Show ARMIES OF POWERS COMPARED TOTAL OF war roon N ci PEACE FOOTING ga britain italy 01 arta N REAL EAL BATTLE capabilities I 1 I 1 OF THE ARMIES OF EUROPE it do you know no that the contending 6 emles lea in europe today are battling pan n their peace time footings sT asked jib colonel on the general staff of the lunsted cited states army and don t for t that the nation that gets its fight it ina force up to its full war strength atrat will gain a material advantage in a the present turmoil a this means that imy hasty deductions tons made upon the basis of fights von ron and lost up to date dato may boon soon flora prove absolutely inis misleading leading the question then arises which mich of tattie the struggling armies can reach ite its dwar strength reneth et soonest Boo Eest and with that ital nd ned what are ita its chancel chances tor for maintaining that standing in the gru unc ng daye days to come the answer ie is h hit matter of administrative efficiency it ast t and then follows naturally the ot uve lve merit merits of the reserve material thou acon which the cation nation can draw as an ig attle after battle and thin I 1 fo ranks 0 of f those in the field at the germans are virtually ti tt ahting alone four other nations but air initial tracks are not properly true index of what la in to come in the r future some figure figures d As it la Is necessary 7 to deal with fig elwee s it ie Is juat just ae an well to begin now iso later these figures fl euree interpreted in 0 o light of additional information uvo another ine meaning aning oae one that coules idomer to the facts inspiring the ag as 01 lre siire policy assumed by the kalin katin e I 1 r face of sef bingly appalling 14 L do i according to authoritative in aaion the peace and tue war foot toot of the powers named are as tola fola it arvee Hr etem arves vee total av 5 aw 97 38 go any 84 E 6 COO CM 5 ii nce ra 0 7 3 COO 3 91 M 2600 DW am e 1 Y 21 1 31 ah 1 2 COO SM I 1 rl 2 M sa en WS ur an ua i 0 o i U bt a between and germany art from be the lattera superior perlor eu war ting the to total tal cf of the fully trained arves in the fatherland would be alfe most potent po tent factor in a prolonged amle and alen alga ahn it ftfe tf n to t initiative n despite early evy ry boasci both Gerl germany rany and ance have in the last 11 year years la in faed ga ed the period of service from 1 to three years in france thia this A 9 of tha the term with the col cot 40 1 I aroused a great deal of lou iou IL t to 0 c axy y dlton tent mediately back of these soldiers eold ler nsf hao the first reserves ree erve men who but bontly have finished their full toure tours 4 01 active service and of course are allier with the latest practice practices now k at the foregoing figure figures gerny gery Y a peace footing la Is only 29 n str stronger it ronger 0 liger than that of fralie u but a the first call to arma thia this r immediately jumps to i kraiter L rp ter figure of 14 giving the cr ar u art advantage adran taga ff t nearly 21 per adt L but this la in only the beginning r the difference differ enLe to ermanas erm anys total reserve of fully tk attuned ned reserves men trained with uliar thoroughness is 1 today quite while the admittedly less lea ex angly drilled rearte rea rese eTe yes ot of france I 1 s aber but 3 rank and file re as an can plainly be seen the pa fa lead leads by two and a elf time times the war fixating of france ill to 1 still having la reserve as a many france would have u at belt best blotting ettl aalde aside the question 0 op the lure uve military value of the tr ihlae OR the he goodian sad a the franca french 01 al ol ot thoe those of fraet u carry s macs ck acke rifle rills ot eight caliber ed the german repert Is era having a caliber of 78 tere assuming the same propulsive charge the german gun will carry further and travel flatter than the blench weapon making tor for better botter marksman ship at all ranges aarin the french rifle la Is heavier than the german Inor increasing easing to that extent the stress upon the man aiho bo haa has to carry it on long marches the soldiers ot of boh nations carr the same number ot of cartridges ad ISO but the saving in weight in the german musket tit ft offset by other weights be he has to carry fully equipped the french foot toot soldier has a total burden of 54 4 58 pounds while the german infantryman haa has to bear 68 69 ag pounds As a broad proposition the average german is in a sturdier maa than bis his french rival and this greater tax ta is wisely laid upon him french equipment in the french army each company of infantry has the following portable tools eight shovels tour four pickaxe pickaxes double deuble beaded headed three axes one told ing saw and a pair of wire nippers the german foot soldier on the othet hand does not get off eo so easily be cause each company tas to carry email small spades ten praxes and five hatchets now what does this mean simply that the kaiser s infantryman are tire able to entrench themselves quick er than their french rivals and tor for that amson could bold hold an advanced position more securely ly and guard them selves against m while bile there bet beta ter anan the soldiers of the tricolor now let us see what russia Ilu isla represents as a foes to germany on oa the fa therland ther lande a north northen rn border ungues tlona tiou bly ably the czars army Is superior to the kaisers keisers kai sers in mere joint of num bere bers in peace in war and in tie tte total available reser es and so 10 tar far as personal bravery goes the russian soldier Is unsurpassed out but betle battles 13 or are r not f on n these days by just numbers bers training and handling of the men are of supreme importance broadly speaking it Is doubtful if the russian forces are any better trained than they were vo when they wee agath ta with the me e in 1904 05 the infantry aro are armed with mag magazine ins rifles of 7 62 mallie ml llie ter caliber and as marksmen they are nothing like the equals ot of the germans how they compare russia Is in measurably superior eu to jermany in the matter of infantry cavalry and artillery in the form ot of field guns and Germany Aft turn tam leads france in the vital feature of artillery artillery has played a prime part in all great wars warn and the popular idea Is that it Is to upon these guns that the tide of battle turn turns in a measure this aft 1 mo L for the field zeld pieces have to protect or support tale bul but with ith thia this done ane decisive outcome of an action depends uon the conduct and gallantry of the foot soldier for or he constitutes the backbone of an nill tary force As a matter of history the french baye bave led in field ordnance ever since the aranco brusslan war the trench were the first to adopt the long recoil which made it possible to ue use higher propulsion charges and to secure better practice against the marx baryt t nd to them hem too is owed oed the introduction of the spade upon the trail by which the recoil of the carriaco carr iaCi could be checked thus making it possible bia for the gun pointer to bold hold air his position and to fire deliberately and rapidly to the french atoo the world is indebted for the hath higher r development of the ta thou with if IU but ot of leaden bullets |