PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2300, 6 November 1914, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

At a cost of a hundred thousand men, according to _tho Commander-in-Chief of the Allies in France, the Germans could be expelled from France. But the sacrifice is not worth it, the message adds. -This may be taken as a fair indication of the Allies' position arid in a measure it accounts for the seemingly slow progress made. The policy is the exact reverse of that being pursued by the German commanders. They are prepared to make any sacrifice of their troops to gain their immediate ends, and the effect of this is to be found in the tremendous losses recorded. The difference between the, methods of the opposing forces is not wholly accounted for by the disregard for the lives of their soldiers inculcated in the German officers; but is also due in part to the fact that the Allies can afford to play a waiting game while the Germans cannot. German plans arc dependent for success on striking quickly in crushing force, whereas the Allies arc not in a hurry and may look confidently for success in the w;u - of exhaustion. The situation in Belgium shows little change. There is a story to hand from Liege which suggests that the. German authorities contemplate an curly retirement of the forces on i -

the Franco-Belgian frontier, but we have had so many suggestions of this kind that it is safer to wait for the actual event. That it must come ere long seems clear, but it is a slow process under the prudent policy being pursued by the Allies. In France as well as in Belgium the Allies have had the advantage or held their own in such encounters as have taken place, and it is worth noting that the Germans who_ had met with some success in tho vicinity of Vailly, to the north-east of Soissons, have now lost part at least of the ground gained.' The situation in the Western theatre of the war continues distinctly favourable to the Allies, and if the demoralisation of portions of the enemy's forces is half as bad as reported then the outlook is indeed good. * » ' * * It is somewhat astonishing to learn that the estimated losses of the Germans in the Eastern theatre of war total a million. Certainly we have heard of tremendous victories by the Russians, but our most sa'nguine expectations hardly led us to look for such appalling figures as here recorded. The Germans now state that their retreat before the Russians in Poland is a strategical measure, but it seems to have proved a very costly business. There is now heavy fighting going on in Galicia, probably about what would be the centre of the original Russian line, stretching from Warsaw across Poland and into Galicia as far as the Carpathian Mountains. The Russians appear to be making progress here as well as further north. The probability is that the Tsar's troops have adopted a vigorous offensive at this point in an attempt to hamper the retreat of the German Left Wing by forcing back the German Centre. Wo have yet to learn tho result of this movement. On the frontier of East Prussia, where there has been heavy fighting, the German forces which invaded Russia have now been compelled to act on the defensive, a satisfactory sign from the Allies' point of view.

The Allies are taking prompt measures~to meet the new situation caused by Turkey's entry into the struggle as a supporter of Austria and Germany. The great demonstration of British troops in Cairo/appears to have made a deep impression on the natives, «ind it is also a striking indication to the outside world that Britain is ready for emergencies in Egypt as elsewhere. The Turks aro concentrating camel forces on the Egyptian frontier, and it is stated that their movements are being directed by German officers. British' and French warships are policing the Syrian coast in order to prevent the enemy's troops from going to Egypt or elsewhere by sea. Fighting on the Egyptian frontier may nofr be expected at any time, and there are signs that the Balkans will soon be ablaze again. It is announced that Servia has broken off relations with the Porte, and Greece and Turkey have been on the verge of war for some time past. Bulgaria, and' Rumania have not yet definitely declared themselves, though there are plain indications that they view Turkey's attitude with grave _ distrust. The trend of events indicates that Turkey will soon have to devote her energies to the protection of the remnant of her European territory, and." will have very little strength left* for direct aggressive warfare against Britain, France, and Russia.

The latest news from' Constantinople shows that public opinion in Turkey is by no means unanimous in regard to-the line of action which has, been taken. Four Ministers have resigned, presumably because they disapprove of the pro-German policy which will probably prove disastrous to Turkey. The Egyptians do not seem to be at all inclined to follow the lead of the Turkish War Party. The Prime Minister _of Egypt declares that the Egyptian and British authorities are working together in perfect harmony, that the people are loyal to Britain, and that many Egyptian officers have offered to serve in the British Army. Egypt has prospered wonderfully under British rule. The people have been governed with justice and generosity, and like the princes and people of India they are not going to be duped;by the threats and promises of the secret agents of Germany. They know when they are well off.

