The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1915-12-28

MIsTAkEslRE MADE
By WILLIAM PHILIP sI19Ms.
United Press star corrsspondsAs.


PARIS, Dec. zS.-Five sisnineant
events punctuated the year Jase
drawing to close a. sesn nom the
French point Of view. The battle
Of Champagne. the Bslken muddls,
the change OF governments. the Gre
alton Of an literally War Council
and the nomination OF General Jof-
fire. as commander-in-chief OF all the
French armies, whatever the thea
ire OF operations.
On the whole France regards the
past year as one without brilliance
80 far as she or the allies are con-
cerned. Her victories have been
rather negative. While her enemy
has ben making sorle great runs
around the ends sho and those tight
ing with her. have succeeded in
keeping the ball pretty well in the
middle OF the neld. The drst half
OF the game seems shout over. the
Teutons have the bail but there have
been no touchdowns. That Il about
the way tho common sense French
man sizes up tho situation ct the
close OF 1918.
The battle Of Champagne was I'm
portant because It was the very
first battle to be fought under
present, trench-perfect conditions:
1t gave the French soldier . proper
measure OF the enemy and prop
er measure OF himself Though no
important strategic point was gained
by this victory. undoubtedly II will
have its effect on 1915 operations
because it settled several important
points.
The internally War Council leads
Frenchmen to believe that the mis-
takes Of the past are not likely to
be repeated: from now on they
have determined that tho war plans
OF the allies will doys-tail and that
the coming year will register some
real results.
The Balkan muddle has given
France more anxiety. perhaps. than
any other war phase during 1915.
Frenchmen openly admit failure
there both automatically and mill
tary. Greece three times offered to
join the allies. once even before
the battle OF the Marine in 1914.
but each time she was refused ad-
mission. Then. whom the allies had
fallen down at the Dardanelles and
in Bulgaria and asked her to come
in, she had changed her mind. It
is admitted in certain circles. that
had France and the allies acted IN
concert and at the proper time.
there is not the slightest doubt that
Greece would have led the dance.
that Bulgaria and Roumania would
today be fighting on the allies side
and that the multi-colored flags OF
Germany's opponents would today
be floating over the msnarets Of
The resignation OF Theophilo Del
casse. considered ono OF the great
est Frenchmen. from the once OF
OF Foreign Affairs. was
due uniquely to the Balkan develop
ments. Some cay he opposed the
sending of troops to Saloniki: 9TH
ers declare he long ago advocated
big stick methods in the Near East
and that because his diplomacy
there was not strongly enough back
cd up. King Ferdinand Joined hands
with the Kaiser instead of With the
allies. Take your choice. What
ever his reasons for resigning, his
departure was the occasion OF 81
Reorganization OF the
Premier Rene viviani
to make way for N. Aris-
lide BRAND. The presence OF NJ.
BRAND as Prime Minister Is signifl-
,ant. He "a known a. o man OF co
ion, OF initiative and strong meas
lres.
The nomination OF General JofPre
Is supreme generalissimo OF all the
French troops means two things:
First that Joffre will have absolute
In disposing his armies
md planning campaigns: second.
he French hope that the English
will take the hint and agree to al
'ull and complete coordination Of |
Ill available forces. Competent au-
horities agree that German sue
'esses have been tho result OF al
'entrnl control OF electives. per-
hitting rapid decisions quickly put
nto effect. whereas the allies have
not acted properly In concert aud
shen AZ last. after lcn0 delays they