El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-08-14
WHAT ABOUT BACK DOOR ATTACK?
ALLIES MUST DECIDE ABOUT It
Many Contend That Best Way to Defeat Germany Is to
Knock Out Germany's Weaker Allies and Compel
Germany to Scatter Forces and Thereby Be De
feated; U. S. VIII Have Chief Voice in Decision.
lContInued Lon paEe %

repercussfon Of this would be felt
Immediately right through the near
east. and materially alter the aspect
Of affairs in Russia Whatever his
other obligations. therefore, the en-
envy would be bound TO resist IL with
ali the means at his command, and
his situation alike in the west and
Italy would suffer as result. And
as already observed. he would resist
Il at a disadvantage It is sound
strategy consequently TO impose that
necessity upon him
Position OF AustriH.
Under this head events in Italy
have a bearing that deserves careful
study The Austrian reverse in Italy
wanifestly aided the Balkan enter
prise from our point Of view, and not
less manifesdly has weakened the en-
envy grip on Rumania and south
western Russia First there was the
military convention rnat placed the
forces OF Austria under the stl ategi-
cal direction of German headquarters
Then, in pursuance of that unifica-
ton, there vas, following the German
check on the Oise. the Austrian at
tack a sequel Of the Austrian failure
that the supreme command OF the
Austrians I'm the field be transferred
TO a PrUssian, Otto Won Below
ut is not the least surprising that
the self love OF the Austrian com
manders was wounded b. this sug-
Eested humiliation. Apart from the
distrust OF Prussia and the Drussians,
traditional in Austria, the feeling
among the Austrian AMI Hungarian
troops that they had been launched
hy German generals upon a tootless
project would in the circumstances
be perfectly natural There is little
reason TO doubt that this anger is
r.nT
proposal would never have met with
so severe a snub.
Nor was the anger sOftened by the
reflection that Austrian interests in
the Balkans have been sacrificed by
the German headquarters TO German
eXigencies in the west Austria has
nothing 10 gain by the ruin of France.
but everything to lose-amOng other
things, her independence
'sThe rumOrS. alleged to Bave
been put about through German
agency. accusing the emperor Karl
OF idleness and frivOIity, and the
empress Zlta OF treaehery. may
be taken rs reflectlng the dis
turbed state Of the public mind
Now the hold Of the ruling caste
OF Prussia over the other states OF
the confederacy has always rested on
the superiority and reputed invinci-
bility Of the Prussian military sys-
ten. As soon as doubt on that point
began TO arise, it was certain trou-
bles would begin and multiply a
doubt has arisen in Austria. and for
several reasons.
1T is palpable that the Austrian at
tack in italy was dictated from Ger
man headquarters owing to German
embarrassments in the west these
embarrassments do not reflect super
iority and invincibility. but the con-
trary: experience has shown the Aus
TRANS that Prussian tactics. which
they were persuaded to adopt, are not
all they were alleged to be. and the
Austrians now know they must take
German representation as TO the
strength OF the allies, especially Of
the Americans, with a very large
grain OF salt
French Hold Tactical Aseendeney.
The Germans have put themselves
to infinite pains, and have left no
weapon in their armory OF falsehood
unused 10 conceal from thar allies
and the world at large the one milf
tary fact which more than any other
has shaped the campaign in tie west
"a fact they are supremely DESTROYS
TO obscure. That fact is the tactical
inferiority OF their troops. II was
disclosed beyond any possibility Of
mistake in the battle Of the Marine.
and it is Of the utmost importance to
note that the tactical ascendency
which the French army there estab-
ushed has never since been lost
Again Try Deception.
That ascendency was challenged in
vain at Nerdun- 1t was not met sue
cessfully by the creation OF storm
troops The employment Of the Luden-
dorff methods in tactics did not de-
stroy It. The substantial basis Of the
German confederacy has been riven
and cracked through the ascendency
Of the French Knowing this. taking
the world TO be made OF fools, the
Germans flattered themselves that the
British at any rate could nos fight.
DisiuusiOned as to that. they now