EAST AND WEST

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2664, 8 January 1916, Page 3

EAST AND WEST

VIEWS OF TWO WAR CORRESPONDENTS ' INTERESTING IMPRESSIONS THE FINAL DECISION IN FRANCE Recently in London interesting personal reports from the seats of Avar were given by two of the foremost war correspondents of the British Press, namely, Mr. John Buclian and Mr. Stephen Graham. We reprint below the report of tlioir addresses, taken from tlio "Westminster Gazette" of November II:— MR. BUGHAN AND THE WEST.

Mr. Buchan prefaced his remarks by stating . that anything he might say was merely the personal opinion of a lay observer. He believed that the decisive battles of- tlio-«,war would be fought on the Western front, and that final victory would be achieved by the destruction of the German forces in the field, and by nothing else. Like Napoleon, the enemy was stretching his tentacles far and wide, liu's jfter his bold adventures in other countries ho would return, and it would be on the plains of Flanders or France that the power of Germany would bo humbled in the dust. Referring to the German entrenchments, the lecturer stated that the soldiers had toiled for over twelve months in mailing Wonderful fortifications from Mother Earth, which were nov/ bristling with machine-guns. "The Boclie," lie added, "is always a laborious fellow, and the, task suited him admirably." Germany realised that Russia had a deplorably imperfect machine, and analysed its weakness. Quick also to perceive that she was fighting against an alliance of equals, whereas oil her own side-she was preponderantly dominant, and that owing to separation England, France, and -Russia could hot mobilise, all their strength at ono point as she, could, she formed the conclusion that if she could smash Russia and simultaneously hold Francs and England, Russia would be compelled to sue for peace. 1 Again, being self-conilained, sho believed that so long as she could guarantee her peoplt, victory she could organise. her internal affairs -with papor and credit. . Conti asc-ing our Cabinet system of: conducting tho war with the staff processes of Germany, Mr. Buchan contended that the latter had the advantage of being much swifter in action, and that our way had no ohance against , the staff process in time of war. Admittedly, in the time of jwace the German'slnethod was the antithesis of all that was meant by free government. But in wartime peace systems had perforce to Be reorganised. Von Moltke won the war in 1870, and tho credit of what Germany had attained in the present campaign was not due to Hindenburg and Mackensen, but to the General Staff. . 'The primal duty of the Allies was:not to play the game' Germany wanted. Russia surrendered province after pro-vince-rather than allow her army to bo destroyed. Pessimists in this country, complained unjustly that during Russia's retreat France'and England were inactive on the Western front. If wo' had attacked at that timo wo should have done precisely what Germany wanted.; There was not tho slightest hope of obtaining a success in the real meaning of tho word, and the great nieii who led the armies of Russia were m complete accord with our conduct. No machine was immortal, and in time France, England.: and Russia could construct a machine equal to that of Germany;- whilst the human element, was a second factor that was bound to tell. Tho spectre of diminishing manpower was daily growing closer to Germany's side, and her machine, mighty as it. was, could not call men from tho dead. Tho great attack inado oi) September 25 and the four following dayswas- not a failure, nor had tho movement stopped. Moreover, wo had taken the initiative and broken down some of_ the enemy's strongest positions. Admittedly,:. our losses were heavy; but the result attained more than justified ; them. "In the present war," declared tho lecturer with fiery insistence, "long views-are the duty of the general staff," and then.-in a quieter but an equally impressive tone lie added, "a'nd not less the duty of our civilian people- at home."

In conclusion he called attention to the fact that it was the French who were fighting the campaign in the West with our .'assistance. It was well that such was the case, and that they were responsible for the main policy. For the French Staff was quite equal to that of Germany; whilst the Prussian Army possessed no General of the calibre of Fpch. .When she declared war Germany forgot the stoicism and fortitudb of France; and England had no greater ground for hope of ultimate victory, than the factthat she was fighting shoulder to shoulder with our friends across the Channel. I' MR. GRAHAM AND THE EAST. Mr. Graham confessed that he was in complete agreement with Mr. Buchan in the'opinion that if we were to win the war the decision must be forced upon the Germans in the West, Last May he set• out from England with a view of getting to Constantinople after the Allies' entry, into the Turkish capital. However, he was doomed to disappointment, and was forced to continue his tour through Greece, Bulgaria, Rumania, and Russia, passing through Odessa, Kieff, and) Petrograd, and returning via Sweden and Norway. Egypt at the present time was one vast military hospital, and the erstwhile palatial hotels patronised by leisured visitors desirous of escaping the English winter were now filled to overcrowding with wounded Australians and New Zealanders. At Salonika fourfifths of the people were upon the side of the Allies, and during the elections were busily engaged in smashing windows, to'show their zeal for the policy of Venizolos. The Press, however, throughout the whole of the Balkans was a lying Press bought with German gold. He felt convinced, that in ordinary circumstances the Bulgarians would neve.r willingly have , fought against England. But their own view of their present engagement was purely local, and all they seemed to realise mas that they were fighting against Serbia. 11l later stages it would probably "bo found that the Bulgarians 'would turn and rend the Turks. Ho ■held out very little hope indeed that Rumania would intervene upon the side of the Allies, simply because they felt that by so doing they would be casting their lot with the defeated belligerents. Turning'to the aspect of the campaign in Russia, the lecturer candidly admitted that probably no progress in any way had equalled that of Von Mackensen from the Carpathians. After the fall of Kovno everybody in the Tsar's dominions felt that Russia might fall to pieces. But the Germans had "shot their bolt" in tho East. Thev had failed to take Riga and. Dvinsk. Petrograd would not he attacked nor . Moscow even threatened. Russia was rapidly recuperating, and "making good" with unexampled industry. They had purchased from Japan all the rifles captured in the Rnssij-Japaneso war; whilst they were preparing a largo new army of 3,000,000 men, by tho means of which it was hoped that the scale would ho turned iijstlio spring.' Poland was a wilderness poascssitta veri: few railways.

and he could not imagine that the Germans intended to hibernate there, since their armies would suffer more casualties through disease, hunger, and frostbite than'- if engaged in actual battle._ Personally, lio did not believe that it was the original intention of Germany; to penetrate as far as they have done into , the depths of Russia. But they .wore led on by the intoxication of success. The second item upon their plan of campaign had been prepared secretly throughout the''summer.. Since last spring sho.must have known all about Bulgaria's recent action, and it was vital that future developments should he carefully patched since it was obvious that she intended to force a decision in the East. Again, in face of the very strong reinforcements which Turkey is shortly boundl to receive, would the position, of the Allies in Gallipoli be a tenable one? But above all it was necessary to anticipate the third item on the enemy s programme. For were the Germans to remain in Russia for the winter, they would be so weakened in the spring that they would be defeated in the early j summer. It was unthinkable that Gej- ■ many, intended her armies to remain there during the coming months. Russia for the moment was weak, and the "steam-roller" would be out of action for a long time. Conseouently, everything depended upon the forces we could i put into the field on the West. The Allies in the long run would assuredly win. Reliction, their just cause, and the passion behind would bring about ultimate triumph. _ | Mr. Graham concluded by giving some interesting details in connection with the new Russian army, which, he stated, had not previously been narrated in this country. It was being formed, lie said, of only sons of military age, whilst those men who had obtained previous exemption on account of physical defects were now being called upon to undergo a second examination. Again, all the fugitives from Poland under the age or twenty-eight had been to present themselves and to _show lust cause why they were not serving; whilst, a cavalry force, 500,000 strong, was being recruited from among tho Kirghiz.