The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-08-22
PROGRESS OF THE WAR.
The Russian Offensive Also Steps Out
and Into Prussia.


servers of the great conflict, the Euro
pean war, as foreign newspapers have
named it, to let their interest become
concentrated upon single operation To
the exclusion of the whole field; such a
mistake is bound TO be made now, when
the German army has occupied foreign
capital, hurting aside the Belgian army
and compelling the retreat OF the French
and possibly the British troops. Yet,
the real value OF the achievement must
be weighed with relation to the whole
field.
There are few facts then that must
be considered. First of all the imperious
necessity OF the German general staff
was to plan campaign in which France
should be borne down and disposed of by
a quick thrust in overwhelming force
before the Russian masses could mobilize
and become effective on the eastern from
tier. To accomplish this Belgian neu-
trality was violated and the dash to
Liege was made. The patent purpose
was to get round the French barrier
forts and close to Paris without de-
lay.
Now observe these simple details. At
Liege on Rug. the German army was
22S miles from Paris. At Brussels on
Aug. Fl it is 2lS In II days, then,
the approach TO Paris has gained just 5
miles Liege is 62 miles from Brussels.
The Belgian capital is 81 miles from
the French frontier. The 81 miles to
Brussels occupied II days, despite the
fact that the Belgian army alone faced
the Germans for most of the time. To-
day from Brussels to the French from.
tier on the line OF Namur, Maubeuge.
IVelenciennes, Lille, French armies, wholly
modified, and presumably British sol
diers also, bar the way.
To succeed in its advance Germany
concentrated at least 20 of its Is army
corps in the south, possibly 81 Had
Italy remained loyal to the triple al
lance, at least two French army corps
would have been held on the Alps from
tier and another in Africa Germany
would then have brought at least ri
army corps to face Is French, with the |
Ipresumptive advance of swifter mobiliza |
tion and bette. concentration.
But Italy declared her neutrality and |
released three French army corps, Civ |
ing the republic q corps against an /
equal number Of German. Then Belgium /
resisted, i possibility hardly recSoned /
in German calculations, and brought to
Frame her field army, at least two army
corps strong and fortress garrison of
two more corps. Finally England sent
an expeditionarv army to be reckoned 4
as at least two strong army corps to
the continent thus giving to the French
defense the advantage Of numbers and
the decisive advantage Of not less than
six additional army corps.
One the 2lst day OF the war. then.
the German offensive is not vet in /;
France. 1t has engaged in l6 days of
severe fighting with the Belgians and
suffered considerable losses without hav-
ing fought deeisively with the bulk Of
the allied force. 1t IL still 200 miles
away from Paris, and counter offensive
on the part of the French has penetrated !,
between Metz and Strassburg and cap h
tured one considerable German city.
In this situation the progress Of Rus
sian mobilization becomes of supreme in
terest. Germany, straining every nerve
to crush the French before Russian z
AiAdAetS toAIE up lltH Ibf wv WcfRh bEti
compelled to fight an unexpected and Q
expensive campaign in Belgium. Again.
it must be recalled, her single purpose !
Is to crush France before Russia gets
too far on the road to Berlin, and then
turn her victorious armies eastward to n
deal with the Russian offensive. {
In his very interesting book upon La t
France Nictorieuse dams Ia Guerre de Is
Domain, Colonel Arthur Boucher of the \
French army made the definite state a
ment three years ago that between the II
list and oath days after mobilization
lad been ordered Russian pressure on /.
he German frontier would begin 90 be {,
elt heavily. Now, yesterday, the 23rd 4
lay after Russian mobilization was or 4
Tered, Russian troops are reported at Vi
20 miles inside the Prus- Il
ian frontier. Plainly, the pressure has h
,egun, although it is still too soon to i,
relieve the Russian advance is wholly y
N foot. Itl
The Russian offensive will be divided ~
nto two parts, one directed against Aus N
ria, the other and more considerable y
gainst Germany The former is com =,
oscd of at least IL army corps based on
Lublin and Rowno; the
N
after, of 5 with the center at Warsaw.
o meet the II Russian corps the Aus a. a.
rfans have 49, less those charged with ~
pposing the Servian army, holding the -
outhern Slsvs in check in Austrian ter 4.
tory and protecting the coasts and the = ~
Italian frontier. At least five corps are :
squired for this work and sixth is in -
Germany on the French frontier. Rus f'l
Ia can then reckon upon a numerical Es
dvantage of at least two army corps
gainst Austria, enough to remove all pr
of further Austrian reinforce TO
tents being despatched to the west. lei
There remains the army charged with tn
snetrating Prussia toward Berlin. For I'M
his Is army corps are available. To Of
ice them the Germans have left not We
lore than FIVE, possibly only four, corps
the first line or field army. To meet Mi
lis tremendous disparity she must rely ex
pom her second line, which could not lal
, modified until the first was in the &c,
I'D and is naturally inferior in equip 10
ent and in immediate military value Br
atently, the advantage Of Russia in co,
lis field is enormous. If her regular an
my can be brought up. A portion Co
il at least has been brought up. is
n - A.. ~ .