Evening journal., 1914-12-31
TODAY'S MOVES
IN THE WAR zone:
WHAT They mean
Continued From First Page.

Continued From First Page.
to pierce the German line at Arras,
which is the main northern outer
gateway TO the German communica-
tions. Indecision again resulted. Az
ter a series of the fiercest conflicts
of the war, IN which the numeri-
cally inferior English army partic-
ularly distinguished itself, only a
draw resulted The allies saved the
coast and the Germans saved their
communications. SO the principal
contest in the west rests at the close
of the year
A series Of subordinate encounters
has been in constant progress along
the FrancO-German border through
out the year, almost independent Of
the major conflict further to the west
At the beginning of the campaign the
/ French attempted an offensive Of
! their own in Alsace and Lorraine, but
/ speedily were compelled TO abandon
both. Faulty strategy and nervous
uncertainty on the part Of the troops
/ gave local advantage to the Germans
which became irresistible as the ad-
vance of the main German offensive
gathered so terrific an impetus in
Northern France. The French armies
We're compelled to abandon the lost
provinces precipitately TO save them
selves and TO defend Paris Nearly
four months later, they returned to
Alsace and are I'm possession of the
northern districts as the year closes.
Lorraine is still held wholly by the
Germans. They followed the re-
treating French to the frontier line
of the Meuse forts after the early
Lorraine defeat, but have been unable
10 push their way through the east
ern defenses. At the close of the
year. the German hold in the Meuse
area about correspondents 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. If anyone man
has saved Germany, he is Field Mar
shal Won Benckendorn Und Won Hin
denburg. With greatly inferior forces
he has dominated the strategic and
tactical situations in the east almost
at will The difficulties OF the coun-
try, the lack of Polish railways and
highways 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.
Mobility, not entrenching, has been
the chief problem Won Hindenburg
has had to solve. and because he has
solved It. mobility has been his prin-
cipal weapon in the remarkable SER
les of battles he has won.
Yet remarkable as has been the
ability displayed by the German COM
mander-in-chief indecision is as
dominant i'm the east as in the west.
A different tale could have been told
II Austria had proven herself as ef-
ficient as Germany. But the Aus
trians have not shown either the
leadership or the individual prowess
of their allies.
AS the Germans have beaten the
Russians. so have the Slavs defeated
the Austrians. Only when the Aus
trian armies have been strengthened
by German support have they been
successful. Left to themselves. they
have weakened more than any other
troops engaged in the mighty conflict.
Most of Galicia has been lost tC
them: they have been ANONYMOUSLY
overwhelmed by little Seryia. 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 the Austrians has caused
public rebukes on three occasions tC
be administered to Vienna in Ger
man official reports. How Berlin's
attitude of impatience will affect the
Austrian situation is one of the mosi
serious problems facing the new year
As 1914 closes, the. pot-pourri Of
races contained within the Hapsburs
empire is showing dissatisfaction Will
the war. Hungary, in particular, is
developing a critical attitude, little
short Of menacing. The possibility o.
determining Eastern assistance to the
allied cause coming from a success
ful Russian campaign in Hungar,
shows how the five months fighting
has changed objectives.
When the war began Russia's par
/ 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 veal
Y opens
e On the seas. there have been mum
e erous distinctions Of minor craft
d and an occasional capital ship hal
S been sent to the bottom. But, thl
? dominating fact of Great Britain
e command of the water has in no wa.
e been disturbed. Instances of per
S sonal daring, of individual luck an,
:. IN luck. of isolated and chance dis
aster, have been abundant. but the
n have played no part in robbing tn
r allies OF the tremendous advantag
< of their superior sea power. TIL
y trade routes OF the ocean were close
= to Germany and Austria when tn
n war began and continued open 70
e the benefit of the allies. The en-
"a of the year sees no change in thi
II fact, which il continued, as It doubt
u less will be bids fair to become tn
l. determining cause of peace