The Detroit times., 1915-07-28
GERMAN TROOPS
HOLD THEIR OWN
ON ALL FRONTS
BY CARL w. AckERMAN.
Ston Correspondent United Press
THIRD STORY.

OF war in the west has crippled
France and shamed the English
From the outset OF the war. the Ger
mans developed an initiative that
gave them superiority over their
enemies. and since then no effort OF
the French and British commanders
has been equal 10 the task OF over
towering the numerically weaker
Teutons.
Only once has Germany been SUI
perior in numbers 10 her western
opponents. according TO the claim OF
Teutcnic authorities. That was dur
ing the rush through Belgium and TO
Paris. The superiority al that time
was due TO the slow mobilization OF
the French and the breakdown OF
the English plans for hurrying a
large army 10 the continent. From
the days OF the Battle Of the Marine.
the Germans have had TO fight with
weaker forces than their enemies.
and yet never have they been over
whelmed.
The Germans taught the French
and English the secrets Of defensive
entrenching: the Germans revealed
the superiority OF siege guns over
the strongest fortresses: the Ger
mans first discovered the modern
necessity for high-powered shells
and machine guns. All these fac
tors Of warfare were introduced by
the Germans In the west. The Ger
mans have kept ahead Of their an
tagonists as new problem after new
problem has come to the front. and
the years balance Is, therefore.
greatly in their favor.
Only once did the German military
machine miscalculate. That was in
the battle before the gates Of Paris.
Gen. Won Kluck was not informed
that field army had been hidden
away In Paris. prepared to strike at
his flank. and the German general
stan did not suppose the French
army had In Gen. Foch q great mill
tary leader capable Of splitting the
Teutonic center east Of Paris and
driving IL back to the Aisne. Gen
Won Moltke, who was a sick man
throughout the summer campaign.
was later replaced as chief Of the
general stan by Gen.. Won Falken-
hayn. and since then Germany has
been well satibfed with the progress
OF events In the west
The retreat from Paris will go
down in German history "a q bril-
liant feat OF arms because of the
manner In which II was checked at
the Aisne. So puzzled were the Al
lies by the German maneuvers that
Sir John French actually reported In
the early days OF the Battle OF the
Aisne that II probably was only
rearguard action on the part of the
Germans. How the kaiser's painting
troops. almost exhausted after the
Name fighting. were able to save
themselves at the Aisne. will find a
permanent place in the heroic tales
which this war will give to history.
In the conflicts that followed the
Battle OF the Aisne. the Germans
completely outmaneuvered their an
tagonists. II is customary in Eng
land to say the Germans are defeat
ed because they didn't get TO Dun
kirk and Calais. II those two towns
had been captured. the English
would now be proclaiming victories
for themselves. say the Germans, be-
cause Dieppe and Havre were saved
from the kaiser's grasp As a mat
ter OF fact, while the capture OF
Dunkirk and Calais would have been
welcomed by the Germans, the Sc
curity Of those seaports Is not a
strategic defeat for the Germans. BY
retaining Antwerp and Ostend. the
pressure which Germany can bring
TO bear on England In the peace con.
ference after the war will be SUN.
cient for Germany's purposes.
The French and English were
able to save Dunkirk and Calais, bu,
their offensive plans were sadly
overturned by the Germans. When
Gen. Joffre started northward after
the Battle Of the Aisne. II was his
Intention to outfiank the Germans
or failing that. to save western Bel
gium and to prevent the fall OF Ant
warp. Sir John French's transfer o.
the British expeditionary force from
Scissors to Ypres was for the ex
press purpose OF preventing the Ger
mans advancing beyond Brussels
The Germans won the campaign for
although they didn't reach Dunkirl
and Calais, they captured ANTWERP
aud Ostend and held the British IN
complete check. The story has We
to be told OF how the British troopl
were defeated at La Bassee, and how
the British government lied 10 III
people and deliberately reported
defeat as a victory.
Elsewhere In the west. the Ger
mans have more than held their ow,
against superior numbers. The,
have delivered counter-attacks 10
every offensive developed by the en-
envy and in the minor exchange
that have occurred since the siege O
trenches began. the Germans hay
fully held their own. The most ga,
isiactory OF all these encounters &
the Germans was the recent battI