Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-04-06
80 obvious, but it was undesirable

to state them.
The obvious advantages Of the fore
ing of the Dardanelles is that the al
lied fleets will be able to take Con-
stantinople and eliminate Turkey as
a factor in the war. Also the outlet
thus created from Odessa will release
vast stores of Russian grain, and en-
able the passage Of great supplies of
ammunition and IA equipment of
which Russia undoubtedly stands In
need. Vast numbers Of men are avail
able whose equipment is out Of date,
and although supplies are being
rushed day and night over the Trans
| Siberian railroad, the opening Of a
road to Russia from the Mediter-
ranean will be a most potent factor in
the great conflict now being waged on
the Eastern front.
Less obvious but really important
are the political consequences Of the
forcing Of the Dardanelles. With
Turkey virtually beaten, the Balkan
states will be jrresistibly drawn into
the conflict on the side Of the allies.
Rumania Is modified and ready to
strike. Greece also is prepared, and
Bulgaria could not afford to stay out
If the other two nations entered the
war, because only those who fight on
the side Of the victors can hope to
divide the spoils.
Italy May Shorten War.
It is the same consideration that
is drawing Italy into the struggle.
With Turkey beaten, and the Balkan
states aiding Servia in the invasion
Of Hungary, with all the Russian
forces sweeping over the C~arpathians
now that Przemsyl has fallen, the
fate Of Austria Is not really in doubt.
Italy has everything to gain and risks
nothing in entering the conflict on
the side of the allies. But her entry
may and probably will shorten the
duration Of the war, for her 5000, 900
soldiers are brave and we'll equipped
with modern artillery and ammuni-
ton.
Now in modern warfare there is no
such thing as the element Of surprise,
the foundation of that brilliant
strategy which won Napoleon's cam
paigns. Aeroplane scouting, the vast
masses Of men employed, and the
fixed lines of railroads over which all
great movements Of troops must take
place, have reduced warfare to a
matter Of brute force in which the
number Of guns and weight Of pro-
jectiles, the number of men available
and Of lives to be sacrificed are the
controlling factors. This element of
brute force is so important that it Is
certain that the great movement
against Germany will be made only
when the attack can be delivered
from all sides at once
This means that unless the Turkish
resistance is unduly prolonged the
great advance" will not take place
till the Dardanelles have fallen and
Italy and the Balkan states have come
into the war. But whether this pre-
diction is realized or not, there will
be no great effort made in France and
| Belgium till Kitchener's army Is en-
| tirely landed on the continent, and
till all the new big guns and ammu-
milton that Kitchener has ordered are
delivered and ready for service.
Sending 5000 Men Daily.
That strikes and labor trouble In
England have to some extent delayed
and hampered the army preparations
is not to be doubted. They appear to
have been. overcome, but basing
calculations on the published state
ment that Great Britain is landing
$1,000 men a day in France and has
been doing so for q month, 1t may
we'll be another thirty days before the
new armies are in the field. This will
be near the end Of April, by which
time the ground in France and Bel
GUM will probably be dry enough to
permit the rapid transportation OF
heavy artillery, which is another fac
tor Of supreme importance in the eff
fort to break through the German
lines.
For political as we'll as for senti-
mental reasons it is certain that
France will claim the honor Of driving
the Germans from her soil, without
aid from her allies. So the task Of re-
deeming Belgium will fall to the
British army. 1t may therefore be as
sumed that two great simultaneous
attacks will be made IN the German
lines, one by the British and Belgians
on the left Of the long battle line, one
by the French at some point or the
center or right. 1t Is not likely that
these efforts will be made before the
end Of April or the beginning of May,
and If Itay and the Balkan states
shall have entered the war they will
also launch their attacks at the same
moment in unison with great Russian
movement in East Prussia, POLAND
and Hungary.
Whatever the tactics in the eastern
theatre of war, those along the west
ern front, where the Germans are lit
terally dug into the earth in n lone
line Of highly fortified trenches
stretching from Switzerland to the
sea, may be accurately forecasted by
what happened the other day al
Neuvv Chapele, when the British
made the biggest advance since the
battle Of the Marine.
Possible Plan Of Attack.