The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-09-03
RUSSIAN STRENGTH
is GREAT SURPRISE
TO GERMAN ARMY

washington, Sept. lit would be
che very irony of fate If Germany
should lose the great war now being
waged in Europe because Of the unex-
pected magnitude, energy, and sudden
ness of the Russian invasion.
Not alone strategically is the Rus
sian advance on the eastern frontier of
Germany worth study and not only is it
a FACTOR Of the utmost moment in the
present operations which are being con-
Quoted over a large part of Europe but
there is another side to it that is pc
cul1arly interesting at this time. This
might be called he historic side though
1t is extremely recent history not well
understood outside he war offices.
Leaving out the controversy as to
where the responsibility lies for the
war, 1T will probably be agreed on by
everyone that Germany did not enter
into this war without knowing she was
absolutely prepared, at least on the
land side. Moreover. nobody doubts
that she felt her opponents were less
well prepared than she.
something like two years ago, GER
tain OF the war offices of Europe, that
or England among them, received ad-
monitions that Germany would be
ready to strike in 1913. What was the
TACT that made such warnings seem
more than mere rumor, more than the
visionary conjurings of military at
taches and experts Of general STATS.
VINO dream Of wars and see visions of
clashes Of arms where others find
nothing but profound peace?
1t was this. that in 1918 Germany
would have completed her strategic
railways throughout the empire, where
as Russia would not have hers com
pleted for several years later.
Hooted Military Leaders.
mat this situation was known to the
european war offices is vouched for on
highest authority, and cannot be doubt
ca. Ihat the present war opened with
ma strategic railways in perfect
readiness will hardly be denied. The
russian railways were not in readiness,
Inc french Were in readiness for direct
INVASION, though they do not appear
TO nave been designed with the expec-
tatlon OF meeting such an ONSLAUGHT
thfough Belgium and all along the line
from switzerland nearly to the English
Channel as is now occurring Tng-
land's army leaders urged preparation
Out got little encourag cement, other
wise the cry for $780, 900 men todav
would be much less vociferous because
unnecessary.
But it appears the Russians have
modified and concentrated their forces
more quickly than Germany expected
and nave developed a surprising mo-
bllily. They are moving on eastern
germany with three large armies. Not
IulS prepared as TO strategic railroads.
RUSSIA has done more than the Ger
man general staff seems to have looked
for in a short space of time. When
one considers, however, what Russia
dld IN the Japanese war in moying
troops to the far east over several
thousand miles Of single track road,
1t is not entirely to be wondered tina
her general staff find the present prob
lem, SO far as moving troops goes. an
easy n beside it.
Moreover, it would look as if the
motor ruck has been overlooked in
its bearings on the rapid movement of
troops. Russia is said to be, utilizing
the auto and motor truck in great
numbers. SO is Germany in her eff
Tort to hack and hew her way to Paris.
Germany's Strength.
Germany may check Russia along
the line of the Vistula and in front OF
Posen. But if the magnitude of the
RUSSIAN operations are anything like
what they are represented to be, the
forces of Germany operating against
France must either be actually weak
eneG or weakened in the sense that
they cannot be given the support orig
inally contemplated when it was cal