Crittenden record-press., 1916-08-17
GERMANY'S GREAT
ADVANTAGE LOST

mai advantage over ner enemies. OC
cupying interior lines, the German com
manders could shift troops between tn
eastern and western fronts wheneye
needed. Troops fighting in Flander
could be transported to Poland in forty
eight hours.
Ability to meet pressure wherever
it was exerted made the German fight
ing units much more powerful. The ad
vantage of cavalry over infantry II
largely one of mobility. Germany
forces were all cavalry on a granC
grand scale, "railroai" cavalry. Witt
this advantage troops could be spared
from comparatively Inactive front fol
more effective operations. The remov'
al was only temporary The troops
could be replaced when needed.
The allies, on the other hand, did not
possess this advantage. Troops moved
from France to Gallipoli were too far
away to be available in any sudden and
widespread attack. 1t was only by
way of Vladivostock or Archangel that
Russians were transferred to France
They were almost permanently remov
ed from the eastern front. Any crisis
which might demand their return would
probably be passed ere they could have
completed their long journey home.
Far from being railroad" cavalrymen
those Russians moved with the slow
ness of tramp steamers.
During the first two years Of the war
German high commanders frequently
transferred across Germany east and
west. A year ago this summer many
divisions which had been on the west
ern front during the spring drive for
Calais, were used TO drive back the
Russians. These troops were also used
to obliterate Serbia and then sent back
to the western front 10 die at Verdun.
The advantage 70 Germany Of this
ability to shift forces had to be met by
the allies on all fronts. ln the great
drive for Calais the British hai 10
meet Gs-nar troops that ccu1 te
spared from all fronts. The Russians
had to meet the great onslaught last
summer The French had to withstand
the oncomlng waves last spring Rus
slams could obtain little help from her
allies during he- greatest peril. France
had to win her own salvation at
Verdun.
There was Only one way for The allies
to meet the great motii:y Of the Ger
mans. That was to have enough men
on all fronts. attacking at the same
time, so that the Germans could not
spare men from any front. Then il
Germany moved her troops she would
be sure to be vanquished on the front
which she deliberately weakened.
This the allies did.
Russia started the general attack
just when Austria was driving the
Italians down the Alps into the valley
of the Po. Austria rushed troops back
TO the eastern front to meet the Rus
SLAMS. The Italians Immediately at
tackled and regained lost territory.
Then the combined French and English
drive quickly followed and Germany
could not spare the troops from the
west to meet the new and mighty Rus
sian armies pressing forward in the
east The advantage Of mobility was
for the first time checked BY the great
er number Of men Of the allies. One
more attack in the general onslaught
against Germany remains, and that is
at Salonika, where the allies have an
army Of 100000 men. This figure is
an estimate, as the true strength Of
this force has been kept secret. 1t is
no secret, however, that il will not
remain inactive
Today It makes little difference to
the allies, whether the Germans give
ground in the eastern or western front
as long as the progress is great enough
to compel them TO retreat somewhere,
TO enforce retirement with losses Of
men and material. To capture 1000
Germans OF the Sereth is as good as to
capture them on the Semme. One
strong position in Gslcia is as bag a
prize as a similar redoubt 10 France.
II is only because the French and
British are pressing the Germans 30
hard in France that the Russians have
been able to advance. The Russian
drive would have been stopped before
July lst had the Germans not known
that the British offensive was coming
and did moi dare 10 thin their lines m
France. During June, with the Rus
SLAMS capturing many thousands of
prisoners, the Germans could only keep
increasing their forces in front OF the
British trenches. Railroad mobility
was useless for the men could not be
spared.
Il is easy to see why military critics
refer to the fighting on all fronts as the
battle Of Europe. The purpose Of such
tactics will be victory for the allies at
the weakest point in the German de-
fense This point appears to be in the
line in the east held by the Austrians.
Here the armor is weakest.
The Simultaneous offensive of the
allies is tremendous undertaking 10