The Washington times., 1914-10-12
What War MOUeS Mean
By Military Expert o Army and Navy Journal.

their favor.
At present, however. the aLvan-
tage lies very largely with the Ger
mans. They have put the major
part of the strain of the theater of
operations upon hostile territory.
while outside of the border districts
of Alsace and Lorraine the allies
have not anywhere inflicted a loss
upon the German population.
In the east the Russians hold a
narrow strip at the southeast cor
ner of East Prussia, while the
Germans hold all of the western
half of Poland and have advanced
$50 miles from the border to the
Vistula river. In the south the
Russians have captured the eastern
half of Galicia and have occupied
the passes through the Carpathian
mountains. In amount of hostile
territory occupied the opposing
many is well ahead in her cam
paign, but the losses of Austria
about even the count. In this dis
trict also 1t is believed that the
Germans and Austrians are out
numbered by their opponents. If
this is not the case already 1t must
soon be so. as Russia gets her re-
serve corps up into the battle line.
Taking it all in all, the Germans
and AustrianS are so far well
ahead in the fighting. Germany
especially should feel well satisfied
with the showing made for her by
her military system.
There is little possibility that Ger
many will be able to secure Hol-
lands consent to the use OF tho
mouth of the Scheldt in order to
make Antwerp a naval port. Such
acQuiescence would be followed by
disastrous consequences to the peo-
pie of the Dutch kingdom. They
would be considered participants in
the war and a British fleet would
blockade all Dutch. ports. The pres
ent plight of Holland is bad enough,
and blockade would mean prac-
tically starvation of the kingdom.
Ii Germany were to use the mouth
of the Scheldt without Hollands
consent, the allies undoubtedly would
insist that Holland call out her army
to maintain the neutrality Of the
river. If the Dutch were to refuse to
manys enemy, two courses would be
open to the allies. They probably
would declare war on Holland, or
they would insist on temporarily u.s.
ing Dutch territory themselves 10
checkmate the German strategy.
The question. of foodstuffs and.
munitions entering Germany through
Holland is but now emerging from a
critical situation. Holland, against
her inclinations. for a pretty penny
had been turned that way, has con-
sented to prevent the passage of con-
traband into Germany, BY establish
ing martial law along her eastern
frontier.
The allies have thus created a
precedent for debating to Holland
what police duties she must under
take to preserve her neutrality. At
the first sign that Germany intends
using the Scheldt to reach the North
sea. there can be no doubt The
Hague government would be called
upon by the allies to extend it's
eastern frontier patrol to the south
boundary formed by the
Dutch mouth of the Belgian river.
There seems to be more danger for
Germany in making an issue out of
the use of the Scheldt than there is
of valuable return.
submarine raids might be attempted
from the Scheldt with greater posi-
oility Of success than from Wilhelms-
haven, because of the nearness to
the British, coaast: the Scheldt. too,
would be good haven Of refuge for
German torpedo-boat raiders. other
wise its offensive naval possibilities
are not important at the present
stage of the war,