The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-11

Hhtne Is wen befehueu
Germany has all the crossings OF the
Rhine defended 80 that II her field
armies are driven back she can delay the
French advance while her reserve armies
are concentrating 10 oppose them. Ger
many exceeds all the other nations OF
Europe in her number OF fully trained
reserves Russia alone exceeds her In
numbers and these are admittedly OF less
efficient training A repulse by the Aus
tro-Germans in this first move on France
will result In a campaign in which the
French, Belgian and English allies IN
wade Germany and oppose the German
reserve forces supported by their sue
cessive lines OF fertilization. Even IL
successful IL Will be impossible for the
allies TO reach Berlin without long
period OF fighting and without concen.
trating in Germany armies that will out
number the Germans sufficiently 10 over
come the German defensive fortified lines
4 defeat of the French forces In the
grand battle that is imminent would be
much more serious for the French arms.
Paris is only 1870 miles from the Belgian
border and the intervening country is
open rolling country traversed by the
finest highways in this world. II the
Austro- Germans can defeat the French
active army on the border these roads
will facilitate rapid advance with a
CHARGE Of striking the French reserve ar
mics before they can complete their con-
centration.
Germany Ia evidently making extreme
efforts to secure this end. In case she
succeeds In a further advance and finds
her way blocked by French fortncatlons
we may expect 10 learn OF desperate
frontal assaults. Germany can afford 10
sacrifice thousands in these assaults to
gain a day In the advance OF her forces,
for every day is strengthening the French
defer ce by allowing additional reserves
TO he brought 10 the field of operations.
The German field army on a war foot
ing consist OF twenty-five army corps,
500, 600 men. The French field army con-
ssts OF twenty army corps, 100000 men.
Since Germany must leave some troops
TO watch Russia the opposing forces Of
French and Germans on the border must
be very nearly equal. The advent of
sufficient Austrians To overbalance the
Begians and English may turn the odds
in favor OF the Austro Germans.
Austria has sixteen army corps, three
in Galicia on the Russian border. two in
Bosnia and Dalmatia on the Seryian Dor
der six in Hungary and five In Austria
proper These troops have been modified
since July - and could on short notice
. be concentrated wherever most needed.
Austria has the fortress Of Cracow, the
strongly entrenched camp OF Przemysl in
Garca and the line of the Carpathia
Mountains TO oppose a Russian advance
and to give time for her reserve forces
to be mustered for defence against Rus
STA. Three army corps in the south, sup
ported by the reserves, should be sufficient
10 contain the Servians
II Austria has determined to rush her
active forces to the assistance of Germany
| In her attack on France the Ave army
CORPS from Austria proper, 10000 men
1 should already be on the Alsatian Rhine
/ and five corps from Hungary should be
fore the end of the week raise this force
to 900, 900 men. The three BaVariar
/ CORDS the Wurttemberg and Baden corps
and the Fifteenth Prussian corps AT
Strassburg will add los 900 more. making
an army of over $50, 900 men to oppose
the French advance on Strassburg,
French history and politics demand al
early and strong effort for the reconques
| of Alsace. Reports state that the com
mander in chief of the French forces. Gen
Joffre. is at Belfort. The railroad line
of France favor the rapid concentration
at BelfOrt OF the ten army corps from tn,
south OF France,
As far as can be CLEANED from the few
items OF news permitted To come out con
corning this area there are important con
centratons Of forces in the Belfort
Strassburg area that should result In tn
next few days In movements of impor
lance equal to those In the Belgian-LuX
emburg field OF operations.