The Washington times., 1914-09-30
MUkDEN AND AISNE.

1t has been many times pointed
out that the present battle of the
Aisne is curiously like that of Muk-
den, in the Manchurian war. At
Mukden the Japanese were the ag-
gressors; on The French plains the
allies are The japanese pressed
their fighting with the greatest Wig
CT all along a line that was about
12O miles in length. They went
straight to grips with the enemy at
every point, in order t0 kee? him
so busy that he could not withdraw
troops from one section and make
new dispositions at other places.
This is exactly wha5 the allies
have done in France. But the paral-
lei does not end here. At MTkden
the japanese won by n vast turning
movement against TIE right of their
adversaries. That turning move
ment had been pressed for many
Gays as screen to the real, climactic
operation, which was the spectacu-
lar march of Nogi's army from Port
Arthur and its precipitation upon
the rear of the Russian right. So
effectively was the thing done that
the Russians did not know the
mighty force of Nogi's veterans
We're in that zone cf war, unI;l they
fell upon the crumb!ing and falter-
ing force, far to the rear, that was
trying to hold the Cars right in
place. That ended the battle. The
Russians had to retire in all quart
ers, while on both righ. and left
their retirement soon became rout.
Jcffre and French are doing the
same thing now, or rather they arc
moving heaven and earth to do il.
Today's reports bring strong indi-
cations that they are on the point
cf at least a partial success. They
have forced their turning movement
against the German right, day and
night, for over two weeks. Now
cones insistent report that, just as
Nogi leaped upon the rear Of the
Russian right at Mulsden, so the al
lies have been able to hurl a new
army, not considered in the earlier
calculations, upon the far flank and
rear of the Germans. This new
army is presumed to have been
brought from England, and to have
co-operated, probably, with the Bel
gians. Perhaps we shall at length
learn that another Russian force
from Archangel, or a big Division of
East Indian troops that is known to
have been on the way, has been
tossed into the fighting in this quart
er.
At any rate the strategy of the
fighting has heen clarifying for sew
eral days, and it is now quite appar-
ent that only a miracle can save the
Germans from precipitate and very
difficult withdrawal. That their
army will crumble 20 pieces, as did
that of the Russians at Mukden, is
rot to be so readily assumed. The
German morale is vastly better than
was that of The Cars forces in
Their lines Of retrea.
are better guarded. They have
powerfully fortified positions close
at hand, on which they can retire.
A distinct German defeat will not
result IN the capture of any vast
of men; that is, a number
sufficient gravely to change the pro-
portionate strength If the two sides.
To capture half million men is too
much like picking up a gallon of
water in ones hands; the operation
is too big. But once sharply de-
feated, Germany will not long be
able to maintain herself in France.
The danger of immediate siege of
Paris will be over and the war will
resolve itself into a defensive fight
Of Germany, trying to protect both
her eastern and her western from
tiers at once.