PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2527, 30 July 1915, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

In spite of pointed protests by a minority—apparently a small minority—of its members, the Imperial Parliament has adjourned until the middle of September, and will not meet again until the expiration of what ifj likely, to-be one of tho most momentous periods of the war. The tone of tho'ei'iticism levelled at the Government on this occasion gives a.pretty fair indication of the conditions created by the establishment of a National Government, but might easliy be misinterpreted. The strife of parties is at an end in the Mother of Parliaments until the war is over, but this very fact has removed bonds and restraints from indivdual members who have strong convictions in regard to the conduct of tho war. Some important legislation has been maclo necessary by tho war, but this apart, it is perfectly evident that prolonged and continuous sittings of Parliament serve no useful purpose, and operate detrimentally in withdrawing Ministers and to'some extent the State Departments from work in which they might be more usefully employed. Experience has plainly taught the same lesson in this country. In justifying tha adjournment on the _ ground of the enormous increase in tho numbers of questions and the intolerable strain upon public Departments, Mr. Asquith entered a plea for work as against talk, and since it is work only that will help, to bring the war to a victorious conclusion, his plea will doubtless command wide approval. The Leaders of the great parties are y/orking_ han_d-in-hand to strengthen the nation in the war : and the work will proceed to better effect and more smoothly now that Parliament has adjourned. The situation was adequately summed up by Mk. Lloyd George in his -breezy demand that plotters should keep their hands and tongues off the Minister of Munitions, and allow him to get on with his work.

Although disappointment was the portion of those who went to St. Stephen's hoping to head a detailed war statement from the Prime Minister before Parliament adjourned, the speeches made by Me. Asquith and his colleague, the Minister of Munitions, are by no means lacking in interest. Beyond paying the highest . possible tribute to the Russians on their magnificent courage and endurance, and complimenting the Italians on their successful operations, Mu. Asquith had little more to say about the current progress of the war than to express undiminished confidence in the prospects of the Entente. In this no doubt he is thoroughly justified. Optimism is the right spirit in which to face the most threatening aspects of the war, so long as it leads to no slackening in enterprise and effort. And in spite of a great deal of obscurity as to detail, factors upon .which the future course of the war largely depends, there is warrant for an optimistic attitude. It would be foolish to deny that tho immediate outlook in the Russian campaign is somewhat unpromising, but admitting that this is a dark patch in the present complexion of the war, there is no possible reason for regarding it as being likely to determine the ultimate result. It. may seem to be late in the day for Mr. Asquith to tell his countrymen that there will be a further contest of endurance, but it is the avowed policy of the Powers allied against Germany to content themselves with holding their enemy in check, and gradually' wearing down his'strength until they have'so far developed their resources as to bo able to strike for victory with confidence and practical certainty of the result. It is a perfectly reasonable and valid explanation of the progress of the war to the present date that when it began Germany was prepared and her opponcnts_ were not. It is already a positive' achievement that during many months of war they haw been able in the main to hold the German invading armies in check while completing and perfecting their preparations for more aggressive action later on. Even should Russia meet with a heavy defeat in the great struggle now approaching its climax it may be assumed with confidence that the result will be only to postpone, and certainly not to avert, _ the day of reckoning when the Allies will exert their full powers in an effort for victory.

The assurances given by Mr. Asquith and the Minister of Munitions as to tho progress of recruiting and the output of munitions carry a great deal more weight now than in the days when there was an imperfect-realisation of. the dimensions of the problem facing England and her Allies. In the caily days of the war estimates of Germany's strength and endurance erred on the side of optimism, but these assurances are spoken at a time when Germany, after close upon twelve months of war such as the world had never previously is in the full tide of the most ambitious invasion of Eussia she has ever attempted. With this light upon the powers of the enemy to be overcome it is gratifying to hear from Mr. Asquith that recruiting for the British Army has been highly satisfactory, and that the production of munitions has been organised on a basis which he is satisfied will be adequate to requirements. . * * * «

A LiTTfE light has been cast upon the nature of the recent confcrence at Boulogne, which was attended by the principal Ministers and war leaders of France and Britain. As a result of the confcrence, Mr, Asquith stated, the Government had set up ten additional arsenals, and there is a remark by Mr. Lloyd George that the Boulogne programme will considerably tax' the engineering resources of the country for some months. This should afford an additional, reason for sending Home as many skilled mechanics as are available in New. Zealand and the othyr Dominions as soon as possible. It is likely that the production of munitions was not the only matter dealt with at Boulogne, but the rate of munitions supply will have so important a bearing upon any enterprise undertaken as to give much more than rhetorical value to Mr. Lloyd George's statement that in the course of a few weeks the output of shells will be doubled, and enable the Allies to cleave a way to victory.

Nothing that has been said by the Ministers, coiro, puts out of court t-bje aossibinty. that the West-

orn Allies may at any time strike a blow for the relief of the sorely tried Russians, but in the main the indications arc that the day of the big Allied offensive in the Western theatre still lies some way ahead.

