NOTES ON THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2259, 19 September 1914, Page 6

NOTES ON THE WAR

Amid the maze of- confusing estimates concerning the progress of the great struggle in Europe, the words of Earl Kitchener in the House of Lords, published this morning, stand out clear and convincing. "We have good grounds," ho said, "for quiet confidence; but the struggle is bound to be long." That Germany's plans liavo been completely upset has become more apparent than ever of late; but this does not mean that any effort should bo relaxed on the part of the Allies. In another article the extent to which Germany has been disappointed in her expectations is discussed, and need not be dwelt on' here: but unless Austria collapses completely, and unless the people of Germany, who havo been dragged into this war largely through tho overbearing- arrogance of the military caste, rise up in revolt against it, we would lie foolish indeed to count on an early cessation of hostilities. The German armies in France have suffered a serious defeat and suffered tremendous losses. Their defeat will have been the more serious in its effect because they have been trained to regard themselves as invincible, and had been buoyed lip with confidence by thirfr superior numbers and earlier successes. The moral effect of tho Allies' triumph must bo tremendous; tho outlook from their point of view gives every reason for confidence in tho future: but this does not meau that the end is yet in sight. Tho Germans undoubtedly had many things in their favour at the outset of the war which they have since lost. They were more fully prepared than any other nation; their mobilisation was more complete and rapid; their numerical strength (including the Austrian forces) both east and west was greater than that of the Allies. All_ these advantages on which they relied so much to enable them to strike a vital blow in tho early stages of tho war have now been lost,'and the vital blow has not been struck. So it is that tho head of the British War Department, Earl Kitchener, tells us that we have good grounds for viewing the future with quiet confidence.

So far as actual happenings at the front are concerned, the Censor has once more asserted his autocratic sway, and at midnight the news to hand was' of the scantiest description. The mysterious hints of a new army added to the Allies' forces in France, operating against the German right wing, find further confirmation in a message from the Daily Mail correspondent, but no light is thrown on the constitution of this force. It may be a- new British Expeditionary Force from England, or it may be the Indian troops or the Canadian troops, or all three combined. In any case its ■ arrival has been—as was the case with the first British force—most timely. A new force [pi fresh troops in a- position to attack the German right wing should at the present juncture have a tremendous effect along the whole German line. According to the Daily Mail correspondent, the right wing of the German force has been already compelled to fall back in face of the enveloning movement by the Allies' left. This suggests the probability that the River Meuse'is the point at which the German forces will seek to make their decisive'stand, and the engagement now in progress may be merely designed to cover the retreat to that locality; Tho lack of news however, is significant. It will be 'reoalled that on all occasions when heavy fighting has been in progress there has been a sudden cessation of news bearing on the actual' operations at the front, and the present instance probably will be found no exception to this rule. When the Censor relaxes his hold wo may expect to learn of important developments. It should be borne in inind that the Allies must endeavour to push home their success to the fullest extent within their power, and to allow the enemy as little breathing time as possible. The scarcity of news therefore can hardly be attributed to a lull' in hostilities.