EVEHiNG ledger Philadelphia Tuesday, maboh ic, ifrfJL
8
IV
laimtum !s3mz& Ma$n
PUBLIC LEDGER COMPANY
emus 11. K cuntis, i-smii-hm.
, . Cltafla II. Lndlrmon, Vice PretlriVnt i John U. Martin,
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F.UlTOIUAInOAUD:
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ritltwtDCLPIIIA, IIIMDAV. MAItCII If., I'M.?.
A good workman cants twice as ihci as he is
paid and a poor workman Is paid
twice as much as he earns.
The ll.ittlo for the Ballot
THE right of women to the ballot Iti Penn
sylvania has run the gauntlet of the peo
ple's representatives und now booh heforo
the electorate Itself ns nn Issue. The cam
paign will bo on i of the most spectacular and
sustained ever wafted In this Commonwealth.
It lias already been begun, and It will lie
carried on persistently and intelligently until
tlio lost vote hns been cast In November.
During the cnmpaiKii the women will have
ample opportunity to demonstrate their ca
pacity for organization and their natural por
llttcal saguclty. There Is already little except
prejudice loft for them to overcome.
The Laborer Is Worthy of His Hire
NO ONE should begrudge "Hilly" Sunday
tho money which he will rcceivo for his
work here. No one has given a dollar to
him who did not think that he deserved It.
If thero had been coercion thero would bo
occasion for criticism, but tho monoy is
offered freely, each man deciding for him
self what ho thought ho ought to give. Mr.
Sunday himself has asked for nothing, but
has announced that he would accept only
what was willingly offered by those who
thought he should be puld for his services.
It may bo called a thank offering, or a free
will gift or what you will. II belongs of
right to the remarkable man who has been
filling tho tabernacle for the last ten weeks.
And If anybody asks him what lie intends
to do with It ho will be justified In replying
that he docs not answer impertinent ques
tions. This Is trt e, even though the sum
should he $1;"0,000. lie has convinced tho
contributors that he has done them good, and
those who have not contributed havo no
right to Interfere or to criticise.
Legalized Extortion Is Knocked Out
THE loan shark Is appropriately named.
Why the Commonwealth 'of Pennsylvania
consented to legalize his nefarious extortions
It la not ,asy to understand. The decision
of the Supreme Court that the validating law
of ,1013 Is unconstitutional makes the loan
shark a usurer and punishable under the
general statute against charging exorbitant
rates of Interest.
This law, which has been thus upset, per
mitted the money lenders to charge 46 per
cent. Interest, so that when once an unfor
tunate man got Into their power he would
have to pay a sum almost equal to his debt
every two years without decreasing the
amount of the principal. No law should ever
mnke It posslblo for any man to take ad
vantage of tho unfortunate in such an op
pressive manner. Legalized extortion Is not
What we, want In this Commonwealth.
Italian and Greek Interests
T UK situation in the .Mediterranean Is com
plicated by national interests which prac
tleally compel assistance to tho Allies Irre
spective of the sympathies of tho countries
concerned. It Is of primary importance to
Greece that Turkey In Europe be partitioned
and It is. Just as important that she should
share in the division. The accretions of ter
ritory resulting from tho war with Turkey
cannot be considered permanent until Turkey
lias been driven into Asia. But tho German
cause la absolutely tied up to the continuance
of, Moslem rule in Europe. Tho success of
Germany would be the success of Turkey,
and Turkish possession of Stamboul Is a
pistol leveled at Athens.
Italy likewise sees no possibility of the
achievement of her national ambition unless
Austria Is humbled. Her status- In Tripoli,
too, depends on tho defeat of Turkey. What
ever strings there aro tying her t Germany
must bo cut, because Herlln has ns actlvo
allies the two Powers which stand in Italy's
way.
With Vonezelos demanding war for Greece
and the Italian deputies voting enormous
war credits, thero can be no longer any
doubt of the Intention of either nation. Both
will be drawn into the conflict, out of which
each expects to emerge with largely In
creased territory, most of it traditionally
Greek; or Italian und long dreamed of as
back In the fold.
The Crying Need of Business
If there are to be courts of commerce or
commissions, then the settlement of all mat
ters which have been referred to such
courts by the Legislature should be left to
them.
