Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-04-09
ALLIES PREPARING !.
FOR GREAT BLOW
Expected to Throw Forces Into
Turkish Empire to Assist
Anglo Russian Offensive.
HARD PROBLEM FOR GERMANS
Reason for Offers of Separate
Peace Made by Turkey and
Refused by Russia.

Especial Gable to The Times Dispatch
LONDON. April S--No one doubts
here that the allies viii strike Il great
blow in the Near East this spring
Just wher.lit will he is probably known
to less than a dozen persons. but the
great forces at Salouiki and the still
larger forces in Egypt are not needle
on the western front. and are bour
to he thrown into tho Turkish em1ir.
in such way as to assist tho ioiu
Anglo Russian offensive III Asia Mino
With tho Russians blowing Stcadil,
westward along the BLACK Sea Goa:
and through tho mountains of Armenia
Tia, leaders Of the allies can view wits
"quanimity Turkish e-enforcements -
the Mcsopotalnia Valley army, which
holds General Townshend's army be
sicged in Kut-cl-.Amara. and. with the
assistance OF the floods. has so far
checked the British relieving army .
few miles down the TiEris.
No one here worries about the sit
uation in the Valley of the TiCris In
tho first place. there is no reason to
doubt that new forces sent from Indiu
are on their way in sufficient quantity
to change the fortunes OF war here
!
hardy to send n great mass of men be
You'd Bardad with the Russians threat
cning their rear and gradually eating
away the territory from which Con
stantinople must draw recruits, supplies
and tax money.
Difficulties Of TRANSFORMATION through
the mountains will prevent the Turks
from checking the Russian advance TO;
some time. II is. therefore, expected
mere that the German officers who SUP.
ply the brains for the Turkish forces
IN Asia Minor will take up some de-
fensivc line, probably to the west ~
II line drawn north from the east end
OF the Mediterranean. fortify il strong
~ and make their stand here
But at this point the knotty problem
for the German tacticians arises The
Turks not only have TO face attacks
10y russians through Armenia from tho
Black Sea. They are also in danger
of the great blow the allies can deliver
falling on their flank from many points
OF the long coast line of Southern Asia
Minor. They might have 10 fight an
enemy on three sides simultaneously.
1t is the consideration of this problem
which undoubtedly prompted the of
!crS or a separate peace Turkey has
made in an informal manner 10 Russia
only 10 he turned down sharply
The Teutonic allies cannot afford IT,
Schd Il large force into Asia Minor fer
another reason still. 1t would weaken
the Turkish Bul Garian- Teutonic armies
now concentrated west OF Constants.
n"pic. 4 successful offensive behind,
that is. to the west Of Constantinopl.
would cut off and leave helpless and
unsupplicd all the troops in Asia
MACI<ENSEN MUST DECIDE
HOW TO MEET THREAT
SO Field Marshal Won Mackcnsen. in.
stead OF figuring on an invasion az
Egypt must now decide how TO meet
a threat many hundreds OF miles fror,
that point.
The German threat against Ecyri
was only hlufr. anyway. It was in
tended 10 hold great allied forces in
Egypt. where they would be far from
the main war theatcrs But until it
was positively proven 10 be a bluff the
English had to bite" They had 10
concentrate hundreds of thousands OF
men near tho Suez Canal. fortify ,bin
ali-important waterway strongly. ana
make preparations which would assur,
their control.
Now. however. when IL has dcv.,on.d
that the Turks and Germans have fore
HttIe 10 Increase the amount OF broken
lines OF one-horSe railway between
'onstantinople and the canal and To
prepare for a great march through tho
burning sands of the Arabian Desert
Whcrc me advantage or transportation
heS overwhelmingly with the defenders.
IN" British can rest more easily They
can leave only Il fraction OF their
FORCES In the nciEhborhood OF the cana,
and throw the hardened New Zealand.
ers' Australians. Indians and home
troops Tor an invasion whore they
hicase' The point selected may be any,
"here from Palestine TO Saloniki.
NJ Saioniki 100000 French and Brit
Is" ana Il few Scrbians hold an i'm
'h'"S'lE strong hfty-mile line OF noun
'"''S anu swamp in great semicircle
north OF tho city. and are oDposcd hv
probably 800 900 men IN almost eou,i,,.
strong positions
The condition approaches one o,
Stalcmatc. In the No Mans Land ne.
tween the forces. small dctach,nents ~
infantry and cavalry scout. seize vii.
'"ScS and night small ENGAGEMENTS
IN the air there is often great ac
UNITY. Great fleets OF allied acropIaues
""inhard the German and BULGARIAN
camps Icppelins. A,batrosscs ard
rokkcrs wing their way to Salonil5i
ana throw their missiles at tho ware
houses niers and ships Of the allies.
OFTEN WITH the result that Greek CHI,
zcns are killed.
with the most elaborate in,repcb.
mcnts and underground shelters con,
S'rncted with all the knowledge gained
OH the western battle line each sid.
SW"Es an enemy attack with cauani,
unity But neither moves They AR.
waiting, waiting, each anxious for the
o'her To move first. and so cxposc HIS
hand.
HAVE POLITICAL. REASONS
FOR HOLDING SALONIkf
Ihe allies have POLITICAL reasons for
ho'o'hS salon'ki They fear that II
~ were given up. their prestige i'm tho