Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-31
HOSTILE ARMIES
ARCHAEOLOGICAL
AS YEAR CLOSES
Destruction Of German Com
merce, Freeing of Servia
and Occupation of Galicia
Only Decisive Results.
nu ]. ". .. MAsoN

The end OF the year, ana with IL tn
conciusion OF ive months fighting, hndi
only three positive results accomplished
which, TO n practical certainty. will con
tinue as permanent factors in the cam
paign. These are the expulsion Of Ger
man commerce from the seas. the free
ing Of servia and Russla's occupation Of
Eastern Galicia,
Everything else that has happened ir
the war zones is tentative. East and
West indecision dominates the situation
xot while Germany has been beaten in
her main objective, Germany's defeat has
not beer accomplished.
The August predictions that the Ger
man Empire was to be disintegrated and
the House OF Hohensollern exiled by q
European congress. after the war have
vanished with most Of tho other early
propheeies of the war. A decisive over
throw OF Germany Is no longer among
the probabilities. Tho end OF the year
sees Germany being slowly forced back,
but the effort Is almost superhuman.
Berlin's capture would produce more ex-
hnustion among the Allies than would
be tho worth OF that adventure.
DISAPPOINTMENT FOR ALL.
disappointment has dominated all the
wars developments, and all the belliger-
snts; It would be but logically in keeping
II the ultimate peace were similarly dis
appointing.
BeIgIurn's participation in the war with
furious patriotism, struck the keynote OF
indecisioh, by interposing unexpected OBJ
stacleB in the path of the German ad-
vance on Paris. Liege and the Belgian
army held the Germans sufficiently for
the English expeditionary corps to ar
rive. and 1T was the English who. in
turn, checked General Won Kluck and
saved the French army during the re-
treat through northern France The
German army was thrown out of its
stride by these interludes and Paris was
saved.
But there followed Immediately an in
decisive result for the Allies. The battle
of the Marne was fought for the preser-
walton of Paris, and though General
Joffre won victory which will take rank
among the decisive conflicts of history,
the success was not followed UP. While
the allied nations were exulting at the
flight of the Germans, the latter halted
ct the AiHne. on September IL, and have
stuck there ever since.
For n month from mid-September until
the middle of October, the Allies sent
columns ncrthward, trying to- outhank
tho enemy; but the Germans met every
new InoSe with b counter stroke. Finally
on October . the Germans captured Ant
werp and then rushed rapidly across Bel
GUM. occupying ostend on October 10.
THIRD STRUGGLE INDECIsIvE.
At this stage the Germans tried to re-
gain the general offensive which they
had lost at the battle of the Marne They
sought to extend their line from ostend
along the Belgian and French coast to
Calais. Then began the third struggle
Of the western campaign. AS counter
effect the Allies attempt to pierce the Ger
man line at Arras, which is the main
northern outer gateway to the German
communications. IndecIsion again re-
suited. After a series of the fercest con-
hiets Of the war, in which the numeri- |
cally inferior English army particularly
distinguished itself only q draw resulted. |
The Allies saved the coast and the Ger /
mans saved their communications
series OF subordinate encounters has |
been in constant progress along the |
Franco-German border throughout the !
year, almost independent OF the Inator |
conflict further to the west At the be- /
SHINING of the campaign the French at !
tempted an offensive of their own In 1
AisRce and Lorraine, but speedily were /
compelled TO abandon both, Nearly four
months later they returned to Alsabe, and |
are IN possession OF the northern dis |
tf1cLs ~ the year closes The German |
hold In tbs Msuse area about corresponds |
With the French grip on southern Asace. |
HINDENBURGe GENIUS SHINES.
The Russian campaign has been moro
unfortunate for the slRvs than has the
western hghting for the Cars allies.
Primarily this is due to the fact that
the one military genius the war has de-
yeIoped is pitted against the Russians
II any one man has saved Germany he
Is Field Marshal Won Benckendorn und
Won Hindenburg. with greatly inferior |
torces. he has dominated the strategic /
and tactical situations in the east almost |
at VIII.
Yet, remarkable as has been the ability
displayed BY the German commander-in-
chief. indecision il as dominant In the
east as In tho west Al different tais
could have been told II Austria haa /
proved herself 'as efficient as Germany. |
But the Austriana have not shown either |
tha leadership or the individual prowasa
Of their allies, As the Germans have
beaten the Russians, so have the siavs
q defeated ths Austrfans.
Most OF Galicia has been last =. ~.
Anqtrians; they have been ignominiouslv
ofsfHhelmed by little servia, ana the last
day q the year finds them harried amid
ne lsrpathian Mountains trying TO pre-
tent ne Russians from invading Hungary
ALLIES RULE SEA.
On the seas there have bean numerous
neslfnotions Of minor craft ana an &C.
eazienai eApatai ship has besn sent 10
sRs bottom. But the dominating fact Of
Great sritain's command OF the water
bas "a no way been disturbed Instances
q personal daring. Of individual luck ana
81 iuek, OF isolated and chance disssta,.
za7s heen abundant. but they have played
g raFt n robhing the Allies OF the tre-