Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1915-08-13
A Year of War.

confusion, like their still NOR
confident brethren who declared
that the European nations woulC
never again 60 to war. Elever
nations are fighting today, and
others are hesitating on the brink
of war, says an exchange. More
than twenty million soldiers ar,
under arms, and two million lives
have already been sacrificed. Yet
the end is by no means in sight
The military situation as we view
it after twelve months ofslaughtel
gives no clear promise of victory
to either side.
The war has proved, if proof
were needed, the thoroughness
with which Germany had prepared
for war. The German army is or
ganized, supplied, and led with all
the skill its admirers claimed for
it. 1t has failed to win a decisive
success, not because of any defect,
but because of the greatness of the
task that it had set for itself. 1t
fights the determination of the Eu-
r0pean nations not to submit 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 a
blow by means of an invasion
through Belgium, and then for a
more leisurely campaign against
slow moving Russia, miscarried.
Belgium and France offered a
stouter resistance than Germany
expected, and England-to the
disappointment of Germany-came
to their aid in time to turn the
scale. But the German staff was
resourceful 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 Rus
sia, so crush it's armies and so to
Overrun it's land that the Gar will
make a separate peace; and then
to turn on France, and overwhelm
it in its turn. The success or fail.
ure of the plan hangs on the con-
stancy of Rnssia--a .constancv that
as yet there is no person to ques-
tion. Its armies are battered but
not dispersed. If it stands firmly
by it's allies, Germany will so ex-
haust it's strength in a tedious in
vasiOn that it cannot carry out the
second part of it's campaign. That
is why there is so much anxiety in
Paris and London concerning the
and the willingness of Rus.
sia to consent to further sacrifices.
1t is an anxiety such as members
of a military coalition must al
ways feel. The interests of the
different parties to an alliance are {
seldom idential. Russia has less |
to lose and less to fear from final {
defeat in the present war than !
either England and France. T
Meanwhile, other issues have I
arisen, some favorable, others un I
favorable to the German campaign. I
Turkey has taken it's place beside (
The Teutonic empires, and no j
small part of the strength of Eng, R
Ond and France has been divert :
ID into an attempt to force the !
Dardanelles and to take Constan- R
;inople. So far the attempt has J
lot' Y ,eeeded. If it fails, Ger )
many, yins notable triumph; if r
t succeeds, it may well mark the T
of the end. Il
On the other hand, Italy, the ( (
ormer ally of Germany and Aus. D
ria, has taken arms against those =,
lations; and as Russian pressure Y
elaxes on the east, Italian press J
ire will increase on the south, and "
he Teutonic powers will not be Q
rec to turn all their armies against D
he French and British lines in j
'landers and Champagne. J.
'{0n the sea the Entente powers 9
re in a military sense supreme; p
ne German submarines aim their Nj
,rpedoes at the merchant navy J
,ther than at the battle navy of W
ngland! The German hopes is
radually to destroy the English
lerchant ships until England can
O longer import either the food
r the military supplies that it Ch
eeds. But the power ofthe al led to
eets has closed the German har- ella
OrS. era
Admiral Won Ti1pitz and the cot
ther naval authorities of Ger sa!
ANY believe that by the use of tho
lbmarines alone England can be ma
rought to its knees; but there is Di:
BOD reason to think that not all din
ermans agree with them. Those full