PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2514, 15 July 1915, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

A German offensive movement on till extended soale is in progress right along the Western front. There has been a heavy- attack on the Labyrinth, under the curtain of a violent- bombardment; the French and British lines in Flanders have been bombarded with asphyxiating shells; there has been a heavy cannonade north of Arras, and last, but important, the Crown Prince's Army has resumed the offensive in the Argorine. All these, events , constitute the elements,.of a plan of attack the exact, nature of which we can only conjecture, for they serve to -screen the locality of the enemy's principal objective. The blow may be aimed at any one of these, points, or at a different point. altogether. The Crown Prince's attack seems to have been on a determined scale, and was delivered with such force that the French line was bent back at certain points. The German success, however, was short-lived, for energetic counter-attacks arrested the enemy's, progress, forcing him back. There for the present the situation rests, so far as reports carry us. The Germans claim to have achieved a further advance at Souchez, but no reference to this region, at the time of writing, has come through from our side. The happenings of the next few days in Franco and Flanders will be awaited with, the closest interest, for everything points to increased activity and on a greater scale than ever before attempted in the Western' theatre of war.

Events aro moving slowly in the Italian campaign, but our Allies are Strengthening their positions and gradually lessoning the advantages which the enemy possess by virtue of . the natural features of the Aus-tro-Italian frontier. The* news from Russia at time of writing is brief.' comparatively small Russian success is recorded; qnd there is a etory of a big German concentration at Thorn, which is_ thought to threaten a heavy attack in Northern Poland. Previous German attacks in this quarter have been successful in their initial Stages. It is a danger spot for our Allies, but they, have beaten off some desperate efforts of the enemy here on previous occasions. , J * • * , * » The responsibility for the Turkish disaster.in Gallipoli earlier in tho week,- according to a report from the Bulgarian capital, has been laid upon Enver Pasiia, who is stated to have embarked upon this ill-starred offensive against the advice of the German Staff officers.. Tho relations between the Turks and the Germans are'now said to be strained. Another inference is permissible, and one which may serve to explain tho recent lull on the Turkish ■ front, mmifily, Mis Tufks hud v?(i.isett to fight under w\a Ucmaas aim .

longer, and were only induced to attack on the initiative of Enver Pasha. If this be so, then the question is, who will induce them to-j make the next effort?. Experience has shown that all rumours of peace 'negotiations, whether by Turkey or any of the Teutonic Powers, should, be cautiously regarded, and the same may be said of tho report, originating from tho Bucharest Press, that the Turkish Minister for Justice is visiting Switzerland'to open up" negotiations with the Allies for a separate peace. At the same time there appears to be a growing impression that the Turks have grown weary of being the tools of Germany, and are anxious for peace. This is not likely to be duo to lack of. fighting spirit, but rather to the fact that the Turks have no sympathy with their overbearing ally, and were dragged into the struggle almost against their will. The Allies at' Gallippli, although they have scored a number of important successes since the memorable landing, have not yet accomplished what military authorities would regard as a decisive stroke. The first-objective is the opening upof tho Narrows to'permit of the passage of the Allied licet into.the Sea of Marmora, and the attainment of this means the reduction from the land side of certain Turkish strongholds which cojnmand tho Narrows. Meanwhile, however, the enemy is being subjected to a proccss.of exhaustion by the blockade of both her eastern and western gates—the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus—and by tho operations of submarines in tho Sea of Marmora itself. All this, coupled with the recent success of the land forces, must be extremely weajying to the morale of the Turkish nation. In addition, there is the strong probability that the Turks are running short of munitions of war. Italian reports to-day suggest that the end of the Turco-,German resistance is nearer than is generally expected. ' * * * * Another big air raid, this time by a French squadron of 35 machines, is reported in'to-day's war news! Tho objective on this occasion was an important supply base for tho German front along the - famous Calonne trench and the" Forest of Apremont. One hundred and sevcnty-oije shells were dropped, and several outbreaks of fire were observed. , The extent of tho damage in raids 'of this kind is always more or less problematical, for obvious reasons,' but the important factor'in the. military situation is the moral effect produced on the enemy by the fact that it has been possible for a large, air squadron to essay an enterprise of this kind in adverse weather, and accomplish its purpose without loss. 'And this is | not the first example of tho Allies' ability to organise and carry out .invasions of this kind, with, at the worst, very trifling loss. The Germans, on the other hadd, can boast of nothing more imposing in. the way of raids in force than raids upon undefended towns and the indiscriminate killing of women and babies. .

