The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-07

Looking back over the events OF the
month OF October IL Is impossible to
escape the conviction that East and West
German prospects have worsenel un-
mistakably. that in Poland and In north-
ern France and western Belgium Ger
man armies have either suffered actual
defeat or been brought 10 a dead hiatt
despite tremendous efforts and terrible
losses
Five weeks ago German advance III
Poland was just becoming apparent. After
weeks OF successful lighting IN Galicld
almost at the gates of Cracow, RUSSIAN
armies were in full retreat Austrian ter
rltory conquered in September was being
relinquished rapidly. the ever defeated
Austrian army was springing forward.
sweeping Cossacks back over the Car
pathians. reconquering Bukovina. on the
road to Przemysl.
In tne next few days German Often
sive toward the Nistula began to make az
great noise AS that other drive toward
| the Seine In August. Instead or that
/ triumphant Russian advance to Berlin
promised In early days German cannon
became audible in Warsaw. the Russian
stronghold at lvangorod seemed I'm peril
! half OF Poland was in German hands
But now In the opening week or Mo-
vembcr every German and Austrian army
| along the Russian marches is IN retreat.
| Russian troops are again In East Prussia.
nearly n hundred miles separate the
Germans from the position reached IN
! their drive at Warsaw. Southwark in
! Galicia Austrian armies are again retir-
| ing or clinglng to positions rapidly be-
! coming untcnable,
In a word, after a magnificent effort.
| after one more splendid demonstration
/ Of the efficiency OF the German machine.
| there has come one more absolute failure.
] .lt u.
| the military sense At the Marine. the Ger
man repulse at the Vistula has been fol-
/ lowed by no rout, the retreat has been
| orderly. the whole operation OF with
/ travail successful--but the failure not
/ less complete.
In sum. Germany having failed to
crush France IN August has no less com
! pietely failed 70 crush Russia IN October
As French armies after preliminary do.
'est displayed unexpected. unmistakabie
| efficiency, French high command un-
! shaken confidence and real SKIN. so Rus
sian armies and Generals have endured
| a supreme test and after Il are flowing
forward again toward Sl"sta and GA
German and Austrian territory towari
Dantz!g ard tJfcNw. After A gigantic,
expensive. wide winglng effort German
armies have failed. are back where they
.;atiel and Russian troops are again com
ing on
Turning west. the situation is only
. slightly different ON September l2 Nor
I<luck came back 10 the Aisne Now
after nearly eight weeks. German armie-
between the Disc and the Meusc have
made no progress Back and forth foi
urle here and there the l.ucs have
| svaycd. hut every ambitious offensive
drive has been beaten down. Precisely
- the same way from Nerduu TO Switzer-
land the Eastern barrier forts Of France
! lrl1 To-day the Germans are literally
worse Of than IN late August alouS this
I line.
But II Is in the north that the rea
struggle has been fought. ON October
. Antwerp fell On October 10 Ostend
/ When these captures finally crushed "ut
tho last resistance Of Belglans in thoi
own territories the whole world looked
Npectantlv for new German offensive
drive down the French coast to the
I.tpture Of Calais. punkirl, Boulogne, tC
tho renewal OF the earlier rush to Paris
Yet after three weeks the German
troops SIN stand on tho outskirts o
Ostend Desperate. terrible fighting.
such as the war has not previously dc
scribcd. fighting concentrated In tho mar
row area between the Lys and the Chan
mel, has not earned for the kaiser's hes
'roops n single substantial advantage.
How many thousands OF Germans hav'
spent their lives gallantly enthusiastic
ally. with song upon their lips, along IN
User and the Lys 1t IL impossible to say
British official reports are tho best ties
timony to the cou-hgc OF the effort. Blu
for three weeks II has failed utterly
Al tho sacrifices have been in vain. TIL
allied line has held. Even the unluck!
Begians have known a period OF actua
prosperity.
In this period too great English re
endorsements have been Drought 10 IN
Continent. Practically tho whole Eng
! llsh army has been transferred TO Bel
GUM, has displayed the same tenacit,
! i'm the little strip ~ Belgian territor'
remaining unconquered AS 1t showed a
! Mons At last Kltcheners labors are be
ginning 10 tell. Not 10000 but 10000
! british troups are low sharing In th
French campaign and half a million NOR
are approaching {. term OF their drl
in English camps
once and for al Germany seems 20 b
nu.uunbered I'm TIN west. New Frenci
divisions are appearing. French prepa