PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2607, 1 November 1915, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

. The accident to His Majesty the King, news of which occasioned much anxiety at its first appearance, fortunately turns out to have been not very serious in its effects, but it has served to demonstrate the general affection in which he is held throughout his Empire The days are past when Icings led their troops in battle, but lUng George has been untiring in his exertions since the war began, and has done much by personal contact to stimulate and hearten his soldiers for the great task; by which they are faced. Heports telling' of the deep concern felt by the soldiers to whom he was paying a visit of inspection when they heard of tho. accident to the lling afford in themselves all necessary proof that he has made his influence felt—an influence making for the awakening and of that martial ardour which is a priceless asset to an army. Universal gratitude will be felt at the knowledge that the Kino is spared to continue this good work and that he is likely to suffer little permanent harm as a result of his untoward accident.

It is perhaps the' most significant fact chronicled in the war news to-' clay that Genee.il Joffre has paid a, visit to London. Such a visit would ■certainly .not be made except from weighty motives, and it may be taken for granted that General Joffre's interview with Lord Kitchener arid a number of British and French Generals, • and his consults tion with Mb. Lloyd George on the subject of munitions, will bear fruit in action. The prominence lately given to the vexed and still unsolved political and military problems by which the Entente Powers are faced in the Balkan Peninsula has had a tendency to withdraw attention from the main theatres, and consequently from the actual vbalance of forces in the war. The official visit of the French Commander-in-Chief to London is therefore a timely reminder that very great events are maturing in regions other than the Near East, which, after all, is only & corner, though a very important corner, of the war area-, and that the prospects of the Germans in these other regions are by no moans so good as they appear at the moment to. he in tho Near East. One thing needed to justify the policy under which the Entente Powers nave left Serbia almost unaided to resist invasion by the Austro-Germans and Bulgarians is powerful action in other theatres of war, and the notable conference reported in London is a suggestive indication that action of this kind may not be long delayed. Current reports tell of intense fighting in the Champagne district and elsewhere on the Western front, in which the Allies have gained some ground and the Russians also, according to the latest available reports, are doing well in the other main tneatre. Something more than this is needed, however, if the Entente Powers intend, as they conceivably may, to counter the < Gorman effort in the Near East elsewhere than on tho spot. \> * # * ft Without lending more than a qualified and tentative' assent to the opinion of the New York Tribune that Germany is already beaten, and is bleeding to death, it'is possible to look with confident hope to developments in the main theatres. Though its effects have been to some extent obscured by the unfavourable turn of eventi, in the Balkans, the last; great' offensive of the Allies in the Western theatre was a splendidly i effective stroke, and it lias been described, 110 doubt with entire justification, as only the overture to greater things. The situation reach' ed in Russia should lend itself in no small degree to powerful aggression by the Western Allies. The German invasion i, l - at a standstill, and has been for weeks. The Germans have thrust forward into areas in which a defensive campaign will be arduous and costly, more particularly ,undci" weather conditions to which their troops and transport are less inured and adapted than thw of t'iw wunUy lev Mad, atul to thsir last hojig ei

ing any such definite objective as Petrograd, Moscow, or Kief-, this season, has disappeared. . It would be unwise to anticipate any considerable rccovory of territory by the Russians, except pe-'iaps on the southern part of the*, front, for some time to come. That they are able to hold the invaders definitely in check, and in places to make a limited advance 'does not necessarily mean that they have mustered anything like enough strength to sweep back the invasion. The Germans may be expected to hang grimly on to what they have won, since a material retreat by. their forces in either of the main. theatres would entail a serious loss of prestige, and would be widely regarded as the beginning of the end. The lately reported events of the Eastern campaign go far, however, to warrant a belief that the Germans will be able to maintain their invasion only by making very heavy calls upon their resources, and prospects of successful aggression by the Western Allies are thereby very greatly brightened.

The reality of the Russian recovery is definitely evidenced, not only in their successful assaults upon the enemy in Southern Russia and Galicia, but in the fact that they are still holding firm against enemy assaults in the Baltic Provinces. Two months ago the capture by tho Germans of the Dwina line, from the port of Riga to Dvinsk, on the Petrograd railway, was regarded as only a matter of time. _ They have since hammered at this line in vain, and it constitutes one only of a series of barriers through which they would have to break in an advance on Petrograd. 11 is probable that in their, continued efforts against the Dwina line the Germans are now animated chieflv by a desire of establishing their left flank 011 a good defensive line in preparation for the winter campaign, but the success with which the Russians have hitherto foiled these efforts is not on that account less notable. With what is known about other sections of the campaign, it is an indication that the Germans are most unlikely to obtain the respite on tho Eastern front which would enable them to concentrate . the bulk of their strength against the Western Allies. * * * *

