PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2917, 1 November 1916, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

It' the interview with von Hindknburg, published in a Vienna newspaper, is genuine it will _ take its place among the interesting and significant documents of the war, but certainly not because it is calculated to servo the purposes which presumably inspired its publication. A less convincing statement of its kind has never appeared. Stripped of a scries of assertions obviously and absurdly at variance with the facts of the war, it is reduced_ to little more than a lame and halting appeal to Austria-Hungary to face further sacrifices "in order tha.t those of the past might not bo vain. In this passage, no doubt, the motive appears which has induced von Hindenburg to undertake the hopeless task of attempting to make a bad' case seem good and a dark outlook bright. The interview, as it is published, has been issued from Berlin, and the statement attributed to the interviewing correspondent that Austria-Hungary is anxious for the war to end may presumably be accepted at its face_ value. It is reasonable to regard it as the admission of an inconvenient fact which cannot be ignored. As an attempt to bolster •up the failing determination of the Dual Monarchy, this wonderful review of the war situation and outlook affords some matter for amusement, but little enough for concern. It _is easy to believe that' tho interview has disappointed the public, who expected a more optimistic statement. Vague assurances and childishly transparent perversions of fact are unsatisfying fare for a warweary people longing for respite. What is known of the present condition of the Dual Monarchy suggests that the clangor of an AustroHungarian collapse is one _ with which Germany must seriously reckon: The Histdenburg interview will strengthen a belief of this kind, and at the same time it shows that Germany is anything but happily placed in regard to inducing her principal ally to carry on. 'Stock fables about the exhaustion of the French and Russians and_ tho nerfidy and inefficiency of Britain have been bo far and notoriously falsified by events that they cannot be expected at this stago to carry much weight even in the Dual Monarchy.

If there is another broad feature which stands out from the interview it will be found in the assurances of von Hindbnbueo and his right-hand manf von Ludendorff, that Germany is determined to fight the war to a finish. All things considered, we 'shall probably be justified in reading these declarations backward. There may indeed be .an element of grim sincerity in the statement of tho 'old Fieldllakshat, : "I only know that we shall fight on to a decision," but Hindenburg is not jn all things the ruling power within the Teutonic circlc. He maybe wholly inclined to continue fighting while an armycorps remains, but there is nevertheless reason to believe that Germany will bid hard for peace during the coming winter. It,is probably a matter of no great practical importance. Germany may be expected to bid for peace, but she is not likely to acccpt such terms as the Entente will impose while power of resisting its will remains, and it is to events in the field and not to enemy intrigno that we must look to bring pcace nearer.

Thb detail statements contained in the interview hardly call for remark. because thoir character is apparent or at all events will be apparent to anyone who has even a general acquaintance with tho events and established fact-s of the war. HiNDENBUna lays much emphasis upon the alleged exhaustion of the French, whoso tenacity ho admits, but the fact is well established that the Frcnch, in their proportionate strength, have made somewhat less serious inroads on their man-Dower than Germany. A late example of French exhaustion is tho mighty blow struck tho other tlivv at Verdun, upon which Germanv has so completely failed to retort. Tho statement that the Russian Army is exhausted needs no reply, and neither docs the GilberLian suggestion that Rumania's entry has done Germany good service by bringing one Gorman -army out of tho trenches, nor much else to which HiNDKNiiURG has set his name on this occasion. Generally speaking, he has inverted facts, and presented a case that is palDablv hollow. Consider, for example, his expressions of confidence in tho stability of the German Western front. _ What arc these expressions worth in light o 1 the knowledge that about half of the German divisions in tho Western theatre, perhaps a larger proportion by this time, have been thrown in succession into the Sommc inferno and withdrawn shattered and exhausted 1 HiNnENßUiio's professions seem all the more pathetic when it is remembered ' that the Western Allies, both on the Somrae and at Yerdun, have been able latterly to develop their offensive at lighter cost t-o themselves than to tho enemy whom they aro blasting out of fortified positions.

