PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2348, 2 January 1915, Page 6

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

News to-day of the Russian campaign in the East includes a broad survey of the .operations as a whole. An official message from Petrograd states that the German attempt on Warsaw, which has recently led to such heavy fighting along the Rivers Bzura and Rawka, south of the Lower. Vistula, was not the principal movement, but was intended mainly to .divert .the Russian advance threatening_ Cracow. It is, added that the Russians in front' ! o£ Warsaw (that is to say, along the j rivers mentioned, thirty miles west lof Warsaw) have now broken the 'German advance in that quarter, and that, "critical issues are again approaching." This . presumably means that liaving decisively' defeated the German armies in Central Poland the Russians now feel themselves free to advance rapidly upon Cracow ,and proceed to its investment. The general statement regarding the defeat of the German centre is supplemented by a report of Russian progress in the Rawka I district, south-west of Warsaw.

Jt, of course, has been recognised all along, that the vigorous German offensive in Central Poland was intended, by engaging the Russians fn that quarter, to avert attack not only upon Cracow, but upon the German frontier province of Silesia, .which lies beyond. Silesia is the weak spot in the German Eastern frontier. _ It is a rich manufacturing province, and unlike the pro-' vinces lying further north it has no chains of lakes and other natural features lending themselves to purposes of defence. Rather than defend the frontier' of Silesia the Germans attempted to carry the war into Poland and keep it there. Now that the attempt has definitely failed it is difficult to see in what direction they can turn to avert in-, vasion of Silesia with all the disastrous consequences which must follow. ' t . I

-.* » * * . That the German attempt to confine the war to Poland has failed does not seem to admit of doubt. In their abortive .attempt on Warsaw they have certainly incurred enormous losses without inflicting any serious check upon the Russians. Estimates as to the Austro-Gcrman losses in the Eastern theatre vary to some extent. The Times correspondent at Petrograd claims to have trustworthy authority, for the statement that the Austro-Germans have lost 300,000 out of a total of 1,250,000 men engaged. Another account declares that tho Germans have lost in East Poland and Prussia, since November 9, no fewer than 600.000 men. This is a tolerably wide diversity, but it is not disputed that the losses have been ,very great, and this fact, compared with the failure of their offensive campaign, suggests that the position of the Germans in the East has become gerious. * ■ * # * .

Further light is thrown upon the general position by the German admission, conveyed in an official wireless message from Berlin, that the Russian extreme left wing is proving superior. The admission,-' no doubt, is intended to relate mainly to the crumpling up of the Austrian armies in Galicia, which seem everywhere to be falling into a state of terrible demoralisation under tho pressure of the relentless Russian advance. A message from Venice, published to-day,. which states that largo numbers of Austrian wounded are arriving from Galicia in a terrible condition, is in keoning with many similar stories which have come to hand of late. Tho indications are that the Au'strians aro being driven back at every point and that the state of their armies is hopeless.

# a * * All these things point to the probability of the Germans being shortly thrown back upon their own frontier. Driven in' tho north to within twenty miles of the Prussian frontier, decisively beaten in Central Poland, and their Austrian allies in tho. south threatened with annihilation rather than defeat, no other outcome of the present situation senrae ooMible. Ones th« RuejiMi.xoasfe.ttie froatfef d Silcak,

the Germans will be fighting against desperate odds. It is true that a fortified line has been prepared, in Polish territory, in advance of the weak Silesian frontier, but the experience of the war has been that fortifications will not in themseiveß serve for'long to stem the advanco of an invading army. * * # * In the Western theatre the Gcr--mans have supplemented regular fortifications, and naturally strong positions by constructing fortified trenches along portions of their lines, and so, though at an enormous expenditure of life, have contrived to hold the Allied armies for the time being in check. . It is hardly possible, however, to apply the same policy to the defence of the German Eastern frontier. In the West the Germans have hitherto enjoyed a preponderance of strength, but in the Eastern theatre the reverse is the case. The Russians have already a big numerical superiority, and can easily maintain it in spite of all the efforts that Germany may put forth to provide reinforcements. In addition the lines 'of naturally weak country to be defended are vastly .longer on the Eastern frontier, than along the lines now occupied by the Germans in the West. The fortifications provided for the defence of Silesia can be battered down, and that once accomplished there can be only one outcome of the succeeding conflict between the dwindling German _ forces and the ever-increasing Russian armies, led and guided by one of the ablest generals engaged in the war. The invasion of Silesia and other German provinces may be delayed for weeks, or even months, but that it should be staved off indefinitely seems, in the light of late developments and the general facts of the position, a sheer impossibility. * * * *

On the Western line, the region immediately east ofNieupqrt on the coast of Flanders seems to be again the centre of greatest activity. A great deal of neavy ■ fighting is reported in France, but apparently without any great extent of ground being gained. Near the coast, however, \ the Allies are making fierce attempts to break the German defence and push forward. ' There has been heavy fighting since Ohristr mas at Lombaertzyde, on the coast close to Nieuport, and the capture of St. Georges, a mile or so cast of Nieuport, has provided the Allies with valuable artillery positions. The_ guns of the Fleet have also again been called into play, so that the Germans are evidently being subjected to' a terrific bombardment. The Allies are building bridges over the Yser eastward o v f Nieuport, and are apparently contemplating a 'further advance along the coast. The actual operations 'reported, however, have been confined withia a very contracted area.

