The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-09-23
Germany Plans to Pick on
British Ships.
Submarine Attacks VIII Be
ResOrted to In the Future.
THEIR STRATEGY PuzzuNG
Allied Commanders Evidently
Are Mystified.
Germans Apparent Object Is to
Hold French Soil.

New York. Sept. 23-Th destruction
OF the British cruisers by German sub
marines demonstrates the wisdom 81
the German naval strategy in X ing
her line of battleships safely pr ,tected
by land Notifications during the early
stages Of the war.
Had the British vessels been m
dreadnaughts instead Of IL and 13-year-
old second cruisers, Great Britain'e
numerical supremacy at sea would have
been seriously reduced. To accomplish
this is the dominant idea OF Germany
naval plan. Great Britain possesses %
dreadnaught battlcships and cruisers In
the North Sea and Germany has II. II
the German submarines could steal
among the enemy's first line fleet not
many exploits such as caused the triple
tragedy in the North Sea would be
necessary to give Germany thu le~ n
dreadnaught strength.
While the German seamen have DEM
onstrated they possess the necessary
courage and bearing for torpedo work.
far from their base. the chances of Sc
riously depicting the British naval
strength by this method are remote.
Yesterdays success Of the German
submarine cannot have been the first
attempt. Many failures must have
Nevertheless. the use of submarines
followed later perhaps by night tor
pedO attacks, must continue to be Ger
many's initiative at sea for some time
to come.
Under present conditions of relative
strength. 1t would result in almost GER
tain disaster for the German fleet to
steam forth and invite a surface con-
flict. All the possibilities Of subma-
rine success must first be exhausted.
however. slim the chances of final sue
cess may be.
German Strategy Pulling.
The strategy Of the German general
staff in the Aisne battle is obviously
puzzling to the allied commanders
Field Marshal Sir John French's latest
report testified to this by it's confess
sion that for a considerable time after
the battle began the allies believed the
Germans were fighting only a rear
guard action.
The reason for such a conclusion
was explained at the time the Ger
mans were known to have entrenched
north of the Aisne. 1t was then ex-
planned that disaster would result il
the invaders waited too long b>sore
retreating. because of the danger to
their fiank-a condition from which
the allies were saved at the Marine by
the protection of the Paris forts on
Notifications on their right. rrarf
The necessity for holding fast to
French territory, even on the defensive
as long as possible, doubtless has led
to the risk the Germans are taking by
continuing to give battle along the
Aisne. Strategically. their position is
precariOus. for if the allies succeed in
Outflanking Won Kluck, a German re-
treat, more hasty than the one from
the Marine will become necessary, with
the allies better prepared to follow it
up.
Nevertheless, the value OF entering
the peace conference. after the war,
either direct from the soil Of France
or from the immediate border, must
outweigh, in The minds Of the kaiser's
advisors. the risk of holding the Aisne
position to the utmost second. Sir
John French's continued surprise at
the strategy Of the Germans along the
Aisne Is very strong evidence that
craftsmanship and not military neces-
sity along is now influencing Ger
many'S operations in the field