NOTES ON THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2253, 12 September 1914, Page 6

NOTES ON THE WAR

If our Generals in the field of war are as successful in confusing the enemy as to their plans as the news censor is in puzzling the newspapers and their readers, as to what is transpiring at the centres of war, then indeed there is reason for congratulation. The news of current events comes to hand in a- scrappy fashion, obviously designed to obscure the plans of the Allies.' Today', wo hear of a movement of tho forces and the next day's news plainly indicates a gap of one or more days' operations about which we have been told nothing. ' The sequence of events, too, is frequently destroyed, apparently with intent. Thus it is that now at what seems to he a most critical stage, of the fighting news comes to hand' which suggests important operations of which we have not'had the slightest hint. When we went to press yesterday the position in France showed the right wing of the German forces being driven back and the centre to the south-east of Paris dangerously situated- between two fires. Further away_ to the east the French Commander-in-Ohief was resisting the effort of the Germane to •junction with their forces entering France by way of Lorraine and Luxemburg. The position from the Allies' point of view was very satisfactory; and apparently it continues so.

The puzzling part of tho business, however, is that in to-day's, messages we are told that the Germans have completely evacuated the NorthWest of Franco except for small parties of Uhlans ; that the' northern railways have resumed traffic ; and that trains which went out yesterday to districts. in which heavy fighting recently took place found th 6 place clear of the enemy. Such information as has reached' us respecting the offensive movements of the Allies does not appear to have warranted this wholesale departure of ' the Germans from Northern France. It is true that their right wing has been forced back a distance of some 25 miles, but to all appearances it retired without any desperate fighting. What, then, is there behind it all? We are toltt that military critics in England are puzzled over the situation and suggest that the German retirement may be duo to a threatening movement by a new army of the Allies in Belgium- or Northern France. Confirmation of this view is to be found in two messages received today. _ The first of these records a sudden activity of the British fleet in .tho North Sea, emhracing a complete sweeping movement to and into Heligoland Bight. This may not be unconnected with a further transport of troops from England to Belgium or France. - The second item is the triumphant offensive movement. of the Belgians. It is probable that the Belgians have been reinforced, possibly by our Indian troops, and have thus, been able to threaten the German lines of communication through Belgium. Should this prove to be the case then the position of the Gentian forces in Franco may be more critical than has been suggested.

. The surprising outbreak/of aggressiveness on the part of the Belgian troops no doubt fits .in "with tho great movement against the German forces in France. Probably, too, as s'uggestecl above, ' the Belgians have the assistance of British troops. It is somewhat startling to note the_ line of advance- taken by the Belgians and the progress made thereon. According to the most recent messages received the Germans have been driven out of Louvain and also from the neighbourhood of Aerschot and Diest. These names will bo familiar to our readers as being associated, with the earliest stages of tho war when the Belgians were forced to retire from tho country around , Liege. Diest is about 35 miles in a south-easterly direction from Antwerp and only about 30 miles from Liege.' Why are the Belgians.moving in this direction I— that is, towards the German frontier. Presumably their purpose, is .to interfere with German supplies coming in through Belgium to the army in France. These activities in may, also account for tho Kaiser's appearance ' near Nancy.. With a new army of the Allies in Northern Belfeium threatening his rear and his lines of communication—an army, too, which may bo expected to steadily grow in ' strength—he may find his efforts in France crippled, if not completely paralysed, unless he can open communication with his main army by means of a route- further south. Up to the present he has not been able to force an entry beyond the line of fortresses protecting Central Franco on its eastern frontier, arid he may never succeed in doing so. ' ■ '•'

The heroic story of the retirement of the British troops from Hons is deserving of a permanent place in the military history of Britain. The forces under ■ Sir John French found themselves in the face of such overwhelming odds that it was quite impossible to hold the enemy in check for any length of timo. They could not achieve, victory—that was out of tho question; but by their heroic behaviour in desperately trying circumstances they, snatched victory from the hands of the enemy. It is a splondid story of cool, indomitable .courage. Tho French could give our men very little support They had to bear the brunt of the attack, but they succeeded in repelling'the repeated onslaughts of tho foe with great fortitude and determination. Sir John French tells us that'there was no time to entrench but the troops showed a magnificent front to the terrible fire, and though our artillery was outnumbered by at least four to one, it made a splendid fight and inflicted heavy losses. The situation was saved by cool and capable leadership, and remarkable courage and steadiness on tho part of the men.

