New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-15

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The question that is getting itself
asked here in England now Isl "Are the
troops in for another winter of troglodytlc
trench fighting or will there be move on
Berlin p" Now that Bulgaria is signing her
death warrant as a state | am inclined 70 be-
lieve that the English troops will make the
coup Of the war by surprise flank march
on the Germanic capital. They have already
lost the other great chance accorded them by
not Selling the town of KAYAK and the hllls
to the south Of 1t on the neck of the GaIlipoli
promontory instead Of nibbling at the nose
and compelling frontal advance of nearly
one hundred miles in the face OF one OF the
strongest natural positions in existence.
We need not here go over the crude mud
ding that led 20 this peculiarly stupid form
of advance; how the enemy were Informed
of an attack full month ahead by an i'll
advised and futile bombardment on the part
of the Royal Navy when every sane soldier
knew that surprise was the essence OF the
movement; nor need we here press home the
fatuous folly that decided General Hamilton
TO storm frontally when he should by every
nature of the ground and the object OF the
attack have cut in below and east of the old
Bulair lines. Only IS it useful TO say that a
firm landing in three detachments ought 70
have been made with monitors in support
Il is not my practice to speak after the
event; but here the Admiralty had been
warned ga far back as last March; and 70 the
failure to take reasonable notice the wanton
loss Of so many lives, and, more important,
permitting the enemy TO impose his Will, are
due General Hamilton should be promoted
TO n war correspondent, and real leader
should be allowed 20 send the sorely tried
troops to victory either by an advance on the
heights of Bokali or, what is even yet the
better plan, new attack altogether, east OF
Bulair that is still, and has always been, the
I"klid bahr" or key to the sea" and to Con-
stantinople.
! But. not to digress further, let come 70
/ the flank march that is TO decide the war a
couple of years before it would otherwise get
Itself finished and without the wanton loss Of
millions of men and billions of money. How
| is this system of slogging tactics TO be re-
placed by a Napoleonic stroke? How are the
armies of the Grand Coalition TO free them
selves from the restraint imposed on them
by the Teutonic strategy and, in fact, TO die
/ tate to their enemy? The answer is simple
enough: by a flank march to the hostile cap
ital when his forces are firmly engaged in a
distant theatre. Yes; but how?
There never was problem that could not
get solved if taken in the correct way. Well,
| as Bulgaria has chosen TO throw in her lot
with the Central Powers, it means that the
Germans intend 10 advance on CONSTANT
nople through Serbia. That will mean that
/ in a few weeks they will be hOpelessly in
yolved thousands of miles from their home
| base. That certainly would appeal TO a
general as the time 10 do his utmost TO
cut him off and compel his surrender. Only
two things are needful: sufficient trained
soldiers and position on the flank. That
| is where England is again thrice fortunate;
/ for both these things she has. A million
troops will be necessary, not a man less;
England has them. As to the position on
the flank, that is hers also for the asking.
! 1t is Holland. A promise Of a solid payment
and a bit of Westphalia and Hanover, if the
l. Allies win, a sure conclusion in this event,
and transports without number can land
quietly in North Brabant by a half dozen
ways, TO Rotterdam and Anthem by the Hook
van Holland and by the Zuider Zee by full
dozen routes to Amsterdam. million
troops could be landed in less than ten days
if all the big liners were used and escorted
/ by the Royal Navy.
But in twenty-four hours an army corps
could be marching on Potsdam from En-
sched6; this would mean literally thousands
of machine guns mounted on motorcycles
with thousands OF armored and unarmored
cars and lorries would be speeding to get
hold Of the brdgeheads on the Rivers
Weser so miles, and Ebe (l70 miles, by
the second night. Once in possession Of that
islet just south OF Magdeburg (l0x6 miles
in EXTENT everything would be finished but
the cheering. But if this movement is foz-
zled about like that at the Hellespont there
is no telling what will happen. Everything
Twill depend upon the commander and the