Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-08-27

pean conflict will not determined by battle by hall
dozen battles The German Kaiser at the outset de
cared he would fight the bitter end and England and
Russia express the sentiment though in different
words Even though the Germans were to capture Paris
the conflict would continue.
Under these circumstances the outcome of the first
clash between the contendng forces is matter of
Diary Importance, except indication of what may be
expected later The English and French allies have paid
the penalty of moving beyond the advance line of fort
caons and from this time forth they be expected to
profit by this costly lesson.
Evidently the allies elected to make their first test of
strength at the north Belgian territory whereas they
have fallen back to the boundary of France where the
French forces will feel at home and where they will
have the benefit of the Notifications long prepared in anti
cpaton of this struggle.
Namur expected to prove tower Of strength for
the allies but the Germans by this as by Liege
and Antwerp, without letting themselves be diverted from
their goal Paris The Belgans evidently planned their
Notifications at Namur on the suppostion that the Ger
would advance from easerly direction. BY march
ing to the north in sweeping detour the Germans
able to threaten the British line OF communications as well
capture Brussels and the time swing back
Namur from the northwest leaving Antwerp unmoested
for the present far to the north.
The original objective of the Germans the short
est road to Paris for their three armies from all points
the international boundary and the path of Of these
armies lay Belgium which not expected to resist
When Belgium backed by England determined resent vo
ation of her neutrality and England drawn into the
fray became necessary for the change their
plan of campaign accordingly and the invasion which
expected to have ended by this time that the Germans
would be ready to meet the slowly modelling Russians
the be said to have hardly begun far French
territory is concerned Belgium having borne the brt of
the conflict thus far.
1t transpres that Lord Kitchener visited Belgium
incog before the declared when it undoubted
y agreed to the Belgium would pursue 1t
becomes evident that the plan of the allies to hold the
Germans Belgian territory long possible, and to
make the French frontier Notifications the chief line of de-
fence with the idea of saving their strength for this sug
GLE where the main clash evidently would come.
While the English French and Belgans thus
checkmatng the Germans to the west the Russians would
mobilize vast of invasion the eastern frontier of
Germany and the Russians would to capture Berlin
the German capital just the Germans hoped to take
session of the French capital
Although the allies have suffered temporary check
Belgian territory and although they may undergo still fur
ther defeat the general plan of campaign plainly
successful The Russians reported advancing in ire
mendous force all along the German frontier while the Ger
retiring burning and wasting their country
they go, just the Russians burned Moscow century
ago to prevent Napoleon from gaining in a hostile
land
According to all a great battle must be fought
between the Russians and the Germans eastern in
the immediate future and if it does not precede the deter
minaton of the conflict French soil with the Kaser's
western armies the two struggles will be nearly conci
dent to make difficult if not mpracticable for Germany
to detach renorcements from her armies the French
frontier to guard her eastern borderand.
Manfestly Germany not expect large aid from Aus
ra in her contingency 1t is announced that Aus
a has decided to abandon her with Serva for the
pose of fighting Russia but AUSTRIA like the hunter may
be shouting for somebody to and help her et
of this bear The Servans to have been a match
for the Ausrians despite the difference in their numbers
and resources, and Servia will keep fighting long
Russia engaged with the idea of taking of Austrias
Sav provinces Under these circumstances the Servans
will be likely to conduct operations Austrian territory
whenever the adoption Of this will work to the adj
vantage of the allies.
If Germany's immense and admirable fighting machine
is equal to the task of fighting simultaneously the millions
that Russia launch against her. feeby aided by Austria
looking the question from purely military standpoint
the question then arises will her permit her to
fight indefinitely and she foot the bills in
struggle which the other side would be financed by Eng
land, France and Russia?
If the allies drag the struggle along in France at
the with the Kasers forces maintaining long
line of communications for supplies while the Germans in
the eastern part of the empire forced to devasate their
country order handicap the Russian invaders the time
coming when food will be serious problem, money
is plentiful which by means follows.
This is the key to the German situation The only
hope for the Kaiser to smash ahead with all possible force