PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2729, 25 March 1916, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

The Allied Conference which is to be t held at Paris next week is likely to witness fateful decisions, and to be memorable in the history of the war. _ Similar conferences have been held in the past, and will doubtless be held in future, but it is highly probable that the one ahout to assemble will stand out as marking tho transition from one epoch to another. Up to the present, except on the sea and in colonial warfare and some secondary campaigns, the Allies have been playing a- waiting game, but there is every'reason to believe that they are now laying their plans for aggressive action on an immense scale.

Still more positive information under this head than he gave a day or two ago is supplied to-day by General Oadorna, the Italian Com-niander-in-Ohief. He is credited with a definite statement that the Italians are about to resume the offensive in an energetic manner on tho only front where they can act at present. Apart from its obvious bearing upon the general plans of tho Allies, this is a very plain and straightforward statement, which can hardly be taken to mean anything else than that the Italians will concentrate upon an attempt to break through on the Isonzo front. General Cadojina's remark that peoplo do not realise the prodigious difficulties his troops have had to surmoiint calls for little comment. As knowledge of the Austro-Italian campaign extends, it is coming to be more widely recognised that the Italian Army has overcome as formidably difficulties, and acquitted itself as gallantly, as any engaged in tho war. « # e *

Paris comments upon lato events in the Verdun region are pervaded by a ton© of robust optimism. Particularly in regard to the latest attacks near Malancourt,_ the small measure of success by the enemy is passed ovoi' as of slight importance, while strong emphasis is laid upon his failure to achieve any more pronounced advantage. Tho view is taken that tho enemy was driven to attempt a surprise attack upon the Malancourt sector becauso ho found himself unable to penetrate tho French defensive line further east. A semi-official message _ sets down tho latest attack as a failure, and declares t-liat it proves that henceforth tho French will be able to receive, even the most violent attack at whatever noinfc it max occur.

These are confident claims, and as much may be said of tho Petit Parisian's statement that Verdun is now "absolutely sheltered." but there is nothing in visible events to indicate that they are not warranted by the facts. On tho contrary, the- general statement that the attack in tho Malancourt area was a failure receives a- measure of confirmation from tho fact that tho battle has again died down. The Germans have not yet, at all events, been able to use their initial, and not extensive, gain of ground as a stepping-stone to a further advance. Reports in hand tell only of artillery fighting in the vicinity of Verdun, and even bombardment has relaxed in the Malancourt area. Evidence in sight goes to support the opinion lately expressed that the German offensive has been reduced for the time to incoherence. The enemy is not likely to accomplish anything of moment by spasmodic attacks on a limited scale, with intervals in which tho French are able to reorganise and make their defence stronger than ever.

Though they report a check at one point, involving the recapture by the enemy of portion of some trenches ho lately lost, the Russians appear to be having much tho best of tho widely-extended battle which has opened in tho Biiltie Provinces. Official reports, in which the Germans admit nothing, and the Russians report successcs at several points, are interestingly supplemented by the Daily Chronicle's■ correspondent at Pctrograd. Piecing the reports together, it seems that the Russians are attacking vigorously at several points, but the Germans also have an aggressive purpose in view. They aim at mastering an additional section of the most easterly of two railways running north to the section 100 miles long, which runs north-east from Molodnetcha, 55 miles east-south-cast of Vilna, to Polot'zk, 85 miles east and a little south of Dvinsk. The defences fronting Dvinsk and extending along tho Dwina have hitherto blocked all efforts by the Germans to advance along the Petrograd railway which runs north by way of Vilna and Dvinsk, and the suggestion now is that the enemy meditates an attempt to strike across country to the other Pctrograd railway further cast, and so work round the defences he has failed to subdue by frontal attack. Molodnetcha is the junction which was reached and temporarily held by a strong force of German cavalry which broke through the Russian line north of Vilna in September last. _ The Germans are still comparatively close to the railway in the vicinity of Molodnetcha, but at their nearest approach to Polotzk they are about 80 miles away from that place. The battle resolves itself into a series of detachcd encounters, and of these the most important appears to bo under way about 30 miles north of Molodnetcha and south of Lake Narotch. Here tho Russians arc making some headway into the strong positions constructed by the enemy between Lakei Narotch and another lake further south. It is further north,'and at a much greater distance from the Petrograd railway, at which the enomy aims, that the Russians have lost portion of a position recently _ wrested from the enemy. Meantime additional ground has been gained by the Russians on the Dwina front, between Riga and Dvinsk,

