Arizona republican., 1915-08-23

tion in history The military ach- ievements of the two central powers are. therefore. all the more remark able. With the sole exception of a strip of the easttrn part of GalIcia, which is being evacuated by the Russians, the territory of Austria Hungary is absolutely cleared of the enemy. The raids and incdrsions of the huge Russian armies on the east ern front, like those of the French in Alsace. have proved disastrous to the invaders. These two striking failures illustrate the negative results of the mighty offensive launched si- multaneously in the east and the west against the Dual Alliance
 The part played by the Austro- Hungarian army in the initial phase of the operations deserves a special honorable mention. Though outlum- hered, and with a numerically infer for artillery, the Austro- -Hungarians effectiV ely undertook, in August, 1914, the surprising drive against Krasnig and Lublin, across the plains of Rus sian Poland. This movement sue ceeded in its aim to cause a strong diversion which compelled the Rus sians to withdraw a considerable part of their forces from the north This determined. though short-lived offen sive frustrated the sweep which the Russians had inaugurated toward Berlin. But the Austro- Hungarian advance into central Poland was greatly impeded by the many for ests and by the absence of roads and railways. The proportion of the Russian forces at that time concen- trated against the Austro -Hungarians was approximately three or four to one Eastern Galicia where the num- erical superiority of the enemy was even greater, had to be abandoned. This vast advantage in numbers on the part of the Russians. is to be explained solely by the trial mo- bllization.' which practically had brought the Russian army up to it's full fighting strength long before war had been declared. The Austro- Hun garian retirement before the over whelming Russian armies was mis- interpreted by the Triple Entente as a collapse of the military power of the Dual Monarchy. More recent events have served to correct this erroneous impression.
 Belgium Saves Paris
 The German advance in the west with Paris as it's objective, failed of the desired swift realization because of the resistance offered by Belgium and the intervention of England. The failure to reach the French capital at the first drive caused keen dis appointment in Germany. From the German point of view the western campaign was not brought to a sue cessful end; but it is most unreason- able to talk of defeat of the Ger mans or of a victory for the Triple Entente on he Marne, in the sense that the operations in that region have accomplished results which can be regarded as in any way decisive The Germans fell back on the line of the Aisne, where they had prepared formidable entrenchments. Notwith- standing the frequent assaults carried on with great violence by the Anglo Franco Belgian armies, the Germans have never budged from the positions which they had so wisely chosen The result of the military operations in western Europe can be defined as a German victory which has yet tc be completed. brief glance at the actual situation in the west will fur nish ample proof of this estimate of values.
 No one conversant with the facts can deny the military importance of Antwerp and of the ports on the Channel such as Zeebrugge and Os- tende, held by the Germans. The commercial and industrial signifi- canoe of the territory taken from the enemy is no less impressive, Bel gium and the wealthiest part of Northern France are occupied by the Germans. In Belgium, the coal mines the renowned arms factories of Liege the spelter works of La Vieille Mon- tagne, the steel works of John Cock erill in Seraing, the Fabrique Ma tionale dArmes in Herstal, with the