While there is no reason to bo uneasy about prospects in the main theatres or on tho Austro-Italian frontiers (where another important success by the Italians is reported today), the immediate outlook in the Near East is not improving. Hardly an inkling is given .in news in hand of any new move by the Entente, unless in the shape of rather contradictory references to Russian forces w r hicn are said to be assembling to help Serbia.. One report states that Russian forces have concentrated on. the frontier of Rumania, and will probably traverse that country to help Serbia, and another that great contingents of Russians are leaving Odessa and Sevastopol for the Bulgarian coast. It is - hardly likely that both reports are true, and it is as likely as not that ■ both aro untrue. 'Colonel Repington, discussing military action in the Balkans, suggests that Entente forces to relieve Serbia may, find a practicable route, from, the Adriatic coast through Montenegro, or further south through. Albania. Unless he has deliberately abstained from discussing the larger question of an Entente landing in Bulgaria or Turkey, possibly both on the Aegean and Black Sea coasts, ho apparently believes that tho Germans arc to be given a fairly free run in the Balkans for the time being. • Tho operations of tho force based on Salonika do not promiso to lead to any very brilliant result now that the Austro-Germans and Bul : garians have practically mastered northern and north-eastern Serbia, and the same' fact precludes the hope of any early victory on the Gallipoji Peninsula unless powerful action is taken on the mainland.

If such action is contemplated the fact has yet to be made manifest. Meantime the surface aspect of events is unpromising. The attitude of Greece, in particular, gives ground for uneasiness. It is reported from Paris that Greece intends to renew her protest against the landing of the Entente Expeditionary Force at Salonika, an action which obviously would precipitate a critical situation. No ordinary question of breach of neutrality can arise, for it is now definitely established that the landing was made in the first instance at tho invitation of the Greek Government—a Government supported by a majority in the Chamber of Deputies, whereas the present Government represents a minority. The character of the first protest remains more or less in doubt—presumably it was made at the instance of the KinGj practically over the head of the Venizelos Goy-' eminent—but a renewal of the protest at this stage would afford almost conclusive evidence that the pro-German party in Greece had definitely gained the upper 'hand. The one-hopeful possibility .is that M. Venizelos may be giving the -proGerman party rope enough to hang themselves. ; Only a day or two ago he drew pointed attention to tne fact that he commands a majority in Parliament, whilo the Zaisiis Government does not. It must be confessed, however, that the'continued failure of M. Venizelos to take any decisive action does not augur well for the future, and it is possible that the unfavourable turn of the Serbian campaign lias # deprived him of the dominant position he seemed formerly to hold in his own cotfritry. * * * • Apart from tho report that Greece intends to protest against the landing of Entente troops at Salonika, and therefore agaiiist their continued use 'of that port as a basty a possible indication that Greece is not to be depended upon is supplied in a late report relating to the transfer of the Serbian capital. It is reported that the Serbian Government has quitted Nish for a "certain destination" not named. -Some timo ago it was announced that the temporary capital would be Monastir, which is in south-western Serbia, close to the Greek frontier. There has apparently been a change of plan, and if there has it is difficult to account for it otherwise than on the assumption that Greece is regarded with suspicion. So long as Greek friendship or neutrality is assured, the Serbians could find no safer head-1 quarters than. at Monastir, more es-' pccially as their Entente Allies are evidently concentrating upon the defence pf south-eastern Serbia, and an invasion of the neighbouring Bulgarian territory. It is not impossible, therefore, that apprehensions arc entertained of an attack by Greece. Such an attack would be a foul crime, since Greece is Serbia's ally, though a forsworn one, but it is not to be taken for granted on that account that the Greek proOeimn faction, headed by Kino .LohsiakiikPi would sjirinjs frjp

making it, nor is it now absolutely ccrtain that M. Venizelos has power to prevent them doing so. * * * #

Much better news is given of Rumania, but reports that good hopes aro entertained of negotiations now proceeding between the Entente and that country are of uncertain weight and authority. According to one report, Russia is prepared to transfer Bessarabia, or portion of that province, to Rumania.. The latter country is in the position of having territorial claims against both partics in the war. She wants the Russian province of Bessarabia in the east, and the Hungarian province of Trailsylvania on the west, and her claims to both areas rest upon fairly good' grounds' The prospect of gaining one province as an inducement to fight for tliu other might possibly appeal to Rumania, but it remains as likely ;vs ever that her action will be finally determined by the turn of events in the war, and as yet it is only reported, and not established, that Russia, has offered any part of Bessarabia.

As to the Serbian campaign, no very notable change is reported at time of writing. The Bulgarians, co-operating with tho Austto-Ger-mans in the north, are developing a powerful attack upon the main railway north and south of Nish, while in the extreme south, according to an Athens message, the Entente troops have captured Strumnitza and penetrated into Bulgaria for a clistance of thirty miles. If faith could be reposed in Greece prospects of a firm.stand in western and southern Serbia would be fairly good.