The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-01
A YEAR OF A

From The Evening Sun OF yesterday.
Berlin. And II the Teutons seek to con-
Quer Poland at this moment. and at the
cost of cruel losses to their diminished
numbers. II IL not SO much for the con-
quest Of Russia as for their own preser-
walton. With the year 1914 died out all
Teutonic hope of sweeping victory.
Poland Is needed that he Teutonic
allies may build up In the east. as they
have In the west. a Chinese wall Of de-
fence. a wall of the shortest possible
extent. bordered with rivers and fort
resses deeply scored with trenches.
As against the thirteen Teutonic Of
fensives the Allies have but six times
In the year taken the Initiative, or. II we
count the land operations at the Darda-
neles. now In progress, seven times in
all. The British nave twice failed-in
the naval attack on the D~ardanelles and
at Neuve Chapelle. Thu French failed
In their only major operation. the early
Invasion Of Alsace. and have since con-
tented themselves with minor enterprises
never involving more than two army
corps at one time or spot. The Italians
have initiated the policy Of the French
command during their recent and still
brief participation in the war. The Rus
slams alone have extensively initiated
the German technique OF initiative. They
have thrice dealt blows at their opponents
instead Of waiting to receive them. Once
at the outset. in East Prussia. they were
defeated twice, at Lemberg and
Peremysl. they o
Russia and the Allies in the west
nave evidently chosen different methods
OF fighting. Indeed they have been night
ing separate wars: separate to the ex-
tent that cooperation has been next TO
impossible. Just as In the opening
Phase or the war In the outlook visible
on that vivid day a year ago German
preparedness doomed up as the dominant
factor, now the ruling factor in the
Teutonic situation is the central position
OF the two Germanic empires. They car
turn from west to east, from east 10
west alternately and deal blows with
united forces against their isolated op.
ponents. BY this process they have for
months onset their inferiority in mum
beers. since they have been superior In
numbers potentially at all times to theii
opponents on either front.
Acting TO take advantage OF theii
position. Germans and Austrians hav,
for months endeavored to single out and
defeat one OF their antagonists. They
have selected the most dangerous. as Il
seemed to them, because the greatest
m yet the most vulnerable. because
the most Isolated. Russia. Up to tn,
end of November In the great operation.
which we have enumerated the Teuton,
delivered five great attacks In the west
ern theatre and but two against Russia
since then they have delivered no attach
OF the first importance against the west
while they have launched five attacks or
Russia. In self-defence one must EN-
ploy ammunition. Twice after Noyem
Der Russian ammunition threw back tn,
assaults In the east. Thereafter it RAJ
short. The Teutonlc advances OF
Peremysl and On Lemberg were no
seriously contested. They could not be
The whole OF Galicia was yielded b,
default. Warsaw likewise. that the Rus
sian armies might retire unbroken an,
abide their time.
However much the united situation
OF the central monarchies has helped
them In the first year OF war, the ad
vantage thus derived Is rapidly leav
ing them as the year closes. ever
while they gain the coveted key I,
the eastern front. Here appears tn,
influence Of an element In the wa,
which Is but beginning to assume III
due Importance. an element that wal
nil twelve months ago and that ma,
he paramount before peace Is signed
In the first days OF the war the worlC
was struck by the news that thousand,
OF the hest German troops had fallei
before Liege. That slaughter as /
then seemed appears a mere pinpricl
compared with the casualty lists tina
have followed. Every army in the fell
has been decimated by fatalities an,
thrice decimated by losses not mortal
For each million OF men engaged dur
ing the past year the wastage. evel