The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1914-10-14

Paris escaped capture in fhe second
month Of the war was due TO the field
army that blocked the road to th-
capital and not to anticipated difiicH}
ties or delays N the operation impcs
ed by the elaborate 'ystem Of forte
d out the city.
If the Germans had intended from
! the beginning to make use of Antwerp
they would doubtless have proceeded
carly in the occupation of Belgium to
take the city. That they have now
taFsE II, though primarily with The
object Of relieving the menace TO
their right wing, may also be with
the purpose of complete remodeling
OF their plan Of war either for fur.
Their retreat-along reconstructed and
better protected lines, for which Ant.
werp offers a base or for an entirely
new operation, with England as well
as France rs the object of attack. To
what ext9~t this IS possible remains
tc be developed. If the restrictions i'm
posed on Antwerp by international
treaty are strictly Observed and the
inviolability of tho waters Of the
1cheldt for war purposes, guaranteed
to Holland, is respected Antwerp will
he of no more use % the Germans as
a base for rayll cptyations-eve il
they could t's any war vessels there
than Brussas It Germans Diet II
mine thet such on Lloyment of the
port justii!es the cost of violating the
neutrality of Holland and disregarding
the treaties under which it is guaran-
teed they viii, of course, not hesitate
20 make it The experience of Belgium
shows that But the experience Of Bel
GUM may also have reduced consider
ably the risk of violating the neutral
lily Of Holland. Looking across the
border at the suffering and woe of the
Relgians. the Dutch, for all their in
tense patriotism and their traditional
fear Of German sovereignty, may take
q practical view of the situation and
refuse to make violation of the neu-
trality of their waters cause of war
against Germany. Britain and France
may, Of course, proceed to make such
complacency cause of war on their
part against Holland, but that seems
scarcely likely, for they have no de
sire to drive the Dutch into the arms
OF the Germans, nor especially Brit
ain to see the ports of Holland In
| therefore, that Germany will make
Whatever uses of Antwerp's splendid
port facilities she may, without re
gard to any restrictions imposed by
it5 peculiar situation with respect to
the neutral Dutch nation. and the
complications that may come of this
are amcns the interesting prospects
How Germany would get war craft
into Antwerp harbor is another mat
ter, Submarines might be transport
ca overland b. rail, and, operating
out OF the Seheldt against BRITISH anC
French warahlpg. especially agains
transports bringing British soldiers
to France, might have very democrat
| i1ing effect and even infiict serious in
| jury. As long as the German fleet i
| sealed In the k1el canal and the Bal
| TIC sea. however, the possession q
| Antwerp can not offer any great val
| re TO Germany for naval purposes.
To these various points of exceed
ing interest involved in the fall o
Antwerp is to be added the consid
Grafton that. unless the release of tn
German army that was holding tn
city invested increases the strength
of the army of invasion in France sui
hciently to turn again toward Pari
the tide of the war, the German oc
cupation Of Antwerp may be Of shor
enough. duration to spare Britain
serious attack OF the nerves as to tn
menace it may have for her.
Z A