Progress of the War.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16146, 26 February 1918, Page 6

Progress of the War.

Of activity on any of the fronts there is no news of importance to-day. It is probable that tho break in 'iho weather reported by Sir Douglas Haig has put an end to oven minor movements on tho West front for the timo being, though, according tp a "special " correspondent," th© ground has hardened, and the worst period of the winter is now deemod to be over, so that the lull should be of short duration. The situation in Hussia is dealt with in a number of messages, which serve only to confirm 'the impression gained from tho earlier reports that nothing short of a miracle can avert the overthrow of our erstwhile Ally. Th« acceptance of the drastic peace

| demands of Germany is sufficient to indicate that nothing -whatever can be hoped for from tho present regime in I the way of saving the country from i the critical situation into which their I past political insanity has led it. The | only possible hope for Russia lies in ■ tho immediate overthrow of ihc | Bolshevik Government, and tho forma- • tion of an exccntive comprised of the J leading generals of the old army, but I such a drastic change appears improbable, judged from present circumstances. The only other news to-day ; relating to actual military operations j consists of the grudging admission n i the Turks that they were unablo to I resist the British advance, and fell I hack upon previously prepared lines of defence. AVc referred the other day to tho anxiety caused in Lisbon by an alleged proposal that tho tropical African colonies of all nations should be converted into an International State, apparently of a Labour, or Socialistic, character. It is now clear that the agitation arose out of a clause in the memorandum on Labour's War Aims to which we refer in our leading article to-day. This clause set forth that "tho interests of humanity would be best served by the full and frank abandonment by pil the belligerents of any dreams of an African Empire, and by the transfer of the present Colonies of the European Powers in Tropical Africa, however tho limits of this area may be defined, to the proposed Super-National Authority or League of Nations." A suggestion of this kind simply invited criticism, and it got it. A leading London paper, which is by no means unsympathetic with the aspirations and theories of Labour, described, is as "the ono really wild shot" in the memorandum, and pointed out that throe obvious objections to it, among others, were that it would principally penalise Belgium, which hardly deserved just now to be singled out for spoliation, that it would imposo on the new-born League of Nations a task far beyond its powers, and that all experience showed that a condominium was "about the worst method of administering tropical dependencies, and should never be sanctioned if it oould possibly be avoided." * Sit" Harry Johnston, who knows probably as much as any Englishman about tropical Africa and its problems, had also something to say about lliis fatuous declaration, as lie termed it. The paper we have quoted was particularly concerned about Belgium, Sir Harry with Portugal. Already, l, e asserted, tho project had alarmed Portugal and had even cooled tho enthusiasm of the Portuguese for the Allies' cause. Ho pointed out that Italy and Franco were also involved in I the question, and that the Union of South Africa might be invited to surrender Northern Rhodesia, while ihe "well-governed, contented, prosperous British Crown Colonies and Protectorates in East, West, and Contra 1 Africa, each building up a special nationality and idiosyncrasy under tho British regis," would be "de-Britan-nicised a.nd transferred—not even to native rulers and councils but—to some International Board, which will to a certainty contain cranks and dreamers prepared to ride some foolish library theory to tho death." In a subsequent passage Sir Harry Johnston, who has a fine, full-flavoured vocabulary, referred to the proposed "super-na-tional" authority, as an "international committee of unpractical theorists, disguised grabbers, or sinecure place--holders." The result of carrying into effect the Labour Party's proposal would be, in Sir Harry's opinion, a revolt throughout negro Africa. "British, Portuguese, South African, French, Italian commerce with Africa will go to pieces; the hundreds of millions we have invested in Tropical Africa (to the enormous benefit and enrichment of the natives) will be lost, and the British Empire, to avoid financial ruin and starvation, will split up into its component parts." Sooner than this proposal, he would prefer to restore to Germany her lost colonies. « It is probable that the project would never have been mooted, even by a Labour Party that is a sworn foo to Imperialism, if the members of that party were well-informed conccrning Africa. Their want of knowledgo in this matter, of course, leaves thorn tho more free to propound solutions of the problems involved, but it necessarily detracts from tho practical value of their proposals. Tho visionary, however, is often quito blind when it comes to handling material affairs that lie outside tho ordinary routino of his life and surroundings. A wider knowledgo of the Empire and a fuller sympathy with tho not unworthy aspirations of tho men <rho have given, and are giving, their lives to it, might have prevented tho Labour Part,y from suggesting a schcme which.stands self-condemned, if otily that it breeds suspicion and doubt in the minds of our Allies. I