Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-09-17
ALLIES DEMONSTRATE THAT
kAIsER's SOLDIERS CAN BE
BEATEN IN BATTLE.
EFFECT OF RETREAT IS
pEMoRALIzING TO MEN
Allies Hang on DossedIy and War
Game Is at Critical Stase-Germans
Not HopelessIy Routed, az Present
Stand Proyes-Reports Of. Austrian
Defeats Not Exaggerated.
lspecial Correspondent

Washing ton. Sept. 17.-Whether the
present victorious movement OF the al
lied armies in western Europe contin-
ues or is checked, one fact Of much
Importance in its bearings on the
strategy of this and future campaigns
stands out prominently. This is that
the German armies have been shown
not to be invincible. No one who mas
made a study of the temper of troops
or The vast possibilities of morale or
lack of il in armies, and especially
among troops as volatile as the
French, need be told that this is some-
thing that merits full consideration.
on the one hand. the German forces
can not help but understand by this
time that the road to Paris is not the
easy road ii was in 1870 and that they
are matched by foes as capable OF
fighting as themselves. On the otaer
hand the allied armies are aware, as
the result of the operations of the last
week. that they are able to infiict de-
feat on the Germans under something
like even conditions. If one were to
name the most valuable thing Tor the
allies in their successes of recent days
in the operations to the east and north
east OF Paris he would probably ne
impelled on mature reflection to sa!
that ii was the psychological effect oil
the German reverseS. coming as tneJ
did with an unexpected suddenness
and just at a time when the Germans
had reason to believe. as many others
believed. they were close to an invest
-fe
Allies Hang on Oossediy.
It can not be doubted under these
circumstances that the allied armies
will hang doggedly on the flanks and
rear of the retreating Germans. III
some quarters the query is raised
whether the allies have the endurance
&c hc!;: o:i. TIM, is a problem vi the
most practical Importance. 1t would
seem. moreover as if the allies, fight
ing as they have been for days without
cessation. and marching under the
hardest OF conditions, must be worn
out. Nevertheless. it is more easy for
troops flushed with victory to press on
than ii is for troops discouraged by re-
verses 10 retreat. 1t may be doubted
whether the allied pursuers will Call
off the series of harassing attacks with
which they are worrying the German
rear guards Moreover. the forces at
the command OF the allies ought To
make II possible for General Joffre TO
utilize comparatively fresh troops in
pursuit This is time for the French
cavalry. IL il measures up to It's
Wanted degree of perfection, 70 give
a good account of itself.
Not Hopeiessly Routed.
Far-reacliipg consequences undoubt-
eddy viii result from the driving back
of the l.aisers armies just when they
were in sight of Paris. But 1t would
he a serious error TO suppose that the
German armies in western Europe ale
hopelessly routed. Even granting 20
be true the assertions made by their
opponents. il is apparent on reading
between the lines that the Germans
are far from being forced out OF France.
They have suffered a reverse and have
been crowded backward. They are
in situation that might be converted,
il is true, into a disaster. On the other
hand. the probabilities are that tine
world will presently hear the German
armies in France have made new
stand on new lines. One would natur-
ally expect them to fight with desper-
ate energy under such circumstances
and the allies will do well TO look
sharply to 1t that at the very moment
when they are felicitating themselves