New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-16
The Development of the German
Retreat.

of decentralization.
rs the invaders retire they come closer 10 'ueif
sunportsi and supplies and TO the heavy ar'iiie'S
trains which could not keep pace with the carrier
dash If the German right wing toward Parls'
Moreover the details which were scattered through
French territory as far west as Amiens have Deeu
o,uod in and the German line has now much
,,,o contracted front and has therefore become
stronger.
According TO yesterdays dispatches the 'erma"
RIGHT wing was making stand in the Alsne Val
la, 10 Tho southeast OF Laon The right centre
has retired north of Rheims. which the French
,,oyo rooccunicd toward Rethel and Nouziers, also
in the Aisne Valley. The army Of the Crown
Prince Of Prussia which formed the pivot for the
cr.at turning movement and also forms the pivot
for the retreat has been pushed further down the
Valley of the Mcuse and is now north of Nerduh'
The forts on the Mouse which he was attacking
Tow DAYS ago south of Verdun have been relieved.
Ycrdun itself was apparently never in danger
# does not seem probable that the German right
and right centre will stay long on the line from Lacn
TO Rethel On that line the extreme right flank Is
still lin the air" 1t rests on nothing and IS OK
nosed 70 an envelopng movement on the part OIL
tb, French. II can be secured only by vigorous
and successful offensive by the right centre
against the French forces north of Rheims ana II
is extremely doubtful whether the armies OF Gen
eruls Won Bulow and Hansen are now equal
"a such a diversion. The development so far OF
u,c German plan Of retreat indicates drawing
in of the right wing, that it will finally cover
the route via the Sambre River to Charleroi ana
Namur. the northernmost line Of German conmu-
pic.,tiop with Aix-la-Chapee The right centre
would then cover Mezieres and the line via Neut-
chateau through southern Belgium and the army
Of the Prussiau Crown Prince would hold the
approachcs TO the route cast via Luxembourg. In
that position a French turning movement at the
expense of the German right would have to curve
FAR north into Belgium and would create many
opening for counter attack.
II may be That a Iul in the fighting is now due.
Both sides will have to accustom themselves to
the sweeping change in the situation caused by
the Marine. The German army needs reinforce
mcnts. and if these are drawn from Belgium 1t
will he difficult 10 hold the line Of communication
with Aix.laChapclle and Cologne by way of
Nanur and Liese. There are much better trans
porfation facilities on that route than on the
routes further south through the Ardennes Forest
and through Luxembourg. The failure of the first
movement against Paris may necessitate re-
arrangement to some extent Of the German bases
Of operatiou and any such Encouragement involves
delay
Tbe French have won great moral as well as
military advantage in repeling the first German
thrust Since time is on their side they will proba-
blv take no risks i'm pursuing their offensive. They
do not need to invade Germany just now, since
they will soon receive large reinforcements from
Great Britain All they have to do is TO reap prn-
IDENTIFY the fruits Of the battle of the Marine await
ing the crash in Austria Hungary and the depie-
ton Of the German forces by constant calls for
detacbments to help out on the eastern frontier.
General Joffre has shown so far an emnently
correct judgment. He knows when to fight and
when not to fight, aud he is not likely to he led
by over.sanguine enthusiasm into false position,
as the German armies were through the collapse
of Won Klucks big turning movement.
In the earlier stages Of the war General JoHre
was the target of much unfavOrable criticism, both
in this country and in Great Britain His offensive
in Asace aud Lorraine which ended in a sharp
repulse. was condemned as subOrdinating military
10 political considerations But it is clear now
that the purpose Of his offensive sound, since
he hoped thereby TO delay the German attack
through Belgium aud TO minimize its intensity.
The German General staff recognized the merit
OF General Jo1res strategy, although others
doubted The Vienna "Neue Freie Presse" on
August p published dispatch from Berlin con-
tanning this criticism of the Lorraine operations
from the pen Of Field Marshal Baron Goltz:
This victory the one south of Metzl
surprise to US, for eyes were on Namur.
great French offensive in Lorraine in these first
DAYS Of the unexpected. We were inclined
TO expect this French offensive later, and at
point at which with at least a part of our