The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1914-08-21

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sued Saturday from Paris wore an ali
of refreshing candor The plain OBJ
ject was declared to be to hold the
French people patient and steady dur
ing a period OF eight days during hich
no decisive news was to be expected.
During this time, it was given out, a
battle between millions OF men might
be fought along the entire Franco-Ger-
man, Franco-Luxemburg and Belgian
front, extending from Maastricht in
Holland to Basel in Switzerland, dis
lance OF about 266 miles or 400 kilo-
meters. The intimation was that there
would be almost si;fsss:,s.: lttaneans attacks
by both parties and that partial sue
cesses we're to be expected for the arms
of each; that the line would be extend
ed in other words both into Germany
and the territory OF the allies. As a
result OF the ensuing concentrations
one side or the other would be in po-
sition to hurl superior column against
vulnerable part OF the .enemy's lines,
to break them in two and to form plans
for the second stage Of the war.
1t is possible that the concentration
of troops has proceeded to point where
such apparent candor and straightfor-
wardness is possible without disclosing
any information that the enemy does
not already possess. 1t is also possible
that the communication is designed
more for German than for French con-
sumption and that, instead Of an en-
gagement along the whole front the
French are preparing an overpowering
force to operate at a single point.
A battle line Of 266 miles, long as it
seem, is logical development OF war
with all the available forces OF great
nations. The Russ-Japanese war, with
far smaller numbers, developed battle
4
| lines OF 90 to ITO miles toward the end
OF the struggle.
In sense the present war has brought
out little larger conception.
Lord Curzon taught England to con-
ceive Of the Indian empire as q mon
strous fortress with Notifications and
extended glacis beyond the surround
ing high mountains OF the north.
The war against Germany and Aus
tria is assuming the character OF siege
Of those two countries. -
They are surrounded by the Adriatic,
North and Baltic seas and countries that
are either hostile or neutral. The outer
seas are closed to their naval squadrons.
On land there are indications Of con-
certed action by Russia, Servia and the
western allies. II is possible that the
latter have deferred and will still further
defer general attack until Russia will
be able to swarm over the German and
Austrian frontiers.
Germany has complete and Austria
fair system of strategic railways which
enable them to throw troops from one
frontier to another. 1t would be to the
advantage Of the western allies to be as
sured that Germany and Austria are
completely occupied ir the east at the
same time that the battle RACES in the
west. The London-Paris information
that Germany has all its first line reg
ular forces concentrated in the west and
only reservists modified to protect the
Russo German frontier may afford the
clue to the delay in the beginning Of
operations on large scale. 1t is pos
sible that they are waiting for word
from Russia.
The situation in the west, at the time
the French have set for the beginning
OF the great 266 mile long battle, has
been thus summarized in the dispatches
from England, Belgium and France:
The Germans continue to threaten
Brussels and Antwerp from the direction
Of Liege and Maastricht and appear to
hold line approaching Dinant, on the
Meuse, twenty miles south Of Namur;
approaching If not including Huy on
the Meuse, between Liege and Namur;
and extending northward at least to
Hasselt, twenty miles west OF Maastricht.
The Germans seem to control the great
er part OF Belgian Luxembourg, a rug
ged and not very fertile country, and
the whole Of the Grand Duchy Of Luxem-
burg. From Esch in the latter country
they have possessed themselves, i'll
seems, OF the strong and supposedly
fortified position Of Longwy, in France.
South Of this place the French seem to
have taken the initiative and to have pos
sessed themselves Of several gateways