The Washington times., 1914-10-25
AS WINTER NEARS.

The progress of the European war
more and more justifies, day by day,
the belief that the great determining
events will not take place this year.
Russia is not making an avalanche
rush upon Germany from the east;
Germany is not in Paris, or even at
all certain of winning her campaign
Ill France.
Both sides, though they are press
ing the fighting with all vigor, seem
to be postponing the day of big and
risky evolutions. The delay is alto
gether to the advantage of the al
lies, for they are increasing the
numbers and improving the quality
of their armies. They had much to
gain in both numbers and efficiency;
the Germans have less to gain in
either. Indeed, the time must pres
emily come when, if the demand for
more and yet more men shall con-
tinue, the average quality of the
German forces will begin to retro
grade because old men and boys will
constitute a larger proportion of
them; while the average quality of
the allies forces will improve, be-
cause they will have got the train
ing and experience that they needed
when they were first brought into
the field.
If, then, the great armies shall
prolong their indeterminate opera
tions for a few weeks longer, in
both fields of war, it may fairly be
expected that they will not play for
the capital stakes until next spring.
In that event new phase will be
entered by the war. The Germans
will have time to bring up the very
last man and gun of their reserves.
The allies will not only be able
vastly to increase their numbers in
the field, but they will have time to
overcome the disparity between
them and the enemy in point of
equipment, accoutrement, parapher.
MALTA, siege guns, aircraft, transport
and thousand other details of pre-
paredness. Also, they will turn
myriads Of recruits into veterans,
1t may be expected, for instance
that the allies will not for many
months permit themselves to rest
without providing siege guns as pow.
erful and numerous as those the
Germans have used with such effec.
tiveness. If the allies expect evel
to enter upon German soil-anc
there is still reason to suspect that
they entertain such aspirations
they will confront a good many
places with concrete works and re-
volving turrets.
The outside world gets rather ar
impressionistic notion of the i'm,
portance of what is afoot in the
eastern zone of the war. The Ger.
mans never expected seriously to in,
wade Russia; but their game was tc
spring for the enemy's country, anc
they did, getting the advantage Of
their superior mobilization ma
chinery. They are still on Russian
soil, of which they hold no inconsid
cradle area, though they have with
stood some severe defeats in theil
| efforts to retain it.
No matter; it is far better to be
or the enemy's soil than at home
in campaign Of this kind. German
soil is still free to produce the
things Germany will have to eat {
year hence. So long as German
land can be kept clear of invaders
Germany's economic power of resist
ance is kept at high pitch.
Every passing week adds to the
probability, now, that the campaign
ing will be held in state Of semi
suspense over the winter. If the al
lies do their level best, if they &C
complish what we may safely sus
pect Kitchener and Joffre have II
mind, they may hold the Germans il
their present lines for the coming
winter; they may drive Germany
back upon German soil next year
they may effect an invasion of Ger
many from cast, or from both cas-
and west, in the season of 1916; anC
about the time we are electing 1
new President in these Unitet
States, there may be a diversion o
interest to the great peace congress
that will sit in Washington.
ODDITIES OF WAR.