New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-06


a decision in the fashion Napoleon at
tempted. To eliminate Russia it is neces-
sary to destroy her armies. This is what
Germany failed to do in November and
December in Poland. She has failed again
in Galicia, up to the present moment.
1t follows therefore, that just so long as
Germany can keep superiority of num-
bers in the east she will defeat the Rus
slams. But once they are pushed back
across their own frontier, the absence Of
roads and railways will make the task so
difficult as to tax even the German
genius. Failing a decision, however, the
Galcia campaign becomes purely defen-
sive operation. A Russian menace has
been thrust back, but new Russian drive
is sure to attend the first slackening of
German effort in this field, because Russia
mas inexhaustible numbers and can pres
emily equip new masses.
Turning now to the British failure, it is
again necessary TO concede that the Allied
disappointment here rests on solid founda-
ton At the present moment Great Brit
ain must have close to 100000 troops in
France, surely a third as many as are
fighting in the French line. But they are
holding less than thirty miles of front,
H., bt,p1raH for the
French, and are holding this with extreme
difficulty, great loss and on the whole with
slight but actual recessions. Meantime it
has devolved upon the French to make the
serious effort to break through the Ger
man lines. In this they have made ma
terial but not decisive progress at the cost
Of losses which must point toward the APP
proach of a time when French resources
in men will be actually at an end.
Had the British been able to make an
effort proportionate to the number of men
their enlistment estimates and their train
ing camp statistics indicate they must
have, it is fair to say that the German
thrust in Galicia would have had to be
abandoned or the Germans would have
been compelled to shorten their lines in
France. a thing which is unthinkable, be-
cause Of the moral effect within and with
ont Germany herself. Instead there has
been no real British drive But there
has been a growing suspicion in British
and neutral circles that British high COM
mand has proved inadequate.
Now, while this is a present fact it is
not an enduring condition. Americans
will do well to remember that in the early
months of 1862 the North faced a similar
situation. 1t gave a general it trusted
implicitly splendid army equipped mag
nfcently. This Army of the Potomac out
numbered the Confederate forces at least
three to one. But its commander could
never make up his mind TO use it, and more
than two years were to pass before man
who would use it finally took command.
As for the British, they will find in their
own history familiar precedents for the
present circumstances. On the whole, Eng
land has begun the present war in a little
better fashion than most, but on land
frankly badly.
But this condition carries its own rem
edy. If Sir John French is not the man,
as Mcclellan, Burnside, Hooker and Meade
were not the men, it is idle to suppose that
a nation which has invariably found gen
eral after many failures will fail now.
Meantime, and this is of prime impor-
lance, Great Britain's failure has not
helped Germany to a decision in the west.
On the contrary, British efforts have been
Sufficient to prevent a decision in Flanders
and to aid in preventing it at the Marine.
Mcclellan did the same at Antietam,
Meade at Gettysburg. Similarly the Allies
in the west have for nine months held Ger
many squarely on the defensive.