The Washington times., 1915-06-04
A CRISIS IN THE GREAT WAR

Not because the city itself is OF
! such military significance, but be-
cause its recapture seems to mark
something like collapse of Russian
! power, the restoration of the Aus
trian flag at Przemysl is an event
of large consequence. 1t suggests
the appropriateness of survey of
the wars developments and its
series of complete surprises from
! the beginning.
When Germany last August
crashed over the Belgian border it
was the common belief that her
legions would be before or in Paris
within six weeks. They would have
been there, in all probability, but
for the magnificent defense that the
Belgians made, gaining time for the
mobilization of the French army and
the transport of small British
force to the Continent.
On August the best military
opinion was that Germany would go
to Paris. That she would be de-
feated soundly in the open field at
the Marne would have been beyond
belief. If it could have been fore
seen at that time that the defeat of
the Marne would occur, and that ten
months Of war would see Paris COM
paratively safe, and two million
British soldiers under arms, there
would have been almost complete
confidence that the war was to end
within the year.
Nobody believed Paris would be
saved; nobody believed England
would furnish two million soldiers.
If, again, it had been possible to
guess, ten months ago, that Italy
would come into the war, armed
cap-a-pie, on the allies side, it would
have seemed certain that they must
win.
Add to all this the surprise that
Serbia provided, by her splendid
valor and magnificent strategy, in
crushing the Austrian legions sent
against her, and there could have
been no doubt at all.
Go yet farther, and consider how,
in August last, the world would have
interpreted the assurance that
Przemysl was to fall into Russian
hands, Galicia to be overrun, the
Carpathians passed by a Muscovite
understanding all these things to-
gether, could there have been any
doubt that, by this early June, the
wars end would be in sight7
Add to this total of achievements
for the allies, the assurance that
German commerce would quickly be
driven off the seas and Germany
shut up, dependent on its own re-
sources-and what would the verdict
have been?
All these things have happened; ;
and yet they have not brought the
wars end. They have not broken
down the power Of Germany. They
have not left a mile of German soil
in possession of Germany's enemies.
They have been answered by the
wonderful German military ma
chine pulling itself together, and
demonstrating a staying power that
today suggests the very thing no.
body could have believed in August:
the possibility that Germany may be
the power that will at length wear
down its foes until it will win be-
cause of having the better wind.
Today, despite all the unexpected
things that have happened to their
disadvantage, the Germans hold
most of Belgium and halfscore de-
partments in France. They have
dug into the earth until they seem
supremely confident that they can
not be .dislodged. With a contemp-
tuous disregard of Britain's two
millions, they weaken their western
lines in order to make the Galician
drive, and are able to crush Rus
sia while France and England ac-
complish nothing worth while in the
west.
Przemysl seems to have fallen be-
cause the Russians had not suffi-
cient ammunition to hold it. The
Germans were able to rain shells
upon the city's defenses as if the
last thing for German commander
to think of was the possibility of
shortage. Their supplies were not
only ready to use, but where they
were needed.
Russia's figure in the war must be
measured, it is now fully realized,
by the measure of her et6aomic
power. She has yet millions of men;
but men without equipment are
worse than useless. She is we'll
nigh shut off from the world, save