Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1915-08-05
A Year OF War.


gan. The cheerful prophets who pre-
dicted that il could not last six months
have been put to confusion, like their
stillmore confident brethren who declared
that the European nations would never
again 90 to war. Eleven nations are
fighting today, and others are hesitating
on the brink OF war. More than twenty
million soldiers are under arms, and two
million lives have already been sacrificed.
Yet the end is by no means in sight. The
military situation aswe view it after twelve
months of slaughter gives no clear PROM
ise of victory to either side.
The war has proved, if proof were
needed, the tiloroughness with which
Germany had prepared for war. The
German army is organized, supplied, and
led with all the skill its admirers claimed
for it. II has failed 10 win decisive sue
cess, not because of any defect, but be-
cause OF the greatness of the task that it
had set for itself. II fights the determina-
ton of the European nations not to sub
nit to the predominance of any power,
however strong and capable.
The original plan of the German general
staff, which called for the crushing Of
French resistance at blow, by means OF
an invasion through Belgium, and then
for more leisurely campaign against
slow-moving Russia. miscarried. Bel
gium and France offered stouter reSis-
tance than Germany expected, and Eng
land-to the disappointment OF Germany
came to their aid in time to turn the
scale. But the German staff was re-
sourceful enough to reverse its plan.
German armies have held the allies firmly
in the west, while other armies under
Hindenburg and Mackensen have been
driving the Russians far back into their
own territory. Germany hopes to beat
down the resistance of Russia, 10 crush
its armies and so to overrun its land that
the Gar will make separate peace; and
then to turn on France, and overWhelm
il in its turn. The success or failure OF
the plan hangs on the constancy OF Russia
"a constancy that as yet there is no rea-
son to question. Its armies are battered
but not dispersed. If it stands firmly by
its allies, Germany will so exhaust its
strength in tedious invasion that it cam
not carry out the second part OF its cam
paign. That is why there is so much
anxiety in Paris and London concerning
he ability and the willingness OF Russia
o consent to further sacrifices. II is an
anxiety such as members of military
coalition must always feel. The interests
of the different parties to an alliance are
seldom identical. Russia has less TO lose
ard less to fear from final defeat in the
present war than either England or
France.
Meanwhile, other issues have arisen,
some favorable, others unfavorable to the
German campaign. Turkey has taken
its place beside the Teutonic empires,
and no small part of the strength OF Eng
land and France has been diverted into
an attempt to force the Dardanelles and
to take Constantinople. SO far the at
tempt has not succeeded. If it fails, Ger
gany wins notable triumph if it Sue
ceeds, il may we'll mark the beginning of
the end.
On the other hand, Italy, the former
ally of Germany and Austria, has taken
arms against those nations and as Rus
sian pressure relaxes on the east, Italian
pressure will increase on the south, and
the Teutonic powers will not be free 10
turn all their armies against the French
and British lines in Flanders and Cham
pagne.
On the sea the Entente powers are in
military sense supreme the German sub
marines aim their torpedoes at the mer-
chant navy rather than at the battle navy
OF England. The German hope is grad
ually to destroy the English merchant
ships until England can no longer import
either the food or the military supplies
that il needs. But the power OF the allied
fleets has closed the German harborS.
= Admiral Won Tirpitz and the other naval
authorities OF Germany believe that by
the use oil submarines alone England can
be brought 10 its knees but there is good
reason 10 think that not all Germans agree
with them. Those others, among whom
rumor places the chancellor ofthe empire
himself, believe that Germany must de-
pend primarily on her army, and that the
submarine campaign, which is necessarily
irritating 10 neutral nations, may in the
end hurt rather than help Germany.
In The course of this most kaleidoscope
war, the point of interest and The focus of
antagonism constantly shift. First, if was
Austria and Serbia, then Germany and
France, then the Teutonic powers and
Russia, then Germany and England. If,
as seems likely, the struggle continues TO
still more bitter end, it is these last two
that must inevitably face each other as the
chief antagonists. Germany long ago
saw that; England begins to see it, and
is girding up its loins to The task. SO far
France and Russia have borne the brunt
OF the battle; they have done their best;
but after year of sacrifice and bloodshed
they find the Germans still firmly in
trenched on their soil, not actually victors
yet, but in possession of every military
advantage. No one believes that Italy
can turn the scale, now that Russia is
beaten back. II Germany is defeated, it
will be because the British navy has
drawn tight the net of its blockade be-
cause British gold has been spent lavishlY