Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-24
WAR OPERATIONS OF DAY
FIND FOES IN DEADLOCK
Two Campaigns in France, Each an Offensive, Show
Gain and Setback of Contending Forces-Winter Will
Aid Cars Movements in Russia

| of the Russians as well as the difficult
! nature of the country to be traversed.
| The mistake which Napoleon made con"
| cerning the Car Alexander and his RUS
SLAMS in 1912 is not likely to be repeated
by the German Emperor or his General
staff, yet 1t may be that they have so
far Initiated the master tactician as to
underrate the tenacity OF the Russian and
mlsread the character of the Pole.
Napoleon held out to the Polish people,
who chafed at Russian rule dazzling pic
lures of a free, self-governing Poland. and
so swelled the ranks of his grand army
before the disastrous advance upon MOS
COW was begun II was from Napoleon
that the Poles received their first lesson
In the ancient imperial game which is
best illustrated by the modern slang term
OF the double cross"
The Poles have become distrustful of
promises of foreign help, particularly
since the crushing of their revolt In 1861,
and remember with resentment the hos
tile attitude of Russia at that time.
While the passive hostility of the In
habitants may not materially affect the
armies OF tho Kaiser when all Is going
well with them and their continuity of
front Is being maintained by the sue
cess of their offensive, woe betide them In
adversely
Delay on the part OF the Russians in
puSnlnB FORWARD a1IeT gaining ueClueu du-
vantages along their tremendous battle
front has been criticised widely. Since
the disaster at Tannenberg when a part
of General Samsonoff's army was de-
stroyed, the Russians have not encoun-
tered any serious reverse In arms Yet,
although the situation does not closely
resemble that In the western theatre of
operations, where the two fronts are rep
resented by formidable parallel lines of
6alI ho hea
advance by either side.
By this time Russian mobilization must
be complete and the numerical strength
of the Russian army arrayed against the
Austro-German forces should be enor-
nous. Yet, why have they not advanced
beyond the vast stretches of marshland
and morass which cover miles of the ter
rtory lying before them in Poland and
East Prussia?
1t is not likely that, following the par
tial repetition of Napoleon's tactis by
the Germans, the Russians are counter
ing with a partial demonstration of the
traditional strategy Of 1872?
That the Germans are manfestly less
constituted to brave the rgors of such a
winter as grips the contested territory
than are the Russians, who are accus-
toned to life in the zero SHOWS, is OBJ
vious.
While Teutonic energy is being devoted
III tle loTlnComlnB winter campaign,
therefore. to preserving the health of
their suffering troops In the field and
erecting adequate shelters to shield
from the elements those men who are
not in the snow filled trenches. one may
look for n repetition of the raids upon
Napoleon's retreating rear guard of a
little more than a century ago The toll
will be taken by the rugged, weather i'm
mune, mounted troops OF the Siberian
corps.
Time, indeed, has been the strongest
ally opposed to the Germans. To time
will be added winter.