PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2914, 28 October 1916, Page 8

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Not much that is new appears in the_ Rumanian situation, and. it remains . critical, Piecing together enemy, reports and the official messages from Bucharest, it will bo seen that the Austro-Germans, though still involved in mountain country, are now well inside tho Wallachian | frontier, notably on the line of the railway that runs south from the Predeal Pass to Bucharest. The Rumanians report that they repulsed attacks south of the Predeal Pass, while the Germans assert, in reference to this -region, that they have gained ground towards Sinaia, a station on the railway from the Predeal Pass, ten miles south of the Trontier, and Kimpulung. The latter place is shown on most maps as Campulung. It stands 25 miles | west of Sinaia, and somewhat further south. Campulung is the northern railhead, of a Rumanian branch railway, and is approached from the north-by a road running south from the Torzburg Pass. Just how far tho Austro-Germans havo penetrated beyond the frontier is not time of writing. They may, of course, bo at a considerable distance from' both Sinaia and Campulung. In any case they are still fighting in mountain valleys, and are fronted by a wide extent of mountain country, both, in the Wallachian frontier zono north and north-west of Bucharest and in the Jiul valley, towards tho western extremity of Wallachia,. where they havo also forced the frontier.

«r n B . tlmc boln S afc lcast tho Wallachian frontier appears as the critical area of the Rumanian campaign. An understanding of tho position will be assisted by the following details of Rumanian topography, drawn from a standard work of reference:—"Apart from the Dobrudja, the whole of Rumania is included in the northern basin of the -Lower- Danube. It consists of a single inclined planestretching . upwards, with a, northwesterly direction, from tho left bank of the river to the summits of the Carpathians. It is divided into three zones—steppe, forest, and alpine. The first begins beyond tho mud-flats and reed-beds'which'lino the Water's'edge.'and is a vast monotonous lowland, sloping so gentlv as to seem almost level. Tho surface is a yellow clay, with patches of brown or dark grey, outliers of. the Russian 'black, earth.' Cereals, chiefly maize, with green crops and fields of gourds, alternate with fallow land. overgrown by : coarse grasses, weeds, and stunted shrubs. The second zone extends over the foothills and* lower ridges of the Carpathians.' This region, called by Rumanians 'the district of vines,' is the most fertile portion of the country. In it grow most fruits and flowers which thrive in a temperate climate. Oakß, elms, firs, ashes, and beeches are tho principal forest trees. The third zone covers the higher mountains on tbeir southern and eastern sides, • whoso violently contorted strata ieave many transverse valloys, though usually inclining laterally to . tho ■ south-east!:" Tho jagged iron-grey peaks of tho mountains from which-the lan territory descends attain, in .many cases,' altitudes of from 6000 to 80Q0 feet.. '■:..'•- ■..-,.-.•

Fbom this it will be seen that along tho whole length of'their northern .and .north-western - front, whether on_ or beyond the'frontier, the Rumanians are in contact with tho enemy in mountain- country-.-The belt of similar , territory at their-backs gives 'them a certain margin to como arid; go upon; The minimum demand-of the situation from-their point oft view, pending the arrival of such as will enable them to resume the offensive, is that the fighting should bo confined to the-alpine zone and the enemy prevented from extending his invasion ' into the rich middle zone, "the district of vines," which is in every sense the heart of Rumania. The enemy's full design, is to cut right across tho Country, so -as to junction with'.'.bis. southern forces, which tho ' Rumanians ■ are now withstanding for the most part along tho lino of the Danube. If the Austro-Germans succeeded in fighting their way through - the alpine region into the lower hills of the-.middle zone, the danger of their effecting a further advance to the Danube would becomo acute. But for the'tirne being'there is anundecided conflict in the alpine region of Wallachia. It is evident thatthe Rumanians are now maintaining a stout and well-organised defence. In regard to the question of transport, which bulks so large in modern warfare, it should be noted- that tho Rumanian roads are at their best in the highlands, and deteriorate as' they descend into the lower country, where stone is dear. The good roads of the mountain areas are a present asset to the Rumanians, but they will be of service ,also to tho enemy if he succeeds in [developing his invasion: Generally speaking, however, it is possible to do much more damage to roads and railways in retiring through mountain areas than in a retreat through flat or gently undulating country, and the Rumanians may do a great deal in, this way to lengthen out their resistance in the highlands which as yet afford them a useful bulwark of defence.

