The Washington times., 1915-04-15
IN THE CARPATHIANS

Never has the sheer bigness of the
world-war been so manifest as it is
today. In at least four widely separ-
ated quarters of Europe gigantic
operations are in progress, all of
them being pressed with the utmost
zeal, and any one Of which might,
if it should suddenly conclude with
a decisive victory for the allies, bring
the end of the war in sight.
1t is not possible to conjecture in
which of these four regions the al
lies hope or expect to make their
telling demonstration of superior
ity. They are making, at the mo-
ment, their most violent and insist
ent campaign, apparently, in the
Carpathians; trying to break over
the mountain barrier into Hungary,
but only less forceful are the re-
newals of their aggressive along the
western line from the Swiss from
tier to the sea; while the assaults
on the Dardanelles, directed to the
capture of Constantinople and the
extinction of Turkish power in Eu-
rope, are being renewed, and are
understood now to be backed by a
large and rapidly increasing army.
Finally, the fourth of the huge oper-
ations is in the North Sea, where
the allied feet is continuing it's
blockade of Germany and preparing
for whatever eventuality the COM
ing of spring and of almost eter-
nal daylight may bring.
A complete success for the. allies
in either one Of these four big move
ments would probably force the Ger
manic federation seriously to con-
slider a move for peace. If Constan-
tinople should fall, there would be a
plunge of the Balkan states to get
into the war in order to insure their
interests in the ultimate settlement
of affairs in that part of the world !;
and Italy would be compelled by the
force of public opinion in the penin-
sula to come in, lest by waiting too
long she lose her claim on her share
of the spoils in the Adriatic region.
These things would make so certain
the quick crushing of Austria, that
Germany would practically be left
alone against her three powerful
enemies.
Again, if the allies should win a
great victory along the line in the
west-something that seems we'll
nigh impossible, in view of the gen.
eral conditions there-it would cost
Germany her position in Belgium,
would oust her from Alsace- Lor-
raine, and menace her control of the
line of the Rhine.
Again, a naval engagement off
Helgoland would have the most i'm
portant results, because if the al
lied feet should win it would make
possible the complete blockade of
Germany, would end German sea
power for good and all, and would
break down the confidence of the
German people as almost nothing
else could do. The results of great
land engagement under the condi-
tions of modern war may be vari-
ously interpreted. In Germany it is
generally believed even now that the
battle of the Marne was a strategic
move of the German forces; in
France and England, that it was one
of the decisive battles of the world
But there is no misconstruing the
significance of battleships at the bot
tom of the sea. No naval strategy
has yet been devised which justi.
fies such maneuver as sinking ones
fighting craft.
Finally, there is the situation in
the Carpathians. 1t is said that -four
millions of men are engaged in the
desperate struggle for the gates tc
Hungary. The general advantage
thus far has been decidedly with the
Russians. Should they break through
and sweep down upon the plains be,
yond, they would finish the Austrian
factor in the war, and place them.
selves in position to outfank Ger,
many from south and east. At the
moment, everything points the con
clusion that this Carpathian assault
is the move on which the allies are
stalking their chance for a quick
finish. They have manifestly beer
feeling all around the central con
federation, seeking the place Of
weakness where they may breaE
through; and the immensity of the
force hurled against Hungary sug
gests that it has been determined t
stake everything, for the present
stage of the war, on this effort. Il
this be the fact, the German staf
doubtless has surmised it, and pre-
pared to draw from its western from