THIS pregnant sentence from the annual
report of the president of the American
Telephone and Telegraph Company contains
th (aw and the gospel of business regula
tion. Every manager of a big corporation
Who baa expressed himself on the subject
Jus said the same thing In one form or an
other. President Rea, of the Pennsylvania
Railroad system, said It the other day
when he demanded that the Interstate Com
merce Commission be mar large enough
and powerful enough to decide quickly and
justly 'he questions put up to It. It simply
means that if we are to have Govern
ment regulation of business, the regulators
choulti be commissioned wljh full authority
, net and the Legislatures which have
treated the regulating bodies should keep
their hands off.
There can be np business confidence until
r;ma such rBult'ia secured. The anti-trust
lis are " indefinite that we have had
rovrnment by lawsuit fur several years,
'rh railroad and corporation commissions,
i it4 tu ft rates and regulate other con
iiuwas uniw wjjjsb etupqratiom may do
business have been disregarded by Congress
and by the Legislatures of Iho Stntes, nnd
the attempt has been made Irftlo by statute
without Investigation what can only bo done
Justly by a Judicial commission after a. care
ful Investigation.
Mr. Vnll follows his theory lo Us final con
clusion when ho demands that tho commis
sions created to control business shall bo
composed of men of Iho highest ability no
others can master tho problems and ho
ndds that the tenure of oftlre should bo long
enough for tho commissioners to learn somo
thing about their duties. Tho shareholders
of no largo corporation would put a political
hack In the position of rosixmslblo manager.
And tho shareholders of nil tho largo cor
porations arc Joining with their representa
tives In protesting most vigorously against
turning tho control of their business over
to any group of small, Inexperienced men se
lected by politicians seeking to find n ploco
for their followers. If business Is to bo
regulated by the Government tho regulators
must bo men enpablo of regulating.
Anarchy on tho Seas
BETWEEN" German war zone proclama
tions and British orders In council thero
Is little difference In principle, except that
the Instruments available to the nmi country
do not permit of search and rapture, while
In the other case they do. That England Is
perfectly willing to take ships Into port n,nd
subject them to tho Jurisdiction of prize
courts does not mean thnt slip Is any morn
fixed In her respect for International law
than Germany. It means simply that it Is
possible and profitable for her to pursue this
course. If German submnrlnes could got
their prizes to Get man ports they would bo
glad enough to do it. It Is about time, that
talk of the barbarity of the German naval
program cense In view of the general recog
nition by nil of the belligerents thai old rules
aro obsolete and no longer to be observed.
England has declared n hybrid embargo
which resembles In some wnys a blockade.
Thero Is no precedent to support Its right
eousness, although London Is very careful
to warn the L'nlted States that American
dollars will be protected, whatever happens
to American rights. There can bo no Inter
national law when all of the great Powers
that make International law, except one, are
violating It nnd each other. Nevertheless, w
are too groat n nation to be humiliated un
duly. London evidently expects a strong
protest from Washington, and thnt Is exactly
what tho Department of Stnte will prepare.
We must at least put ourselves right on tho
record, oven If we are uimblo to maintain our
lights on tho seas.
Pennsylvania Leads the Procession
THE Hiiperdreatlnouglit Pennsylvania, which
Is launched today, will be, when finished,
Hih most powerful battleship alloal, She
will exceed in -speed, In thickness of her
armor. In the power of her batteries and In
her displacement, uny other ship on tho seven
seas. Such other ships of the same size as
are planned are described as the Pennsyl
vania type. The State appreciates the com
pliment involved In this. And the citizens of
every other State should appreelulo the en
terprise of tho Government in planning and
building a battleship that has set u new
precedent In fighting machines.
Whllo tho Pennsylvania was tho last wind
in warships when sho was designed, tho
present' war has revealed new conditions that
must bo met In naval warfare. Tho suc
cessors of tho Pennsylvania must, therefore,
bo planned to resist the new form of attack.
It is not necessary that the l'nlted States
should go so far as Great Itrlt'olii and build
two warships for every single warship built
by any rival power, but it Is Important that
the navy of this country should contnin ships
able to cope with the most powerful In tho
fleet of any othor untlon. nnd that It should
have enough of them to defend our coasts
nnd our shipping in any probable future con
tingency. Samuel Bowles, Honest Man
WHETHER tho dead can communicate
with the living Is a disputed question.
