The Washington times., 1914-10-08
ALONG THE SEVEN RIVERS

which millions Of men are living
along the fighting line in northern
France, tell the story of the develop,
mcnt of battle into siege. Eacf
| side is cntrenching itself as strongly
as possible; the battle is become a
struggle between the mining and
sapping corps, with lines so near to-
gcther that bayonet charges may
easily produce surprises and result
in capture of sections of an enemy's
position. But on the other hand
each army is drawing its lines SO
tightly that the capture by ore side
If section of the others line breaks
the continuity and makes it the more
probable that the section will be re-
captured.
Meanwhile winter comes on apace.
Neither side has reached the point
of physical or economic exhaustion.
A winter campaign will test the two
vast armies in that regard. Which,
side can provide the most and best
socks, undershirts, gloves, sheepskin
overcoats, felt boots? Which is able
to get. and then to transport and
distribute among its Soldiers in the
borrowed trenches, the fullest sup
plies of the most nourishing rations :?
That is the question that the cam
paign must answer in its rext phase.
The military critics constantly GO
back to the Russo-Japanesc war for
their comparisons with the present
struggle; the amateur observer can
not help doing the same. The Jap
snese won victory at the g-ent
battle of Liao-Yang, and forced the
Russians back 10 the line of the Sha-
no river. That performance was
roughly comparable to The success Of
the allies in the battle Of the Marne.
after which the Germans fell back
slowly 20 the positions they now
hold.
The Russians of 1901, retiring in
the autumn upon the Sha-ho, en-
trcncacd themselves as strongly as
they could They dug their way in
to the ground exactly ac the Ger
mans have done IN their present po-
sitions. The Japanese followed close
on their heels, and likewise borrowed
down to both comparative safety
and measurable warmth.
There the two armies lay through
the rigors of the MancEurian winter.
AS always happens in such sitEa-
tiens, the soldiers of the two armies,
lying only a few rods apart in many
places, established entirely unofficial
truces, and even fratelnized to some
extent.
1t was the great test that the war
put upon the japanese war machine;
and the machine proved sound. The
soldiers were we'll clothed, fed, and
cared for by q magnil:cent!y Efficient
medical corps.
On this line the battle Of the Sha-
ho was fought TO an indetcrnina-e
conclusion; and, again following the
parallel in the operations in France,
the battle of the Field of the Seven
Rivers is seemingly entering into that
same deadlocked phase. The mill
tary authorities are suggesting the
possibility of the siege-likc battle
continuing all winter, with the
armies making a minimum of prog
ress, and with the utmost effort re-
TIirc1 to maintain them alive.
After that-spring, and a grand
coup for the side that brings its
forces best through the winters
trials.
There will prorably be 70 su,h al
most complete cessation of activities
on the French battle ground as
market a long period of the winter
along the Sha-ho, because the win
ter will not be SO severe, and there
will be a more inSisrent pressure Of
public opirion among the warning
countries, for action. But it will be
difficult in the extreme to fight a
determining engagement all along
the line during the coolest part of
the winter.
For the present, the greatest Of
forts are being Inade on the western
fanks of both armies, the allies try
ing to outfiank their enemy and drive
him away from his lines of ronrsuni-
cations; the Germans, endeavnring
to get around the end CT the Anglo
French ,;ne and cut of communica-
ton with the channel coast. In this
effort the Germans appear to have
masscI their cavalry, and it will be
met by rhe aggravated cavalry of
the allies; each side endcavoring to
accomplish by audaSity and rapidity