PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3020, 6 March 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

T'jikre are two or three messages til-day with seemingly little connection widen might with profit bo studied in relation to one another. Tho British troops, wo are told, have taken over another length of the. French held line—from the Sormne to Ro/s. The Germans are. uouccntritiiijj largo .forces in Alsace in anticipation of a French offensive in this region and in expectation that tlw French may violate Swiss _ territory in conjunction 'therewith. Another messago slates that the Germans are planning a great drivo iu the Tventino against tho Italians. First of all as to the taking over by the .British of something like an additional f.O miles of the Western front. Plainly this will relieve, for

service elsewhere a largo force of French troops with artillery and reserves. Anything between 160,000 and 200,000 and possibly more men would bo made available to the French High Command by this step —a weapon with which to strike or to follow up a heavy blow at the enemy. But where to strike 1 Clearly, if we accept the report respecting tho tremendous preparations afoot in tho Alsace region the Germans anticipate a mighty effort in this direction. It is here, too, that the French troops might bo expected to excel, if that were possible, even tho magnificent valour which has distinguished our brave Allies in tho fighting further north. What more inspiriijg task could bo set a French army than the roeonquest of Alsace-Lorraine; the wresting from the enemy of the despoiled provinces of 1870; tho wip'ing out of tho bitter degradation which has rankled in the breast of every true Frenchman for nearly 60 years. The spirit of Franco would (.oar to the clouds under tho impulse of such an achievement; tho nation would be born anew; its energies be multiplied tenfold. It is a splendid thought, but how does it fit in with the Allied plans?

Fob months past tho French have been nibbling steadily at the enemy lines in the Alsace, region; creeping forward here and there and endeavouring to secure vantage points which would open the way in duo course for a general offensive. There has been nothing, however, to indicate any marked progress and the only suggestion that a big move is in 'prospect here comes from the enemy. It comes, too, in conjunction 'with a vory sinister suggestion that France contemplates the violation of Swiss territory. Now experience has taught us in this war that whenever Germany alleges any contemplated outrage on the 'part of the Allies it is tairly safe to assume that she has in mind some such outrage on her ■ own part. When Germany accuses France of intention to violate Swiss territory it is not unreasonable to suspect that she is seeking an excuse or contemplates some such step herself. In this connection it is well to bear in mind that the reported intention to attack the Italians m the Trentino might conveniently coyer the transfer of troops in. the direction oE the Swiss frontier. On the face of things it certainly seems probable that there will bo a livening up at the southern end of the Westcm front/ere' long.

So far as the Allies are concerned a development of this nature would no doubt bo accompanied by further heavy blow in tho Somme region. It is. most unlikely that in the coming months tho main efforts of the Franco-British forces will bo confined to opening up and extending the advantage already gained on the Sommc. Their endeavour probably will be to embarrass tho enemy by striking at widely separated parts of the cnoray.'s line on the Western .front,, and by maintaining tho initiative compel him to transfer troops from point to point, exhausting his powers and resources and taking him at a disadvanta'go by reason of the uncertainty as to where the really vital efforts aro to be made. It ie safe to assume that the possibility of Germany in desperation violating Swiss territory with tho object of striking at tho right flank of tho Allied line has been foreseen and precautions taken. The Swiss, liko the Dutch in tho north, have not been blind to the menaco of German forces along their frontiers, and are prepared to defend their neutrality by force of arms.

Meantime tho British continue to progress oti the Somme. The Germans continue fortunate in having a, spell of foggy weather, which covers their retirement and handicaps the efforts of tho British airmen and gunners, but as Me. Philip Gibbs points out in one of his messages this morning the enemy is engaged in a difficult and irisky piece of business, and needs all the luck he can get to come through the operation without disaster overtaking him.

After aO Pbesident Wilson has not boon given authority to arm American merchantmen. A small minority in- tho Senate "stonewalled" the measure, that is to say thoy blocked its progress by talk, until the session closed. This in spite of the fact that only 12 out of the 96 members'of the Senate were opposed to the Bill. Of course, there is the usual outburst of indignation and it is even stated that the President will go ahead with his arming scheme in spite of the failure of tho Senato to get the Bill through. Certainly, on the voting, he has the overwhelming support of members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and it is pretty plain that he has the country behind him in the matter; but it would be unwise to jump to any hasty conclusions on that account. Most people have given up trying to anticipate President Wilson's actions. It is safer to wait and expect little.