Army Rated
As Far Superior
To That Of Germany
Militory Excellence Is
Declared One Cause
Of Nuzis' Hesitation
By WALTER DIyRANTy.

BY WALTER DURANTy.
AT BRITISH AIR HEADQUAR-
TIERS IN FRANCE, Nov. 1s (NA.
MAJ What seems to be the heav-
lest, steadiest rainfall of this damp
autumn has slowed down opera
tions of the British Air Force and
Army to the minimum.
Conversation among the still
cheerful but rather sodden warriors
runs mainly on three topics-when
will the ale cargoes and other prom
ised comforts. including movies and
parties of entertainers. arrive from
observation-disclosures my trench"
or airfield is more or less wet than
yours-when, If ever, will the real
war begin?
In the past week had an oppor-
t1'nity to get the opinions not only
OF the British Army and Air Force,
but also of well-informed circles in
Paris AS a matter of fact, last
Saturday and Sunday there were
people in a position to know things
who would not have been utterly
surprised if Germany had actually
executed move against the neu-
trails. This might or might not have
involved big turning movement
to attack France.
Two Points Emerge.
Some thought it might thus prove
the beginning of the western war
on great scale, which still re-
mains a possibility. Others thought
the Germans would be content to
seize bases for submarine warfare
against England.
But, from the maze of contin-
gencies and conjectures, there have
emerged two rather definite and in
teresting points of view. First, that
Adolf Hitler did not really believe
that France and England would
fight and that he did not want or
expect war against them. In con-
sequence, 1t is argued, Germany had
no plan of campaign in the west.
and. as the Germans cannot op-
crate according to carefully pre-
arranged scheme, that is the chief
reason for the present stagnation.
The second point, which is per-
haps of cardinal Importance, is the
remarkable excellence of the French
Army. l have heard it said by ex-
perts of different nationalities that
the French Army today is the great
est fighting machine the world has
ever seen. not only superior to the
German Army of 1914, but far out
CHASING the German Army of to-
day in everything except numbers
of aircraft.
The initial superiority shown by
Germany. it is said, has been con-
siderably reduced by two and a half
months of intensive production by
the French and British factories.
The Germans are still numerically
superior in aviation. but here again
/ there is compensation in the greater
elan and quality of the machines
and pilots of France.
Standard Of Training Higher.
Particularly, the experts declare,
the French leaders have greater skill
and experience in maneuvering large
masses of men and the standard Of
training throughout all ranks is far
more thorough and efficient than in
| the German army. which has had
only few years training, not
enough to guarantee the comph-
Gated requirements of modern war.
! One Englishman told me that he
was amazed to find what large pro-
! portion of French officers had
passed through staff college and he
laio similar stress on the qualities
of the Junior and commissioned
officers. Soldiers of this class" he
said, cannot be improvised, and it
is here that the French have an
enormous advantage. The same ap-
plies to another branch-the artil-
!ery-Where the French lead the
world. Rapid production of guns
and shells is one thing, but the
training of competent gunners is a
long and difficult job
In addition to the impregnab)e
Notifications of the Maginot Line,
which are held by an adequate force,
the French army possesses great
mass of manpower which would be-
situated on the left flank of any
German army that attempted to
enter Northern France
In the last war the Franco
British command made the error
of supposing that Germany would
not Immediately put secondary
troops into the front lines, with the
result that the allied armies were
Unexpectedly outnumbered at the
Battle of Charleroi, where, be it re-
membered. they were the attacking
force. That error will not be re-
peated, and modern war puts the
odds much higher than before in
favor of the defender, provided. of
course, that his material resources.
training and equipment are not
hopelessly inferior, as was the case
in Spain and Poland.
TNctOF OI "cdlUeS.
Finally, there is the bare factor
of weather. which cannot fail to be
important in the case of q highly
mechanical army.
All of which. doubtless. increases
German hesitation and tends to .
continuance of the stalemate war.
l find, accordingly, in we'll
informed quarters. suggestions that
the Germans will concentrate for
some weeks or even months longer
on trying to induce or compel the
European neutrals to trade more
and more with them and less with
England. In short, repetition of
Napoleon's continental blockade.
during the period when he had
massed a huge and superb army
near Boulogne, but could not cross
the channel because of the English
mastery of the sea.
What Germany may do next
would depend upon the measure ,nA