HOW THE FRENCH WERE NEARLY CAUGHT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2769, 12 May 1916, Page 5

HOW THE FRENCH WERE NEARLY CAUGHT

■ ' DOINGS OF THE ANZACS ' . THE IRISH FIASCO GOVERNMENT SEVERELY ' CRITICISED • : —~— The second attempt of the Germans to press home their attack on Verdun has failed, with tremendous losses, in which three fresh divisions are stated to have been decimated. B st, if the Paris "Matin" speaks truly, France had a narrow escape, for-so completely, apparently, were the French taken off their guard, that in the ear ly stages of the great battle. there were only 60,000 troops available to hold the. German onset of 200,000. GeneTal • Castolman's prompt decision and energetic measures saved the situation. There are no further reports of fig liting on the Anzacs' front, but thero is quite a budget of interesting impressions, culled from various sources, about our men. They are the lions of the moment. . The only other items of'interest from the battle fronts come from Petrograd. German attacks , have been repulsed,. while in Asia Minor the Russians have made a great ■ haul of war booty in their march south to Bagdad. Tho Compulsion Bill ; is : at present in. its Committee stage, and the House of Commons has. had an all-night sitting. The conscription issue in Australia has reached the political arena, and fragments from the debates in both Houses of thp Federal Parliament are cabled to-day. There seems to lie a sharp cleavage between Liberal and Labour opinion on tho question, and apropos of the Labour view,, Mr.. Hughes, Federal Prime Minister, lias made a powerful appeal to Labour in the Old Country. The latest development of the Irish .'trouble is the resignation of the Viceroy, and an outburst of. severe criticism in tho House of Lords. Mr. Churchill is being discussed, as a probable Chief Secretary. .