Though they have proved unequal to any reply to tho Frcnch stroke at Verdun, the Germans are credited to-day with a minor success in tho Western theatre, which attracts attention chiefly because an event of tho kind has now become so rare. They havo penetrated a portion of the French line north of La Maisonette, in the locality opposite and south of Peronne, where the French have advanced their front, for a distance of several miles,, very near to the west bank of the Somme. In this locality tho Germans are fighting under a handicap, maintaining their communications across the .river with great difficulty under the unrelenting lire of the Frcnch batteries. In the circumstanccs tho enemy must have won his limited success as a result of costly and strenuous cxertious, and that he should have put forth such an effort emphasises the apprehension with which he anticipates the further development of the Frcnch offensive in tho region of tho engagement.

In material importance the dearbought German success south of fcbo Soimne is probably move than balanced by the French advance northwest of Sailly-Sailisel and eastward towards Saillisel, beyond the Ba-paume-Peronno road. Bain has momentarily interrupted the slow, but almost continuous, advance on the British section of -the Somme f.ront, but the French advance in neighbouring territory, unless the report dealing with it is belated, would indicate that woatber conditons arc already improving.

M. Marcel Hutin's prediction of a struggle between the Grown Prince and von Hindenburg on tho question of reinforcements to enable a strong counter-offensive to be attempted at Verdun wears a reasonable look, and lays due emphasis on the fact that Rumania has in effect been powerfully assisted by her Allies, in the Western theatre as well as more directly. Verdun has become a vorv sore spot in the German lino, and it is a moderate statement of the facts to say that the offensive against -Rumania is losing momentum. Tho conflicting demands thus raised may be expected to placo the enemy high command in a serious quandary. At time of writing the position in Rumania is broadly unchanged. Interest still centres in the battles that are being fought in tho Wallachian passes and defiles. The Germans claim that they have captured several high positions southeast of the Rotherthurm Pass, but some reason appears for casting a doubtful eye upon their recent reports dealing with the Rumanian campaign. In a communique published yesterday they claimed that they had captured Ayuga, a few miles south of the frontier at the Predeal .Pass, but the Rumanians, in their latest report in hand, state that they repulsed two attacks north of Ayuga. The news generally is good. The Rumanians are pursuing the enemy in Western Wallachia, and have made some progress at Dragoslavclo, north-east of Campulung. An interesting review o? tho general position on the Wallachian front will be found in a message from Petrograd. Incidentally it shows that the Rumanians did not waste their time when they advanced into Transylvania, but cleared the belt of territory lying beyond their frontier mountains in a fashion which is now seriously impeding the enemy in his offensive. Further intimations that Russian reinforcements are reaching Ru- | mania speak for themselves. At an immediate view, the brief but highly informative review of the position in Western Maoedonia supplied by Mr. Ward Price holds out no very definite promise of early results.- .He shows indeed that tbe Allies are developing a formidable attack upon the powerfully organised Bulgar-German position in the Monastir region, 'designed to protect the Vardar, the chief military avenue through the Balkans, against an attack in flank. But Mr. Ward Price shows also that the Allies, though in superior force to the enemy, are contending with serious transport problems. In the prevailing state of weather and roads they are heavily handicapped by their lengthening lines of communication, while those of the enemy are shortening. Looking at these facts, the prospect of an extended advance in the near future does not seem bright. It has to be considered, however, that the Bulgar-Ger-man defences in Macedonia, tough as they have proved up to the present, can hardly be organised in the depth and on the elaborate scale that prevails in tho main theatres. Tor the time being the Allies in Western Macedonia, which holds attention at the moment, are engaged in a regular attack upon field fortifications, and the heavy transport involved is being conducted under difficulties which seriously hamper and impede tho attack. But in _ this theatre the problem of breaking through tho enemy line is hardly likely to present the same extreme difficulties as in the main theatres. And a breach once effected, the result might be to speedily open up the whole campaign. The great length of front held by the enemy in Macedonia railitateß against a safe defence, and tho failure of his defeneo at any one vital point would bo apt to cost him dear. Problems, of heavy transport for the time being dominate the situation, but the organisation of light transport, adapted to the character of the inland country of tho Balkans, has also been an important feature of the Allied preparations, and one big success on the present front might enable them Upturn this section of their preparation to account.