PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3024, 10 March 1917, Page 8

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

The < report of the Dardanelles Commission overshadows the iwar news to-day. At time of writing the cable messages are incomplete, but sufficient are available to give a general outline of the Commission's findings and of the- evidence- on which they aro based. It reveals a pathetic story of incredible ignorance, appalling muddling, and colossal bungling almost from the foolish beginning of the attempt on the Dardanelles to tho tragic end. It is bitter, indeed, to learn that so many gallant lives were thrown away on so , ill-concoived, so care-lessly-planned, and so stupidly futile an enterprise. It is not now a question of deciding who was to blame. The question is who was not to blame. The proceedings of the War Council as disclosed to us in the report read like a burlesque. The only bright spot in the whole tragic expedition is the record of undying fame left by tho heroic men who fought and laid down their lives on Gallipoli and in the waters near by. - « * • * a A very optimistic account of the operations in Mesopotamia makes cheerful week-end reading to-day, and holds out promise of big results. "Sensational possibilities," the message states, may be the outcomo of this campaign. So far as can bo gathered from the situation as disclosed by tho news available, the prospect of capturing Bagdad at an early dafc seems decidedly good. That its capture would bo fikcly to have far-reaching effects is certain. To the Turks, but more ospecially to- tho people of Mesopo-

■tamia and Persia, Bagdad is no ordinary city. At one time it was the richest and most splendid city in the world, and one of the most important religious centres of Islam. Though its former grandeur has departed, Aho glamour of its associations still surrounds it in all eyes of the Turks, and its downfall would he a blow second only to the fall of Constantinople itsel'f. Our cavalry, we are told, arc within 12 miles of Bagdad, and ono report states that the Turkish forces- in Mesopotamia are now outnumbered. Sind that the ancient city must fall into our hands. Tho difficulties which confront General Maude in the way of transport and the approach of tho flood season, which hampers all movements, have to be taken into account in any estimate of the possibilities ahead, and it seems clear that unless Bagdad is captured spee.dily this triumph may be long delayed.

Last year, it will bo recalled, hopes were entertained that the Russian advance through the Caucasus and the secondary advance through Persia 'would not be stayed snort of Bagdad. The' Turkish armies were strongly reinforced, however, and though, the Russians held most of •their ground in Armenia their forward movement was checked, and in Persia they were compelled to full back a great distance. Tho advance now recorded in Persia.) which has resulted in the capture of Hamadan and . Kangawar, is merely traversing oM ground, and our Allies have some , distance yet to go ere they reach the point to which they had penetrated last year when General Townshend was still holding out in Kut-el-Amara. General Maude therefore can look for little direct assistance from Russia, though he is, of course, benefiting by the fact that tho operations of our Allies engage the- attention of large forces of Turkish troops. We may expect increased activity on the Caucasus and Persian fronts with the object of diverting forces which might otherwise be sent to strengthen the defences of Bagdad; while the advance in Syria, headed by tho "Anzacs," is no doubt designed to further embarrass the enemy in this respect. The situation certainly holds out great hopes, and not, the least of these is the embarrassment it is likely to occasion between Germany and Turkey. The Turkish Government badly needs all' the troops it can secure, and it will no doubt demand the return of the Turkish forces now fighting in Galicia. They are as badly needed in Galicia as they are in Asia Minor, and the Supreme War Lord will have to solve the problem of satisfying the rival demands of Austria and Turkey as he best can. It is extremely doubtful in the light of developments on the' Eastern front whether he. will bo able to help his Turkish allies as they so urgently desire,- and if he fails to do so then it may not be long ere tho bottom tumbles out of the Turkish resistance in Mesopotamia, even if Turkey dees not collapse altogether.

The term ("minor enterprises" serves to cover the news of the operations in the main theatres of war. There is little new to record, but such as it is continues encouraging. The silence concerning the Eastern front suggests big happenings in prospect or under for it is the habit with the Russian War Office to allow operations to .develop before permitting the news to be transmitted abroad. ;