NOTES ON TEE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2293, 29 October 1914, Page 4

NOTES ON TEE WAR

During the recent recruiting campaign in Loud Ourzojj, an Ex- Viceroy or India, made reference to the intention of tho British Government to accept' the offer of the services of Indian troops in Europe. He added: "When these men reach tho battlefield keep your eyo on tho turban and the dark skin, and I think y,ou will find that they will not dishonour you.". To-day for tho first time we have been given an opportunity to get our eyes on to the Indian troops in action, and indeed they have not dishonoured us. It is a stirring story that the cables bring us. La.Bassee has been one of the crucial positions associated with the great effort tho Germans have been making to break the Allies' line in the region to the south-west of Lille. There the fighting has raged with the utmost fierceness for days past, first one- side and then the other securing the advantage. When the Allies demonstrated that they were in a position to out-envelop the enveloping movement of the Germans north .of. Lille, the German Headquarters Staff threw a strong force against the Anglo-French-Belgian forces in North-East France near the frontier, while simultaneously hurling a reinforced army against tho Allies in the Arras region further south. At this critical stage the Indian troops were given their chanco.

The story is told in some detail in our cable news, and need not bo repeated hero. The British troops at La Basseo found themselves compelled to yielfl under the pressure of an overwhelming force of Germans, who despite- heavy losses succeeded in reaching the British trenches. The Indian troops, who had been held in reserve, were let loose to stem the onrushing German forces. It was just the class of fighting to suit the Indian troops—hand-to-hand encounters. They rushed the enemy with all the impetuosity and fury of a whirlwind, checked the great mass of oncomine- Germans, routed them with great slaughter, and the Bengal Lancers finished up the work of the infantry with the utmost thoroughness. It was magnificent' work at a critical time. A break in the Allies' line at La Bassee might have had serious consccruenccs on tho operations of tho whole force-; it certainly would have compelled a partial retirement at a critical st-age of the struggle. Those who knew them best foretold that the Indian troops would acquit themselves with credit even against the highly-trained forces of Germany, and they have clearly demonstrated that this is the case, i A great deal depends, of course, upon the handling of troops —an understanding of their national characteristics and temperament. The majority of the Indian troops are best fitted for dashing exploits such as that recorded to-day. The weary monotony of trench-fighting at long range -would not find them at their best; but given the opportunity of hand-to-hand encounters, with the precedent fierce exhilarating rush to come to grips, and they like the Turcos are terrible adversaries.

Turning now to tho general position in Franco and Belgium, there is very little change to record. By the light of details now filtering through, we are able to see that tho German attempts to throw back the Allies and to weak their Hue were conducted in : a most determined manner and on a tremendous scale. We are told, for instance, that no fewer than 250,000 Germans - wero massed at Ypres alone, that is to say, & v fow miles on the Belgian sido of the Franco-Belgian border north of Lille. _ If there were a quarter of a million at this point, it is safe to estimate that at least a millioii men were engaged yi the great attack on the Allies' lines between the sea coast and the Aisne, to say nothing of the forces, further south. It seems certain now that for some time past tho German Headquarters Staff has been piliug up troops in North-East France and in Belgium in even greater numbers than was suspected, in a supremo endeavour to check the Allies' enveloping movement in the north.. We realised that a tremendous effort was being put forth, but_ great as it then seemed I to us, it is clear now that it was even greater than the events ap-. peared to indicate. That the Allies should have been able to hold their own in the kec of such a mighty mass, and oven in many instances advance in spite of it, is indeed a matter for congratulation.

The advantage gained by the Getmans at Roulers and Dixmude, recorded yesterday, seems to have been checked. In Belgium, from Nieuport, on the sea coast, to Roulers, some 20 odd miles to the south, the latest attacks of tho enemy havo been repulsed by the Allies, who have been equally successful along the line further to the south-west, in France," from La Bassee to the River Sommo. < It is at these points that the fighting has been fiercest aud the German attacks most persistent. The enormous losses recorded bear testimony'to Jhe desperation with which the German commanders are striving to secure the ascendancy as wcH as to the determination and skill with which the Allies are meeting and overthrowing these efforts.

