The Washington herald., 1914-08-21
ICHILLS RACE
UP And down
]. BULL'SSPINE
Fall of Antwerp Would Give
Germans Base for Diri-
gible Attack.
RIDDER Is OPTIMISTIC
Air Fleet Would Make Life
Miserable for Britons,
Asserts Editor,
PREDICTS BATTLE AT NAMUR
Discounts Reported French Success in
Alsaee and Scores Colored
News Reports.
RDDER IS OPTIMISTIC
PREDICTS BATTLE AT NAMUR
special 70 Th. W.shington Herald.

Special to The Washington Herald.
| New York, Aug. 20-Herman Ridder
editor Of the New York Stats ZeItune
discussing the European war from the
German viewpoint, says, in part. in his
article today:
Should the Germans make a deter.
mined EFFORT to capture Antwerp, the
great Belgian seaport, the English, for
the first time since the days of Napoleon.
will see danger across the English Chan
mel.
| "A fleet OF dirigibIes operating from
Antwerp could do more than brighten
| England in her security. By co-operat-
ing with torpedo and submarine attacks
the airships could make life miserable
/ for the English navy.
Moreover, England would not be quite
so enthusiastic about sending her troops
to France If the Germans held the Bel
gian coast. Germany might overlook
France entirely and strike hard at tie
English coast. The enthusiasm OF John
ny Bull for this war would experience
a sudden chill II the Germans were to
launch a bold and most unexpected at
tack against the English coast
Advance Ii ClockIike.
The progress Of the German army in
Europe continues with clocklike regular
ity. The German army advancing
through Belgium apparently il pressing
back with irresistible force the six
French and three English corps that are
cooperating with the Belgians. Beyond
Liege no serious resistance has been met
Whether the allies will risk a battle on
the historic field OF Waterloo Is prob
lematical. It is more probable that the
first great battle will be fought around
Namur.
THE Importance ascrIbed a week ago
to Liege has been discounted by the ac-
ton OF the German general staf in dis
regarding the existence of the forts and
moving around them, striking at the
forces Of the enemies.
"A victory for the German forces in a
great battle around Namur would mean
that the allies would have TO retreat pre-
cipitately to the French defenses, their
morale broken, and their present plan Of
campaign useless.
The glowing reports OF the French
advances in Alsace-Lorraine evidently
are sent out to counter-balance the news
from Belgium. which has been held back
for the present, but which cannot be
concealed forever. 1t must be kept In
mind that nowhere have the French ad-
vanced beyond the Vosges mountains
They still are in narrow unfortifed pas
SEES, where the small outposts and de-
tachments Of German troops had no
other orders than to harass the enemy.
It was their business TO withdraw slow
ly and this they have done but naturally,
not without loss. Military operations can
not be conducted without loss except by
French and English press bureaus and
by some American newspapers
Scores COIOred Reports.
The report OF victories by the French
in Alscae-Lorraine have not gone beyond
the point that was expected. foreseen.
and provided for by the German general
stan. Strassburg is the wheeling point OF
the whole imperial army in its offensive
campaign against France and, as such,
its function Is to mark time.
TT was to be expected that the first
stories which came to US from the high
ly censored sources of Brussels, London,
and France should be tainted with anti
German feeling. It was not expected,
however, that they would go to the ex-
tent Of accusing German people Of max
ing open and cowardly attacks upon de-
fEnseless Americans, stranded within the
German lines. How senseless these stories
were is sSen in the light of later dis
patches and interviews with those who
come hot from the scene Of the alleged