The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-12-31
HOW THE WAR
GAME STANDS
CONTINUED from page IL

GAME STANDS
(Continued from page ID
precipftably to save themselves and to
defend Paris. Nearly four months
later they returned to Alsace and are
In possession OF the northern districts
as the year closes. Lorraine Is still
held wholly by the Germans. They
followed the retreating French to the
frontier line Of the Meuse forts after
the early Lorraine defeat. but have
been unable to push their way through
the eastern defenses. At the close OF
the year the Germans hold In the
Meuse about corresponds with the
French grip on southern Alsace.
The Russian campaign has been
more unfortunate for the Slavs than
has the western fighting for the cars
allies. Primarily this is due to the
fact that the one military genius the
war has developed is pitted against
the Russians. II any one man has
saved Germany he is Field Marshal
Won Benckendorff und Won linden
burg. With greatly inferior forces, he
has dominated the strategic and tao
tical situations in the east almost at
will. The difficulties OF the country,
the lack of Polish railroads and high
ways and the great distances over
which the Russians were able to
spread their troops, have made the
eastern fighting quite different to the
methods employed in the west. Mob
ility, not entrenching, has been the
chief problem Won Hindenburg has
had to solve and because he has solv-
ed it. mobility has been his principal
weapon In the remarkable series OF
battles he has won.
Yet remarkable as has been the abtl-
ity displayed by the German command
er in chief, indecision is as dominant
In the east as in the west A different
tale coulu have peen told If Austria
had proven herself as efficient as Ger
many But the Austrians have not
shown either the leadership or the In
dividual prowess Of their allies. AS
the Germans have beaten the Russ
fans, so have the Slavs defeated the
Saustrians. Only when the Austrian
armies have been strengthened by
German support, have they been sue
cessful. Left to themselves they have
weakened more than any other troops
engaged In the mighty conflict.
Most of Galtcia has been lost to!
them; they have been ANONYMOUSLY
overwhelmed by little Servia; and the
last day of the year finds them har-
ried amid the Carpathian mountains
trying to prevent the Russians from
invading Hungary in force. The In
efficiency of Austrians has caused pub
lie rebukes on three occasions to be
administered to Vienna In German
official reports. How Berlin's attitude
of impatience will affect the Austrian
situation is one Of the most serious
problems facing the. new year.
AS 1914 closes, the pot pourri Of
races contained within the Hapspurg
empire Is showing dissatisfaction with
the war. Hungary in particular Is de-
veloping critical attitude little short
of menacing. Possibility Of determin-
ing eastern assistance to the allied
Cdub0 CSIulu6 llOAA SuCCCS5Lu1 nuSSAdu
campaign in Hungary shows how the
five months fighting has changed OBJ
jectives.
When the war began, Russia's part
in the joint campaign was to occupy
Berlin. That objective has passed
into the land Of dreams, and Budapest
has been substituted as the new year
opens.
On the seas there have been num-
erous distinctions OF minor craft, and
an occasional capital ship has been
sent to the bottom. But the dominat-
Ding fact Of Great Britain's command
of the water has in no way been dis
turbed. Instances Of personal daring,
of individual luck and illluck, Of iso-
lated and chance disaster. have been
abundant, but they have played no
part IN robbing the allies of the ire
mendous advantage Of their superior
sea power. The trade routes Of the
ocean were closed to Germany and
Austria when the war began and were
continued open for the benefit OF the
allies The end Of the year sees no
change in this fact, which If con-
tinued as 1t doubtless will be, bids
flair to become the determining cause
OF peace.