NOTES ON THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2258, 18 September 1914, Page 4

NOTES ON THE WAR

Big events probably are happening at the .theatres of war, but there is little to be gathered of these from to-day's cable messages. The German retreat in France seems slowed down owing to the retreating forces having reached a position, presumably on the heights near tho forts of Laon and La Fere, which lends itself to a defensive stand.- In this neighbourhood there is a possibility of another big engagement being fought, althougn a further retreat of the Germans is equally probable. The Allies seem to have kept hot on the heels of the German rearguard, Who, judging from the disjointed fragments of news to hand, must have lost considerably during the retreat. Still the rearguard of a retreating army expects to lose heavily with an aggressive and victorious force in pursuit, and the fact that the main German army is in a position to make a further stand speaks well for the service which its covering force must have rendered. It is probable that the shortage of food supplies and ammunition amongst the German troops has been to some extent remedied ere this. The increased activities of the Gorman forces in Belgium were no doubt designed to keep clear, the lines of cpmmunica-. tion,.which the Belgians were threatening. Until we learn something about the position of the Allies' left wing it is useless to speculate as to whether the stand now being made by the Germans' is merely a further covering movement or a decisive stand in force. The Allies at last advices appeared to bo threatening to envelop the German northern wing, and if at all successful in this a further 'retirement of the Germans may be expected all along the line. Possibly our late cable messages may throw' some light on this. The Russians' are about to change their plan of campaign, and to abandon the invasion of East Prussia for a, strategically better route to Berlin. This is by.no means a surprising decision. Anyone' glancing at tho map of Europe will readily see that there are far better ways from Russia into the heart of Germany than by way of the long stretch of/country east of the Vistula, which juts out like an excrescence, with the Baltic Sea flanking it in the north, and Russia on the east and south, After her successes in Galicia.'Russia probably will prefer southern route for the advance'' on Germany, and will proceed by way of Silesia and Poson. This will not mean the total abandonment of East Prussia. .Forces probably will operate there as_ well, but not in such_ strength as in tho south. The Russians are stated to be claiming a share in the AngloFrench successes in France. No one will be inclined to begrudge them this. They have played their part in the plan of campaign laid dowm.by tho Allies with admirable effect, and are now to be honoured with the attentions of the Kaiser in person. We can only hope that our Russian Allies will prove as successful in upsetting the Kaiser's plans as were the Anglo-French troops in France. The figures supplied to-day of the Austrian losses to date against the Russians in killed, wounded, and prisoners arc staggering. It is stated that in round 'numbers they total 250,000 killod and wounded and 100,000 prisoners—or in other words about equal to the whole adult male population of New Zealand. The Russians no doubt also lost heavily; we know that in France the Germans snl'faved v«ry heavy casual tieo J thdt the Allies too. at times bad sc-iat'isj

losses; and the fighting between tho Servians and Austrians has gone to swell the appalling total. In less than seven weeks of the war there must have been over half a million casualties, taking all the forces engaged. Probably the majority of the wounded will recover from the injuries, but the loss of life is appalling. War on such a scale cannot be long sustained. • It is not at all surprising to learn that in Italy the feeling in favour of going in with the Entente is gaining in intensity. Italy has nothing to gain from tho aggrandisement of Germany; on the contrary her position would then become even more uncomfortable tha,n it lias been as a member of the Triple Alliance. In the role of the poorer member of the family, Italy has received scant courtesy and less consideration from her bigger and more powerful allies, and her relations with Austria especially have been far from happy. Austrian and Italian interests are In direct conflict in more than one direction, but especially in regard to the Adriatic and tho Balkan States. If Italy consulted her best interests she would certainly join with tho Triple Entente, to overthrow Austro-German ambitions, but her statesmen apparently prefer at present to look on at the struggle, hoping perhaps to step in at a later stage with more effect and at less cost. The people of Italy do hot appear to like this passive role: and it is by no means improbable that the weight of public feeling will carry the day. . i '

The deep silence Which continues to surround naval operations in the North Sea must not be taken .to denote any lack of activity on the part of the British Fleet. From time to time- scraps of news leak through, showing that the Fleet is thoroughly on the alert and ready to seize any opportunity Which may come its way or which it may open out by its own efforts to strike a mow at the enemy or foil, his efforts. But until to-day we have had.no news at all—not even the. slightest hint—of the work of British submarines. Britain's flotillas of these deadly undcr-water craft. are far superior, to those of Germany, and though the majority are designed for service in Home waters there are quite sufficient available for service elsewhere to keep _ the German small craft in the vicinity of Heligoland on the alert. So far the submarines have riot come up to expectations in the present war.'The first that was heard of them, in connection with active work was the.destruction of a German submarine by the cruiser Birmingham, which'first blinded it by firing at and breaking its periscope and then when it came to the surface to discoverits whereabouts, sunk it for all timo. Tho second occasion was the destruction of the British scout Pathfinder by a German submarine, whioh subsequently was chased by other British vessels, and, when it was compelled to rise to the surface for air, it snared the fate of its victim. The third occasion—that recorded to-day —introduces us for the first.occasion during the war to a British submarine at work. It was successful in sinking its quarry and then returning in safety to the shelter of the Fleet. No doubt we shall learn mor© of the activities of these under-water 1 fighting craft as the war progresses but it is plain that at present they have very distinct limitations. ;

Feesh instances of revolting cruelty on the part of the German invaders of Belgium are recorded almost daily. After making every allowance for possible exaggeration, a terrible list of outrages remains to be answered for, The second report of the Belgian Commission, which was published in yesterday's issue, gives some shocking cases, and in today's messages will be found an account given by Miss' Louise Maok, an Australian lady, of .the horrors which tools place at Aojschot, The brutalities of the German soldiers in Belgium are quite as bad, if not worse, than those which took place during the Balkan War* A scrupulous regard for the laws of civilised warfare was hardly to be expected from those half-civilised Slav and Turkish tribesmen, but the world has a right to expect something better from the "cultured" Germans, who, according to one of their own writers, have been called to an intellectual priesthood" to which "high vocation they have done no dishonour." If.DR, Dollinqeb, who wrote these words, had lived to read the horribk record of German barbarities during the present war, his extravagant belief in the mental and moral superiority of his countrymen might have been rudely shaken. When the struggle is over the gross manner in which the law of nations has been violated by the Germans will probably .be inquired into by some international tribunal. The list of atrocities already available constitutes a terrible indictment. Although the sharp skirmish amongst the British party leaders on the Ulster question two days a.go is clear enough evidence that as soon as the war is over the controversy on the Home Rule Bill will flanio forth with renewed energy, the discussion left the House not a whit less determined to stand solidly united in defence against the common ' enemy. The assurance of Mr. F. E. Smith, M. P.—expressed in an interview which we publish to-day—that the unanimity of purpose which inspires the nation to sink its party differences in the country's time of stress had not been weakened by this ruffling of the political atmosphere will be rather a "facer" for German diplomacy, which no doubt is assiduously making mischief over the incident, and sparing no,pains in at tempts to convince tho lookers-on amongst the nations that Britain is threatened" witrMnternal dissension.