Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1914-10-09

and speedy triumph the char
acter of a doubtful struggle not
without promise of costly fall
ure. The aggressive campaign
on both borders of France was
projected along lines of sound
strategy, and neither skill nor
energy we're lacking in the celer-
lily with which the attack was
delivered. But at its very outset
conditions began to assume an
aspect altogether foreign to the
positive expectations of Emperor
William, and on the first sur
prise followed others in quick
succession, each more discomfort
ling than that which had pre-
iceded it.
An unimpedcd parade through
Belgium had been looked for and
an entrance into the heart of
France with inestimable forces
ere that power had found time to
grid up her loins for combat.
Instead of that every foot of pro-
lgress through Belgian territory
was holly contested and the de-
Hay so caused not only afforded
France opportunity to marshal
her strength for defense but to
call to her aid that ally whose
quick response was one thing the
Kaiser had regarded as beyond
the range OF probability. That
England would fight under any
provocation less direct than
aggression directed at herself
was an idea secuted at in Der.
Hin. To have found British
troops across his path when
finally he crossed the French
frontier was to Emperor William
an unwelcome demonstration
that his calculation had been
based on false premises and that
the problem before him was one
flor which no solution had been
worked out. On top of this came
1.-The revelation of the numerical
strength and efficiency of the
| French soldiery and the resource
full ability of their generals, and
he realized that reinforced as
they were with picked commands
lof the sturdiest soldiery in Eu-
rope, that instead of continu-
ling headlong rush to Paris, he
must look to his own safety.
ldraw in his lines. seek the sIei-
tier of entertainments, and wreStlr
on terms of equality with fos
lately regarded as a an easy prey.
But the conflict in the plains Of
France would wear another face,
or might, but for another mis-
take or misconception antedating
the outbreak of hostilities. Rus
STA has baffled all former records
and falsified all the expectations
of the German staff by the celer-
lily and vigor of i1er simultaneous
invasion of Prussian and Aus
trian territories, and the menace
of her gigantic hosts sweeping
Onward in menace of Vienna and
Berlin, has necessitated the conf
centrating in those fields of op-
erations of number OF German
corps which had originally been
intended to swell the array of |
the invaders in France. Had the
ante-bellum anticipations of EN-
peror William and his counsellors
been verified by events, doubtless
the situation from a military
point of view would have been
more in accord with Germ
representations than it is. Theirl
troops have been ably led, and
they have fought with a couragr
of which their enemies are loud i
in praise. Their monarch did not
count without his host when he
relied on them as harbingers of
triumph over the obstacles which
he foresaw and with the aid on
which he counted. But in the ,
hour OF test the former multi
piled and much of the latter fail Il
ID to materialize. Belgium's he
roic self sacrifice; England's nm
1esitating ranging Of her might
IN sea and land with the Allied
;anse; Russia's unwouted deyel- b
'pment Of prompt and DEADLY
lRRreoslyeaess; the couparat,vel