PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2561, 8 September 1915, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

To-day's war news includes a very interesting survey by an Italian military oflicor who has been recently in touch with General Joffiie, of some of the principal factors beiring upon the policy of the Allies in tho main campaigns. Colonel Barome, the officer in question, deals with matters essentially of .a contentious nature and which no man can speak with finality, but his estimate of tho position looks like that of an expert, and it should serve as an antidote.to the panicmongering and alarm'ist 'stories that have been unduly rife of late._ People who are. impatiently awaiting a grand offensivo by the Western Allies may find cold comfort in the opinion expressed by Colonel Barojie—and shared, as ho states, by tho Allied commanders in the Western theatre—that such an enterprise may profitably be delayed, but tho opinion is based upon 'an assumption that tho Allies are-masters of the situation, possessed of so complete an initiative that they aro free to chooso their hour to strike. » * » * That section of Colonel Bauome's statement which deals with the relation of the Eastern and Western campaigns may seem to be in some respects open to question, and to call for reservations, but it is probable that it has suffered more or less in the process of condensation for cabling. As it stands, tho statement suggests that the Western Allies can afford to rest upon their oars until the Germans have encountered tho certain disaster to which Colonel Barome holds that they are marching in Russia, Comparative, stagnation on the Western front while the Ruseian campaign is working up to its climax is not an attractive prospect, and it is unlikely that any such idea is entertained either by Colonel Barojie or the, Allied commanders in the West. But there is a wide margin between comparative stagnation and an effort to force a decisive conflict with the German Western armies, and it is very probable that it is by action between these extremes that the All'ies in the immediate future will best advarioe their own cause and help Russia to surmount her difficulties on the opposite front. The Western Allies will best assist Russia by compelling Germany to assemble tho greatest possible force on the Western front. This being tsaid, it is obvious that there is'much weight in Colonel Bap.oaie's contention that a general offensivo in Franco and Flanders can with advantage bo delayed. #■ * * * • An immediate assault upon the Germans in . the West might very well compel them to fall back , upon a shorter line than they now occupy. But at present the Western Allies are facing their enemy on a long front only to be held and defended by the Germans at much greater cost and effort than would suffice to hold a shorter lino in rear. It is in the interest of the Western Allies themselves, and equally in the interest of Russia, that they should impose the maximum strain upon the Germans on this long front, rather than on a shorter one, more particularly as fcha Germans might only be , dislodged from their present lino at heavv° cost to the Allies. Within limits, the longer Germany, in defending this long line, spending men and material sTie can ill afford to lese, the better it is for her enemies both in East and West. It may bo taken that the alternative lies not between stagnation on the Western front and a general offensive but between continued heavy fighting, which will wear down the strength of the ■ German armies, and a general offensivo which could hardly bo expected to achieve any better immediate or early result than a : German concentration upon the shortest and therefore strongest available front in the Western theatre. Such an enforced contraction of the German Western operations might bring anything but benefit to tho Russians. Indeed, very possibly it would enable the Germans for a time to bring considerably increased forces to bear upon the prosecution of the Eastern campaign. * * * * , Nothing is added at time of writing to tho brief accounts so far given of the general bombardment of the enemy, positions in the Western theatre, but a late message from Paris published yesterday supplemented previous reports on the subject. It i3_ unofficial, and therefore of no particular authority, but no doubt accurate enough as' far as it goes. Unlike the official message transmitted by the High Ctmmissioner, which reported "a violent effective bombardment along the whole of the Allied front," it speaks of constant heavy bombardments in nine well-defined zones, scattered along tho whole length of the front. Most of the zones mentioned aro those in which successive Allied assaults during the spring and summer, have forced the enemy back upon his lateral railway comniunications. As supplementing ;the official reports, this message is interesting and serves to bring out more' clearly the salient facts of tho ' great bombardment which is perhaps still in progress. The most important facts of all aro that tho bombardment is unprecedented in its scope and is free from tho limitations of locality which have governed past assaults upon different sections of the German front. A bombardment so widespread cannot of course be regarded as the immediate preparation for an assault, for the simple reason that it lacks the essential element of concentration, but it indicates the increased strength of the Allies both in guns and munitions. The immediate effect of the impartial shelling of all vulnerable points on their defensive front will bo to awaken disturbing uncertainty in the minds of tho German commanders as to when and where they may be called upon to meet a thunder-stroke of battle. In other words, an immediate effect of the bombardment, apart from whatever positive damage it has inflicted upon the onemy positions, will Le that of a feint many times magnified—it will create a state of affairs dccidedly inimical to effective planning and concentration in defence. The Allies in fact are creating conditions eminently, favourable to a

surprise attack or series of such attacks, and it is probably not overstating the facts to say tliat they appeal' to ha in-a position to maintain' these conditions indefinitely and turn them to account whon they choose. « « * » Available news leaves the situation in tho Eastern campaign much as it was described yesterday. That is to say a critical struggle is in progress on the River Dwina, southeast of Riga, which may result in the Germans gaining ground to the north. As to the other extremity of the line of battle indications are that tho Russians are firmly resisting the enemy advance in Galicia, and in the region to the north. Satisfactory accounts are given of tho withdrawal of tho Russian troops ill tho Grodno area, an operation which was imperilled by tho enemy forcing his way across tho main railway north and south of tho fortress and threatening the Russian line of retreat. * * * » Unofficial reports from Rome again speak to-day of' an Austrian retreat in the Southern Trentino which should shortly ODable'. the Italians to attack tho outlying defences of Trent on the south, as well as in their approach from tho east. The investment of this great fort ress would pave the way for highly important developments in the campaign. Trent lies a long way south of the main chain of the Alps, but it covers tho one good highway and railway running north, and with Tront apcounfced for the Austrians would probably find it very difficult to prevent a rapid Italian advance. There is much difficult mountain .country on cither side of the valley through which the nuyn road and railway _ run, but into these areas the Italians have made considerable headway at a number of points both on west and east. * * « » No development in the land campaign at the Dardanelles is reported at time of writing, but tho Turks have suffered further losses of shipping, both in the Black Sea and in tho Sea of Marmora. * * !» * Late accounts of the Hesperian outrage show that there was a heavier death-roll than earlier reports indicated. Thirteen passengers and as many members of the crew were killed and drowned. It also transpires that the ship foundered when an attempt was made to tow her into port. Although it is fully established that the Hesperian was an unarmed passenger liner, engaged in a peaceful voyage, no very important developments are reported in America. Statements that Germany's "submarine surrender" is regarded as insincere and tuat the American public is not bamboozled may . perhaps, however, be accepted as indicative of a further awakening. ■r _ * * » The German Crown Prince has been killed again—on paper. It is alleged by the . French Patriotic Sooiety that the German authorities have concealed the event in order to avert a national catastrophe. This does not sound at all convincing.' Even if the original Grown Princo has been killed there are others waiting to step into his shoes, and on what is known about the 'character and record of the present, or late, Grown Prince, the substitution would hardly amount to a national, catastrophe.