The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-02-24
MITTELEUR0PA
IDEAL ECLIPSED
German Dreams of Conquest
Surpassed by Opportunities
Found in Russia.
MAY HALT WEST DRIVE
Vast Armies Needed to Hold
and Protect Lines to
Seizures in East.
MAY HALT WEST DRIVE


Copyright. 1918: oil viohs reserred
LONDON. Feb. 23.--The probable effect
or the German invae sion of Russia upon
conditions on the western front Is at
tracing increased attention here. While
1t Is true that the Germans are meeting
no military opposition, climatic cond,.
tions in northern Russia at this season
are such az TO make heavy demands
upon transportation and Germany must
employ considerable number OF men
TO meet these as well as to hold the
conquered territory.
The occupation Of Finland Petrograd.
{ Niev and Odessa. not to mention the
Ukraine. Will require large armies. and
long lines Of communication through ex-
ceedingly Impoverished country will ne.
cessitate a huge amount of supplies as
well az an adequate force to protect
Them aRains; guerrilla warfare
careful observers of military and
strategic conditions incline now TO the
belief that the German announcement OF
All impending blow on the western front
was intended to cover the German de.
signs In Russia under the theory that
by holding the Allies from tho North
Sea to the Adriat!c Germany would be
left free to pursue her purpose to con-
soiidate her power In an eastern empire
far exceeding her dreams OF Mittel-
europa.
Needs Million Men in Russia.
IT 10 calculated that the Russian ad-
venture will require from 10000 TO
100000 men, and to suppose that while
Germany IL engaged In this tremendous
enterprise she can also begin and main
tain a great offenslve in the west is to
give her credit for an ability to do what
she never has done since the first few
months Of the war: that Is to conduct
Onensives on the west and east fronts
simultaneously. To do that Germany
would have 70 consider herself sufH-
ciently superior In numbers to stand the
enormous wastage OF men thst such an
offensive would entail
such figures as are available and
statements made recently in the House
or Commons show that the Allies still
maintain prclonderenco in weight OF
men on the western front The Pan
.Hdli Gazette. dealing with this subject
says:
III We assume that the Central En-
pires have 10000. 900 men under arms
We SHALL certainly he over the mark.
France should have 3,'5o.o00 AMI Italy
100000 under arms, the British EN-
p!re. We have been told. has 5000 900.
which gives the Allies l2.-5O.O0O. Half
these troops may he considered fit for
heavy t'ghting. which leaves 10000
tor the Central Empires. against 7.0O0.-
oo0 of British. French, Italians and
Americans.
Germnny's Possible Reserve.
Last season the enemy never had
more than two millions on the western
front and one million on the Isonzo. He
i.Ag Ia ND
hut has preserved his lines unbroken and
should presumably do SO again with the
same numbers. lie is. therefore. now in
. position TO retain strategical reserve
Of one and quarter millions for an
offensive"
The Allies should be able to hold
their front with the same number.
namely. 100000 men. One great ad-
vantage possessed by the enemy is that
OF position. as he is acting on interior
lines and able quickly to despatch his
reserves to any point"
If the Germans do attack in the west
they will not, unless tley gain some re-
markable initial success. attempt tol
break through. Their success or failure
will very likely depend on the possibility
Of surprise or on some rev develop
ment OF the Internal machinery Of war.
The last few days have revealed more
clearly those German aims in Russia
which are independent of the character
Of the Petrograd Government. These can
be briefly summed up as the shutting
or of Russia from the west. her sepa-
ration from Europe in the full sense of
the term by depriving her of her hor-
der provinces by converting them into
German provinces or weak States de-
pendent on Germany. The Manchester
Gudrd.aH. analyzinG the situation. says
lsa Il
to recognize the Independence OF Fin
land and supplied the Finnish pro-Ger-
mans and hourgeo!Sie with arms and
men in the struggle with the revolution
airy and pro-Russiar Films. should they
succeed. as il probable. in giving their
then the Finnish Government; will be
the creature Of Germany and fall within
the circle OF German policy.
Germans Have Minority Voice.
I'm Lithuan!a, Livonia and Courland.
the other border provinces Oh the Baltic.
n small minority OF German landowners
and townslnen have been constituted by
the Germans as the voice of the prov
'nces to pronounce in favor of Germany.
Such governments can exist only by the
strength of German arms and only as in
s'rumenis of Germany.
"poland's destiny Is not So clear That
whatever Polish state is brought into be-
Ing by the Central Powers Is intended
to be dependent upon its creators Is GER
tain, but the creators are not agreed as
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