As news stands at time of writing, it is only in tho Wallachian frontier region that the position is visibly Further north, along the Moldavian frontier," the Rumanians appear to have repulsed arid defeated the enemy all along tho line, and have nearly everywhere driven'him back to tho frontier, Tho position

in the' Dobrudja. has not greatly altered. The great Cernavoda bridge has been blown up, as it was bound to be when the. eastern bridgehead became- untenable. , Presumably the Rumanian forces which retired north ffom Cernavoda (remaining east of the Danube) are resisting the northward advance by the enemy which would enable him to interrupt the navigation of the Danube and cut off Rumania from the sea. But the position in this section of the campaign is at the moment obscure.

.. Looking at tho position generally, it is necessary to consider not only .tho immediate problems > and dangers by which Rumania is confronted, but the'possibility.that she may bo speedily and powerfully reinforced. ; Certainly nothing is gained by criticism in-the. petulant tone adopted by some of the Italian newspapers and summed up in. the assertion: '"The Entente is late again."- Somewhat similar observations and reflections upon Entente strategy were-rife at the.time o£ the German offensive at Verdun, and again on the occasion of Austria's ill-starred invasion of Italy, and they proved in the end to be illfounded. These enterprises probably afford better criteria by which to weigh the Rumanian crisis than the Serbian debacle a year ago. Rumania is hard pressed, but not by any means at her last gasp, and she has prospect of receiving powerful aid. Mr. Asquith is quoted; to-day as stating that the Allies—it m pre-sumably-not without significance that he names Russia first—are concertedly taking measures with aview to enabling one another to render Rumania the utmost support.

No great change appears in the situation at .Verdun, which is to say that it is excellent and full of promise. The deliberate opinion 'of those qualified to judge seems to be that the assault in which the French recovered Douaumont and other famous ground ranks with the most successful operations • of the war. Other factors which stamp the assault as a masterpiece have been touched upon, but too much prominence cannot-be given to the magnificent dash and valour of the soldier's engaged. The' French troops in_ this battle were inspired by a Bpirifc which is widespread through the armies of the. Entente, though its expression,' is modified in 'each .bv: native temperament,-..ahd is a mighty factor, making for .victory. It is a factor of inestimable value even in a war in which machinery and. mechanical aids play such an enormous part.

Accohding to the Petit Parisian, the number of Germans taken prisoner—something oyer 5000 as reports stand—exceeds the " total of ■French losses. • An official report on this point-would bo preferable, but it is not by any means impossible that the statement -of the Petit Parisicn is in accordance with the facts. Only a few days. ago Sir Douglas Haio reported that the British took a thousand prisoners in fighting south of Bapaumo which cost them 1200 casualties under all. heads.' " Tho circumstances of the Verdun battle, of course, suggest that the enemy's total losses would be-but of all proportion to those of the attackers. Latterly the Germans have repeated tbeir heavy counterattacks, on theoos.itions lost, Buffering-, very heavily and-achieving thing. „ '

There are some things which it is better not to believe' s until unimpeachable evidence of their truth is supplied. An example in point is the charge that Germany is methodically, inoculating' large ' numbers of-war tuberculosis •in order to return them to ■• their own countries to; spread 'the ; disease, abroad. That Germany's treatment of prisoners of war. has. been un-, 6peakably vile is proven'up to the hilt, but even where Germany is concerned better evidence'than is yet afforded is needed to prove her guilty of the fiendish crime against humanity of which she is now accused; ;The long report' published to-day in which the charge is set forth wi'tb. many attendant horrors comes by way of a New York newspaper. In order to obtain credence tho changes should be-published: and attested by the Allied Governments. If the. facts - are as allegod, mere talk would be wasted,, but this would be essentially a "case for an 'announcement'-by the"Allies'that the guilty parties, high and lew, will be held to unsparing justice wnen the time for retribution arrives.