. This opinion is supported by the fact that, according to .the best available information, it will be November at the earliest before the outward flow of war munitions manufactured for the Allies in America reaches its full volume. This is stated by the well-informed Eveniiifl Post, on the authority of people actively engaged in handling the war contracts. .}Var materials of one kind .and another have been obtained by. the Allies from America in largo quantities for a long time past, but it was only about the middle of June that the- first full shipment of- ammunition left New York for Europe. In' the absence of definite information as to the progress of munitions production in the Entente countries the facts regarding the American output are at least suggestive; for it will eventually bulk considerably even in comparison with the enormous production in the countries at war.

The essential news about the struggle for supremacy in the Eastern theatre is that no decision has been reached.. According to a Petrograd message which gives a graphic account of the contest in its main bearings, a. decision is not even in sight._ The thundering of guns audible in Warsaw lets its citizens know how critical the position is, but as yet the Russians are standing firm on strong lines west of the city. On the north, between the Narew and the Bug, this report states, they have smashed one German attack after another. South of the LublinCholni railway, in Southern Poland, great enemy forces are concentrating, so that another big battle must be looked for in that region. Some detail gains are claimed by the enemy, but the burden of the news is that the Russian defence is unbroktin, and that they are fighting the light of their lives and grimly contesting every yard.

One German success in the Western theatre is reported to-day, but it is of microscopic proportions. At Souchez (east of in Northern France), where the fighting is practically Kand-to-hand, they retain as yet twenty yards of a saphead which they won in a-recent attack. In addition the enemy claim that they have recovered portion of the position in the Valley of the Feoht, in Alsace, lately won by the French, but the report made by the French indicates that they have not only retained the ground won, but have made further progress east towards Colmar.

Attempts are being made ■to inspirit the Turks with promises of Austro-German aid, in which the first step will be a renewed offensive against Servia 'next month,'with the idea of conquering that country and opening a passage through the Balkans. The only striking feature of this pretty story is that it is apparently taken for granted that' Bulgaria, lying right across the Balkan Peninsula, would not oppose the passage of Austro-German reinforcements into Turkey. However, it is probable that Germany's haijds are much too full to permit her to detail forces against Servia. The most obvious explanation of her failure to strongly back the Austrian forces arrayed against Italy is that she is unable to spare troops for' the purpose, and the same difficulty would' arise where Servia is concerned: That indomitable little nation has created a new army, aorl is muoh more likely to prove a thorn in the flesh of the Dual Alliance in the near future, than to be stamped flat ,by Austro-German forces advancing to save Turkey and hold the Dardanelles.

Reports of continued successes by the Italians- both on the Isonzo and on the northern mountain front are varied to-day _by an Austrian report that the Italians were beaten with slaughter in an'attempt they made to capture Gorizia, "without regard to men or Ynaterial." _ This is probably a sheer' invention. General Cadorna, who controls the Italian operations, is described as resembling General J offish rather than Marshall von Hindenberg. He is a man given to patient methods and careful cconomy of- the resources at his command, and with a rooted dislike of any avoidable sacrifice ■ of life. This estimate of the Italian Commander is borne out' by the past progress of the campaign wnich he has directed with marked success, and it may safely be disbelieved that he would squander lives in an attempt to storm a stronghold which is in a fair way to be reduced by more, deliberate methods. Italian reports run directly counter to the. Austrian version, and go to show that the Italians are making full use of a remarkably powerful artillery train.•

An Amsterdam rep- :t that the twelfth submarine fr ni Antwerp passed the Scheldt anc reached Zeebrugge might bo -n to mean that Germany was sending submarines from Antwerp down' the Scheldt to the sea. In that, case, a serious question would arise concerning Holland's failure to maintain the neutrality of the mouth of the Scheldt, which lies within her territory. Other portions if the same message," however, suggest (though they do not clearly state) that the route taken by the submarines was up the Scheldt to Ghent, and thence to the sea by canal. An ineffectual attack by Allied airmen upon submarines 1 using this route is reported.

From some 'recent references in Parliament it would appear that the local Defence authorities have not yet been definitely advised by the Imperial Government as to what should be done in tho way of providing sheepskin garments for the troops, but in Australia this work is in full swing.- A Sydney 'exchange states that .it is very necessary that the troops should bo provided with sheepskin vests, in readiness for the winter campaign, and that they will havo to be shipped by October 1. A cablegram from Sir George Heid convoying tho the British Army Council for sheepskins dispatched from Australia indicates that there is still a very big demand It is desired, also, that the vests should be- shipped early, so as to facilitate their distribution. In Australia, a special committee is organising the work of obtaining and preparing sheepskins both for the Australians at the Dardanelles and for the troops in Europe. Two or three weeks are occupied in tanning and drying the skins, and further time is taken up in making and packing the. wuhtewilH. Thin is an enterprise in which New Zealand should;

be able to lend valuable assistance, and action to be helpful ought to be taken without delay.

There are times when tall talk is so aspiring as obviously to defeat its own purpose. A case in point is the statement attributed to. the Kaiser that Germany will not negotiate with her enemies until Warsaw and Calais have been captured. Most people outside Germany know perfectly well that tho Kaiser would be one of the happiest men in Europe if he could compel ltussia to conclude a separate peace, and so gain freedom to mass nis legions on the Western front, with a httlcside attention to Italy.

Another denial is required from the Kaiseh. He is again reported to have said that the war must terminate. before Christmas. The members of the Entente are in no such limited position. They seem to entertain little expectation of ending the war before Christmas, but they are prepared to go on a good deal beyond that date.