An incident which should lead to the more rigorous supervision and control of enemy aliens throughout the Empire ia reported from Broken Hill,.in Now South Wales.; A picnic party, journeying by train, was attacked by a small party of Turks, armed with rifles, who ared on, the train from a cart bearing a red flag; with a star and crescent device. The affair had tragic consecjuenoos, for Bcveral people in the train were shot. At least two men and one woman were killed, and a number of others were wounded. The Turks, who appear to have been three in number, were immediately minted . down. One was shot dead and the other two were captured, 'one of them wounded. The moral of this sort of thing is plain enough. The authorities cannot afford to take any risks in the way.of lax control with enemy aliens in our midst. *** « :

From the fuller details of the American Note on neutral trading which are available to-day it would appear that the statement which described it as "vigorously worded" was by no means overdrawn. The Note declares that Britain and France have exceeded' the -manifest rights of belligerents and taken a course not justified by the ruleß of international law. As has been pointed but it is precisely here that difficulty arises, for the right of search at sea is not governed by any recognised rules of international law. The vigorous wording of the American Note is counteracted to some extent, however, by the assurances of the American Ambassador (Mu.Page) that President Wilson is animated by the friendliest spirit towards Britain. It is stated, somewhat ambiguously in_ the circumstances, that the British reply will be drafted in the samej friendly spirit as the American Note._ The Paris Temps contends with justice that the Austro-German plot, to obtain supplies through neutral countries, winch has just been discovered in Italy, justifies' the Allies' strictness in search, and the same newspaper is again on' sure' ground when it remarks that Britain and France may consider means to regulate their exercise of the right of search, but cannot refrain from applying it to the full extent. # * # *

General satisfaction should greet tho announcement that the whole of the members of tho crew ; of the British submdrino_ 81l have been granted the Service Medal. 81l is the submarine, commanded by COMMANDER NORMAN HoLBRpoK, which recently penetrated the mine-fields of the Dardanelles and torpedoed and sank a , Turkish l battleship. Commander Holbrook, it was announced the other day, has been decorated with the (Victoria Cross. , * # ■* *

The South African. Government evidently contemplates a campaign in force against German South-West Africa. A brief message from Pretoria states that the Union Government has decided to enforce the compulsory service clauses : of the Defence Act as the situation cannot be adequately mot by depending on volunteer troops. Operations, however, are already under way,. for it is mentioned that the Union troops on Christmas Day re'occupied Walfish Bay without encountering opposition. Walfish Bay is a British station, which lies practically in the middle of tho coast-line of the German colony, and it i 3 apparently intended to advance against'the Germans from this point as well as across the border where their terri- j tory joins tho Union.

* i> i> * What may be accepted as an unprejudiced estimate of the internal state of Egypt and the' prospects of its invasion by the Turks has been given by the Romo Tribuna. It is to the effect that contrary to German- reports perfect calm reigns in Egypt and the Sudan, that tho "Holy War" propaganda has found no echo there, and that a Turkish attack by way of the Sinai Peninsula _ is beyond the bounds' of possibility. Egypt, in fact, -'■ is safe from invasion on any side. There if, every reason to believe that this jyotoufc of wcuxiiy, is tow to life.

The _ confidence of the British authorities in tho safety of Egypt is suggested in the statement made tho other day by Sir George Heid, when he told the Australians that they would be sent to Europo when they hacl completed their training. The same applies, no doubt, to the New Zealanders.

The news that Flight-Commander Hewlett', reported missing after the Cuxhaven raid, has been picked up by a trawler in the North Sea and ■safely landed, will he received with delight not only for tho gallant airman s own sake, but because tho dashing raid on the naval stronghold, with its bold challenge to German sea-power behind its barriers, has actually been carried out without costing a single British life. Considering the risks taken it would not, have been surprising if the whole British force engaged had been wiped out, and the fact that it returned- unscathed from its bold dash into the.heart of the German sea defences is a splendid tribute to British seamanship and to tho skill of British aviators.

Some interesting details are given to-day of the conditions under which the soldiers'of the Allies are called upon to live and fight in their unceasing conflict with' the Germans in France and. Belgium. The trenches are described as ditches of liquid mud, which even invades the breeches of the rifles so that the soldiers are sometimes reduced to using rifle-butts and fists in lieu of better weapons. "Our soldiers," it is stated, 'are becoming blocks of mud." Bearing in mind that these discomforts are'endured in the depth of a bitter winter, some idea may be gained of what the Allied soldiers are called upon to face. No better tribute to their quality could .be imagined than is contained in the statement that they are bearing up, not merely with a good grace, but with unalterable good humour.

The feeling of hostility to all things German which has resulted from the ruthless and brutal methods of the German armies in the field has found expression in •quite a large number of cases in the ■cnanging of the names of streets and townships, etc., both in England and overseas. It is a small thing no doubt to resent the idea of living in a street or a township with a' German name, but sentiment after all is a large part of life, and even in business circles this view is making itself felt. British business houses which in the past, when seeking a distinctive name, found it no disadvantage to use a foreign-sound-ing one, are abandoning the practice and in some instances rather than bear a German or Austrian name have changed it. It has been quite a common thing to name an art i establishment or other popular resort after some foreign city of note,, but nowadays foreign names, unless they are clearly '• French, are out of fashion. Even here in New Zealand one of our best-known music businesses, a purely British-owned concern, the Dresden Piano Company, has recently sacrificed the trading name under, which it has built up its success rather than carry on under a name associated with a country which has been guilty of the horrors perpetrated in. Belgium and Prance. In future it will be known as the Bristol Piano Company. A change of this nature it can be readily understood is .no light thing for an old-established business to make, but it is an excellent indication of the spirit of .the times when such sacrifices are undertaken.