The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-21
Few Days May Show if
Kaiser Can Advance Again
Question Whether German Offensive Is Able to Push For
ward Will BE Answered OH 100 Mile Front
Between Arras and Dunkrk

In the first eleven weeks OF tho great
war ,wo separate phases have commanded
the attention Of the world. and II Is plain
that a third Is just approaching u crisis
From Lego 10 the Marne tho German
offensive held the interest OF all Observers,
neutral and partial. From the Marine 20
the close OF the Siege OF Antwerp the
desperate effort of allied strategy. now
possessing tho offensive. TO turn the
Germans out OF France, first by frontal.
,. n by flank attack. was equally absorb.
ing
Both offensive Efforts measurably failed.
The Germans could not take Paris and
destroy tho French armies. The allies
could not turn the Germans out OF France.
From period marked by great and
rapidly changing operations, a period n
which Waterloos and Sedans seemed pos
sble and were expected. the war as
spectacle degenerated into siege opera
ions and deadlocks, from the character
Of a battle OF men into that OF chess
game between strateg'sts
This period terminated with tho Ger
man capture OF Antwerp. With their
hands freed OF Belgian perils Of Rus
sian offensive operations. since the Cars
forces were now on the defensive behlnd
the Vistula and the san and before the
Nlemen, there was granted to the Ger
mans another opportunity to take the
offensive, to deal with the French with
their inconsderalble British supports
second chance ito dispose OF France
finally" az Rernhardi has said.
Thus, about October l, while Antwerp
was just beginning to crumble, Paris
London and Berlin alike reported the
advance Of huge masses OF German
cavalry along the northwestern frontier
of France Around Arras tho French
drive at the right flank and communica-
tlons ~ Won kluck had been checked FROM
Noyon to Douai. that is, along the "hoIe
exposed line OF railways the German
line had held. Accordingly renounc'ns
the turning movement, the allies were
reaching north toward Antwerp 10 Join
hands with King Alherts gallant army.
To prevent this the wedge OF German
cavalry drove west beyond Lille toward
the extreme left OF the allied line beyond
Lens and Arras. by October p wheh
Antwerp fell. the allied line had been bent
back away from Belgium, was racing
north and giving ground SLOWLY
New stroke Found AIies Ready.
In this time 1t became clear what
German strategy was aiming at FROM
Switzerland Ia Arras, along the olse the
Sommo. the Aisne. the Mouse. the MoseNe.
parallel lines OF intrenchments faced each
other and neither combatant was able TO
make material progress But from Arras
to the sea--for nearly 100 miles across
omen plans-there was still an unfortified
gap. Through this new German push 10
Paris might come. isolating Boulogne'
Calais, Dunkirk. and thus gaining the
heights above the narrow Straits of Dover
This drive began before Antwerp fell
when the capture Of that city released
thousands OF German troops they were
moved rapidly west and s1uth, Ostend
was taken. tho German right at last
rested on tho sea and German masses
were coming up--are SIN coming up
some from Antwerp. some from Germany
more are promised from the east. Bern
hardi declares that Frederick the Great
once planned march TO Paris along
the Channel. Patiently German strategy
II working on the plan OF the earliest
prussian master of war.
This new purpose was promptly grasped
by the allied high command. and hcfors
Antwerp had fallen an enormous ooncen-
tration OF allied troops west or Arras was
reported. French marines. the Indian
contingent Of the British. new formations
from the south were rushed up TO MI the
gap. Thus when Antwerp actually fell
The allies had a battle line from Arras
to the Channel were ready for the
inevitable stroke.
The German advance. II would SEEM
had already made progress into France
had reached ST. Omer on tho Calais rail
road. was IN fact almost successful In
isolating the Channel forts But sincs
October 0 II In clear that German advance
has been checked Steadily. but witt
desperate fighting the allies have moved
north, their left on tho sea, their RICH,
| Joining the main battle line about Arras
To-day. as the dispatches describe the
battle line, the allied extreme left hai
pushed north Of French territory, rest,
on the Channel. covered by British war.
ships at Nieuport. Just southwest OF
Ostend stretches south and east alone
canals to Ypres, then south, through
Armentleres and almost In sight OF LII,
TO Arrns
In sum tho allies have plugged m,
last hole I'm their line. But Il remain
/ possible wholly possible that new Ger
man masses may force this flank Driv
ug south In overwhelming numbers the,
may break the line, sweep south agal,
over the plains OF Artois and lresentl,
/