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PROGRESS OF THE WAR

There is sensational news from Greece. According to Mb. Ward Price the Royalist army, instead of moving' south into its appointed (|uartecs in Peloponnesus, is marching north towa.rds the rear and communication); of the Allied Army in Macedonia. Tho same correspondent confirms a story, already transmitted from other sources, that General von Falkenitayn is in Thes-sa-ly, having gone there to confer with King Constantink. There is nothing particularly , improbable about tho statement that the German commander reached Thessaly either by submarine or aeroplane. These reports ruddy disturb thehopes lately onlertainod of a satisfactory settlement of questions outstanding in Greece. If they are true, and they must, of course, await confirmation, a state of affairs has already arison which strikingly justifies the statement credited yesterday to a Daily Telegraph correspondent at Athens: "I expect Kino Constantine's policy will bo to endeavour to regain our goodwill, in order to better his position, and then stab us if the opportunity arises." Until to-day recent reports from Greece- ha.vc been in the main reassuring. They declared that Constantine, though still inclined to shuffle over final details, had bowed to the Allied ultimatum, and promised to move' his troops into Peloponnesus. Now it seems that the promise was made only to gain time, and that Constantine, while deceiving the representatives of the Entente with a show of submission, was plotting with the Germans and rounding off a plan for a combined attack upon General Sarrail's army.

It hardly needs to be pointed out that the state- of affairs now said to have arisen seriously threatens the Allied Army in Macedonia. Tho Allies, it will bo remembered, arc holding a front of nearly three hundred miles in the Southern Balkans. Extending right across Albania from the Adriatic it then runs .'.long the Scr'bo-Greek frontier (except that it takes in Monastir and <i small extent" of Southern Serbia), and further east, to the point at which tho right wing turns clown the River Struma to the Aegean. The neutral zone, which is policed by tho Allies, though in what force is not knokn, runs across Northevn Greece rather more than fifty miles south of the battle-front in . Maceand roughly parallel with it. Held in sufficient force the neutral zone would be a harrier to the northward march of Gonstantine's army through Greece, but the possibility remains that the Royalist troops might reach the rear of the Macedonian front by an advance through Albania. If a concerted attack by the enemy forces in Macedonia and by the Greeks is imminent, General Sarrail has a tremendous task in hand. With a main front of nearly three hundred miles in Albania and Macedonia, ho has to look also to a space of country about 150 miles wide through which tho Greeks may advance from the south to an attack upon his rear and communications.'

So far as the location of tho opposed forces is concerned, only one opinion is possible. If Falkenhayn controls tho Greek Royalist' army as well as tho Bulgar-German forces in Macedonia he has an advantage of position for which a military commander in the ordinary way might sigh in vain. It is, of course, too soon to assume that the situaton is beyond General Sarrail's control. Presumably ho foresaw tho possibility'of such a situation arising, and has taken 'all measures that his resources permit to meet it. Just what his resources are, however, and how his strength compares with that of tho enemy, wo do not know. There is some reason to believe that considerable Allied reinforccmonts have recently been sent to Macedonia, but on the other hand it is likely that the enemy has also sent 'reinforcements to the' Macedonian front from Rumania Oonstantine's army is said to number 80,000 men. A reliablo authority was quoted yesterday as stating that as Jong ago as November last tho Greek Nationalist army, which is organising at Salonika, to take the field on tho side 0 f f»i o Allies had reached a strength of nearly 100,000. It is very possible that General Sariiail has in tho aggregate as great a force'at disposal as has General von Falkenhayn, but unless means can be devisod of quickly putting the Royalist army out of action the Allies may need much moro than an equality of force to make their position secure.

While the outlook iu Greece is dubious, tho position in Rumania lias perceptibly improved. For tho limo fit least tlio Allies arc- vatbor more than holding their own, and in places they have made successful local attacks. There is some talk about' the possibility of a quick powerful counter-offensive before 'tho enemy Las timo to dig in, and

it is suggested that such a move may still transform the aspect of a campaign whioh, up to the present, has gone decidedly against tho Allies. Not much can bo built upon these speculations meantime, but if it is true, as a Berlin message asserts, that the Allies on tho Rumanian front have received large supplies of artillery and munitions, and at tho same timo that Falkenhayn is transferring troops from Rumania to Macedonia, conditions aro being created which may permit an effective countor-offensivo in Rumania. Bad weather would hinder and impede the Allies in such an enterprise, but it would also hinder tho enemy in Macedonia.

Accokding_ to the London Times, the resumption of the offensive on the main fronts is imminent. Reasonably interpreted, the prediotion is no doubt well foundod. Some of the worst weather of winter has yet to be experienced, but tho Allies have certainly every incentive to resume the offensive in the main theatres at tho earliest possiblo momont. By such a policy, when it becomes practicable, they will reduce to a minimum tho advantages tho enemy derives from his. interior communications, _and set a period to his activities in the secondary theatre of the Balkans. We arc within five weeks of the time at which tho Germans last year opened their Verdun offensive. It is not unlikely that tho anniversary of that event will find tho Allies exerting their power in a fashion impossible at present, and with transforming effect upon tho aspect of the war.

By a happy inspiration, which will probably accomplish more than any platform- argument and State regulation oould hope to do, the Commandant at Trentham (Colonel Potter) struck the right note in his address to tho first parade of the new drafts in camp on. Wednesday. In tho ranks in front of him the balloted man Rtood shoulder to shoulder with the volunteer. (Jolonei; Potter pointed out that there were to be no invidious distinctions hetween these two classes of men in camp. "We are one brotherhood," be said, "united for the one aim—the fight for the freedom which wo have hitherto enjoyed under our flag." He went on to say that many a balloted man would no doubt have been a. volunteer but for private reasons which ho had conscientiously believed to be sufficiently strong oithcr to deter him from enlisting, or, perhaps, to postpone his decision. We have since been assured by those on the spotthat this tactful note, struck at tho right moment, has already been attended with tho happiest results.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19170118.2.13

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2980, 18 January 1917, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,208

PROGRESS OF THE WAR Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2980, 18 January 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2980, 18 January 1917, Page 4

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