NOTES ON THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2282, 16 October 1914, Page 4

NOTES ON THE WAR

Matters arc moving briskly on the Allies' Left in the north-east of France. Day after day at this point the movement towards tho Belgian frontier has been going on. Occasionally an item comes through .which seems to indicate a check, but this is quickly remedied. At last advices for instance the Germans were in force in Yprcs, just across on the Belgian, side of the frontier, and bad taken possession of Lille, a few miles to the SAY., and on 'the French side of the frontier. To-day we learn that the French forces have occupied Ypros, which means that they are into Belgium, at this point. It is all guesswork, however, attempting to locate the exact positions of the forces. If we take the messages as they cprae the opposing lines zigzag across the country from north to south, and overlap one another in a most bewildering fashion,' The only way to arrive at any idea_ of . the situation is to tako the main points at which the- fightinc has occurred and mark the, general trend of the movements, of' the opposing forces. For example it has been quite clear for some days past that the Allies' Left was moving in a north-easterly direction and that the Germans were falling back. That movement is confirmed to-day by tho news that the French now occupy Ypres and that some of their regiments have penetrated as far as the vicinity of Ghent. This is a very marked advance.

The progress that is being made at this point is tho more striking because of the counter-efforts of tho German forces to secure possession of the coaet-line as far to the westward as Calais. It seems that contemporaneously with the seizure of Antwerp the Germans sought to force their way along the northern coastline of France ag far as Calais, where, as stated, they could hoist the German flag within view of England. It was an attractive idea from tho German point of view, and no doubt was designed to strike terror into the heart of perfidious Britain. Unhappily for those dispatched to carry out the plan tho Allies were ready and waiting, and tho German advance was first cheoked and then driven back in disorder. Following on this has come the news of the Allies' advance into Belgium.. There is silence as to_ the position at Ostend, and it is fairly Bafo to assume that the Belgians did not attempt to defend the town, but _ probably retreated in tho direction of the Allies' lines in France. We may learn something of their movements within the noxt day or two.

There havo been hints of increased activity at the other end of the Allies', long line—that is, on the Eight Wing, and especially in the vicinity of Verdun. The German Okown Prince is here, and though we havo not been given any details of the operations afoot, sufficient has been disclosed to indicate that there has been a good deal of fighting. French reports give the impression that tho pressure which forced back the Grown Prince's Army some weeks ago was being maintained, and that the process of ejection from France though slow was sure. German, reports contradict this view, and suggest that the fighting has now become stationary; or rather that the Croavn Prince is more than holding his own. One thing seems clear, and that is- that the Germans'are still making desperate efforts at this point to take the offensive. French reports admit this much. Moreover, a Paris message' goes so far as to state that the Germans are not yet in contact with tho Verdun forts, the "yet" seeming to imply that they may be ero long. So far the experience of the war does not breed confidence in forts when opposed to modern siege artillery, but the forts on the southeastern frontier of Franco arc designed to assist the Array in the fiold and may prcYO valuable in that [capacity should the Bincb. arise. In

any,case it seems probable that there will be big happenings shortly in this quarter.

llussiA ia on the eve of a great battle—the greatest she has yet faced. A late message describes the position of the opposing forces, the Russian main line extending from Przemysl, in Galicia, to Warsaw, in Russian Poland. The point of chief interest at the moment is the fact that the German Centre lias taken up a position in Russian Poland some 90 miles from its own frontier. From this it would soem that ■ the Russians' Centre reported to have been advancing to invade Germany by way of PoEcn has halted along the banks of the Vistula to await the German attack. This may bo sound strategy and may_ fit in, with the operations i in Galicia, but it serves to emphasise the fact that progress in this quarter is slow. From all appearances_ we. shall have great battles raging simultaneously in both the Eastern and Western theatres of war. This should be in favour of tho Allies, and, as was suggested a,few days ago, it probably has been their endeavour to lead up to , this situation.

Some of the American newspapers , attach more importance to the peacemediation proposals originating -in the United States than probably will be conceded them in any part of the British Empire or in tho countries of our Allies. The San Francisco Chronicle of September 16,' for example, speaks in its news columns of "the informal peace inquiry of the United States (addressed to Germany) which it is hoped will open the way to' end tho European war." The Chronicle adds that the feeling of optimism in American Administration circles was heightened by the signing on September' 15 of treaties between the United States, Great Britain, France, Spain, and China which it is believed "will make a-rmed conflict between the. United States and these nations almost if not entirely impossible." The treaties, provide that all disputes which cannot be settled by diplomacy shall bo submitted to a permanent commission for investigation for one year, and are similar in principle to the twenty-two treaties signedV the United States with Central and South American Republics and a few European countries. The American Government has now instructed its embassies and legations in Germany, Russia, Austria, and Belgium to express the desire of the .United States to sign similar -treaties with those countries. Japan alone, according to tho Chronicle, is not likely to enter meantime into similar negotiations with the United States. . The four treaties signed on September 15, it is added, arc regarded by officials and diplomatists at Washington as the most advanced step which the, American Government has taken to forward the cause of peace. It is rather unlikely that these somewhat far-fetched views will find acceptance anywhere outside the United States.

