The Washington times., 1914-08-16
JUST BEFORE THE BATTLE

lJOSl DEFoKE LIE DA lie
A unique statement has been is.
sued by the French minister of war
in which he undertakes to prepare
the public mind for impending grea,
events on the battlefield. The frank.
ness and directness of the document
deserve high approval.
1t is explained that the great bat
tie is impending, in which the whole
French and the whole German army
will attempt to reach conclusions.
The line of conflict, from the Swiss
to the Dutch frontier, is stated as
266 miles long; the immensity of
which is further impressed by re-
calling that the line at Mukden was
120 miles long, and that Mukden ut
terly dwarfed all other great battles
in its immensity. This oncoming
struggle seems certain to engage
twice as many men as that at Muk-
den, if we may accept the Paris war
Offices statement as accurate.
1t may take eight days, or longer,
for definite news" to reach the pub
lie, saws the war minister. Let it be
noted that he does not say it will
take that long for some very definite
results to be achieved. But the out
come of some section of the conflict
is not to be given to the public until
general results can be known. One
side may gain advantages on one
section of the long line; the other
may win elsewhere. This remark
ably candid statement from the war
Office observes:
We will have an advantage at one or
several points; the Germans will have
an advantage at other points, and the
line CT battle will continue to be modi-
fed until one of the adversaries sue
ceeds by coordination IF movements
and mass Of effort in gaining some
point, the superiority of which will dis
lodge the adverse front and mark the
end Of the first battle.
"1'he end Of The first battle" let it
be noted once more! Even the war
office does not deem it necessary to
lead its public into believing that
this struggle will end the war; only
"the first battle" There is, of
course, the possibility of a conclu-
sion in this one vast encounter; but
it is unlikely, and the minister does
rot, in such a solemn time as this, in
dulge any theatricals. He makes no
lurid promises of victory, doesn't
wave the tricolor, INDUCES no
rhetoric; ir short, he doesn't act
bit like most people would rather ex-
pect Frenchman to act in such cir
He talks like a perfect
ly unimaginative bulletin from a sci
entific laboratory.
This announcement may be the
preliminary to ringing down the cur
tair on the battle stage for a period
Of several days. Lord Kitchener has
been in Paris, conferring with the
war Office. This bulletin sounds more
British than French. 1t suggests that
the allies have adopted program Of
utter suppression, so far as they
can effect it, until the great clash is
over.
But, of course, absolute suppress
sion is impossible. France, Holland,
Denmark, are not far away. Prison
ers of war will talk; civilians will
learn and get outside the battle |
area with some details; wounded SOL
1iers will not always be circum-
spect. The world will not be in ut
ter darkness.
Two weeks ago today, almost any
person would have said
hat, if Germany were able to mobil-
re her whole army along the French
,rontier, against the whole French
lrmy, the advantage would be all
With the Germans. Today that is
accomplished, yet sentiment has
widely swerved. The preliminary en-
have brought in an utterly
lew factor, the Belgian army, which
o date has monopolized the visible
ylory. The British expedition, prob
IDLY at least 100000 men, very like
y 250,000 of them. has landed on
Belgian soil. Russia has had time
o mobilize an immense army. Ser-1
ia has utterly declined to be crush
ID and tossed aside by Austria. Ths