PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2316, 25 November 1914, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Theee_ is good newa from Russia to-day, including a message indicating tho rout of the Germans in South-West Poland.- From Franco and Belgium also the tidings are satisfactory / and there is even something- froin tho sea, to add tb the general satisfaction, a German sub-* marine and a German destroyer being added to tho list of the enemy's losses. . * * * « JOTGiNG by the remarkable activity which is reported to be going on in the Gprman Army Transport Sorvice in Belgium, tne enemy is apparently preparing for yet another desperate effort to break the Allies' line, and by a spectacular coup—as for example, a dash on Calais—rehabilitate himself in tho eyes of his country. '. There must come a time in the history of any war in which' a belligerent nation has suffored a prolonged cheok when the demands of its civil population for • 6ome decisive stroke must be appeased, or failure alt last admitted, and it seems fairly clear that the course of events has achieved such a condition of mind .in Germany. By deliberate misrepresentation in the Press, wilful suppression of facts and other adventitious stimuli to jingoistio_ arrogance, the German public has' been led to believe that their Army is invincible, and so long as material ovidenoo of disaster was oarefully veiled, this artificially cultivated self-esteem suffered no diminution. But when long trains of wounded, more long trains, and yet more long trains, trail in from East and West-day after day and week after week, and when panic-stricken refugees from frontier towns tjegin to stream into the startled oentres, then the Army and .the Navy,must inevitably face a public demand for satisfaction, for reprisals against the foe. The principles of military strategy do not ignore public opinion, and neither can the German War Staff."

» # * * This explains the recent desperate and almost suicidal attempts of the Germans to establish an ascendancy on even a portion of the battlefront on land. So far no compelling stroke has been accomplished at sea, but the inability of the land forces to reach their various objectives will compel the German War Staff,to seek a fresh agent wherewith to satisfy the aid significant signs of naval activity are reported at Port Emden, near the Dutch frontier. Sooner or later the German High Sea Fleet must come out and fight, or the nation must give in and accept, defeat at the hands of the Allies. It would seem that some desperate naval venture is now" afoot. It may be that this effort is nothing more than' a dash of fast cruisers bent on evading the British blockade with a view to preying on British commerce. It is surprising that such An attempt has not been already made. Probably it is the best, tribute possible to the vigilance of the British Fleet and to the precaution taken by the Admiralty that half a dozen or more Gorman cruisers have not ere this been added to the total of German war vessels in distant seas.

»' # * * The_ strategical importance of the Austrian evacuation—under compulsion—of Neu Sandec, south-west of Tarnow, in Galicia (reported yesterday) is worthy of note. Neu Sandec commands the railway from Cracow to Budapest, on the pass at Orlo, in the Carpathians. The next pass on the westward side, from Cracow to Budapest is dominated by Saybusch, which is due west of Neu Sandec, about 80 miles, on the railway The seizure of both passes, it is fairly certain, would cut the Austrian lines of retreat to Budapest.

* * * * , The trend of events in the Balkans must be causing a' good deal of uneasiness in Berlin, for the position is developing in a manner by no means favourable to German interests. Cablegrams which wo publish in another. column show that ,very important negotiations are going on, and there are indications of the formation of _ a league of the Balkan States which will probably throw in its lot with the Entente Powers. A critical juncture now appears to havo been reached, and it is stated that "the entire group of southern neutral States is at once mobilising." The States'referred to can only be Rumania, Bulgaria, and Greece, as the other Balkan nations—Servia, Turkey, and Montenegro—are already participating in the war, and Albania's attitude need hardly- be considered. The Germans, no doubt, thought that they had scored heavily against the Entente when they succeeded in forcing tho Turks to come to their assistance, but the latest turn of ovents seems to show that German intriguo -at Constantinople is likely to have consequences which will prove decidedly embarrassing to Austria and Germany as well as Turkey. * * * » For some time past both Russia and Germany have boon bringing influence to bear upon Rumania and Bulgaria. The late King of Rumania committed his country to a certain extent to a pro-German foreign policy, but sinoa bis death a

