New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-07
The French Defence East of Paris


the air The French capital is constructively IN
danger Of investment since the German troops
have already skirted the northeastern segment OF
fits circle Of forts But it is no more besieged than
Richmond was in 1852, when General McOlellans
army. within seven miles of the city, idled away
FIVE weeks in the ohickahOminy swamps
The German turning movement, which appa1'
emily aimed at getting between the allied FORCES
and Paris at some point north-northeast of the
cspitai. failed Of its purpose when the allies re-
treated 40 far that their extreme left wing rested
on the Paris forts Now the turning army has
headed east and away from Paris, probably for
the purpose Of helping to deliver cOnvergins at
tack on the allied left centre.
The strategy of the German campaign has been
compared with the strategy Of Grants campaign
against Richmond in 1854 But the resemblance
holds good only in a few tactical e1ternals.
Grants objective was the Confederate capital and
Lees sole purpose was to cover that capital by keep
ing his army between it and the army of his ad-
versary. From the wilderness down to Cold Har-
Dor Grant, after every frontal repulse, moved to
the left. Lees whole army conformed to that
movement, so that after the bloody defeat at Cold
Harbor Grant had to go south Of the James River
and invest Richmond from the direction Of Peters
burg Lee chung to the capital and only retired
from it after ten months siege.
In the operations in Northeastern France the
allied armies have not conformed as whole to
the German hanking movement The French have
continued to hold their original line on the east
ern frontier from verdun south to Belfort, Only
the left and the left centre have fallen back, and
General Jofre has refused to let the fear of i'll
vestment Of Paris loosen his hold on the eastern
frontier line or convert his army into mere COW
ering force for the protection Of the capital
In that respect his defence differs entirely from
that made by General Lee. If Lee had held fast
with his left to the Rappahannock River and let
his night be bent back continually by Grants !
Ranking movements until the federal army had
touched the Notifications on the northwest side OF
Richmond there would be a real parallel between
the present operations in France and the opera
tons in Virginia in 1864. But General Jofre has
not followed Lees example at ALL He has not
~ ,,,,,, 81 hi. torcos ,yo.t n order 20 cover
p.-,. 10 hoe boor willing 70 LOT the cermans
,,o+ nm - +bs PARIS Notifications and undertake
s,s,s He ,s now defending Paris only incident.
civ Il "a evidently his purpose If defeated in
bs present position to retire to the southeast of
the capital holding the line Of the Seine River If
the worst comes to the worst he can even retreat
10 the Loire River, leaving Paris entirely to ats
own resources.
In pursuing such plan he would show sound
judgment. since his strategy is now purely de-
fensfve, and he could not afford to tie the fortunes
Of the chief French army up to the defence Of any
particular line or place. The essential thing is to
keep his army intact as far as possible and to make
It the ralIying point for a long resistance The
further the Germans penetrate into Central
France. the more difficulty they will have in main
tanning their strength and their lines of communI-
cation. Moreover If they do not soon win a de.
cIsive victory they will have to weaken them.