Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-12-13
By FRANK H. sIM0NDs,
AUTHOR OF "TAE GREAT WAR;"
Copyright. fs1s-The Tribune Assn
tThe New York Tribune).

The historic measure of swift ruin,
the 10C days that separated Napoleon's
landing at st. Helena from the collapse
of his empire after Waterloo, seem like
ly to gain Il new meaning in the case
of Rumania, which, Today. Just three
months after she entered the war. n
herself threatened with the fate of
Belgium and Serbia. Rarely in military
history has a campaign marched with
such relentless sWiftuess 10 a final
tragedy. not yet arrived but already in
plain sight.
Unlike all the other campaigns of the
later period of the war, TOO, there re-
mains about this German drive into
Rumania something of the mysterious
and the ine,plicable. 1t was the German
purpose to give the world q sudden and
convincing proof of the fact that the
German military machine was still po-
tent and still capable of n high order of
efficiency. 1t was the German purpose
to demonstrate to the world the falsity
of the reports common in allied capitals
three months chat the German
power was beginning 10 crumble-and
the answer 10 all such assertions is
being had.
Going back three months it is worth
while to recall the frame of mind of
allied and neutral opinion. when, at last,
Rumania mad up her mind. The defeat
of III Germans at Nerdun was at last
u~nmistakable. the extent of the Russian
victory at the Styr and the Sereth was
written or all the war maps and there
was still a doubt whether the front of
the central powers in the east had been
restored. The Somrne was still Il pro-
gressive il slow moving advance:
Gori@ia had fallen and Sarrail seemed Il
growing menace at Saloniki.
Not since the moment when Germany
launched her gas attack at Ypres and
her gigantic phalanX at the Dunajec
an Tim rrV1 nf 1u1k hn6 nl1jal for
tunes seemed SO prosperous or the for
tunes of the central powers so nearly
desperate. 1t is by this comparison that
It is possible to appreciate the magni-
tude of the moral triumph of the Ger
mans.
We still know very little of the OPEN
ing moves of the Rumanian campaign.
We do know that there was at the out
act q colossal blunder, which l have
already mentioned in these articles.
Rumania did not attack Bulgaria: she
did not destroy the only army at hand,
when she entered the war. Why? First
OF all. as l said several weeks ago, be-
cause she was convinced. for political
rather than military reasons, that her
true line of operation was in
vania. where millions of her fellow
Latins beckoned to her as the people of
4he lost privinces had beckoned to the
French in August. 1914.
But it seems now that there were two
other reasons. RuIDania believed, had
some seynblance OF a reason for be-
lieving, that Bulgaria would not attack
her. There was clearly simulated appre
hension at Berlin, which the world
took for real: there We're secret pass
ages between Bucharest and Sofla.
which Bucharest took Tor real. There
were days in which the main mass OF
the Rumanian army was rushing west
ward and nortlward, in which the Bull
garians stood idly by, made no declara-
fiOn of war. 1t was only when Rumania
was hopelessly ommitte to the
Transylvanian adventure that
directed by MaclSensen. struck IN the
Dobrulja.
IA second reason we begin 70 see
also. Rumania ounte upon Sarrall
and the Salonica army to strike ana
to occupy all h energies OF the Bull
CARS. Why did this not happen? Here
the answer is less clear: but 1t seems a
ical moment Sarrail found himself
threatened with an attack by the
Greek army md the Greek king. The
precious days when his blow might
have been decisive seem to nave been
passed in ultimatums issued to Con-
%stantine and in preparations made
against an attack in the rear. When
at last Sarrail moved and Monastir
fell, Kanlania was in what seemed. and
seems, q death agony and Bulgaria
yyna no longer to be. coerced into a
Macedonian effort with n vision of Ru-
manian destruction in her eyes.
And so the golden moment passed.
the best hour and the finest chance the
allies have had to break the bridge be-
tWeen Berlin Constantinople since
MackenSen G south a year E
and Serbia fell in dust and ashes I'M
der his attack. To apportion h blame
10 the part OF history; it may be that
Atnn 0vfn1n fo,r1f u,nC RnnAnSQn If NAV
10 that the allies promised what they
COLD not fulfil; 1t may be that Bull
gaaia deceived Rumania as she de-
ccived Serbia a year age It may be
t:.st Constantine was he true destroy
5rr Of Rumania as he was of Serbia a
year ago, but h fact Is unmistakable,
the failure vas absolute.
Looking now to the military opera
lions, Il In plain that they are among
the most confused and Intricate OF the
war. There is no clear march OF
vents. M real picture OF the fashion
khAt were. victoriously penetrating
deep intu Hungarian territories and
Ariying before them thousands OF
refugees were routed. driven back over
the mountains and pursued to the VAL
1achIan plains, where, as there lines are
will cost them their capital ana the
half ofs their Kingdom. at the very least.
Studying these operations. however
~ will be noted hat the decisive mo-
aentg In the campaign was h q In
which Mackensen struck in the Dob
sfudja. With his blow. the offensive.
the Initiative passed &c the central
over and since hat m they
1fe. been raining blows with bewild-
Sr5aG ran1dity and In q confusing num-
TSr1 ~. nInces. Indeed, II Is only today.
S1lNSn9 the Junction between ~Falkenhayn