Evening journal., 1914-09-12
today 5 MOVES
IN THEWAR ZONE;
What THEY MEAN
BY J. W. T. MASON,
Former European Manager of the Unit
ed Press.

Former European Manager of the Unit
ed Press.
NEW YORK, Sept. r. III a. m.)
1t is now apparent that the primary
cause of the confusion in which the
German plan Of campaign before Paris
has been thrown, was due to the Ger
man right wind overrunning the rest Of
the Kaiser's advancing front.
The news that the German right
reached Provinz gives the key to the
mystery. This town is fifty miles
southeast of Paris, and dominates the
highways which the German centre and
left would have used in proceeding to
enyelop Paris from the south.
The German right got TO Provinz too
soon. It's phenomenal speed from the
Belgian frontier to Paris seems to have
been unchecked after reaching the capi-
tai and carried it down the roads across
the Marne river to Join the Germans
coming from the northeast, at Provinz.
But, the Germans from the northeast
didn't arrive. They were held in check
In the aCtalaunian fields district, where
Attila and his Huns were defeated in
the firth century.
The speedy German right, therefore,
became isolated. The Paris garrison
emerged and fell on its flank and during
the present week, it has been forced
back until now it is fifty mnes north
east Of Paris. near Scissors.
That the defeat of the German right
wing was due to deep strategy by the
allies is refuted by the frank admis-
sions of the Paris and London official
reports, early in the week that the
movements of the Germans were very
puzzlng. They were puzzling because
they constituted a serious error in cal
culating the time necessary for Ger
many's centre and left armies to swing
round toward Paris. Somebody among
the German higher officials seems to
have blundered badly and German
strategy Is now seriously affected for it
must rearrange its objectives.
The German attack on Verdun is an
attempt to open the doorway into
France from the east, the alternative
invasion route to the unfortunately
chosen way through Belgium. Verdun
is the northermost point of the famous
| IOIllltO td5ltiU llVullti udiiitA tAa'
runs along the Meuse forty miles t.
Toul, and after forty-mile strategic
opening to Epinal, continues in series
Of strong forts along the Moselle Rivel
to the Swiss frontier. The capture Of
Verdun, if it were followed by the oc
cupation Of the other military frontier
works to Toul, might seriously inter
fere with the French invasion of Lor
raine, and would be of great benefit Il
German lines of communication. Th'
nearest railway approach from Ger
many to the present field of operation
runs through Nerdun.
Russia's effort to recommence he
march to Berlin has again met with I
reverse. The Germans are showing tn
Slavs out of East Prussia at about tn,
same speed that they themselves are re
tiring in France. The battle of Lyck
reported as an important German vic
tory. occurred only fifteen miles insid
the East Prussian boundary, and Rus
sian Poland is again in danger of seri
Gus invasion. The confidence of the Ger
man general staff in their ability Z
hold off Russia's advance for an ap
! preciable time, with second line troops
, seems to have been well-founded-m
more so than the belief that the offens
I i've in France could be continued indefi
! nitely.