Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-12-17

Conceivably, the Rumanians rein
forced by the Russians, will be able to
save Moldavia and halt the German
advance in the narrow gap between the
Danube and the Pennsylvania Alps
Should this effort fail there remains an
admira Bile line of defense supplied by
the large River Pruth, the frontier line
between Rumania and Russia This
second line would be far easier to de-
fend than the first. because one flank
would rest on the mountains. the other
upon the delta of the Danube. which is
almost impossible for am invading
army. whereas the former line would
touch the Danube at a point where a
crossing would be possible under pre-
clsely the conditions that Maci<ensen
met southwest of Bucharest
We may assume that the probability
is that the Germans will reach the
truth. given the present condition of
the Rumanian army and the improba-
bility OF sufficient Russian displace-
ments to meet the attack. VIII the
Germans then endeavor 10 cross the
ruth and move upon Kiev and Odessa
from the south and west" We know
that an effort to reach Odessa via kiev
has long been considered by the Ger
man general staff. But this was before
a Rumanan decision had been made,
ana the chief purpose vas to seize the
RUSSIAN province of Bessarab ia and
make 1t the price of Rumanian enlist
ment on the side of the central powers.
Allied Army Real Peril.
There is another circumstance worth
mentioning. The Bulgars and Turks
We're quite ready to join with the Ger
mans and Austrians in defeating Ru-
mama. FOR Ruinania was the hereditary
enemy of both and the Rumanian de-
cision to join the allies carried an inn
mediate peril to Sofia and an eventual
danger to Constantinople But. for
both the Turk and the Bulgar, the al
lied army in Macedonia has nov he
come the real peril. and the Buigars,
particularly. are likely to object to new
sacrihces in Bessarabia, which may be
attended by new allied successes in
Macedonia. comparable with the re-
cent capture of Monastir, which is dear
to the heart of every Bulgar and the
chief prize he hopes to bring home from
his long war
Aside from the opinions of her allies.
Germany has also the appeal of King
Constantine to consider 1t is practi-
cally certain now that he will lose his
throne. It is probable that ne will be
driven out of his country, with such
troops as remain faithful to him. If he
can succeed in retraeating with these
troops northward to junction with
the Bulgar army that has lust been
driven out of Monastir
Constantine's army is not large and
Its fShting quality is pretty poor now.
owing to the dissensions that have
Slapped Its. unity and deprived it of
many of ts best officers. Single,-fland-
ed it could not make much of a showing
against the allies. but il it were aided
by strong German drive from the
north, it might operate in the rear of
the Sarrail armies fighting about Mon-
astir and compel them to withdraw to
avoid development, thus repeating the
successful Serbo Greek operation
against david Pasha's army in No
vember, 1912. Once Monastir had beer
retaken, the German road to the Hell
lenic peninsula would be open and Ger
man troops could descend to Larissa by
the valleys west of Olympus, through
which the Greeks advanced to victory
in the first Balkan war.