The Washington times., 1914-08-28
A WINTER CAMPAIGN.

Suppose the war is vet undecided
as seems almost certain, when win
ter closes down upon northern
Europe?
The Russians will have 20 beal
the brunt of 1t. Their advance into
Germany will be made through
country whose climate i'll winter /;
not unlike that of our middle New
England. Snow lies on the ground
IN much Of this region, from October
till the beginning of May.
1he defending Germans will oc-
cupy the splendid barracks Of strong
" fortified towns and cities, with
every possible arrangement fer the
keep and comfort of the men. The
Prssians will find themselves or the
outside. doing their best to live in
the open country or in such villages
IS thew NAV occupy. They will be
able TO attack only after dragging
c,rs and material many miles over
frozen ground and through heavy
snow.
TIE burcing of Moscow '"i!l be
repeated an hundred times on small
er scale, if it shall be found neces-
sarv to deprive the invading Rus
slams Of shelter. Whatever the Ger
mans must evacuate they will if pos
s;hle destroy in order that it may
render no service to their enemies.
II is horrible &c think of this devas-
tation Of a great region; but 1t is
mart Of the barbarous game of war.
Retiring, if they must. as winter
dcscends upon the campaign, the
Germans will strip the country OF
whatever might afford food, forage
or housing :or the invaders. Russia
will confront the staggering reed
not orly t. house an army of MIL
lions on the windswept and bitter
cold Prussian plains, but will have to
hiring up the supplies they will re-
o,iire over wretched roads and
streams
1t seems as if the makers OF this
war omitted thought of nothing that
would advantage the Te'tonic power
in its program. To the west and
south, in France, winters are mild,
ard the German army will have com
paratively little difficulty carry ing
on ITS campaign through the worst
of The cold weather. It will he ar
Guous and heart-breakinC wor!', but
il will not he comparable to the
fearful task Of the invaders on Ger
many's east.
Trance. moreover, is a highly de-
vclorcd country, dotted e''crY"hcre
with towns and villages. The hous-
ing of the invading army in con-
mrercd territory will be simple com
ed 60 the corresponding task IN
Prussia.
These considerations go far to eX-
ploin the course of the German gen
eral staff in permitting the Rus
SANS 10 get far into the interior of
Prussia while all Berlin's effort &, is
,ut forth on the western lines. Win .
ter is the ally of the Kaiser, as
century ago it was the potent .
weapon of the Gar.
Today, VIC read. Russia hopes to
DC before Errlin in three weeks. No I
wondtr st. PctersFurg is rIshing 4.
forward TO its goal on the ElDc, with
JUS; the sane rccklcssn"S@ )f cost
Nat marks Ccrmany's forceI march
,oward the Seine.
Twenty millions IF men may spend
! winter under arms in various parts
u Europe If they could force the
sue before November, even a. 4
.ta%GCFlnT cost IN lilc ana SHfering,
t Ini~ht be easier for these mil
ions tnan t. Undergo he horrors Of
aintcr campaigning.
1t is said that tho Kaiser i'as is
ucd absolute orders hat his armies
n the weS. must Q" fnrwarr', and
ct forward, at whatever cost. If
t requires the sacrifice of half their
strength, vet Berlin believes it will
20 worth while, if he hold; Paris at
he end Of the blood soaked road.
Ven ard lives are only units of en-
rpy and intelligence, to be sprnt, in
uch ear1n as this, just as coal is
urned under a boiler.