PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2766, 9 May 1916, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Military writers in Homo papers emphasise that the gain of a few trenches here and there, even if they extend over a considerable length of th' 9 line, means little or nothing in the great attack on Verdun. The only hope of the Germans' in this direction is a clean break through; which in the event of its sucecss would be immediately followed by a tremendous attack at iyic or more other points north or south. Even the capture of Verdun could only mean a slight modification of the French front, unless, .indeed, tho operation was part of a tremendous rush which would carry the enemy irresistibly past and beyond the French defensive lines behind the' existing front. So it is that news such as we have to hand to-day of a further powerful German offensive with heavy losses of men and small gains of ground need occasion little concern. The main question ■is whether a full price has been exacted by our Allies for the ground given up, and on this point there does . not appear to be any room for doubt. The military correspondent of a leading London journal throws some light on the situation at Verdun whiclr helps to explain the persistence- of the' German attacks in this region in the face of past failures.

It is, of course, possible, he states, that the Germans may try to break through elsewhere than at Verdun, but it is difficult to see what'they could hope to gain/ by shifting the focus of the fighting. Behind their batteries .facing Verdun they have not only several main lines of railway, but fourteen light railways, eleven of which were made in the last few months. Nowhere else can they find so great a relative advantage against the-French in facilities of transport. There is a hint to-day of activity in Belgiu'm which it is suggested may foreshadow a big attack on the British lines. Such an attack has been anticipated for some time past, but it has not yet materialised. Possibly it will 'be forestalled.

.Muck is jcffc to speculation in the message from Pctrograd which states that the Russians are gradually advancing on Bagdad. So far as our information goes, the Tsar's forces must be a long way off Bagdad, hut it is satisfactory to know that the advance in that direction continues. The'llussians, by thci • swoop on Trebizond, seem to have so demoralised the Turks that they left a great supply of big' .guns, transport wagons,, .'.mmunition, etc., .which thev could ill-spare, behind' them when they retreated.

Thk-Pope, apparently, has sent another message to President Wilson, and the comments concerning it suggest that it deals with the question of peace. At time" of writing Ihe only hint of its contents is to the effect that the Teutonic Powers are anxious or ready l:i. open negotiations. This is inosi probable) It does not mean, however, that th'ey are prepared to discuss peace terms on a basis that would I>s at all satisfactory to the Allies; ?nd though the Pope's message, is reported to have, ousted the German No'tc as a topic of public interest in America, its contents will be awaited lwc with duo composure. It n>av be something more than a coincidence that Lord. CrnzoN. in his speech on Fridajvlast said: "He had heard many thines discussed in Cabinet, but 1

never Peace. That word would be expunged from our vocabulary until victory was won." This Ministerial pronouncement would seem to havo been timely. Peaco proposals at the present time may well be viewed with suspicion. There are points in the speech of Lohd'Cuuzon published yesterday of even more vital importance than the stirring phrases of Mr. Lloyd George. The Minister of Munitions did not tell us very much that wo did not already know. He was largely eonccrned with the ta.sk of clearing himself of the foul imputations levelled against him by those who suspected him of playing for his own political advantage instead of devoting himself wholly and wilh a single mind to the formidable task allotted him as the moving spirit in the great munitions campaign. His advocacy of compulsion shocked many of his friends, as well as agitating his opponents; but his justification of his actions rings true. It was a very fine speech, no doubt, and his plain-speaking as. tfo the necessity for maintaining our efforts to the utmost comes opportunely. Wo have done well —we can do better. Lord Gurzon, however, drew back the veil which obscures the doings of the Coalition j Cabinet, and the glimpse which he gave of the attitude of' Ministers towards tlio export- naval and military advisers of the Government is the most reassuring view yet afforded the nation.

. The suspicion has been, widely held, and it has been strengthened b,y events associated with the' Dardanelles campaign and the fiasco of the telief force dispatched'to" Antwerp, that Ministers have' at times Over-ruled or interfered unduly with the plans of their expert naval and military advisers. This suspicion, it has been -shown, was not entirely without foundation in the earlier stages-of the war, and public confidence has been disturbed in consequence. If the experts had been persuaded to act against their bettor .judgment in one or more instances that had come to light, it is not surprising'that the public should fee) concern as to where this interference might ultimately land the Empire. Lord Curzon was very clear nnd emphatic as to. the attitude of f.bo Coalition Government. The War Comfnittee, he stated, had absolutely a free hand; in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred its decision was not even debated. The Government, he added, fully recognised that the strategy and conduct of the campaign must be left to the Chief of the General Staff. This may bo taken as,a definite declaration of the Government's policy towards its expert advisers. Jt is only as it should be; but it is well to-know that the proper course is being pursued.

Both Lo.rd Curzon ancl Mn Lloyd Gkokgb niacty strikingly similar ap' peals to the trust arid confidence of the people. Loud Curzon, dealing with Britain's efforts, remarked that "the last and greatest, contribution Britain was making nvas not merely the men in the field or munitions or .sliipj sailing -the seas, but the unsurpassed solidarity and stubborn tenacity of the nation as a whole, that inspircjd tho Allien with ponfjdenco and struck terror into the enemy." The truth of this cannot 'he questioned. Our Allies may .question our methods of procedure; they may justly think we are slow to movo and too wedded to traditions which hamper our efforts and hinder~ the exercise of our full strength; but they have the fullest confidence in our tenacity, determination, and powers of endurance. It rests' with us to demonstrate to the world that that confidence is not misplaced— and wc are doing it. Mr. Lloyd Gucrge, in discussing the conduct of tho war, summed up the duty of the' people in very similar terms. They must be resolute and united and fia"c confidence in their leaders: "If people have confidence in their leaders, the nation's spirit is a propellano to its armies." Which again was fittingly capped by Lord Curzon's declaration that if the people did not trust their present leaders then the members of the Coalition Government were . ready to retire. The speeches should clear the air a good deal. The Coalition Government hitherto has not shown, the boldness expected of it either in speeCh or in action.'

Some rather wild talk is to hand from Washington. The newspapers continue to denounce the German Note on the Kaiser's submarine pol-' icy, but the general impression remains that the Washington authorities will find a means.of avoiding a definite,rupture. The point of chief interest;, however, is the suggestion of a German uprising in New York on the lines of the recent "outbreak in Ireland- This, of course, has been one of the chief cards of the American pacifists throughout the controversy with Germany. The menace of internal dissension and armed strife has been held up to the American people as ;l very real thing in the event of' the United States coming to grips with Germany. There is little doubt' that there would bo trouble of a kind. The German section of the American, population is better organised and probably is more united than any other large section of the people, andiho agents of the Kaiser have bien particularly active during the past tivelve months. But it is just- a threat of this nature that is likely to harden up the mass of the American people.They have not concerned themselves overmuch with the attempt of- Germany to dominate and" terrorise Europe, but if their own Gorman population were to seek openly to intimidate the Government of: the country, and to shape the. policy of the nation, by threats of armcd'violence, then the free American citizen might be expected to see matters in a new light. Past experience, howover, has taught us to discount very heavily wild talk froin America. President Wir.sos seems to go his own road, and'that road so far has always appeared in the end'to suit Germany well enough.