The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-09-08

and Herzegovina. which are ripe for
Instruction. defend Budapest and
Vienna from the threatened Russian
attack. and maintain on her south
western frontier an army OF half a
million or more to meet possible in
vasion from Italy. whose neutrality
the government at Rome Is maintain
ing with extreme difficulty in the face
OF the strong national hatred OF Aus
tria- The defence OF East Prussia and
the route to Berlin must be accom-
plished by German troops unaided and
In the face OF the surprising agrees
sive energy developed by Russia that
work alone will tax the empires
hitherto unemployed military re-
sources TO the utmost.
And OF grave concern TO the Ger.
mans Is the reported landing of a
Russian army. brought from Arch
angel around Lapland and through
Great Britain. at Antwerp. With Rus
sia's comparatively unlimited supply
OF trained soldiers and an English
transport service which the Germans
cannot modest the massing of a force
OF 100000 or 4O0, 900 men ready to
operate with the Belgian forces. and
possibly another English army, NAV
be accomplished in a few weeks. Such
force menacing their communica-
lions and threatening their rear would
compel a withdrawal OF men from the
battle front in France. Dispatches
from the Belgian war zone yesterday
indicated that this new allied force
had begun an offensive movement, but
II is not believed by American observ-
ers that an army of sufficient strength
TO completely upset the German strate-
gic campaign in France has been as
sembled yet. and IL is probable that the
effect OF the action reported yesterday,
which may have been fought two days
ago. In which the Germans are alleged
TO have suffered a reverse. will be TO
accelerate the efforts OF the Kaisers
generals to bring about a decisive
action east of Paris and west OF Yer
dun before the situation In Belgium
becomes critical.
The defensive campaign OF the
French and English forces since the
has been conducted on the soundest
military principles
The French and English generais
holding the inside of a vast crescent
shaped line. one base resting on the
the Swiss frontier. the other on Paris.
occupy an Incompatible strategic po-
sition. The country back OF them has
not been trod by the invader No rail-
road lines have been destroyed, no
telegraph wires have been cut by raid
Ing cavalry. The French armies have
been steadily reinforced by troops
from the south and southeast, no ap-
rehension being felt concerning the
attitude of Spain and Italy, until they
are nearly. II not quite. as strong nu-
merically as the invading Germans.
That the mistakes OF the war OF 1870
which was marked by the shutting 4p
OF heavy forces In fortified places, viii
not be repeated was evidenced by the
abandonment OF the strongly fortified
post OF Rheims. The defence OF
Rheims would have required a force
OF 10000 men. which will unquestion-
ably be OF greater service on the bat
tie line than locked up in a fortress.
and the action Of the war office IN or
.dering the abandonment Of Rheims
may presage the abandonment OF
Paris and the assembling OF such Of
the army OF General Gallienf as NAV
be available for active field service Al
the point on the long drawn out der
man line selected by the general star
Tor the delivering Of the grand cosln
ter stroke which will mark the begin.
ming Of the allied effort 10 drive The
Germans out OF France and 20 carry
me war Into the enemy's country.
opinions differ a. TO the time the
expected counter stroke may be ex.
pected. In some quarters II r. be-
lieved that a fortnight may elapse be
Tore the commanders OF the allied
armies consider themselves strong