Hut wo all cherish a fonil liopo that when wo
hnvo passed on wo may continue to know
nh.it Is happening on tho earth. Assuming
thnt there Is basis for tho hope, few of the
dad can contemplate the work of those
whom they have left behind with greater
satisfaction than must be felt by Samuel
Howies, who founded the Republican In
Springfield, .Massachusetts, in the curly years
of tho last century. The paper has re
mained in tho family for three generations,
and with the death on Sunday of Samuel
Bowles, tho third, it passes Into tho hands of
tho fourth generation of tho samo fnmlly.
But it is not this continuity of Journalistic
likings that is remarkable, but tho continuity
of high. Journalistic standards. Samuol
Bowles, the second, Inherited his ideals from
his fnther, nnd ho developed them to such a
state of perfection that, although Springfield
was a small city. Ills newspaper was known
throughout the United States for tho distin
guished ability with which It was conducted
and for tho high sense of public responsi
bility which nnlnrnted it.
Tho Samuel Bowles who has Just died
maintained tho traditions of his father and
hit grandfather. Ills paper was tho dally
lilble for n largo section of eastern New Eng
land. Ho went to his reward with tho con
sciousness that ho never betrayed the public
for tho sake of gold, but always served It to
the best of his ability.
Every rhlludolphla liquor dealer Is ro.
grettlng that Montgomery County Is not to
bo "dry."
No one needs preaching to more than tho
Now Jersey legislators, unless It bo the Perm
sylvanla legislators.
A. Mitchell Palmer has been claiming so
much that even his friends will agree that
he is well qualified for a test on the bench
of the Court of Claims.
The lawyer who pleaded for Thaw's re
lease on the ground that Ills detention would
bo a fraud on the State of New Hampshire
must have had his tongue In his cheek.
There aro several vacancies In the Hit of
French Immortals, but before the war is oyer
there may be enough Immortal Frenchmen
to llll all the vacancies for years to come.
Local option does not depend on the will
of Senator Vare, but upon the will of tho
people of this Commonwealth. If they want
It they -will est If whether Senator Vare likes
it or not.
New York cannot get over its Jealousy of
Chicago, and the Now York fashion experts
are now pooh-poohing the decree of the Chi
cago experts that pantalettes are to be worn
this summer. "You may assert," said the
New York man, "that no style ever started
In Chicago." And now Chicago w'll let New
York learn wbere the really important Ideas
are originated.
THE WOMEN'S FIGHT
IN TERRE HAUTE
Oil Election D.iy, Armed With Cam
eras, They Recorded the "Repeat
ing" and Rioting at the Polls,
and Ended Organization Rule.
By IRW1NlT GORDON
VI
TODAY 28 ringleaders of tho Organization
In Tcrro Hanto aro on trlnl in tho United
Slates Court at Indianapolis. They nre
charged with conspiracy growing out of it
debauched election. Moro than SO of their
associates hnvo pleaded guilty to nil the
political crimes charged against them, nnd
nt-o telling their story upon tho stand ns wit
nesses for tho Government. The big story,
however, thn true portraiture of tho fight
waged by tho Women, Is receiving second
consideration! It wns llrst In tho battle of
regeneration,
Never In the history of tho country have
tho women ni-lsen to fight a civic battlo as
they did In Tcrro Haute. Whllo tho majority
of tho men welo too disgusted and disheart
ened to keep up Iho fight for honest govern
ment, tho women never wavered they stuck
to tho end. How they manned tho polls,
photographed tho repealers, demanded that
tho Government of the United States take a
hand In cleaning up conditions, und finally
whipped tho merchants of the city In lino to
fight for decency, Is a story unparalleled. In
fact, no hotter commentary can bo written
on thn wutso of woman surfingo In the United
States than tho chronicle of events which
preceded and followed Iho election of Novem
ber S-nll or which hinged about tho 1400
women afllllatetl with tho vnrlotis clubs and
organizations' of the city. In fact, It may bo
said without fear of contradiction that tho
Organization would rtilo today In Tcrro
lrnuln were It not for the methods introduced
nnd the tactics pursued by tho women of thnt
Indiana city.
Prepared for the Worst
When noun M. Roberts wns elected .Mayor
a large number of suffragists appeared ns
wn tnhprs at tho polls. Whllo they saw tho
repeaters, the fraudulent manipulation of the
machines and tho gross violations' of election
laws nt that time 101.1 they wero not
equipped and wero too unfamiliar with con
ditions to take an active part In tho subse
quent Investigation. The leaders of the vari
ous organizations believed thnt similar tac
tics would bo followed tit the 1011 election.
This lime the women would bo prcporrd!