Italy is wavering' on the brink of war. The critical position in Balkans caused by_ the action of Turkey has made it almost impossible for her to maintain her neutrality without serious loss of power and'prestige, and the threatening movements of Turkish troopa in the neighbourhood of the Bed Sea have greatly intensified her anxieties. The Borne correspondent of The Times states that' Italy is making preparation to protect her colonies. v Sne recognises that England is her friend, and is also * her neighbour in the Bed Sea, and. that "when neighbours are threatened they naturally stick together." This is an "authorised" statement of Italy's position. It shows that the Italian Government is finding it more and more difficult to keep out of the conflict. The news may come at any moment that Italy has definitely decided to throw in her lot with the Entente.

An unofficial report from Valparaiso states that the German cruisers Gneisenau, Scharnhorst, and Nurnberg, which were among the Pacific Islands recently, have encountered the British warships Monmouth, Good Hope, and Glasgow off the South American coast. It is alleged that the Monmouth was sunk and the Good Hope and Glasgow damaged. The Good Hope is the only one of'these vessels carrying guns equal to the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. She had two 9.2 in. guns as against eight B.2in. guns each on tho Gnoisenau and Scharnhorst. The balance of her heavy guns were 6in.,which was the sizo of the heaviest guns carried by the Monmouth. But for the presence of the battle-cruiser Australia in these waters the Gneisenau and Scharnhorst could have done very much as they pleased along our trade routes. It may be that the news now to hand is a canard, but tho fact cannot be ignored that it comes from different sources.

A complete and convincing answer was giyen in Parliament yesterday to certain charges of favouritism in regard to the appointment of officers of the Expeditionary Force. In reply to allegations made by Mr. Atm'ore in the debate on the Appropriation Bill, the Minister of Defence quoted an extract from a report on the subject by General Sir Alexander Godlev which completely exploded I,ho case stated by tho member for Nelson. ' The General is severe in his condemnation of the "ivrfispontnhlc critics and others who pialie inis chief as regards the ap-

pointments of officers," and he characterises as a - "most monstrous slander" the insinuation that "civilians with influence" have been selected in preference _ to "Territorial officers .with nothing but their service to recommend them." "I have personally selected (he states), as far as it is humanly possible for mo to do so, every officer who goes with the Forcc, and in practically every case I have gone carefully into their records and qualifications. Practically evefy Territorial officer who has volunteered, whose qualifications were sufficiently good to justify mo in recommending him For a commission in- the Expeditionary Force,- lias been given one, and many of those who were not at first able to volunteer have volunteered since, and will bo taken with the reinforcements. In some cases which. I liave investigated I have found that officers who have complaincd of not having been selected did not volunteer, or volunteered too late."

Tho same matter was referred to in the Legislative Council yesterday by the Hon. H. D. Bell, who said it was "personal to himself and to another member of his family.'' Me. Bell proceeded to make a statement (reported in another column) which stripped every shred of justification from the mean insinuation that his son had gained an advantage by influence. It is a deplorable thing to find that there are members of Parliament ready to give credence to these idle rumours and make use of them in the hopo of attaching odium to their politioal opponents. Such unfounded attacks on men who have volunteered at great personal sacrifice to serve their country and the Empire in a time of national crisis cannot fail to provoke the fullest censure of all right-thinking people. ■It is difficult to conceive anything more reprehensible at a time like tho present than an attempt to stir up ill-feeling in our Defence forces for party purposes. The manner -in which members of the Legislative Council yesterday extended to tho Leader of tho Council their sympathy and support was the plainest indication possible of the view they took of the matter.