"PLAYING FOR A DRAW."

Press, Volume L, Issue 15158, 23 December 1914, Page 7

"PLAYING FOR A DRAW."

'TRUTH" OK GERMAN STBATEGT.

What is the real moaning of tho furious attempt to to the Channel coast, trhich has cost tho enemy such awful slaughter? (asks London 'Truth"). As a stroke of military strategy it is condemned by almost every expert, neutral as well as belligerent. Why have tho Germans been publishing ostentatiously particulars of their plans for the next step when they have got to Calais. Boulogne, and Havre—tho new guns with which they aro going to bombard Dover, tho niera of pontoons protected by mines that arc to bo built out into th© Straits so .13 to got closer to us, tho sowing of the -whole of our southern shores with mines for tho destruction am! stoppagoof our commerce, tho transport over iaml ofttoh o navy of "flat-bottomed boats" in which the invading army is to bo fpiried across the Straits, under cover of tho irresistible guns which carry twenty miles or more? Those schemes aro the laughing-stock of our naval men ; even soldiers aro not impressed by them. Why should the unusual course—especially Vor Germany — taken of publishing them in advance ? The answer to these questions seems to mo pretty obvious. The confident plans with which Germany declared war on Russia and Franco have now failed beyond redemption. Her armips will never get to Paris or Warsaw, or achieve any decisive stroke, in this war, and "sho knows it. The best she can hope for is to "play for a draw." to put herself into a position from which she cannot bo ejected, and try to wear out her enemies until eho can secure tolerable terms of peace and cut her loss. She can hope to do this in France, with her army in occupation of fivo departments. Until .a fortnight ago she hoped to do it in Poland. But what about England, whose territory sh»- cannot occupy, and whose command of the sea she dare not challenge, except by nin-pricks from submarines? England must bo thoroughly frightened. Her people have olways trembled at tho thought of invasion. Many of her ablest military experts have warned them again and again of the danger of trusting to naval defence. England must soe tho German Army confronting her aoro?s the Straits of Dover. She must hear Iho thunder of Krupp's masterpieces from tho land if sho cannot hear them from th o sea. Bhe must know exactly how the resources and ingenuity of Germany have compassed her destruction from the French coast. Sho must see, through tho telescope, tho hangars of the Zeppelins waiting the signal to go forth and devastate London. Confronted with all these fearful apparitions, tho British, being a chickenhearted, huckstering nation, with no thought for anything but dividends and the safety of their own skins, will bo ready at last to do a deal. Tho other Allies will already be in tho bargaining mood. Tho terms of retirement will be patched up, and tho German armies will return to the Fatherland in triumph. That calculation. I vcrilv believe, is at tho bottom of ai! the awful slaughter perpetrated during the last month in Flanders. And that,is why 1 regard any Briton who publicly admits that wo aro afraid today of Zeppelins, or of a German invasion via J']l? n £ o t...9. r . o t.anything else that Ger-