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V tain ranges, is favorable to the Roumanians in that it enables them
y,.l. I fTHE.FATHERLANh
if .e -183
THE ‘MILITARY SITUATION
BY the Military Expert of THE FATHERLAND
F Mr. Lloyd-George and M. Briand when delivering their
speeches shortly before the opening of the Reichstag. expected
to frighten the German people it may be assumed that they are now
experiencing a feeling of sad disappointment. The German peo-
ple were quick to discover that the Entente ministers possessed
nothing either in the political or the military situation with which
to support the bombast of their words. The spirit of unanimity
shown by the Reichstag and the spirit of confidence displayed by
the public in its subscriptions to the fifth war loan was the answer
of the German people to the Allifg’ bluster. This attitude of the
German nation may be said to convey an unanimous vote of con-
fidence to the Empire's leaders as regards their direction of the
country‘s atiairs, financial, economic, and military. In each of these
three respects have the ministers of the Entente miscalculated and
sober critics of the government, like Lord Bryce, in true recog-
nition of the situation, have hastened to put a damper on the mag-
niloquent ministerial effusions. .
There can be no doubt that the military preparations for a con-
certed offensive on all fronts had been brought to perfection in
July and that the Allies were confidently counting on a collapse of
thev Central Powers’ defensive by October at the latest. The only
thing that, in their reckoning, would be left for the German Reich-
stag to agree upon was acceptance of the enemies’ conditions. The
Reichstag with a majority of 90 per cent. of its members decided
to stand by Germany's own conditions and to support the Govern-
ment at whatever cost or sacrifice. This splendid confidence, the
result of the strong military position, of the Central Powers, will
have an invigorating effect on the troops in the field and will instil
them with a fresh resolution to “hold out.”
to bring up reenforcernents to any desired point from a central.
base, whereas the concentric pressure of the Central Powers has
still to overcome the difficulties presented by a mountainous terrain
of particular ruggedness.
Once the Carpathian passes along the southern border of Tran-
sylvania are in their hands, the Teutonic troops will have to clear
the enemy out of the Iron Gate before they can think of crossing
the Danube south of Turnu-Severinu. The further southward they
can extend their line‘of operations the greater will be the danger
to the Rumanian lines of retreat.
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in the second week of October the attacks of the enemy slack-
ened considerably on all fronts, which means a relative strengthen-
ing of the power of resistance of the defenders. At the Somme,
the pauses between the various engagements are increasing in
length. This proves that the German counter-attacks, as for in-
’ stance, the advance against Ablaincourt on October 14th, are grow-
ing stronger, making the bringing up of ammunition and provi-
sions for the British and French storming columns more and more
precarious. News has been received, for the first time after a
fairly long interval, that the French have had to withdraw at two
points despite the fact that the German cannonade has been far
less severe than their own.
The Teutonic advance’in Transylvania is making steady prog-
fess. It has already resulted in the occupation of a number of
small towns on enemy soil. The invasion of Roumania has begun
I and events indicate that it will not be checked in spite of the re-
enforcement of the Roumanian armies by Russian troops, withdrawn
from the Galician front. Still, our readers should be warned not
to indulge in exaggerated hopes. A victorious march through Rou-
manialike that of Mackensen through Serbia requires great prep-
arations, chietiy with an eye to strategic movements. The present
battle line, following as it does, more or less, the boundary moun-
i
There are still other factors which may induenee this part of
the Balkan campaign, such as the possibility of an advance by‘ "
General Sarrail from Saloniea and a renewed imperilling of the
Orient ‘Railroad through the reported Russian reenforcements of.
the Dobrudja army. It is, therefore, too early to make any proph-
eexes.
peril which is bound to lead to a catastrophe like that of Serbia if,
the fillies do not put their best efforts forward to save their ally
befote the winter sets in. "
In Galicia and Volhynia nothing of importance has happened.
The Russians have come to realize that the road to Lemberg leads >
over Warsaw. Furthermore, it must be remembered that it is Rus-
sia in whom the Allies place their hopes of saving Roumania.
Russia will, therefore, need the whole of the winter in order to
prepare a new offensive, and things that are expected to happenin 2
the interior of Russia during this winter on the one side and they
doubtful prospects of the imperial loan in Russia as well as in the
Allied countries on the other do not seem to entitle the Czar to
any very bright expectations.
THINGS TO REMEMBER
GOOD man to vote for in the Eleventh New Jersey district
is Edward C. Brennan who is running against John J. Eagan.
The latter voted to table the McLemore resolution and for the tolls
repeal resolution, although his constituents favored the opposite
course. Brennan is running on the Republican ticket and is a repre-
sentative type of straight-out Americanism. Eagan's specialty is
to twist the British lion’s tail when nobody is looking, but he has a.
genius for keeping quiet when his voice would count.
WHEN England shut off the International News Service for,
refusing to submit to the censor, King George gave a fair’
imitation of King Canute when he commanded the ocean to tiow
back.
A MERICAN actors are not wanted in England, but American
soldiers still find a welcome in London.
HREE weeks before election and the f‘hyphenate” has become ‘ ,.
the most coddled faction in all political camps. '
It is safe, however, to say that the Roumanians are in dire.’
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