If the Germans could reach the railway-from Molodnetcha-to Polotzk, they would outflank the Dwina front, which the Russians have so long and stufcjornly defended, and also be materially advanced on the road to Petrograd. Tho situation at the moment seems to be, however; that the Russians are working forward, though slowly, into positions where they will better and more effectively guard the railway from attack.

At time of writing there is no news of events on the Russian southern front, where, as information goes, much greater issues are hanging in the balance than in thq Baltic Provinces. The report that Czernowitz had been evacuated was evidently erroneous. Indeed, it is not likely to be evacuated, for it is defended by strong works hardly to be equalled outside the Western theatre, and tho Russians would have to considerably extend their recent success on the_ Dniester in order to threaten the vital communications of the place.

According to the Times correspondent at Washington, Germany is rumoured to be again extending, peace fceleis, and an official disclaimer is regarded as not wholly disposing of the report that she is seeking to enlist the good offices of the American Government in this connection. Obviously such overtures, if they have been made, are of little practical importanco in any case, unless as an indication that Germany is severely feeling the strain of the war. Even if she is, it may be taken for granted that she will make no such proposals, as are likely to be con-, sidered by the Allies. The war outlook at the moment, from the Allied standpoint, is favourable, and promises well, but German/ is not likely to submit,to the Allied demands until she has suffered such a defeat in the field as she may yet be ablo to avert for some time to come. Even the Socialist minority in the Reichstag, which is opposing the later developments of submarine warfaro, and urging the Government to do its utmost to secure a speedy peace, qualifies these demands by' stating conditions to which the Allies would certainly not accede.' The identity of tho Empire, which is one clause in the Socialist conditions, will certainly not bo_ conceded by; the Allies, in so far .as it concerns Alsace-Lorraine, and may be resisted also as regards Prussian Poland.. Er->edom of economic development is another impossible stipulation, since it is presumably > intended to involve Germany's admission to tho same commercial relations with Allied countries as she enjoyed before the war. While the German Socialists, tho extreme peace party, adhere to impossible conditions of this character, it may be assumed that any proposals made by the rulers of Germany are even less likely to be considered by the Allies.

The attitude of the Allies towards Austro-German peace overtures was admirably stated at tho end of January last by tho Russian Foreign Minister _(M. Sazonokf). Overtures to Russia for a separate peace, tho Minister stated, had begun long ago, ,and had been resumed quite recontly. "These attempts," ho added, "were so badly conccived that it is impossible to say they were declined. We left them all unanswered, and simply took no noticc of them. A separate peace, for this reason, that such an Allies, for apart from tho vital interests.pf the Allies, which demand a struggle to tho death, no politician

in any of the Allied countries would dara to betray the oentiments of honour and duty or to denounc© the solemn promises and declarations which have been made. Moreover, no Allied State could put up a separate peace, for this reason, that such an act would be equivalent to tne destruction of its international situation, and consequently to its political future. Thus the struggle will be continued to the end, for it is indispensable to create, conditions which will enable all States to organiso their political and national life independently of tho capriccs and ambitions of the C'eotral Powers. Germany must bo rendered harmless." as * a a

Tiie news comes from Sydney that Japanese newspapers state that two battleships and as many coast defence ships, captured by the Japanese from the Russians m the RussoJapanese war, have been transferred to their former owners and will appear shortly in the North Sea. It would be interesting to know whether this is reliable .news or one of the fairy stories of which several have been set afloat at different times in Sydney. If the news is reliable the ships are presumably intended to reinforce the fleet which has dont) good service, under Adjiieal Bacon, in bombarding German naval and military depots along tho Belgian coast. The ships aro all too old to join a modern battle fleet, but old battleships have taken an active part, along with monitors and other craft, in the work of coast bpmbardment.