In the House of Commons Mr. Asquith has announced Britain's plans to put into the field an army of 1,200,000 men exclusive of Territorials, National Deserves, and Indian and Colonial treops—altogether, the British forces that will Be available should the war be prolonged will be over a million and a half men. These will come pouring in in a steady stream heartening up the Allies and making their weight felt at a timo when even under the most favourable circumstances the German forces must be weakening under the strain. The- troops already actually enrolled for active service, including recruits, total nearly 700,000. and long before Christmas Britain if required should be able to put ivora half to three-quartern of a million of men In the field. Probably, ovej a auar-.

tor of a million British troops aro already in Franco and Belgium acting with the Allies, and each month will witness additions to their numbers.

Victory has again crowned the efforts of the Russian forces, the great battle at Lublin having resulted in the complete, rout of the Austrians. This second crushing defeat of tho main Austrian armies should clear the way for Russia to prosecute her campaign against Germany with greater cictivity. Tho impression appears to be growing that Austria.has been made the tool of the Kaisek in the present war, and 'a bitter resentment against Germany is springing up amongst the Austrians. - A day or two ago we were told that at any moment now Austria might sue for peace and leave her ally to face alone tho storm she has. raised. This is pleasant enough reading from the Allies' point of view, and it is difficult to see what Austria can now hope to gain by continuing the struggle. Internal disaffection is threatening her from within, and tho recent crushing defeats of her troops in Galicia' tod Russian Poland will encourage the malcontents. Latest advicesshow that tho' Austrian troops are evacuating Cracow, and it is stated that the inhabitants are displaying Eussian sympathies. Cracow is on tho road to a Russian advance on Germany by way of Silesia, and it would be a material advantage to the Russians to have their lines passing through a friendly, instead of a hostile, region.

It should not be expected that the Russian advance in Germany will progress at any great speed. The country which the Russian forces in Germany now appear to be .operating in is much broken up with lakes and swampy marshes, and tho roads are bad. It is suggested by the correspondent of the Condon Daily Telegraph that the coming of the winter months will assist the Russians, inasmuch as the lakes and swamps will be frozen hard and the troops will be able to pass over without difficulty. A' winter campaign involves terrible hardships, but probably the Russians would endure it rather better than anyone else. It would seem that the Germans in the east have been considerably strengthened of lato, but how far this lias weakened the Kaiser's forces in France can only_ be guessed at. Tho fact that the Germans appear to be relying on strengthening their fortified positions along the Vistula, rather than to meet the Russians in force nearer the frontier, would seem to indicate that the reinforcements sent to.the east have not been so numerous as has been suggested. In view of, the situation in France it is difficult to sec how the Kaisek could afford to send troops from that quarter; although it is of course quite possible that the changed situation in France and Belgium may be in a measure due to the removal of German, troops from that quarter.

Although there has been ia somewhat heavy drain upon public gen-erosity-of late New Zealanders may be expected to respond with reasonable liberality to the appeal -that is now being made on behalf of unfortunate people in England, Belgium, and France, who are facing the approach of a bitter, winter, in too many oases with resources hopelessly inadequate to enable them to maintain even an ordinary, degree, of comfort. Arrangements are already in train to send Homo quantities of food from. New Zealand, Australia, and Canada, for the relief of distress among the poorer people in Great Britain and tlio other countries named, and it is now proposed to supplement this assistance by organising a Blauket Fund which will be expended upon New Zealand blankets tb bo sent Home with a similar end in view. The ptoject _is one that should appeal to charitably-disposed people, for this country, affords no parallel to the hardships that fall to the lot of the poor people whom it is designed to 'relieve. The distress due to the war superadded to their ordinary living conditions would make their fate terrible if they .were not assisted. Hardships in Britain, with its severe winter, will be bad enough, but there will be even greater sufferings and necessities araonir. the people of Belgium and France whose countries have been over-run-by war, and a little practical help .in the way of providing these unfortunate people with warm bedding will do a vast amount of good, it is not suggested that individual subscriptions ,ncod be large—the sum of £l will purchase three New Zealand blankets—but it is honed that the fund will exercise «i wide appeal and that a large number of small subscriptions will enable substantial'assistance to be rendered, Apart from the worthy initial purpose of the Undertaking, it may bo pointed out that it will afford a certain amount of employment for local ' workers, and will also do something to advertise a developing New Zealand manufacture., It is above'all things necessary that the fund should ' bo raised and expended as speedily as possible, for, the Eurbnean winter is about to open, aid the proposed ■assistance, to be effective; must be rendered" nniekly. Subscriptions pent in will be acknowledged in The Dominion.