The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-10-26
Germany Was Ready for Wa Long
Before u Came and Had the
Schedule Al Mapped
Out.
ITALY WAS DOUBTFUL
Intended to Finish on France First
and Then Pay Some Atten-
ton to Russian
Side.

side.
LBy William Philip Simms, United
Press Staff Correspondence
Paris, Oct. 1.-(By mail to New
York)-That Germany was certain
months ago that when she declared
war on France she would also have to
fight England and Russia is indicated
In what is declared to be a complete
plan Of Germany's campaign, drawn up
months before the war started.
This plan was found by a retired
French army officer in a railway car
iraige in Germany. A fellow passenger
had left his handbag in the compart-
ment and the former French officer
found the papers in 1t. He returned
with them to France and turned it
over to the war department at once.
Only a few days ago did the informa-
ton leak out.
international complications are to
be expected In the near future" the
document reads. They may lead us
to have to the final argument
Of war. The origin Of the trouble will
be in the East, where Russia possess
es pr1mordial interests. It is possible
that this power will be the first to
arm. As soon as its preparations be.
come disquieting the time will have to
come to declare war on France. BY
making war with our western neigh
bors WI must expect to provoke the
hostility OF England. So far We had
always counted on the help Of Austria
against Russia"
Then the document, at some length,
sets forth why such assistance can
not be relied upon. Then 1t says:
Prudence, therefore, warns us to
place no reliance at the beginning on
effective aid from Austria"
Italy is discussed at some length in
the document. Italy must be looked
upon as . doubtful ally it reads.
everything points to Italy's waiting
to see on which side the balance will
tip. It Is not impossible that Spain
will join the triple entente. Hence. it
is our duty in any case to work out
our plans on the hypothesis that we
may ind ourselves alone in the strug-
gle with France and Russia, who. in all
probability, will be supported by Eng
land.
The principal strength OF England
lies in her navy. It is under v OF
this navy that she may attempt to
throw on the continent an expedition
airy force estimated at two army
corps with fairly numerous cavalry. II
is not likely that England, haunted by
n fear Of invasion, will make up her
mind to attempt to destroy our navy.
If that is so it will then be too late.
The war will alreaTy have been de-
cided on the continent II we lose no
time in crushing one or the other of
the two powers, Russia or France. All
the same we must not neglect the hy-
pothesis Of English deciding to take
away from the very first and placing
their active army at the service OF
their friends.
will the English troops disembark
in Belgium or in France! A landing in
Belgium would have more importance
for us as 1t might exercise a great in
~fuence on our operations against
France If we are led, as everything
points to our being, to make use Of the
roads of the Grand Duchy and of Bel
GUM Luxembourg in our advance
against France. In that case we should
be compelled to be the first to violate
Belgian neutrality, which would entail
49, 11cxS1Skry - that nnr,ptpv EYro1Iv
the English force may join directly
with the French force. In that case
they would form an integral part Of
the French armies. and it is sufficient
for US to take this possibility into &C
count in our estimation OF the eifec-
tives which France a put into the
field against u.s.
The document goes o to say that
France Is the principal adversary. I'll
we think of the considerable delays
necessary for Russia to complete her
mobilization and concentration, we can
be certain of having our hands free
against France for three OF four weeks
which is more than is needed to OBJ
tain a decisive result against that
country. We may forsee without fear
or error that in the second week Of the
campaign a great battle will take
place, and its result, If favorable to us,
will perhaps force England and Spain
III not Russia to replace In the
scabbard the sword they have but
half drawn. This same victory will en-
sure for us the active cooperation OF
Italy.
Summing up, France is our princf-
pal adversary. and her immediate and
complete defeat will leave US free to
direct all of our active forces against
|, Russia, and hnish the matter of with
this cover, either on or rear our own
frontier or on the Breslau-Dantzie
line, or even on the Oder. These con