Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-21
CAN ALLIES PASS
LINE OF THE RHINE?
Will River Prove to Be Absolute
Protection for German
Empire?
HILLAlRE BELL0C THINKS NOT
Famous Military Critic Believes
Stream May Be Crossed by
Kaiser's Enemies.
HILLAlRE BELLoC THINKS NOT
BY HILLAIRE BELLoC.

BY HILLAIRE BELLOC.
The political frontiers which the
development OF history has imposed
upon various great nations In Europe
are, some OF them. fairly correspond
Ing to natural defenses; others quite
open and artificial Thus the frontiers
Of Russian Poland and OF Northeastern
France are OF the latter typo: the
Pyrenees and the Alps-to the north
Of Spain and Italy, respectively--of the
former. But no frontier, however nat
urally defended, is defended continu-
ously. The ridge OF the Alps does not
exactly correspond with the frontier OF
Italy, but their line la turned upon the
| east, where Austria Is in occupation Of
tho southern slopes. The same Is true
OF the Pyrenees. which are pierced at
the Cerdagne. and the French there
established upon the Spanish slope of
the mountains.
The German empire may also COM
plain that to the west, save upon the
ridge OF the Vosgcs. 1t has no natural
frontier. but II possesses just behind Its
artificial western limits a natural OBJ
stacle or defensive line unique in all
Europe. This natural obstacle Is the
line OF the Rhine. Nowhere else Is a
country defended by a natural feature
! artificial means. and which cannot be
turned because 1t runs unInterruptedly
from one frontier to the other.
These two frontiers are, moreover
| the frontiers OF small neutral coun-
tries whose territories no probable or
actual enemy upon the west would vio-
late. Holland and Switzerland were
rightly regarded by nil those who
! studied the conditions OF a coming Eu-
ropean war during our generation as
nations whose territory would be as
much closed to the enemies OF Germany
and tho advance of an invading army as
IL each consisted OF an impossible
mornss. And the Rhine, already a deep,
| broad and rapid river at Its Issue fgrm
Switzerland, enters Dutch territory
| very wide and deep stream carrying
| large vessels, and nowhere between
these two extreme points can 1t be
passed by an enemy unless it's defenders
! shall have been so negligent as to-
leave bridges standing, or until that
enemy shall construct t emporary
| bridges OF his own.
MAP SHOWS HOW THE
RHINE GUARDS GERMANY
What this feature means to the de-
tense of Germany upon the west can
be appreciated at q glance upon some
| SoSH us map no. =, wnere It
Will be seen how the line OF the Rhine
completely covers the whole German
empire. save for a small belt between
| 1t and tho political frontier on the
west. The shaded portions OF this
| sketch representing neutral territory,
the Rhine is a complete barrier
| Throughout history the passage of
this barrier has been the first chief oc-
cupation of those who would pass from
the west into German territory, and
since the greater part OF the Germans
fell under Prussian dominion, the de-
tense of the whole line has been
virtually under ono government, and
would. therefore. seem q barrier more
formidable than ever.
| shall in the course OF this article
| suggest reasons which may make the
! holding OF that line less certain than
Is sometimes Imagined. But, at any
rate. the mere elements of the man OF
| Europe are sufficient to show us how
! complete and continuous a barrier It is
| and TO suggest to every student OF the
war that in case Germany were forced
to retire from her present positions in
| tho west, the line OF the Rhine would
be her chief standby
Here 1t Is necessary to emphasise. thar
prime truth that war Is the least GER
! tain or all our uncertain human activi-
| ties, and that prophecy in war Is futile
| IL Is also well to remember that public
opinion Is none the better in the midst
OF perilous struggle, for expecting
victory. One studies the line of the
lthine only on hypothesis only on the
chance Of the allies success and Ger
mhny's increasing embarrassment in
the west. But In doing 50 one must
always remember the other alterna-
g
break our containment of him, and
that no necessity for him to retire at
all, let alone to stand upon the line OF
inc kline, may ever come. One only
examines the problem because II will
enter into one OF two possible results
and one does so in the full appreciation
OF the other possible result, in which
we should be hard put to 1t to defend
the west after new German victory.
and not the enemy put to it to defend
his territory after a victory Of our own
forces.
So much being said, let US look in
some detail at this line
The first element in 1t Is its length.
FROM where II enters Germany. just
north OF Basel, to where 1t leaves Ger
many just west of Emmerich the
Rhtne-not counting it's lesser sinuosi-
discovers more than $50 miles Its
airect line. as tho crow flies. from Basel,
70 the little frontier village OF Bunen.
upon tho Dutch border, is only 800
miles. or a trife more. the extra SO
per cent being made up by the windings
or the river. 1t is important to retain
these ngures. because. as we shall see.
they lie Mt the base OF any judgment
we can make upon the chances OF an
| enemy holding the river.
At the beginning OF these $50 miles
the Rhine is rather less than 400 yards
! across. Where II leaves Germany 20
enter Holland II is nearer half mile,
L and thronRhout the %hnle OF liza conraa .