The sun., 1914-09-29

For the present German assault upun
the Nerdun- Foul barrier forta, which has
steadily developed until il has become
quite As important as the Auglo-French
hankng operation IN northwest France,
there are two obvious explanations
in the nrSt place successful action
against these barrier forts, since II would
Isolate Vcrdun and permit its reduction,
as Maubegr was reduced. would neces-
sary compel tho French General stan
TO hurry recnforcemen,s TO the Meuse.
such reenforcemeuts would diminish the
mass Of troops held In the west FOR par
ticlpation in the great fankug move
ineut about and beyond st. Quentin.
where the Germans confcssedly 0utnum-
bor,d, are still holding on. but with ap-
parent dficulty.
Yet there is far wider significance
TO this attack made by the army OF
IN. crown Prince. and to judge from
recent despa -chts, pressed home with pre-
liminary s'cccss and at best not yet
dec.-ivr.y checked. In sum. II Is an
eiIort to open short road from Ger
many into France. which would permit
the Germans to ,vacudte e'slum tenn
porarily and recall many thousands OF
troop, now employed in guarding the
long and vital line O; communications
from Lioge by Brussels and also by
Namur to the armies Of Won Nuck ana
Won Borhm.
In fact. this is IN" second time the
Crown Prince has made a desperate drive
at the Nsrdun barrier, and his atA'h
WAS prec,dcd by the costly and long
continued EFFORT 20 break through in
front Of Nancy. which IN It's final stage
was made under the eyes Of the Kaiser
himself.
To explain the value OF the gateways
into France covered By the Nerdun-Toul
barrier u is necessary 10 recall the origi-
ma! purpose Of German strategy. The
Invasion Of Belgium was not directed
against Belgium. Were France 10 be
destroyed as a military power Be.glum
would be- at the mercy OF her German
neghbor, but until that tim" Germany
had no desire to detach army corps 10
garrison Belgium and contain Belgium
forces in Antwerp. Hence her request
FOR permission to cross. accompanied b.
promises Of belgian integrity.
Had Helgium permitted the passing
the patent plan OF the German General
STAFF was to sweep through northern
Trauce-as ii did--toward Paris. Nhl'o
this advance was going on and aiter
the allied armies, falling back. had re-
tired south Of the Marne II was the
mission of the army Of the Crown Prince,
moving his troops west from Metz on
one side OF the barrier and south rom
Stenay on the other, to surround Nerdun
and beslege IT,
Meantime tho army of Gen. Won
Heeringcn. coming west from StraSsbu-s
was to force its way by Nancy throug =
the gan between the Toul-Nerdun and
Eplnal- Belfort barriers and joining hands
with the Crown Princes army 20 com
plete the investment OF the whole Nerdun'
Toul barrier Thus surrounded and SUB
iected to bombardment by the guns which
had reduced Liege and Maubeuse the
fal of these forts might be expected
speedily.
with their fall the Germans would
Instantly obtain possession OF the main
railways leading from northwest France
To Parts, one coming from Metz through
Verdun 70 Rheims, the other through
Toul 10 Chalons From German territory
to Rheims and Chalons by these routes
is not more than a quarter OF the dis
tance from Aix-la -Chapelle to St Quentlr
and Rheims through Belgium.
Now had Belgians permitted German
troops TO cross TO France without re
,istance the German expectation was e
force the Verdun-Toul barrier. withdraw
all German troops from Belgium and
employ the French lines. shorter and
more satisfactory for German purposes
TO transport supplies ard reinforcement
to the forces operating south Of the Marnc
and before Paris.
Belgian resistance did not change the
plan, IN fact, Il rather increased tn,
urgency OF the need for carrying the
Nerdun.Toul barrier For until 1t wa
carried all northern. eastern and centrs
Belgium had To be garrisoned in order
10 keep open the railways from L!eg'
10 northwestern France on which tbs
armies OF Won Boehm. Won Kluck anc
Won Buelow depended for all their sup
plies and reenforcements.
Despite desperate efforts the first AZ
tack upon Nerdun failed and tho Crow
Priuces army WAS involved in the gen
eral retirement after the battle Of TIN
Marne At the same time the nttemr
of Won Heeringcn, despite the presenc,
of the Kaiser. was halted in sight o
Sancy. For the moment the plan hat
10 be abandoned. But Just as soon "a
the Germans had rallied on the Aisn,
line and roorganized the operation wa
resumed, since for obvious reasons tn,
need OF forcing tie barriers and releas
ing army corps in Belgium to NEE, th'
reinforced allied troops along the Aisn,
was daily increasing
This time less ambitious scheme wa
employed While the Crown Prince agar
came south between Nerdun and I'll,
Argonn", aiming to cut the railroad leading