New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-12
Military Expert Thinks
Altering Plans Shows
Lack of Confidence.
FRENCH PRAISED
FOR THEIR FIGHTING
Long Bore Brunt of Onslaught
of Foes Until British Came
to Their Aid.

London, Sept. 12.--C2lOnel Reping-
ton, military correspondent Of "The
Times" writes:
General JOfre must be congratu-
lated upon having seized the psyche
logical moment FOR his counterstroke
and for having engaged with his whole
strength. II there be 4 man with
rife in France who is not in this bat
tie he is out Of his place.
"The French army deserves our
warmest and heartiest congratulations
for the vigor and gallantry with which
it is fighting. We no longer read Of
slapdash attacks by armies and frac-
tions of armies in eccentric directions.
All the armies are in line all their
efforts converge to a common end, and
IN all probability he French artillery
is able at last to intervene effectively.
"ln battle the French armies are
content 10 fight methodically and in
union. In spite of their past losses
and Of their early disappointments they
are fighting nobly ard with tenacity as
well as with dash.
Allies Hope Legitimate.
Our eyes naturally are fixed mainly
upon the deeds of our own army, but
we must not forget that we occupy
comparatively small part Of the allied
line, and that throughout the rest of
the front the French armies have for
four or five days not only withstood
VIGOROUSLY the German attacks but
have in nearly all cases gained ground
and driven the Germans back.
Initiative. certainly, and, we hope
we may add, moral asceudancy. have
IN III l..
mately hope for great results from
their long and determined fighting.
I've will still seek on every side for
the reason which caused the German
change of direction last week, with the
entirely unexpected opening which il
gave 10 the allies. The change laid
open the German right to an offensive
return, which has been delivered with
refreshing yigor, and which has APP
peared to some people to indicate in
decision in the German higher com
mand and certain lack OF confidence
in the success Of German plans.
Kaiser Confident.
at IS said that the Kaiser tele-
graphed recently 20 the head OF
reutral state that wheu he had beaten
the French he would keep them Occu-
pied with 100000 men and employ all
the remainder Of his forces against
Russia. It is quite possible that he
and his staff have after all no past
experiences, or they may have over
estimated the earlier success OF Ger
man arms.
I'VE have never been deeisively
beaten. There has been neither sur
render nor rout. The first operations
/ Of the allies were initiated under thor
/ oughly bad conditions, and it was not
until the allies fell back TO the Marine
and the German change Of direction
took place that the Anglo-French
armies rc-established their line and
were IN position 10 engage with ad
vantage. The strategical and political
aim Of the Germans was not attained,
for the allies kept the field in full
strength, took no account Of wretched
fortress, which came tumbling down
. and presented an inyiolate front to
the German armies.
THE Germans had no more chance
! of containing US with 100000 men than
/ they had of flying over the moon, il
/ this was their calculation, or even il
/ they expected to hold US with twice
: 100000 men they we're very much in
error"