New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-02

lipoli and in Mesopotamia, the transfer OF
French and British troops to Salonica, the
collapse of Russia in 1916, due in the first
instance to the inability of the Allies in
the West to occupy German troops on their
front, and we are now seeing the defeat Of
Italy because of the failure Of Russia.
At the outset of the war German High
Command said; 1--WE will dispose Of
France in the first six weeks Of the war.
We will then turn our attention toward
Russia and dispose Of the Slav. After
that we shall be masters Of Europe"
France was badly hurt, but not DISPOSED
of, but German High Command, still ad-
herring to the Napoleonic doctrine. turned
to Russia and did dispose of Russia; swept
Serbia out of its way, and then turned
back upon France. In every case Ger
man High Command has concentrated its
forces and staked all on a single throw.
So far the Allies have been unable to at
tain a similar unity of purpose. While
France was striving for existence the
main Russian effort was being made
against Austria in 1914. While Russia
was on the point of collapse in 1915 Allied
efforts were divided between France, Gal
lipoli and Mesopotamia. In 1916 France,
imperilled again at Verdun, could not OBJ
tain aid from Great Britain for more than
four months. Partially because of the
Gallipoli affair British armies were not
yet ready to take the field.
In the present Italian operations there
has been again the old familiar lack of
mutual cooperation, understanding and
unity of action. Italy has been permitted
to thrust herself forward into positions
which she could not maintain, inviting the
ruin which has now arrived while her
allies have concentrated their attention
upon their own fronts.
In the long wars Of Europe against
Louis XIV the familiar story of the weak
ness of coalition appears again and again.
Readers of Henry Esmond" will recall
how often Marlborough was prevented
from achieving decisive victories or follow
ing up great successes owing to the hesita-
ton of the Dutch. Yet, in the end, Europe
triumphed over Louis XIV. In the Napo-
leonic time the coalitions were weaker in
that they lacked a Marlborough, while
France was more fortunate, since she had
the supreme military genius of the age.
Nevertheless, in the end, the coalition pre-
vailed.
Turning to our own Civil War, one sees
instantly that it was not until Grant be-
came commander of all the armies that
the war was conducted as more than a
series of disconnected campaigns. 1t was
Grant who perceived that victory could
only be had by the application of equal
pressure in all directions-such pressure
as would prevent the transfer Of troops
from the armies of Northern Virginia to
Tennessee; such pressure as would enable
the North, with its greatly superior num-
bers, to wear out the South. 1t is only
after Chattanooga that one sees the whole
Of the Civil War on the Northern side
proceeding as a cohesive, centralized effort,
and when this time came the collapse of
the South could not be long delayed.
If the Germans now succeed in putting
Italy out of the war, as they put Russia
out in 1915, they will have materially di-
minished the chances of a military deci-
sion in favor of the Allies, but only be-
cause the world is weary of this struggle.
Even with Italy out Of the war the Allies
will still possess vastly superior resources
in men and in money. Austria in her
present condition will not be able to con-
tribute much TO aid Germany against
France, Britain and the United States.
The Italian defeat may save Austria from
collapse, but nothing can restore the
strength of Austria during the period Of
the present war. Now and always Ger
many will have to fight her Western bat
ties alone, and Germany will confront her
Western enemies weakened by all her sac
rifces in the East.
II is essential to take the situation as it
exists on the military side as the basis of