marked change hasi taken place, Russian influence being now in the ascendant. Russia has also been endeavouring, to convince the Bulgarians that it would be to their interests to co-operate with the Entente Powers against Germany, Austria, and Turkoy. Buii Bulgaria naturally finds it very hard to oome to a friendly understanding with Servia, for she cannot forget that, after her successful campaign against Turkey, the Servians humiliated and despoiled her. Russian diplomacy has oeen striving to bring about the -re-estab-lishment of the Serbo-Bulgarian Alliance, and the recent vigorous renewal of the Austrian attack on Servia appears to have caused the Bui-, garians seriously to consider the advisableness of combined action with their neighbours against the common enemy. A general Balkan reconciliation would almost certainly be the prelude to a united attack on Austria and Turkey. »_ * * a Italy is of course deeply interested in what is happening in the Balkans, and we are now told that special significance attaches to the conferences which have recently been held at Petrograd between the Italian Ambassador and the Rumanian and Servian Ministers.. These conferences have recalled the rumours that Italy and Rumania have agreed to pursue parallel tactics. Publio feeling in Italy has been extremely bitter against Austria for some time past owing to the harsh way in which the Italian population of Austria has been treated, and this bitterness has been intensified by a dashing of interests in the Balkans. In an interview with a 'representative of tho Giornala d' Italia Me. Churchill stated that the day will come when Italy' will be given back her natural frontiers ,in their entirety. The Giornala d'ltalia regarded this as a hint that Italy is among the nations which would gain most advantage from the fall of the Hapsburg Empiro. But Italy knows that she cannot expect to participate in the fruits of victory, unless she is prepared to' bear her share of the risk and burden of war. She has been giving tho matter long and anxious consideration, and the conference's at Petrograd, takon in conjunction with the unmistakable movement in the Balkans in the direction of an understanding favourable to the Allies, and also the fact that the Italian Ambassador in London has_ been called into, consults tion, /point in the direction of decisive measures being taken to meet the new situation caused by Turkey's entry into the war.

# * * » A few dayß ago a "Berlin cablegram informed an unbelieving world that the proclamation of a Holy War had aroused great enthusiasm in Turkey. The only enthusiasm visible from anywhere except Berlin was directed against tho pro-Ger-man Party, and took the form of a plot to overthrow the authorities at Constantinople. To-day we publish a cablegram stating that an attempt haa been made to assassinate the Sultan. Many arrests have been made, and the Sultan's heir is suspected of participating in the conspiracy. ' These events emphasise the fact that the war is far from popular in Turkey. Tho Government is being seriously handicapped in its military programme internal strife, and if Rumania, Bulgaria, and Greece decide to throw in their lot with the Entente the Turks ere long will be pushed right out of. Europe. If this happens they will have no one to blame but themselves, and their friend, the Kaiser.

As the war proceeds aircraft and submarines have been playing an increasingly important part in the struggle. The airmen have displayed wonderful skill and daring, and one of the most brilliant of their exploits is reported to-day. _ Three British aerdplanes made a flight of no less than 250 miles _in ; difficult weather, , and succeeded in penetrating Germany for a distance of 120 raileß. They inflicted, serious damage on a Zeppelin factory,. One of the airmen was wounded and oaptured by the Germans, but the other two returned to France. Bomb-dropping is not the only or eVen the principal work of the aeroplane. It can fight hostile aircraft and throw explosives on the enemy, but its most important function is to scout—to get information* about the enemy's doings. This duty is less sensational than hurling bombs, but it is quite as useful. The aeroplane has made surprise .'attacks almost impossible,' and has thus compelled the generals "to play the. game of war," as Sir John French says, "with all tho cards on the table." It has also been of great assistance, in directing artillery fire, and in ascertaining the exact position and movements of the opposing forces. The raids on Fricdrichshafen and Dusseldorf show what can be done in the way of direct attack, andthey remind us of the fact that Britain must bo prepared for similaT exploits by German aircraft. Threats of a great Zeppelin invasion cannot safely be treated as idle boasts. The British authorities know thkt such a method of attack is by no means impossible. and\have taken effective measures for dealing with foreign aircraft that may, fly aoross the Channel.