The Washington times., 1914-08-18
DEVELOPING STRATEGY.


are passing the censorship, it is pos
sible to make a pretty good diagram
of the war situation on the Franco
German-Belgian frontier. If it were
possible to be assured that the CEN
sor is letting out facts, more conf
dence could, Of course, be placed in
conclusions based on his data. Per-
haps he is part of the profound game
of misleading the adversary. That
must always be kept in mind.
But assuming that the general
view given by the dispatches is ap-
proximately correct, it would appear
that the right wing Of the Germans,
operating in Belgium and on the line
Of the Meuse, is making steady if
slow advances, while the right wing
of the allies, operating through AL
sace, is likewise gaining Substantial
advantages.
Today's news brings startling de-
tails from both ends Of the long bat
tie line. In Relgium Brussels has
been abandoned by the government
and the administrative Offices of the
little country have been removed to
Antwerp. This makes plain that
Brussels is regarded as meraced by
the Germans. Yet the Germans have
not taken either Namur or the line
of the Liege forts They have pushed
on around these two fortified points.
Conceive Liege to be great rock
in a stream Of water, one branch
flowing away toward Brussels, the
other toward and even beyond Ma
mur, like the two sides of wedge
diverging from its point. That seems
to suggest the German movement in
Belgium; and this picture readily
calls up the further suggestion of a
great enveloping movement to sur
round and outfank the Belgian
forces of the allies, catching them
between the two streams This is
apparently a dangerous adventure
for the Germans, for the enemy,
doubtless fully informed by his air
scouts, might be able to crush the
two forces in succession. On the
other hand If the Germans are in
sufficient force and move fast
enough, they might succeed in the
enveloping movement. That Is what
they did at Sedan, and what the jap
anese almos' accomplished, on q
vastly greater scale, at Mukden.
But meanwhile, at the other end Of
the line, the Germans seem to be
making ineffective resistance to the
French-British advance through Al
SAGE. It is reported that the allies
have even crossed Alsace, and taken
ground in Baden. This may indicate
either that the Germans have not
been strong enough in this region to
hold them back, or that the allies
successes have been more apparent
than real, and that the Germans
have permitted their enemies to
work into German territory so that
it may be the easier to bring down
a sledge-hammer blow on them. Ev-
cry mile of French advance length
ems the lines of communication to he
maintained for the French, and
shortens the lines to be held by the
Germans.
A victory for one side at one end
of the line, and for the other at tine
other end, would Danish all hope for
a quick conclusion Of the war. If the
Germans shall win in a large way in
Belgium, they will instantly be a
real menace to Paris. If the French
have gained a real and telling ad-
vantage in their incursion through
Alsace, victory for them in that
quarter would be a grave blow to
Germany.
1t is not difficult to imagine what
the strategy of the allies probably
contemplates. They will try to hold
the lines about as they are, until the
mighty Russian army is ready for a
great movement on Germany from
the east. Then, the problem on the
Franco-German frontier will be to
hold the German advance through
Belgium, while forcing a French ad.
vance through Alsace and Baden.
This would threaten Berlin and the
heart of Germany, precisely as big
German success in the north would
threaten Paris and all France. 1t il
hardly to be believed. in view Of
the evenness of the balance thus far
that either side can win, from the
start, at all points. Far. more likely
there will be variety of results, ars
what now looks like a unified battl.
line will be broken up into sections
with various related yet partially in
dependent struggles going on in diff
ferent regions.