Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-08
Editorial Comment
The War Situation.

| sc, Job, n. B.. Standard, Feb. 81
| annarently the German forces are
| ,-a,,aripr to make another attempt 10
%, 70 the French channel ports but,
So far as dispatches from the eheacIe
| OF war indicate they have oeen cueeA
ed at every turn. In tact the net
| suit of yesterdays fighting In france
| and Flanders is well summed up iro"
| london in the brief statement that inc
| Allied armies have been aoie 10 hoto
F.! all the ground formerly held end, IN
| some cases, TO occupy German po-
sions.
I, is not alone in the western zone
| of the war that the Germans are re-
sorting to spasmodic and desperate
efforts to loosen the moose OF steer
which is gradually but surely strans-
! ling them. AS a rat rghts WITH even
create, feroc;tv when cornered, so the
leaders Of the Kaiser's armies, con-
WINGED now that utter defeat must be
their. eventual portion, are adopting
the tactics sometimes credited TO Ma
poleon and pressing their campaign
with an utter disregard OF the cost 10
their men.
In Central Poland, Marshal Won
Hirdenburg's army appears to ne In
a critical position from which ne can
only extricata it by cutting his way
through the Russian lines N the d.
rec:ion Of Warsaw. Such an attempt
If successful. would 60 far toward re-
l:eying the heavy pressure on Hungary
and East Prussia and, in addition,
would contribute an important mill
tary and political advantage to Ger
many. Consequently it may be ex-
necred that some Of the heaviest nght-
ing OF the war will result from the
German generals attempt 10 break out
Of the grip of the Russian Bear. West
and Southwest Of Warsaw heavy fight
ing is also in progress, but the report
is similar 10 that from, the other fields
of encounter. The desperate PUSHES
Of the Germans were at first success
ful but the effect was overcome by the
steady overpowering pressure OF the
Muscovite advance and the close OF
the day found the Russian forces III
the better position.
While German submarines are re-
ported as being az large in the Eng
Hsh Channel, and advices received tell
Of an attempt to torpedo a British
hospital ship, there have been no tresh
! losses. Traffic is naturally somewhat
restricted as it will likely continue un-
til the raiders have been accounted
for Meanwhile the British public WILL
take much comfort from the statement
Of Winston Spencer Churchill First
Lord of the Admiralty, that for the
first time in history England can say
that the sea is free" Generally the
trade routes TO and from Great Britain
are as safe as they were before the
war Local conditions, such as the
recent torpedoing of vessels in the
irish Sea, may cause temporary incon-
yenience and some alarm, but the es-
sential fact is that British commerce
is free to go and come with little or
no danger Of molestation. This con-
dition. of course. guarantees TO Great
! Britain and her Allies an uninterrupt-
ed supply Of foodstuffs and removes
any apprehension which might be felt
on that score.
Conditions in Germany are precisely
the reverse. Her commerce swept
from the seas, the government has
found il necessary TO enforce restr!c-
/ tive legislation regarding the bread
supply and following the conmanreer-
ing Of cereals. military authorities are
also taking steps TO ensure the confis-
cation Of all household utensils con-
tanning metals which may be useful to
them Naturally this does not tend
TO increase confidence in Gernanys
ability 20 prosecute a successful war
but. on the other hard must enor-
aaously add 10 the discomfort and dis
affection already felt. Altogether the
| situation for the Allies is decidedly
| favorable while for Germany and
| Austria Hungary the most critical
period Of the war appears to be at
hand,