PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2946, 5 December 1916, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

The day's news includes a number of messages which deserve particular attention on account of the clear outline they present of the essential features of the Rumanian campaign: The broad position is that the Russo-Rumanians are now vigorously attacking the enemy on a great part of the front from northwestern Bukowina to the Danube, but are at a disadvantage in lie southern section of this front which makes it very doubtful if they will bis able to save Bucharest and avoid ti further,. retreat through Wallachia. On the north the Russians have captured the Carpathian summits commanding the railway which runs through the Jablonitza Pass into Hungary. Further south, towards the Rumanian frontier, they are driving in upon the Kirlibaba Pass, another important frontier gateway. Simultaneously they are pressing hard upon the. enemy in the Moldavian ■frontier zone, driving ,hiin out of the Rumanian valleys he had penetrated, and threatening von Falkenhayn's communications in Transylvania. .It will necessarily be some time, however, before the threat becomes really formidable, and meantime the immedi-' ate outlook in "Wallachia gwes ground for considerable anxiety. The chief danger, it is now abundantly clear, is on the Danube front; and arises from the apparent ability of the enemy to pass what should be a .formidable obstacle almost at will.'

If account had to be taken only of operations, as they are reported) on the front extending across Wallachia from the' northern frontier to the Danube,, the position would be by no means desperate, even where the question of the retention or loss of Bucharest is concerned. The Runurhians report successful fighting' in Northern Wallachia, where they have captured some prisoners. Combined Russian and Rumanian forces have captured 26 guns south of Bucharest, which implies that in that region the enemy has suffered a heavy check. In the intervening area the Rumanians are retreating south-east towards Bucharest along the valley of the Arges. By their own report they- have retreated towards the junction of Titu, 35 miles south-east of the more important'junction of Pitesci, which tho enemy lately captured, and about tho same distance north-west of the capital. Reports from Bucharest and Pctrograd, however, indicate that the Rumanians haveturned upon the lenemy on this section of the front, and that a great battle is developing.

So presented, the situation in Wallachia does not seem to be beyond remedy, but it is more than likely that the enemy's command of the Danube, a direct outcomo of his superiority in heavy artillery, will exercise a determining influence upon ovents in the near future'. The real importance and significance of the check suffered by the enemy south of Bucharest will only appear when it is seen whether ho is able to force the Danube still further east. If, for instance, he makes the crossing at Turtakai, which is now threatened, and advances from that point the present Allied line will be taken hopelessly in rear, and the fate of Bucharest will be sealed. One factor favouring tho Allies is that the section of tho Danube which must be held if' they arc to make good on a line across Eastern Wallachia is nearly everywhere bordered by marshes. These in themselves make a crossing difficult and facilitate the defence of the river line. There is hard ground, however, in "fchc vicinity bf Turtakai, which stands nearly opposite a Rumanian railway terminus south-east of Bucharest.

. Tub decisive importance of heavy artillery has never been better illustrated than in this campaign on the Danube. Thanks to his preponderance in heavy batteries the enemy has been able to convert what should have been the strongest section of tho Rumanian lino into the weakest. Tho Austro-Germans, o! course, mado good use of their heavy guns in forcing tho northern passes, but on the Danube the advantago conferred by their artillery is even more pronounced. The manner in which Maokbnsen is using his heavy batteries is clearly described to-day.

Ha not only commands the river line, putting Allied gunboats out of action, but has been able hitherto to mass an overwhelming force of guns at almost every point selected tor a crossing. Up to the present, however, his attempts upon the Ccrnavoda crossing havo oeon foiled, and it is not certain that he will succeed at Turtakai. The part played by tho enemy's heavy guns is the more important since it is likely that the Allies are in other arms at no very pronounced disadvantage and that they havo at all cventsa considerable numerical superiority in troops at least as good as those of tho enemy. Given an adequate equipment of heavy artillery the Russo-Itumanians would probably have been able to cross tho Danube to a damaging attack upon Hackensen's communications. Even excluding this possibility, equality or superiority in big guns would at least have relieved them of all danger of being outflanked by an enemy movement across the Danube. As it is this danger is still acute, and it will probably entail a further retreat unless the deficiencies which so gravely handicap tho Allies in Rumania are mado good or combined pressure compels the enemy to distribute the force he has now con. centrated in Wallachia and in tho region of tho Danube.

No definite development is reported in Greece, 'at time of writing, but with really remarkable assurance the Athens Government has appealed to the United States to disapprove tho action of the Allies. The measures which the Allies have slowly and reluctantly taken in the direction of disarming the prfrGerman clique at Athens ard so manifestly in tho nature of selfprotection and safeguard against, treacherous attack that formal defence of their action is hardly needed. But, apart from the. machinations of Constanhne and his proGerman associates, tho Entente Powers undoubtedly havo a legitimate standing in Greece. They entered the country at tho invitation of a constitutional Government,, and as the Allies of Serbia, with which country Greece also was allied until she basely repudiated her treaty obligations. At an election held subsequently to the Allied entry, M.. Venizelos was returned on a policy of intervention. It is only by trampling on the constitution of his country and reducing the machinery of election to a sham, that Oonstantine has since maintained a semblance of authority.' He is a traitor to his own country as well as to the Powers to whom it owes its national existence, and is in no way entitled to voice the grievances' of Greece, even if she had any against tho Entente.