Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-22
GREAT DISTANCES
HAMPER RUSSIA'S
WAR OPERATIONS
French Military Writer
Points Out Disadvantages
Under Which the Cars
Military Machine Must
Labor.

In one of the French military publ
cations under date of July 3O last, there
appears an article written by an officer of
the French army in which the officer
calls attention to the slowness of Russian
mobilization and asks his countrymen TO
remember that in the event of trouble,
which has since come to France, they
cannot expect any great help from Russia
until two or three weeks after the COM
pletion of the Russian mobilization. This
now has been largely completed, recent
news dispatches show.
The French officer says it probably
would take a month to mobilize, and with
the time it takes to get under way after
mobilization is accomplished, his figures
would indicate that from six to seven
weeks might be necessary before Russia
could be ready for action, following dec
laration of war. The writer points out,
however, that the army of the Czar has
been reorganized and that there is rea-
son to believe it will give fine account
Of itself when it goes into battle. The ar
ticle as translated from the French fol-
laws:
''Inasmuch as there Is just and sin
cere understanding between France and
Russia, 1t is only natural that the French
should want TO know just what aid they
could expect in the event OF an invasion
of their country. What tho French desire
10 know is that their peace union is di-
rected to guarantee the peace of Europe.
They desire to proclaim this especially be-
~ N nnt fhnN
every day strengthening its offensive
forces, thus affirming its ambition for su-
premacy. Then the eminenCe of a crisis
and violent climax causes each country
TO hasten to be on the alert, for it is
most important to he the most robust and
in a position to he the first to attack.
France knows little or nothing of the
military forces OF Russia, which, so far
as the French are concerned, are personi-
fled in the Cossacks of 1872 and 1916, lust
as in 1910 the Uhlans represented the
Prussian army. II is interesting, there
fore, TO study with entire frankness the
military forces which we salute as allies.
COUNTRY OF GREAT DISTANCES.
This colossal country (Russia), which
measures In area $4,000 kilometers
about 100000 miles, square can only be
understood in regard to its armed forces
by statistics, the character of its people
and the multiple demands necessary for
its safety. Before 1911 Russia ignored
regional recruitment. and, TO say nothing
OF the chagrin of the Russo Japanese con-
nict, one could easily imagine the condi-
tion5 OF 1870, with the sluggish advances
and the confusion and defeat OF divisions
OF reservists Instead of recruiting a
united army they then called the re-
seryists In numberless groups under great
hardshtps and from enormous distances
Once assembled, officers were charged
with the duty of teaching them warfare.
But this has changed. and today Rus
STA, inspired by the French and German
systems of mobilization, has adopted a
more rational and more simple and
adequate rule to cope with the different
probable dangers. We must remember
that Russia must hasten now to guard
herself not only against Germany, but
against Austria in the southwest TO the
Caucasus Mountains and she should do
the same in the north,
THE mass of the active Russian forces
are concentrated in the north In Finland.
In a small territory west OF St Peters,
burg and Moscow are ten army CORDS,
which guard the vicinties OF Riga, wilma
and Warsaw and which touch the Baltic
IN the face of Germany.
With the adoption of rational re-
cTullnent system, Russia IN Europe aug
mented her forces OF the first reserve by
four army corps $4,000 mem, two of
which corps are stationed toward the
Trails in the barren regions of the Kasan
Desert. Southeast OF Moscow the army
OF the Caucasus is reinforced by II corps
from Tiiis and st, Petersburg while the
ciroumscriptlons of Wilma and Warsaw
have added to the central reserve seven
instead OF three corps. This part of the
army can be sent anywhere it is needed
For very evident reasons Finland has been
reinforced by a half corps C20OOO mem and
the frontier near the Turks by another
half corps.
THE distances In Russia are such that
mobilization and concentration, however
improved the system. are diticult and
slow. The greatest part of the reseFvists
are hard to reach with mobilization
orders, and then. OF course. there Is the
problem OF transportation. For example,
II is 1904 kilometers more than 800 miles)
from MOSCOW to Warsaw, a Journey OF "a
hours by the fastest OF trains. From
Kazan 10 Warsaw Il Is 1900 kilometers
more than 1860 miles,. Journey by rail
Of So hours. From 81. Petersburg to War