Immediately after the last mglstnillnn day
several women appeared at City Hull, de
manded nnd secured tho poll books nnd care
fully entiled tho name of every roglHlored
voter. Additional copies were m.ide for each
want. A meotlng of the Central Committee
known ns the Women's Council composed
of delegates from each woman's club or
organization In Tcrro Haute, was called and
plans for th" coming election wore perfected.
A subsidiary committee was appointed with
JIf, S. C. Stlmsnn nt chairman. Miss Mae
Helmer. one of the most nelivn suffragists
In the State, was put in charge of the active
campaign.
More than 100 women volunteered to ap
pear as watchers on election day. A com
mittee was formed In ench ward which
worked In conjunction with tho subcommit
tees of the precincts. There were, however,
tunny precincts In the business section nnd
j Tenderloin which were not represented.
Knr several weeks prior to the election tho
various committees- held mcotlngs. Tho In
diana election laws wero read to tho volun
teers, tho procedure at tho polls was ex
plained and tho pollbooks carefully gone
over. Ono woman found to her surprise that
ten men wero registered from her home sho
would lay for them at tho poll! Being fa
miliar with their immediate neighborhood,
the woman picked the questionable voters
and made notations in tho pollbooks. Hack
of the names n question mark was placed to
lie checked up on election dny.
The Women Aro Threatened
Some one among those 100 women had a
brilliant idea an Idea which may result in
clean elections throughout tho country
should It lie unhci'Kill.v adopted. All tho
women were advled to carry cameras In
order to photograph repeaters and disorderly
scenes around the polling places. In addi
tion, various pocket electric lamps wero sup
plied, whllo a fow of tho women went so far
ns to secure autnmobllo searchlights to bo
used in tho early morning hours and nt night
beforo the polls were closed. Notebooks, in
which to mark tho number of voters at a.
designated booth and to keep memoranda,
wero nlso supplied.
Tho Organization learned of tho intended
patrol. They instantly started u scries of
stories to tho cffc t that tho women wero to
bo arrested: that the Toylorvlllo gang
"would beat them up," and thnt tho Organ
ization would "get them" or their husbands.
Theso rumors, quite naturally, prevented a
number of women from appearing.
November 3 dawned cold nnd dark. Long
beforo daylight a band of resolute women,
tno strong, left their homes nnd started for
tho polling places. Theso women represented
tho finest, wealthiest and most cultured fam
ilies of -Term Haute. Whllo they were In
spired with n, blind hope, tho majority felt
that little could bo done to give an honest
election, Still they would trj' Just onco
more
A Strenuous Day's Work
That "or-te more" proved to bo tho lost
tho last, at least, for Terro Haute when thn
women will bo compelled to keep tabs on tho
Roberts gang.
At the polls they stationed themselves be
fore 6 o'clock. Many of the women did not
leave during the entire day. Others worked
on three or four-hour shifts. As each
voter appeared his name was secured, and
he was checked from the pollbook. Another
woman there were usually three or four at
each polling place kept tab on the number
of men who entered the machine or ballot
booths. When one women left she signed
her name and wrote the time In her book
thus an accurate record was kept In each
precinct of the number of voters and those
who voted.
Before the crooked work started the police
department and the Roberts-Fairbanks lieu
tenants did everything in their power to per
suade the women to leave. Holler and
Nugent, tho chief of police, and his assistant,
confidentially told a number of the ladles
that the Tenderloin thugs wore about, and
that the police never could protect such a
number of women. They were also advised
against exposing themselves on such a cold
duy, asked to step Into nearby houses to
warm themselves, and finally threatened
with arrest. To all this kind advice and
these threats the women paid no attention.
In several sections of the city the women
-were really compelled to leave the Polls
""' ' " "" '' . .... .i i . i - '- ' '" " "" " -- . a-i 1
when the shooting and lighting began. At
several points tho pollco nnd election olll
clnls grubbed the women nnd attempted to
pull them away from tho place. Tho women
usually clung to something, screamed and
nhvnys won their point.
Six Times Enough
When dalyllght broke, tho cameras becaino
active. Women who lived their entire lives
In a neighborhood knew that certain men did
not reside In nearby houses. Toward noon
tho same faces wero seen under changed
hats or even another coat. Disguises became
frequent. A largo number of photographs
weio tiilicn during the day. The election olll
eers protested, lold the women thnt It was
against tho law, but not onco did they suc
ceed in preventing the photograph from be
ing made.
