The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-08-18

Motion Against Enemy In First Hours
of War-Balked by Unexpected Re-
sistance of 5eleans to Invasion Of
Their Territory.
To understand the lighting which
marked the beginning of the great
Franco German conflict 1t is necessary
to grasp clearly just one simple geo
graphical fact
From the Rhine. which is the base
Of German operations, three routes
lead west and south into France. The
first starts at Cologne, crosses the Bel
gian frontier Just beyond Aix-la- Cha
pelle. reaches the Meuse at Liege and
ascends the Meuse to enter France be-
tween Maubeuge and Givet by nat
ural gap in the divide between the
headwaters Of the Disc and the Sam
bre. This is the route followed by
the main railroad between Paris and
Berlin.
The second natural avenue to France
starts at Coblenz and ascends the val
ley of the Moselle until it arrives at
Luxembourg. 1t then crosses into
France by Longwy and the gap of
Stenay.
The third approach follows the
Rhine valley from Mayence to Strass-
burg, and then turns west through the
famous Saverne gap to cross the from
tier of France near Luneville and
Nancy and directly in the center Of
fhn laft In hD lar
between Epinal and Tout
Three Great German Armies.
Conforming TO the geographical con-
ditions. the Germans are directing. at
France three great armies-the Army
Of the Meuse, based on Cologne; the
Army of the Moselle. based on Cob
lenz, and the Army of the Rhine. based
on Mayence and ON Strassburg. The
first would naturally become visible
when 1t touched Belgian territory; the
second when Luxemburg was invaded;
the third would remain masked be-
hind the fortitications of Metz and
Strassburg. The first two would ar
rive in France behind the Belfort- Yer
dun barrier of forts and presumably
compel the French army on this line
to fall back. opening the way for the
Army of the Rhine and permitting the
concentration Of all three German
armies we'll within French territory
and north of Paris. the German OBJ
jective.
German advance guard walked
into Luxembourg and occupied the prin-
cipality. This was plainly only ay-
ing expedition made up of garrisons Of
frontier posts. Having occupied Lux
emburg. they began to skirmish in
front of Longwy, and this fighting con-
tinued growing sitter as the mass OF
the Army OF the Moselle came up.
In the same fashion they also began
on the same day skirmishlng on the
border facing Strassburg. Grey was
seized. raiding parties crossed the
boundary, and dirigible dropped
bombs in Luneville. the first consider
able town on the line of the approach
of the Army of the Rhine,
6eigians Opposed the Advance.
The Army of the -Meuse had assign
ed to it the most difficult preliminary
role. Between Cologne, its base, and
the frontier is distance of twenty
five miles. Its advance was preceded
by a demand to be permitted to cross,
made by the kaiser upon the Belgian
government.
The permission being denied and Bel
gian resistance assured the invading
force deployed rapidly until it spread
out over an area of some thirty miles,
its right flank resting upon the Dutch
frontier at Wise. its left upon Spa and
Stavelot and its bulk on the line OF
the railway from Liege to Cologne,
which. going south, descepds the Ves-
DIRE river to Its junction with the
Meuse at Liege.
cred by the German commander of the
Army of the Meuse. The Belgians
might make no resistance. They might
content themselves with formal and
insignificant resistance or they might,
In attempting to make q real resist
ance, fail utterly because their mo-
bilzation was incomplete. In any case
hio hSNSSoily was IU push Oh ut top
speed and endeavor to lay hands upon
Liege, strongly fortified town. before
1t was prepared and at the same time
endeavor to isolate it by an enveloping
movement. which necessitated cross
ing the Meuse Mt Wise.
Could the Germans lay hold of Liege
all Belgium to the sea would lie open
TO them. AS they were anxious not to
fight in Belgium. but to get across Bel.
gium to France as quickly as possible.
1t would have been necessary to leave
only little garrison in the forts OF
Liege. thus protecting their flank. and
press on up the Meuse valley to the
open French frontier.
So valuable in the scheme of Ger
man operations was Liege that the sac
rflce OF some thousands of men TO can
ture 1t was held worth while This
explains the apparent recklessness of
The opening attacks and the slaughter
which Belgian dispatches declare &C.
'onpanied their repulse.
An unexpectedly heroic Belgian re.
Nstance has temporarily delavnd tba