Omaha daily bee., 1914-08-24
CHIEF OF ALLIES
CHOOSES THE FIELD
Selection of Angle Of Meuse and
Sembrl as the Battle Ground
Outcome Of Much Thought.
POSITION FAvoRs DEFENDERS

Copyright, 1914, Press Publishing Coz


Copyright, 1914, Press Publishing Coz
LONDON, Aug. 2.--lSpecial Cable
gram TO New York World and omaha
Bee THE great battle OF Belgian in
vasion Is being fought in the angle Of
the sembre and Meuse rivers, which
met at Namur, thirty-three miles west
OF Liege and about the same distance
southeast of Brussels.
According to an official announcement
from Antwerp today, this battle, extend
ing over front Of twenty miles or more,
from Namur to Charlerol, has been go
ing on all day and tonight there is no
word of the result The battle may con-
tinue for two or three days before any
thing definite has been accomplished
Auics Choose Field.
The allies have chosen this as the bat
tlefed on which they will meet tho
advancing German army and if the
kaiser's troops can dislodge them, the
road into France will he open so far as
Belgian territory is concerned,
The allies. from all that can be gath
cred out OF the meager, heavily censored
dispatches. have faced to the north, be-
low and on tho Sembre, with their right
flank resting on the Meuse. and the
point" or head of the position az the
strongly fortified city of Namur where
the Meuse and Sembre meet
Decide ON Attack.
Apparently unable TO effect a successful
crossing of the Meuse between Namur and
Dinant, which they attempted in n deter
mined effort TO turn the right flank OF
the allies. the Germans having marched
swiftly through northern Belgium and
occupied Brussels have decided to attack
the allied forces In their chosen position.
The selection of this angle for a battle
field seems to have been the outcome Of
much thought by the general command
ing the allied armies. The French army
had no desire to march far from the
French frontier, yet II was imperative TO
reach as far out toward Liege as possible
while the Germans were checked there
offers Splendid PositiOn.
The sloping frontier OF France, running
almost southwest from punkirk tc
Luxemburg. offered a splendid position
between the sernbrc and Meuse to reach
out toward Liege as far az N4Tnr. and
yet In no way separate the French from
their own frontier.
At the French base OF this triangle
formed by the rivers and the French
frontierf lies trail known as thc
"Trainee De Chimay." which had beer
left somewhat unRparded according tc
certain French strateEists, who blamed
the French general staff for ignoring thi'
open way into France.
Answer to Critics.
a.
have been that the allies have under.
taken to use this very way OF approach
into France az the best way to go out
to meet the invader.
Their lines OF communication are safe
An orderly retreat, II such be necessary
will bring them right back into France
and within touch OF fortresses Al
Maubeuge Hirson and Mezieres, or. As.
suming they would retreat more to the
north. with Maubeuge. valenciennes anc
Lille, where modern Notifications have
been built
One war correspondent. who had seen
what the allies were doing In the way
OF preparations to give the Germans bat
tie at this point wrote. despite the CEN
sor, that while. in the name OF humanity
he hoped the Germans would not at
tempt to assault the allied position in
the angle at Namur. as a friend of al
lies, he hoped the Germans would
Whether the English force is in this
angle is problematicsl. 1t was last re-
ported in strength at Lille, which is but
two days march from Namur Perhaps
It is concealed there yet, ready to fall
upon the German rear, when they have
committed themselves 10 the assault of
allied position beyond the Sembre, or per-
haps 1t Is even now in the front line
OF battle between Charleroi and Namur.
The Germans probaly have 10000 on
this battle line And the allies almost as
many,