An amusing Incident occurred In Precinct
A, of the notorious fitli Wnrd, tho heart of
tho Tenderloin. A woman watcher ap
proached .lack Hlnes, ward leader, and otin
of the men who has confessed, and said,
"That man has voted six times." "lias ho?"
asked the saloon-dive keeper. "Well, I'll put
a stop lo that. Six times is enough for any
body to vote."
Tho sumo man worked :i clever trick on the
women watchers. Later In tho dny ho be
came very friendly. Ho paid particular at
tention to tho woman who hud tho pollbook.
Ho would glance at tho book whllo sho was
making a notation or ticking a voter and seo
the next few names not marked. Ho would
retire, and In n fow minutes men with theso
names would appear to vote. In this manner
ho managed to vote his complete comple
ment some 250 illegal voters In tho precinct,
without a protest. This- story Is n part of
his confession.
That night 400 women retired with a con
sciousness that something had been accom
plished. They hail been witnesses to tho
thuggery at tho polls; had seen honest voters
beaten and others prevented from voting;
they had scon tho olllcers of tho Superior
Court fired at; they hud seen nnd marked tho
repeaters. Scores could testify Hint "John
Jones." "John Jackson" or "Peto Smith" did
not live in well-known houses in their neigh
borhood. The old Philadelphia trick of voting
gravestones wns uncovered In Indiana. Va
cant lots, too, gavo up Ihclr voters.
Thus passed thn election day of November
X 19M, but the women wero far from tho
goal.
NATION'S DUTY OF PREPARATION
From rrmlUent Monroe's Menace to Concrem!, 1822.
Sustaining our neutral position and allowing
to each party while tho war continues equal
rights, it Is Incumbent on tho United States to
claim of each with equal rigor the faithful ob
servation of our rights according to tho well
known law of nations. , The history of
tho late wars In Europe furnishes a complete
demonstration that no system of conduct, how
ever correct In principle, can protect neutral
Powers from Injury from any pnrty; that a
defenseless position anil distinguished love of
peace are thn surest Invitations to war, and
that there Is no way to avoid It other than by
being always prepared and willing for Just
cause to meet It. If thero be a people on earth
whe-o more cspccl.il duly It Is to be at all times
prepared to defend thn rights with which they
nre blessed nnd to surpass all others In bus
tabling tho necessary burthens, and In sub
mitting to sacrifices to mnke such prepara
tions, it Is undoubtedly iho peoplo of theso
Staffs. It has often been charged
asalnst freo lioveriimcntr tlmt they have
neither the foresight nor the virtue to provide
at tho proper .season for giciit emergencies;
tlint their course is improvident and expensive:
lhat war will always find thetn unprepared, and
whatever may bo Its calamities, that Its ter
rible warnings will be disregarded and for
gotten as soon ns peace icturns. I have full
ronfldenco that this charge so fur as relates
to the United States will be shown to bs ut
terly destltutoof truth.
HEINE ON THE PRUSSIAN EAGLE
Krom tho London Chronicle.
Heine (about whom. In spite of the professors
there was no kultur) hated Prussia and Frus
sianlsm, and soma of his bitterest satire and
Invective were directed, were hurled against
this evil spirit that he saw In the making. In
his "Germany" he apostrophized the Prussian
eagle thus:
Detestable bird! If e'er thou shoulds't fail
In my hands, thou creature perfidious,
I would tear thy feathers from oft thy back,
And hack off thy talons hideous!
I then would stick thee high up on a polo
In the air, thou wicked freebooter.
And then to the Joyful shooting match
Invite each Huenlsli sharpshooter.
The verses were erased from tho original edl.
tlon by the censors. In these more civilized
days his reward would probably have been a
fortress or the rope.
HEALING FRAGRANCE
The primal duties shine aloft like stars;
The charities, that soothe, and heal, and blesd,
Are scattered at the feet oC Man like flowers.
The generous Inclination, the Just rule.
Kind wishes, and good actions, and pure
thoughts
No mystery is there!
Wordsworth.
YOUR WORD
From tht Ciaclonut Enquirer.
lit as good as your word, but see that your
word U good.
A STRENUOUS EFFORT
I
WINTER CAMPAIGN OF THE ALLIES
Analysis of the Situation in Northern France Little Difference1
Since the Third Week in
vs."OntoParis!"
