Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1914-10-17
today 5 moves
IN THE WAR ZONE;
What THEY MEAN
BY ]. w. T. MASON
Former European Manager of The
United Press.

NEW YORK, Oct. l7.-ll a. m.l-A
belief that the machinery of the French
army is not moving smoothly is sug-
gested by the ability of the Germans,
with inferior numbers, 60 extend their
lines TO greater advantage than the al
lies are able TO do.
The allies, supposedly have at least a
twenty per cent. superiority over the
Germans in Belgium and France. OPP
posed by this outnumbering force, the
Germans would be fortunate IL they
could maintain more than a strictly de-
fensive attitude. But they have con
tinued a series of counter oliensives that
have in effect put the allies as much on
the defensive as the Germans are. The
French have been pushed far away from
the German lines of communication and
the German battle front has now been
extended sixty miles to Ostcnd enforc-
ing on the Germans an additional 5000
square miles Of conquered Belgian terri
tory to defend.
The allies have been unable TO pre-
vent this They have not moved their
own lines nearer the crucial points
of the German defences, but have had
to give ground in the north until their
own advance positions now rest on
the Franco-Belgian coast. The north
ern head of the allied forces ought
to have swung eastward at the Bel
gian frontier, instead of which the
German army was able to detach
enough men to compel the allies to
move off 10 the west.
This situation I'm the battle area Is
puzzling II the French arm is really
superior in numbers to the German
why are the Germans apparently able
to make a greater impression thar
the French? The most obvious an
swer is that the French have not full!
repaired the deficiencies in their sup
plies that we're revealed last year
Equipment for the greater number o
the French soldiers may be laclkinl
either in quantity or quality and thl
numerical superiority OF the alliel
must wait to demonstrate itself unit
this deficiency is made good A sec
ond answer may be that the French
general STAFF has resolutely declined
to sanction the enormous loss of life
that successful frontal attacks against
the strong German positions would
I entail. The Germans themselves have
/ dropped the mass tactics they used
during the rush through Belgium and
France toward Paris. The slower pro-
cess Of many minor attacks rather
than few major assaults may have
been adopted by General Joffre as
more humane than costly In time
A third alternative is that the allies
are not much actually superior along
the western battle front in France
but are concentrating for a new often
sive In Lorraine against the entrench-
ed camp at Metz. Il would be in keep.
ing with the many unprecedented de.
velopments of the present war II the
allies were able TO gain a victory be.
fore the permanent Notifications al
Metz, after they had failed to dislodg,
the enemy from his temporary field
shelters elsewhere.
The probability is that each OF these
three hypothesis plays a part in the
riddle of Germanys ability to hold
on the forces Of her opponents. THAI
the game can be continued indefinitely
this way is highly improbable. New
developments must soon be looked
for.