New-York tribune., 1914-11-28
Some Views on German Strategy
from German Military Critic.

German press is Major D. c. Moraht, retired
officer Of the German army. He has contributed
for some years past to the "Berlincr Tageblatt,"
and many quotations from his articles on the
present war have been cabed to this country. The
issue for November II Of the Vienna "Neue Freie
Presse" contains an elaborate article by him enti-
tied "The World War Situation in the West and
in the East" The review is not dispassionate in
spirit. nor could it be expected to be so under
the circumstances. But it makes some interesting
references to the two developments in German
strategy which have caused most mystifcation in
this country.
The first of these is the obstinate persistence
Of the German offensive in West Flanders We
have never been able to find a rational explana-
tion Of the prolonged and costly German efforts
TO break through the allied line between Ypres
and Nieuport. It has been said again and again
that the Kaiser has set his heart on getting
possession Of Calais. The main effort Of the Ger
mans in the west has been to push on to the
Channel coast, and probably 100000 men have
been sacrificed without making any appreciable
progress in that direction.
What was the object of this desperate fight
ing? The possession Of Calais would be Of slight
advantage to the Germans 1t might be an in
cidental oeneht IN threatening England anu III
Providlng ne" DaSe Iof 'he operations ol SuO-
marines against the BRUSH Meet OF ol |eppe""S
against british clIieS' bu' 1t "ouiu "o' put ue
German armies much nearer 'Nei' Ie"' objective
IN France when mas always oeeA 1he destruction
OF dispersion Oh 'he alI'eu armies Io'o"eu ny
the occupation OF Paris.
Calais was undefended for many weeks while
the Germans were operating on the Marne and
the AiSne' why was IL not occupied then' II Its
possession was o- any great importance: mat Is
question "hleh German strategy has never
answered i' '' also one "H'cn MAJOR -Norah'
oooges' SINCE Sl'er "ora''''ng 'na' progress mas
'e'" 0aIIeo l'' ''e region o- '''e ser Nl'er ana
'@'"l Oy '"u"o"''''' lie merely says 'naV 'he next
E'@' 0' 0'i'""" e"o'' }" 'ne Hor'n' 'he DUnN'rN-
'"'"'' 'O"s' "''' nave TO De reacneo oy some
0'.'' ''''''0D ''''' '''7'' iio"'ai "''acN'
DU' why Aeep 0''''"g at great cost Tor Oaials
"ien '"e ''1"'''eS io' decisive success are
'Du'ii i'O'' '"' '''D7 o'' '''e Noyo" -'0"'' "nefe
INC Oeili"n '''e '' "''nln only "l'y-Ne miles oil
'"e i0' 'i'0''''"' 0- "'lS' I"'S point Pu%@eS
-1"JO' ''''' az ~ has o1'e" pu11'eu U.s. III
'"4S ies'O''' '' says .'e Germans nave merely
'Iiou ~ wear 1o"" ''e IeN'H' nu' 'n"' ne
'''i''NS '''' ''s"' Os'''i ""'o 'e''ieu '"eii "'-
'"oNS ''e'o '"S'''u Vi i'll '"''oei' Is pretty e''-
oe"''
VI uie Oe''''aN Po''''o'' O'' ''e OHau''es-I'oye-
Noyoi-AiSHe i'i'e 'ii'' "e "i''e9' q speci"i I'M
portance aV'acHeS u 'il'9 "a'DeIion' because oI
It's SITUATION "S Ies"'uS ans ne lurInes' ao-
'anced points, Noyon anu 'ne Ais"e '""ey "'
Danny "i9 o''S e's"'y N''0''''i'' INSTANT Iio'''
oelei'eS 81 VIC e''''' ''t'''' '''"''' our
i'o'' anu ans ''ei' "'' 'o 0O''"'''' "'''"
'''''e
P''9o al
opinion. At all events, drive against Paris