By FRANK II. SIMONDS
FOIt nearly two months tho ofllclnl state
ments of German nnd Kronch war olllccs
alike havo referred olmost dally to ciifiuge
nients in Western Champagne. Lo Mesnll,
Henusejour and Vlllo-sur-Tourlie havo again
and iignln been tho scenes of desperate com
bats. Plainly there has been going on In
this field a ninjor operation. Now tho Ger
mans announce It has terminated In French
defeat that tho llattlo of Champagne has
been a German victory. It Is, then, an ap
propriate tlmn to analyze what has probably
been tho most Important engagement In tho
west In 101.1.
At tho outset it Is necessary to review hur
riedly tho situation between tho Olso anil thn
Mou.s? as It bus developed slnco tho great
German invasion was halted at tho Manic in
September. At that time threo great masses
of Germans were operating between the two
rivers. Tho first, under Von Kluck, ap
proached Paris and then went east and south.
The second, under Von Dulow, cumo south
through Tlhelms, passed tho Marno near
Clintons nnd was- defeated about St. Gond
nnd Camp de Mal'.ly. The third, under tho
Crown Prince, passed between tho Argonno
and Verdun and wns halted about Vitry-le-Francols.
Tho Deadlock
As those armies retreated tho first took
up tho position behind tho Alsno, north of
Solssons and south of Laon; tho second foil
back until It occupied tho northern forts
about Hhelms: whllo the third withdrew as
far ns Vnrcuiics, In Iho Argonno. When tho
retreat halted theso throe armies established
contact nnd occupied a front from tho Olse,
cast of Noyau, to tho Mouse, north of Ver
dun. Von Kluck repassed tho Alsno on Septem
ber 11, and on the next dny tho ntltlsh, fol
lowing, look giound about Solssons, but wero
unable to advance. Three weeks of desperate
fighting In this Held resulted In it deadlock.
On October !) tho Prltlsh nrmy gavo up Its
trenches to French reserves and entrained
for Belgium, where It presently halted tho
German ndvanco about Ypres.
Tho French troops who replaced tho British
pushed their advance against tho Germans,
mudo considerable progros-s west of Craonne,
on the Laon road, but woro finally heavily
defeated In January, driven across tho Alsno,
and tho wholo offensive west of Rhclms camo
to nn abrupt close.
In tho same fashion tho early efforts of tho
French who pursued Von Billow's army from
tho Mnrno wero checked In tho eastern
suburbs- of Rhelms This city had been a
fortified place, surrounded by a circle of
forts. In their great retreat tho French had
dismantled tho forts and ovacuated them.
Tho Germans In their turn occupied tho east
ernmost forts, brougl t up heavy artillery
and speedily halted all offensive operations In
this district. From tho second week In Sep
tember to the present tlmo tho German lino
hero has held solid and German artillery still
bombards Tthclms nt will.
Having failed about Solssons and about
rthelms, thero was left to tho French a third
possibility. Between Hhcims and tho Argonno
Is the great plain of wMialons.-, familiar In his
tory nn tho scene of tho defeat of Attlla. Tho
Argonne Itself Is a long range o low hills
rising abruptly from the plain somo hundreds
of feet, perhaps ten miles wide, and thickly
wooded.
Through the passes In this range run sev
eral highways and railroads', three of real
value. The southernmost pass, that near St.
Menehould, carries tho Verdun-Paris Rail
road. Near Its western entranco is Valmy,
tho scene of tho famous Prussian defeat In
the Fren-h Revolution. This road the French
hold. Some ten miles to the north is the
fcecond pass, that of Grand Pro. Possession
of this was and is contested by the opposing
forces, but It remains chiefly In German
hands.
Finally, some six miles further north, Is
Vouzlers, at the western end of the upper
pass. Through this comes the railroad from
Sedan, one of the life lines of the Germans
In France. Just south of Vouzlers this line
leaves the Vozlors-St, Menehould line, and,
turning west, touches the Rhelms-Charlevllle
Railroad north of Rhelms.
Strategy of the French
Tho object of French strategy In this
operation was- to move north until French
troops crosijed and cut the Vouzlers line,
thus destroying one of the two lines of sup
ply for the Germans about Rhelms. At the
same time occupation of Grand Pre and
Vouzlers would permit the French to later.
I
September "On to Berlin!" "f
posu between tho German army before V.
mm and tltut before Rhelms, proventlarl
direct communication between them and ex. 1
posing tho flanks of both.
