Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Præevalebit. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1916. DR HOLLWEG AND THE WAR MAP.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3567, 29 September 1916, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Præevalebit. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1916. DR HOLLWEG AND THE WAR MAP.

At the June .session 'of the Reichstag Dr yon BethmannHollweg, the German Chancellor, complained that the-Allies refused to acknowledge the evidences of their defeat. "They will not recognise the war map," he protested, "as they hope to improve it in their own favour." And then, to an accompaniment of Reichstag cheers, he recited five "great successes" Germany had won. These were:—" (1) The surrender of the British army at Kut-el-Amara, (2) defeats with tremendous losses of the French at Verdun, (3) the collapse of the Russian offensive, (4) the mighty thrust forward of our allies against Italy, (5) the strengthening" of our lines before Salonica. Just now," added the Chancellor, "we have received news of the naval battle off Jutland wi;th jubilant and grateful hearts. This is how the war map looks now. If our enemies desire to shut their eyes to it, then we must arid shall fight on until final victory."'- The Chancellor asserted that the map was constantly changing in the Germans' favour, but what explanation will he make to the present Reichstag concerning the ominous changes that have taken place during the four months that have elapsed since his silver-lined review was made ? In France, the Germans haveb'een driven out of 45-odd towns and villages, important strategic positions have been wrested'from the enemy, and present indications are that before the autumn finally merges into winter the only Germans left on French soil will be dead ones. On the Eastern front, the RussoRoumanians are over-running Transylvania, and General Brussiloft' mentions, quite casually, that the result of his remarkable drive has been to remove 800,000 enemy soldiers from the fighting lines. Serbia, too, is playing her part in the map-changing process, and soon the Bulgarians' ideal of a Bulgarised Belgrade will be completely shattered. Slowly, but surely, Italy is changing the map of Austria; and the Russian descent upon Turkey is certain to result in some remarkable alterations in the Sultan's dominions. German ■ East Africa, which the " KohuHche Zeitung" described as "our last and finest colony,'' has passed completely from German possession, and the British, French, and Belgians will henceforward reap the fruits of the millions of money Germany has spent in developing that wonderful country. These, then, are 'some of the changes which the Chancellor will have to report to the Reichstag, and he will be a wizard indeed if he can paint the new German map in such colours that it will compel the admiration of the members of the Reichstag. The work of driving the Germans out of occupied territory will not complete the map-changing 1 process. Alsace-Lorraine will assuredly revert to France, and Germany will be fortunate if the peace terms do not provide for the cession of a considerable area of country beyond the Belgian border to form a buffer against future raids across the Meuse. "What other changes will result will largely depend on the course of the war,. If Germany fights on till the Allies enter her territory, she may have to pay the penalty in the loss of nortion of her Em-

pire. But the gaps in her map are already too serious for oven the obstinate Kaiser to hold out till an invasion is inevitable.