The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-17
EAST FRONT IS
POTENT AID FOR
WEST VICTORY
Piling Up Men in France Is
Putting Savings in
Stockings"
PLAN TO DIVERT FORCE
New Russian Situation Shown
by Expert to Be of Vast
Importance.
PLAN TO DIVERT FORCE
ny II. sIDEBOTHAM.

One Of the Foremost Military Critics In
Special Gable Despatch TO THE SUa from the
london Times Serrice.
Copyright 1918; all riohts reserred.
LONDON. Aug. 16. Most observers
are agreed that the final decisive VIC
tory Of the war will be fought in the
west. There are. however. more ways
than one of winning an enduring vic
tory. In these battles you nave more
men to meet the Germans. or you may
have fewer Germans to meet. One
way of having fewer Germans to meet
Is to reconstitute the eastern front so
that in proportion as our strength
wakes in the west German strength
will wane owing to the increased de-
mands made by. the dangers we make
for him in the east.
The fact that the Germans see in the
eastern political situation a solution
for their troubles strengthens the ar
gument for reconstituting the eastern
front.
by piiing up men In the west put their
savings in their stockings Others, while
admitting that the Anal solution VIII
come in the west. believe In action In
the east that will reduce the numbers
OF men that we shall have TO meet In
these decisive battles.
Instead of putting their savings IN
their stockings they would put them Out
at interest, for the great argument Tor
what Is called reconstruction OF the
east" Is that the employment of COM
paratively small amount OF man power
gathers to itself an increment OF man
power at compound interest.
Old Eastern Front Disappears.
The old eastern front was from the
Baltic to Bukowina and the Carso, and
thence from Egypt to Mesopotamia,
where there was touch with the Russian
forces In the Caucasus OF Armenia and
Northern Persia. That front has dis
appeared the Russian wing has been
shattered, and the Italian forced back.
On the other hand, the centre. In both
! Egypt and Mesopotamia, has been ad-
vanced, but the eastern wing in the
Caucasus IF Persia has been involved
in the military collapse OF Russia and
| all who have read Gen. Maude's des-
patches know how great was the impor-
| tance he attached 10 Russian support on
his right.
| We might--had the Dardenelles ex-
pedition been better managed-have pre-
| vented a breakdown on what we may
Nn
! might--if IT had not been for the early
successes OF the German offensives in
France this year-have driven In the
| Turkish centre at Palestine and added
/ Damascus and Aleppo TO the brilliant
! victories of GAIA and Jerusalem.
| New Left Forming In siberia.
We mght-if Russia had held out
/ have advanced our army in Mesopotamia
to Mosul and beyond We might--if the
Indian resources had been properly or
| ganized and betimes-have not only ex-
plored the country between Bagdad and
! the Persian frontier hills, but have or
ganzed the resisting Armenians and
Georgians into a solid block.
Such was the old eastern frontier. In
| reconstituting II we start with the un-
broken victorious British centre at Pal
estine and Mesopotamia. Our right still
progresses. Its formation is based on
the Murman coast at Archangel and
| stretches out TO southern Russia. Our
new left. sti,l inchoate, 10 Siberia. The
| object of this article Is to put together
| facts In regard to these fronts so far
Continued on Second Pane