New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-24
The Rumanian Collapse

Dresent Rumanian collapse must be
,iowed. II is one Of the greatest moral
disasters Of the war for the Allies. II
NAV casilv have material consequences
which will be exceedingly advantageous
n the Central Powers. On the military
side it is not Of great Importance save as
If tbwarts a major Allied conception; IN
word its military significance is negative
not positive.
On the moral side this Rumanian atair
amounts TO the destruction Of the opinion
built I'D among neutrals, created even with
in the frontiers of the Central Powers, to
some slight degree. by the events Of the
mast few months, that Germany was actual
IN being beaten, and that her military de-
feat was no longer doubtful
Between June and October the world saw
a long series of military incidents highly
unfavorable TO the Central Powers. AT
last IL seemed that there had been a CO.
ordination of effort and direction among
fine Allies. France had borne the burden
Of Ncrdun CALAMITY and successfully
Russia now stepped out and won her re-
markabIe victories in Galicia and Vol
bvnia. Britain and France followed with
the Somme thrust and Italy took Gorizla.
For the first time since the Battle OF
the Dunaiec Allied prospects began to
impress the neutral world, and 1t seemed
that the entrance of Rumania was the ar
rival of decisive thrust from new ally
comparable TO that thrust that Austria
delivered when she entered the last coalI
ton against Napoleon in 1913.
Instead we have one long series Of Al
lied reverses. Instead of a Rumanian
success we have Rumania invaded and
threatened now with extinction. Ger
many. instead of appearing at the edge
of complete defeat, has demonstrated a
mower of resistance and reserve supply
of men and guns which give the lie to
the Allied calculations and demonstrate
that Germany is not yet done.
Worst of all, we see clearly that Allied
coordination has not yet been achieved.
Sarrail has not moved in Macedonia until
too late. Rumania did not attack Bull
raria. as she should, but wasted the gold
en- moment in attacking Hungary. Rus
STA has displayed inexplicable hardness
i'm coming to the aid of Rumania. Mean
while the Somme offensive has been held
up and has become slow and unimpres-
sive grind.
Thus. one must say perfectly fairly that
the Allies have thrown away the best mo-
ment of the war. They had the chance,
the new ally, the rapidly mounting conf
dence of the world that they were win
ming; but, after having received the nd OF
n new ally for two months, the war bull
letins disclose the fact that the war is
now in the territory of this new ally, and
that the present question is whether the
ally can in part be saved; for in part Ru-
mania is already lost. This amounts to a
tremendous moral disaster.
On the material side the estimate must
wait upon the disclosure Of the success of
the Germans in occupying the great wheat
lands Of Rumania, in obtaining a new
supply of the necessary foodstufs of
capturing the oil wells Of Rumania which
have for the Central Powers an almost in
calculable value. If Germany gets these
things, and she is getting them day by
day. then she will have possessed herself
Of the means to fight the British blockade
and TO block the policy of economic ex-
haustion which is the main reliance Of
one school among her foes.
The military consequences are less i'm
pressiye Too much cannot be said on the
side of German success in warding off a
dangerous blow. Threatened with inva-
sion BY new foe and compelled to meet
fresh armies, they have in two months
carried the war into alien territory and
abolished for them what was and will al
ways remain the deadly peril, the inva-
sion Of Hungary. They have met and dis
posed Of a thrust quite as fatal as was
their own thrust at France through
Vcrdun, and they have met it with skill
and courage equal to that displayed by
the French.
The worst thing that could happen to
the Germans at the moment would be the
interruption Of their communications with
their Turkish and Bulgarian allies. This
was what the Rumanian attack threat
cned. this was what the Allies and the
neutrals expected would be the conse-
ouence Of the Rumanian entrance. Only
such "a result would really make the Ru-
manian entrance profitable for the Allies,
who have to finance and equip Rumania
and bear the extra burden Of new and
poor state.
Now, the Allied success at Monastir is
not a counterbalance TO the Rumanian
disaster; it is and il must remain for a
long time a sideshow. 1t is almost GER
tain that Sarrail will now be unable to
contribute much if anything 10 delay or