PARIS MISSED.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 July 1917, Page 5

PARIS MISSED.

MOLTKEIS HESITATION. Considerable interest is taik'en in Paris ill an account published in the Eenais- % sance of a statement made by a German officer, alleged to be of high rank, to a Spanish journalist, who has reproduced it in a Bilbao newspaper. Aecortßng ttf this statement, General von Moltko "Was responsible personally for the German defeat on the Manie. He states that General von ICluck wished to surround! the capital, and undertook to capture it within a very short space of time. Ho telegraphed to Moltke, who gave him in* structions to ignore Paris and go in pursuit of the army corps of Franchet d'Esperey. In this way one day was lost. Ivluck insisted, and agiiin promis- 1 ed to reduce Paris in a few days, but again Moltke sent instructions that ha " should surround the French left. * Two dayß had nolw passed, and Klutfk ' « third time urged the importance of capturing Paris, and at the same moment drew attention to the fresh French army which was appearing on his right. Moltke insisted that this new array was unimportant, and that'the real objective was the French left. Three days had in this way been wasted, and when Kluck delivered his furious' attack oft the French left he iwas attacked in flank, as he had foreseen by the 6th French Army under General Mano'ury, and was forced to fall back to the Oureq. ''Such, according to the German statement, was the terrible error that can 1 never be forgotten. In this way we lost Paris, for we knew it could never resist a siege -by us, beoause its forts had no heavy guiis to reply;., to our modem weapons." More importance has probably been given to this statement in Paris than it actually merits, a.nd the academic question has been hotly discussed as to what, would haye been the effect in the early days of the war if Paris had fallen into Gerinan hands. There is considerable difference 6f opinion on tlio subject, and some argue that with the fall of Paris the whole French resistance Would have been crushed, while others maintain that, despite this blow, France would have continued to resist. The general opifiion hero in Paris; however, inclines to the belief that Moltke was personally responsible for the- currying out of the policy prepared iji advmo#, which unquestionably deprived tit' Germans- of a considerable military advantage, which,. it now apuefara lay. well within their grasp.