Axv doubts which may have boon held ;is to the extent of Russian successes in the East should be removed, by the news which now roaches us concerning (lie fighting in Poland. Those who have followed the progress of events at all closely will rememb.er that the Russian form? took up their stand along the banks of tge River .Vistula., tlfeu of>

tremo Right Wing (in Poland) being north of Warsaw, and their Left some 250 miles away in Galicia. Along this long lino • the fighting raged for some days, but chiefly on the Eight Wing, near Warsaw, and on the Left Wing south of Przemysl, in Galicia. The Russians scored successes at both these points, but more particularly against the Germans between Warsaw and the Pilica River, some 25 miles" in a southeasterly direction. The stories that reached us told of a shattered German line in full retreat, and suffering terrible losses. The Russian cavalry were in hot chase, and the demoralised German troops were given no rest. It sounded too good to be true.

Yet in the main the story must have bean very near the mark, for the latest messages show that the German retreat was maintained for something like CO miles, to Petrikau to be exact. There the Germans have rallied and a great battle is now proceeding from Petrikau to Radom. These towns _ are about 50 miles apart, and a line drawn from one to the other would be practically at right-angles to the River Vistula, where the previous battle was fought. This means that the German Right, which' was originally drawn up in •ft long line funning from the vicinity of Warsaw in a south-easterly direction, has 6wung round under the pressure of tho Russian Left until it now runs east and west across Poland. What was the most northerly position of the force is now the most westerly. It may bo easier to grasp the situation if we take the original German line as resembling the letter I (a somewhat irregular I, of course), whereas now the top portion has been bent back and roughly the figure 7. The battle is now raging along the horizontal lino forming the top part of the figure, and there is fighting also at the bottom of the shank of tho figtire—that is in Galicia. The Russians,,, it should bo observed, have also met with further successes in Galicia. The news from the East .must be regarded as very satisfactory. The Russian successes may to some extent account for the desperate efforts of tho German commanders to hold tkoir ground in France and ■ Belp.ium. The effect oh the people ofGermany of a retreat of the German armies on both frontiers might be productive of disastrous consequences to the War Party's plans.

The latest news regarding the rebellion in South Africa shows that the disaffection is more widespread than at first appeared to be the ease. The defeat of Colonel Maritz must have been a, severe blow to the disloyal movement, but the hopes of the irreconcilablcs have now been revived by the action of General-Christian De Wet and Beyers, who have raised the standard of revolt in Orangia and Western Transvaal. It is stated that the Government has decided to take drastic action in order to crush the insurrection, and it can be taken for granted that the British population, combined with the loyal Dutch, will be more than sufficient to cope with the unpleasant situation which has arisen. Ever since the beginning of the war it has been made ( quite plain that the sympathies of a, certain section of the Boers are with the Germans,-and documents have just been published which show that a treaty has been made between the Government and Maritz which provides that the independence of Dutch S,outh Africa shall be declared, Germany .taking Walfisch Bay and Delagpa.

■In one newspaper which voices extreme anti-British opinions a correspondent, after stating that selfinterest was the only reason which led Britain to declare war, makes the remark that if Germany should proyo victorious "we (in South Africa) should not become German —at least Cape Town only as a strategic point." Irreconcilables have taken advantage of thp freedom which they enjoy under the British ilag , and British institutions to spread ideas of this disloyal charac* ter, aud the rebellion is one of, tho natural results. The names of De Wet and Beyeks may succeed in adding to the number of the rebels, but the latest developments will further stimulate the determination of tho loyalists, who are in an overwhelming majority, to stamp out the insurrection, and to see that South Africa plays its proper part in the war as a member of the British Empire.

General Botha has the great body of the people—British and Boer— behind nim. He has made his position clear beyond all possibility of mistake. In a recent speech in Parliament he stated that because the Empire was at war South Africa was at war, as- a matter of course, with the common enemy. Only two paths were open—tho path of faithfulness to duty and honour, and the path of disloyalty and dishonour. To forget their loyalty to the Empire in this hour of trial would bo scandalous and shameful, and would blacken South Africa in the eyes of the whole world. General Botha's attitude as head of tho Government met with the entiro approval of Sir Thomas Smartt,_ speaking as Loader of the Opposition; and Mr. Cresstvell, representing the Labour Party, went so far as to urge, that an expedition should be sent to fight side by side with the Allies on tho Continent; The one note of hesitation came from tho Hertzogites, and probably only the extreme section of this party are taking an active part in the rebel movement. The trouble may give some fleetinjr satisfaction to> our enemies, but it cannot do them any good, and the South African Government is not likely to experience any serious difficulty in suppressing it. Having restored order at home, General Botha's hands will be free to carry the war across the border into German territory.