Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-08-19
FRANCE IS FORCING
GERMANY To THREE
DECISIVE BATTLES
British Experts Say Result of War
Hangs Upon Outcome of Cam
paigns Now Being Waged
SfseiaI to The Telegraph

London, Aug. 19.-The stress and
strain of immense events not only pre-
pairing but proceeding along the entire
war line is like the silent but enor-
nous pressure of water before break
ing a great dam. While to-day's news
suggests little or no change of i'm
portance there is no doubt that the
struggle for the mastery of Western
Europe has fairly opened.
This week will decide in great meas
ure the fortunes of war md the future
course of European history.
Three simultaneous and connected
battles have already opened. The
battle for control of northern Belgium.
the battle for Ardennes and the battle
for Lorraine are at widely separated
points. Usually one looks for the
decisive conflict at the center. but this
conflict may prove entirely different.
The German advance through Ar
dennes will be difficult because of the
rugged, wooded nature of the coun-
try, which is also crossed by deep
streams.
The allies fate will undoubtedly be
decided on their right and left wings
in the wide plains around Brussels
and in the Lorraine basin.
The one thing that the allies are
anxious to learn is whether the Ger
mans will strike full force in only one
of these arenas, or whether they will
feel ii necessary to act in both stimuli
taneously. British military experts say
the Germans may be compelled by the
French initiative and the desperate
urgency of their own fight against
time to do this.
Interests in Belgium
Though the heavy armies of the
Car have begun to roll against the
eastern German frontier, the first in
terest in events belongs in Belgium
Piercing together the scraps of in
formation that have evaded the CEN
sorship, we can form a pretty certain
opinion that the German pressure up
on the Belgian battle front is already
wider and more severe than the Off
cial statements suggest.
Reports from Brussels suggest that
though the Liege forts held out won
derfully, both above and below that
city the GermaI.s possess considerable
facilities for moving their large army
and massive artillery.
There is no doubt that the French
initiative in Alsace has created a sit
uation that must be reckoned with
by the Germans. The French invasion
between Metz and Strassburg will
menace the whole network of railway
connections with central Germany un-
less it is repelled.
The French claim to be complete
masters of the heights of the Vosges
and all the chief valleys. and say that
the troops of the republic look down
from Mount DOMAIN both on Alsace to
the east and Lorraine to the north
and west. Mount DOMAIN, both on AL
saee to the east. is the bold sentinel of
the Nosges, and from its summit can
be seen large lart of the provinces
lost by France and the network of
railway communication vital to the
German wing.
One school of French experts has
long been of the conviction that be-
fore the Germans could invade France,
they would be compelled to fight a
great battle on German territory in
the annexed part of Lorraine and that
upon that very soil the cause of
France would be redeemed. Time will
tell.