Could tho French advance bo pressed hom
tho Germans beforo Rhelms would bo whillr
separated from those before Verdun. At '
Vouzlers the French would be north and la ..J
tho rear of tho nrmy beforo Rhelms and In a ,
position to attack It in front, flank and rear 3
nnd threaten the Rhelms-Charlevllle lim
near Hetlicl. Tho Germans would then In
compelled to retiro from Rhelms nnd lake a )
position behind tho Alsnc about rtethcl. The
Verdun army would In turn be compelled ta I
hin- b,,,,ii,u mm muite a new contact wlul
the Hhelms nrmy by way of Stcnay.
Another successful push would take the Ai
French to tho Mouse, near Sedan, and cut '
tho main and tho only connection between
German nrmlos in tho west and those In'
the east south of Namttr. Hitherto the ability
of tho Germans to move their troops from S
Alsaco-Lorrnlno to Chnmpagno and Flanden'-'J
has been tho chief cause of tho successlvt3
triumphs In foiling attacks on their comj
municatlons. It was by such an operation"'
that they drove the French out of St. QuentlnJ
and Peronno early In October nnd thus saved"!
their whole position In France from the motte
dangerous of all tho attacks made upon llfl
to tho present hour.
. .. .... 'I
the uorman Line Has Held
The sole o'-lcct of German strategy w
to hold tho lino between tho Argonne and
Rhelms, south of nnd covering tho Vouzlerjl
Railroad. At tho end of two months there IsJ
no reason to question the German claim that!
this lino has benr hld. Such progress as the!
French havo mudo north r Soualn, of Ma
Mcsuil, of VIlle-sur-Tourbe has not yet coy-
ercd the half a dozen miles between tlnj
French front at tho beginning of tho battle'l
and tho Vouzlers- Railroad.
Hast of tho Argonne a French offenalvsl
marching parallel with that west has made J
equally slight progress. Tho Grand rre mi
still remains contested ground, with no Indtv
cation thnt cither sldo has any Immedlats
prospect of winning tho commanding posi
tion. In sum, whllo the French have jnadtt
slight progress- cast of Rhelms, as they haTSj
lost. Bomo ground to tho west, the -wholel
Champagne operation from September toj
March has been practically fruitless. Cew
man lines still hold, German artillery stttlj
bombards Rhelms nt will. Tho German posh
tlon In Northern Franco is solid.
But It Is necessary henceforth to watch
tho Argonne operation closely nowhere eks
along tho wholo German front In France
could n successful offenslvo be so effective In,
so short a distance as between Soualn tty
Vouzlers. German estimates of a French loss,
of 45,000 in this- operation indicate how !'
perately the French havo tried to advance.1
Tho key of tho wholo operation remains toy
railroad.
A Mammoth Achievement
Meantime, it is also necessary to record!
tho complete failure of tho Allies in thelrJ
winter campaign. In Champagne and FUoJ
ders two ambitious efforts hnvo been stopp'-JJ
almost nt their starting place. The Iintl"1!
troops, which wero in sight of La Bassee cfj
October L'0. are still west of It; though the rn
cont operations nbout NeuvoChapelle.nortlfofJ
La Bassee, Indlcnto a notable but IndecUUi
advance. So far thero has been not the smalRl
est indication that tho Allies can by any t4
mendous offenslvo sweep tho Germans ta
from France. Wo are still exactly wbere i
were In the third week nf Sentember. Regard
being had for what thoy have accomplished
on the eastern frontier, this represents 3
achievement on the German part likely to tO
long memorable In history.
More and more the situation In the '?H
comes to resemble that in Virginia In d4l
Civil War. Between the Blue Ridge y
Chesapeake Bay Confederate lines held uni",
the summer of 1S6L and from Richmond '
the mountains until 1S65. "On to RIchroondR
was as familiar a cry then as "On to Bm
lln!" Is now. Such satlifactlon as the Aiut;
can find In tho western campaign Is dlscQij
orablo Jn the fact that there Is no longer
prospect of an "On to Paris!" drive-
France the Germans are on the defensive
but on the defensive they are yet lj
pugnable.
A DEFENSE THAT CONDEMNS
From the New lupubllc.
ClausewlU was right when he declared :
war -was mrlv nn nrtiiniiinn of DOllliC
though he meant the sayln-r aa a Ju"1"!
ot war, sensitive ago oiviujta peopm " :
it is an inuictment or polities.
.m
JL ---A ,.
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