Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-19
COURSE OF THE
EUROPEAN WAR
The Most Important Battle SO Far
and What it Means to the Cen
eral Situation.

eral Situation.
During six days titanic struggle, upon
which the final outcome of the war may
rest. has been in progress along a 10
mile battle line in northern France To
eofnprehend the situation as a whole it
is necessary to eliminate single engage
ments, the ebb and flow Of victories and
defeats, and regard the battle of the
Aisne as whole.
This battle is. indeed. the most impor-
tant, thus far fought in the war Upon
the outcome shall rest the fate Of German
arms In France. In one short week the
world has seen the mightiest army ever
gathered virtually routed, driven from the
Very gates of Paris aud forced to take
the defensive at a time when victory
seemed certain. For more than six weeks,
not counting the temporary check at
lIfege. the Germans swept everything he-
fore them The seventh week saw a tdrn
tu the tide, when the allied army admin
lsterrd a crushing defeat tu the Germans
along the Marue. September saw tho
hgh-watcr mark of th" invasion. From
that date the French aud British have
been victorious.
At the beginning oC the present week,
the eighth OF the war the allies were
found pushing the Germans far from
renewing the campaigu In Alsace and
driving tie German centre away from It's
positions near Ncrduu. The Aisne was
crossed by the allies. the Germans were
dislodgCd from the hills 20 the north Of
the river ana forced To take eutrruched
positions between tho disc and the Meuse.
covering territory bounded by the rivers
and the storied forest OF tine Nrgonne
Upon this battlefield the armies are still
engaged. Again taking the offensive, the
Germans have repeatedly hurled their
forces against the allies, nit apparently
10 no avail. Tho battle is one of artil-
lery, of long-range fighting, Of manouver-
log for positions The outcome Will prob
ably not be known for several days.
Disinterested military experts the world !
over are of the opinion that the allies !
are in a favorable position to drive the !
invaders into the Valley Of the Meuse |
and eventually out OF France. Should |
the present battle become a victory for !
Germany, the situation would be vir- /,
tually the same as existed three weeks !
ago. Another slow retreat would be made |
TO the fortihcation at Paris The British |
and French have proved themselves mas /
ters in the art of retiring while the |
panic which followed the fanking move
rpent of the British demonstrated that the |
Germans failed in conducting with
drawal. The losses of the allies upon |
their retirement from Belgium we're intini-
by the Germans, while the continual har-
assment OF the armies OF Won I[luk. Won
Buelow and Won Hausen, the withering
fire OF the French artillery upon the
fstigued soldiers and the logged lighting
of the British and Indian troops wrought
trightful carnage in the German ranks
UPON their retreat to the present posi-
tion.
Should the tide of battle turn to the
allies. complete defeat for Germany
is virtually assured The Kaiser realizes
that victory is never attained by those |
on the defensive. France and Russia
must be brought to terms before England
can be reCkoned with. With the French
campaign failure, with Russian victori-
Gus in Galicia, with Great Britain master
of the seas and in a position to reinforce
the French lines for at least a year, the
position OF Germany would be untenable
Thus the crisis in the war has been
reached.
Whatever may be the contents Of the
dispatches passing between Washington
and the American Ambassador at Rer-
lin. sufficient official confirmation has
been made public to warrant the belief
that Germany would welcome the good
offices of this country in bringing about
peace. The moral effect of the commu-
nications made public at Washington has
its reflections in London and Paris.
This week has also seen vast strides
made by the Russians in Gaicia. While
Berlin reloices over the check of the
of invasion in Eastern Prussia,
the defeat of the Austriaus. the coucer-
tration of Russian troops against Ger
man Siles.a and the panic at Vienna cen
be received alone as indications that the
Cars forces are attempting the German
invasion from Poland rather than from
Prussia. This week has brought the hosts
of Russia 10 the very door of Germany.
Cracow alone bars the way 10 enter the