The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-08-04
OUR STRATEGISTS
Study WAR MAPS
BELIEVE THAT GIGANTIC ARMIES
ARE BEING HELD IN CHECK
BY HOPE OF PEACE.
Germany's Action on Russian From
tier Believed to Be Simply to EN-
barrass Russian Mobilization.

Washington, d. c., Aug. 3.-With a
hastily drawn map Of the theater OF
the probable war in Europe before
them, army strategists here today
eagerly scanned news reports OF the
stirring events that were taking
place in Germany and Russia and
France. There was a complete 'ack
of official information. as American
military attaches at embassies and
legations are out of touch with the
war department.
Experts predict some surprise az
the comparatively slow beginning of
the German campaign. The Ameri-
can war college had understood that
so perfectly had every detail of an
offensive campaign against both
France and Russia been worked out
that within "a hours after the decla-
ration of war or after order for mo-
bilization the first German battalions
would be many miles advanced
across both eastern and western
boundaries into the enemies country.
There has been no report Of battles
on any large scale and consequently
the belief is expressed among mill
tary men here that invisible wires
are holding back the dogs of war and
that the fun strength Of the military
forces on all sides is being withheld
while statesmen and diplomats ar
playing the asst cards in the desper-
ate game of diplomacy in the nope
now not Of avertng general war but
of obtaining individually such advan-
tages as they can through delayed
action.
After looking over available data of
today's operations the strategists IN,
animousy We're of the opinion that
the plans of campaign had not been
so far unfoIded as to admit of
guess as to the real purposes of the
great military leaders What has
been done by the German army IN
the east in the reported invasion Of
Belgium is regarded as precautionary
and calcu ated rather to prevent
ilto the fatherland than with the
purpose Of beginning a deliberate and
progressive campaign towards Paris
Clashes reported on the border of
Lorraine are looked on as feints to
develop the French strength in that
quarter. Military maps here disclose
a large German military force in
that neighborhood. There appears to
be no less than three army divisions
within striking distance Of the
French frontier on line less than a
hundred miles in length II a general
campaign had been initiated there
We're sufficient German forces. in the
opinion of the experts here. TO have
broken through the French ines at
any point where there were no great
fortresses.
According to the same ca citations.
this German advance might be only
temporary, as it IS known the French
army is gathered in great strength in
the fortified towns of Straussburg
and Nancy, as it would be only
question OF time before they would
fall upon the German flanks in an
effort to isolate and destroy or cap
ture the invading army before it
could bring up it's reserves.
So far as can be discened here
the German campaigns in the east at
this stage at least are rather defen-
siye than offensive. Reports have
come from Berlin that German troops
actually have crossed the Russian
frontier south OF Danzic. But this
movement is believed to be calcu-
!ated simply to harrass the Russians
and To retard organization of the
great army Of the car.