New-York tribune., 1914-12-01
Four Months of the Great War.

fOur MOntnS OF tne OICdt w al
The fourth month Of the European war ends
to-day. 1t ends without decisive success to the
credit of either group of beligerents. Yet that
lack of decisive success must be regarded as
the great outstanding feature Of the war so far
the factor of most Importance in forecastlng
its future developments.
On the whole the war has run pretty true to
rational calculations. 1t has furnished no stun
ming surprises--no great military collapses like
Sedan or Sadowa. 1t has upset many traditions
of tactics and strategy. Yet the situation after
four months Of fighting is not very differen'
from what an intelligent and unbiased critic
would have expected it to be.
Germany was entitled to reap at the outset
the benefits of her complete preparedness. The
first month of the war was therefore brilliant
record of German victories. The Kaiser was
enabled to mass seven big armies on the western
front and to beat down all opposition. The
French could not hold the Verdun-Belfort line
of forts and at the same time go to the aid Of
the Belgians General Joffre had to allow the
Germans to overrun Belgium and large section
of Northeastern France before he was able to
turn on them at the Marne and smash their
plans for the isolation and investment OF Paris
The German campaign in the west reached Its
climax early in September. Since then 1t has
waned. in spite of the lavish employment of vast
masses of new troops in reckless assaults on
the fortified lines of the Allies. The Allies have
gradually recovered large portion OF North
eastern France, left bare at the time of the Ger
man dash toward Paris Their forces stretch to
the sea through Flanders, and on the northern
front after a months bloody fighting, the Ger
mans have practically abandoned their efforts
TO break through to Dunkirk and Calais
Germany holds nearly all Of Belgium and a
considerable slice Of territory in Northeastern
France. That represents the fruit of her first
victorious offensive. 1t is something, but few
Germans will contend that it satisfies the high
hopes or even the careful calculations with which
Germany began the war.
four months has emphasized the newborn eff
cheney of the Russian armies. Russian strategy
has been keen and the forward push of the Car
forces has been we'll sustained Each slight
recoil has been succeeded by further advance
The Russians have now practically cleared Cali
ca from east to west. At Cracow they are now
nearly two hundred miles further west than they
were when they drove the Austrians out OF
Lemberg. If Cracow falls they will have reached
their first important objective. A German re-
treat from Western Poland, leaving the way tC
Cracow clear on all sides, would mean the sever
ing of direct connection between the German
and the Austro-Hungaran armies. That breal
would widen as the Austro-Hungaran fell bacl
beyond the Carpathians and the Germans retired
on Breslau and Posen 1t would end disastrousl!
for the Teutonic allies the first phase of the wal
in the eastern theatre.
On both fronts, therefore, the German outlool
is getting less and less hopeful. Russian eff
cheney has compelled diversion of forces t,
the east which has broken the power of the Ger
man offensive in the west. That is the most dis
agreeable surprise of the war, so far as German!
is concerned. The next most disagreeable sur
prise has been the staying power of the French
France, with the aid of her gallant British
allies, mas made defence which has extortec
admiration even from German critics.
That splendid defence has more than restored
the natural equilibrium of forces. For the Allie
the crisis is past In the stages of the war still
to come they will have ample opportunity to cal
into play that superiority in resources on whicl
in the long victory must depend.