•No doubt tho treaty-making activity of the Washington -authorities will do something to conserve American interests, but it cannot have any appreciable effect in bringing the present war to an end. In face of the firm agreement into which Britain and her Allies have entered it seems perfectly clear that the .only alternative to a long war is surrender on tho part of Germany and Austria. This apart the Entente Powers c-annot be expected to view with much enthusiasm the spectacle of the greatest of the neutral nations making friendly advances to their enemies—even in the cause of future world-peace—and especially to a Power like Germany which has dishonoured treaties and violated the rules of warfare and the canons of international law. If the Chronicle expresses a representative opinion it would seem that "Uncle Sam" is_ intent upon fortifying his own position from a purely selfish standpoint and at the same time claiming credit as a friend of all the world. The supposition is strengthened rather than otherwise by the guarded reticence with which President Woodrow Wilson has replied to such protests and representations as have been made by the Powers at war with Germany against her flagrant disregard of the law of nations. On. the other hand .from the American Press and people there have come many assurances of generous sympathy with the Allies in their stand against a vioious military tyranny.

We have endeavoured- to avoid party politics in connection with matters relating to the war, but we would bo lacking in our duty to the public and to the friends and relatives of the men of our Expeditjoriary Force were we to pass unnoticed a oitter and grossly misleading reference to the force published yesterday by tli© New Zealand Times. The paper referred to has on many occasions displayed a spirit of vindictiveness towards members of tho Massey Government] who have been in the habit of treating i6s outbursts with an indifference amounting to contempt,_ In the present case, however, tho journal in question has excelled itself w_ith_ a series of wild assertionsand insinuations regarding the equipment and cost of tho Expeditionary Force, based for the most part on no sounder foundation than idle rumour, and calculated to cause uneasiness and alarm where not tie slightest ground'for such exists. It professes to believe that the announcement of tho Minister of Defence that the cost of the Expeditionary Force to date is about £250,000 discloses reckless extravagance and "that money has been wasted like water," and it concludes a sensational and utterly unwarranted attack with tho following alarming inquiry: What guarantee is lie (the Minister of Defence) prepared to give that ho is not sending to the front a. veritable ragged Army instead of ono that the people expected would bo servkeably-clothed nnd well-shod ? The suggestion here conveyod plainly is that the Expeditionary Force is being sent out of the country illequipped and that the Government is to blame for this. The wholo purpose of the article is td do the Government injury, and the fact that the attack is made under cover of a pretence that the publication .of such reckless allegations'is necessary in tho interests of the Expeditionary Force but aggravates the offence. The suggestion that tho Government are sending to the front "a veritableragged Army" is a grotesque fabrication, utterly at variance with fact. The public have seen for themselves the excellent equipment of tho men, the quality of the material, and the completeness of the attention to detail.

The only possible ground for exception of any kind is that the Defence Department was not able to secure in all cases- the best quality

of boot leather for tho class of work! required. General Sie Alexander Godley, who has head the responsibility of arranging the equipment of the Force, has not attempted to disguise the fact of the difficulty encountered in this matter of boots, but that affords no excuse for gross exaggeration and misrepresentation. General Godlev is an experienced soldier, a far-seeing man, who has the responsibility of handling and using these men on .the field of war. Is ho likely to have provided them with an unsuitable or an unsatisfactory equipment? On the contrary ho has publicly stated that he believed the New Zealand Force will land in England "better equipped than most of' the contingents that went from other parts of the Empire," and in this view'lie is supported by experienced officers with the Force. • As to the cost to date here again the paper referred to is grossly unfair. As a matter of fact it probably has not the slightest idea of what the £250,000 represents, and if the Minister had stated the expenditure to be £200,000 or any other sum it would

in all probability have accused the Government either of extravagance or of niggardliness. Unhappily in charging it with extravagance it overlooked the fact that Me. Fisher, Commonwealth Premier, had announced that Australia's efforts had already cost that country over £1,000,000, beside which our modest quarter of a million sinks into insignificance. Such unfair andexaggerated attacks on the Government, at'a time like the present are hardly likely to assist the Opposition cause, which is of course the object aimed at.