The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-29
The Broad Battle Front


 From the New York Evening Sun The simplest and therefore the best way to grasp the meaning of the fighting along the broad battle front from the German ocean to Switzerland, which is described in the mornings dispatches, IS to accept the central unity which lies back of the whole confused and be- wildering mass of detail. This unity is discoverabe in the French counter of- | fepsive movement.
 | From the different bases Germany has | launched armies at Paris. These armies. taking their names from the rivers whose valleys they follow, the Mouse, the Moselle and the Rhine, are moving in d converg- ing direction toward the French frontier. in advance of their reaching the from tier where the French have permanent and considerable Notifications the French general staff last week launched three armies against them; one from the Lille Maubeuge line in northern France along the Sambre and Mouse; another from yer dun across the French Mouse into the Ardennes region about Neufchateau; a third from Nancy into German Lorraine between Metz and Strassburg.
 The obvious purpose of these counter offensive movements was to strike the three German armies before they reached France, thus if possible, bringing them to a halt and putting them on the defensive before they had time to develop their lines, make their contact between armies and attain their highest maximum of eff ciency. Each of these counter offensives has totally failed. The circumstances att tending their failure, so far as yet known, supply the days news and explain the grave anxiety discernable in London and Paris.
 The next failure was that of the east ern French army facing the German army of the Rhine. This offensive had two different phases. One contemplated a movement through southern Alsace by Belfort and the passes of the Vosges the other an advance by Luneville between Metz and Strassburg and toward the low CT Rhine at Mayence. The plain purpose was to roll back any German forces in the region and by defeating them compel the Germans to weaken their great army in western Belgium.
 In both Alsace and German Lorraine the offensive was temporarily success ful. SdarpurS, on the rdllTodu DetWeefl Metz and Strassburg, was occupied. French bulletins reported successes. in- cluding the capture of Muelhausen in Alsace Then suddenly, with no explana- tion, the French advance was reported to have terminated and the retiring troops were placed beyond Luneville, near Nancy. The only conceivable explanation for this was that the advancing force had been utterly defeated, if not routed. This the German bulletins. squarely af- firm, claiming the capture of 15O cannon, while French rumor pointed to the failure of an army corps to do it's work and the disgrace of a general.
 The Army of the Moselle
 Much more obscure Is the story of the repulse or rout of the French columns sent against the army of the Moselle, evil dently established in the Ardennes west of Luxemburg and north of Longwy, Verdun and, Stenay. Evidently the attempt was made to strike German corps advancing through the difficult Ardennes region. French bulletins admit che retreat of their columns beyond the Semois toward Verdun. German dispatches announce a crushing victory at Neufchateau, even more complete than in Lorraine, with the capture of generals and many thousands of soldiers and the ro,ft If tba French