SPIRIT OF HOPE IN THE AIR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3008, 20 February 1917, Page 5

SPIRIT OF HOPE IN THE AIR

(Rco. February 10, ?5.15 p.m.)

London, February IS. A high British military authority, villi 'the approval of t.ho War Office, has prepared, a statement for tfio "New York Times" regarding the military position on tlio evo of; tho opening of tho 1917 campaign. He "reviews tho Germans' repeated failures to break tho Allies' lino, nnd adds:— "Tho ruthless submarine threat is a confession of Gorniany's failure and of tho growing military strength of the Allies in face. oF tho declining strength of the Central Powers. Fortwo yeans tho Germans have steadily 'dropped behind in material resources, in spite of tho gross illegality oF their employment of scores of thousands of prisoners of war and deported civilians as producers of munitions. The co-ordinated pressure of the Allies on all fronts has forced Germany and Austria to draw upon inferior.material. Germany is feeling soverely the strain of bolstering up her steadily weakening allies, such as tho Austrian anny on tho Russian front, and the Bulgarian army in Macedonia, which would collapse hut for Germany's stiffening. 'Pho date of tho end of the war cannot be fixed; but it will inevitably extinguish tho Central Powers as a menace to tho peace of tho world."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. THROUGH THE SHADOW. Cardinal Bourne, in a pastoral letter, says: "Thm-o is a spirit of hopefulness and certainty of success abroad, such as was impossible during tho moreanxious periods of the war, although there has never been any uncertainty as te the final issue. There have been many dark days, but we are now convinced that while, tho enemy's power is -waning ours is gaining in strength aud. in numbers, leaders, and weapons, representing a, change such as tho world, has not Been before Tho King, tho Government, and the Empire look forward with confidence te the future." Cardinal Bourne authorises the clergy a wide discretion in granting dispensations during Lent to munitioners and those finding a difficulty in obtaining abstinence food.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. I "MONEY, MEN AND MUNITIONS" i . . ■ , London, February IS. Lord Derby (Secretary for War), speaking at Bolton, said the war would be long and even more bitter than hitherto. Threo things were necessary to ensure victory. ''I will enumerate them in. order—Money, Men, Munitions. The people have given money, and munitions are boing supplied. Men are wanted, and we must have thorn. Ib has pleased us te hear that Germany is at the last gasp, but, though Germany is suffering in a manner we have hardly realised, she has enormous reserve power, and will make a gigantic effort to secure supremacy at sea. The critical period of tho war will be the next six months, but in tho meantime many more restrictions of liberty and many more privations must bo borne." Success depended as lmicli upon the people as upon the men in the field.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. VETERAN GENERAL'S CONFIDENCE IN HAIG London, February IS. In response te a- request, Field-Marshal Sir Evelyn Wood sent the newspaper "Observer" a message for tho men at the front. It says:— "I look forward with confidenco to tho issue, because I look back so far ■historically and personally. In former wars our soldiers often won battles under bravo but incapable leaders. I have served with leaders who personally were very bravo, but who would not risk tlie loss of a company. Lord French and Sir Douglas Haig have both shown tho qualities of heart and head •which are indispensable to euccoss. Sir Douglas Haig tells us of his dceprnotod confidence in his troops. I am suro that confidence is well founded, for all my letters attest te their soundness of lug confident belief that tho troops will reciprocate his trust. Twenty-five years- ago Lord French and I agreed that Sir Douglas Haig was our best-instructed junior officer. T believe that he, having carefully estimated the value of the objective, will not Shrink from asking the troops for any necessary sacrifice."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo A'ssn.