The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1915-12-27
1915 REVIEW
Of THE WAR
ECLGAIuA's ENTRANCE INTO
CONFLICT MOST IMPORTANT
DEVELOPMENT OF YEAR.
.TEUTON|C VICTORY
German Influences Now Dominant In
the Balkans-(;crmans Have
Clear Road From Berlin
to Ragdad.
BY ]. w. T. MASON.
Written for the United Press

the fighting Of 1915 merges into
the second winter Of the European
war. Hut the seas still remain shut
tn the TeutOns and economic dis.
| tress and food scarcity are exertiBg
n more pronounced pressure for
peace in the Central Empires than
among the other belligenent nations.
The primary cause of the war aas
been lost this year 10 both of the
original participants. The conflict
began over the irreconcilable Bal
kan differences of Russia and Aus
tro-Hungary. Each power wanted
to be supreme in Southeastern Eu-
rope. The end of the fighting In
1915 finds Russia held in check
beyoun dthe Balkan border. while
Austria Hungary is playing minor
| military part in Serbia under the
direction of Marshal Won Mackensc.,
and the German general staff. Ger
man influences are now dominant
IL the Balkans. The kaiser aas
wrested the first prize OF the war
| from the Slavs themselves, and
from his own Southern ally as well.
Bulgaria's entrance into the co..,
fliet on the side OF the Teutons mas
been the years most important de-
velopment The military conse-
quenees which have followed Bull
garia's action, have given to the
Germans clear road from Berlin
TO Bagdad The Mesopotamian ME-
tropolis has long been marked by
| German statesmen to become the
| Berlin of the Middle East and the
confer of Germany's place in the
sun The years events having
| opened for Germany the rear en-
| trance into Bagdad, the kaiser must
continue to fight to the point of
| exhaustion for permanent possession
F! Of this precious right OF way. The
British fleet can prevent Germany
i from expanding oversees, but Ii can
not block the road to the new EN-
pire in the east This is the domi-
| nant reason for Germany's interest
in Bagdad.
An Anglo-Indian expedition, after
twelve months toll northward
through Mesopotamia from the Per-
sian Gulf, is now trying TO enter
| Bagdad by the front door. But the
Turks upder German leadership
have thrust the invaders ninety
miles to the south OF Bagdad and
| the city at the close of the year re-
| mains safe for the Teutons. Never
theless, during the years fighting,
the British have captured the Gard
en- of Eden and other territory be-
tween the Tigris and Euphrates
rivers greatly desired by Germany.
| II the German dream of Teutonie
Empire in the Middle East is TO
come true, the district between Bag
dad and the Garden of Eden, $50
miles to the south. must either be
| won by a new military offensive, or
purchased in the peace conference
after the war.
The military developments of the
year make 1t certain that the Rus
sian bear will not be BILE TO take
his drink of warm water at the Per-
sian Gulf; and little less than a
miracle must now happen to give
the Car Constantinople for an out
let to the unfrozen seas. The Brit
ish effort to enter Constantinople
by way of the Gallipoli Peninsula
has failed during the year, and
Great Britain is now reluctant &c
undertake a second costly expert
nent in southeastern Europe for
Rcssia's sake. The ease with
which the Teutons and Bulgar'ans
have been able to oyerrun Serbia
apparently has been due TO Great
RrltalnS disqualification 10 fish vast
ing her strength in major Balkan
offensive. The odds all favor the
teutonic allies in the Balkans be-
cause OF their unimpeded lines on
communication.
British interest IN the Balkan
campaign is primarily due 10 It's
bearing on the security OF Egypt.
Lord Kitchener's visit To the Leyant
during the latter part Of the year
and his quick return. seem 10 have
created heller in Louion .ha'
EGYPT Is not iH any immediate Jeop'
ardy. The British now apparently
have concluded that Egypt can be
better defended along the suez ca
nj than in tho Balkans. The al