That it is not-wise to jump to hasty conclusions where America ■is concerned has been amply demonstrated'.since Germany set out to violate international law and all the laws of humanity'as well. Again and again it has been expected that the United States could no longer patiently suffer tho crimes perpetrated against her citizen's and the affronts put lipon her Government by the Great Assassin's off-handed treatment of all protests made. Even now, in face of the latest German Note on the question of a continuance of submarine "frightfulness," it would be unsafe to attempt to predict the extent to which America will be prepared to go to assert hei right to'the protection of the lives of her peaceable citizens on the high seas against attack by German sudmarines. But Germany would seem to havo.moro occasion for anxiety now than has ever been the ease before. The American Government, we are told, are preparing for eventualities. It sounds ominous enough j but will Germany take tho hint?

Whatever diplomacy, may / know about the intentions of Eumania, to the less enlightened public tha,t apparently self-centred kingdom is a baffling puzzle. Eumania astutely kept clear of the Balkan cock-pit when Turkey, Bulgaria, Servia, and Montenegro were tearing each otjunto pieces, and her non-commilt-al attitude in regard to the European conflict is reported to-day to be tho source of considerable anxiety to the Teutonic- Allies, who are pressing the Rumanian Government for a definite understanding,"being desirous, so it is said—and who can doubt it? —of withdrawing their troops ' from that frontier to other: theatres. If the Austro-Germans have been, obliged to maintain a frontier force to watch Eumania, their anxiety to be relieved of the suspense one way or the other is not unnatural, even if, in seeking to attain their end, they may risk forcing a declaration of war. On the other hand, some inkling of Rumania's intentions would be welcomed by the Entente Powers, for reasons which the Turks coulcl supply. From the surface of things it looks very much as if Eumania was awaiting a decisive blow in ono or. other of the big theatres before deciding upon her role. However, there is nothing, to do but wait, and see, for there is no use speculating in the absence of reliable data, of which there is none at present. * * - The symptoms of a dangerous crisis in the British coal industry are apparent in the cabled reports- of the present situation in South Wales. The South Wales miners have all along been opposed to anything in the nature of .compulsion in regard to their relations with their 'employers and the Government. On June 30", Mr. Lloyd George was rei ported to hayo-'stated that ho was prepared to exempt them from tho provisions of the strike clauses of the Munitions Bill in consideration of an undertaking by them to do voluntarily all that was required of them, and prevent strikes. " Mr. Lloyd George has made no secret of his anxiety about the output 'of coal, and when .the Munitions Bill in the House emphasised the. necessity of largely increasing -the supplies. Coal, he pointed out, was-the basis of all'high 'explosives, and-tho consequences of a shortage would be calamitous. In the face' of this warning, arid dead , against the advice of the Executive of the British Miners' Federation, the South Wales miners are defying the'. Government, and for what? - Let the President of the South Wales Miners' Federation speak for himself: ; - "The Government forgets that it-is' up against the South .Wales'miners.' They tell us we must work to put something more into the conlowncrs' pockets. Not likely They may destroy tho South Wales miner, but they will never coerce him." A proclamation has now.been'issued,■ bringing South Wales under the ]jro ; vieieiis of the Muiutiphs Art, vliir-b, .aumesfc oUior l things, inuwses sow,-.

pulsory arbitration . for industrial disputes, • and invests the Minister with power to take over particular industries, and control the. net profits. The Munitions Bill is .now to ba put to its first .practical test, and the issue will be gravely, awaited.