PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3036, 24 March 1917, Page 8

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

There is a dearth of fresh war .news from the various' .fighting fronts. There is much; however, of a semi-military,' semi-political character directly bearing upon the great_ issue. As we noted-yesterday morning, the .Berlin Bourse gave the first indication of the nearness of America to" a'declaration of war against Germany. Although Congress' cannot meet till April 2 to pass the necessary,, resolution, in support of what now appears to be President Wilson's, determination, the best-informed newspapers in the States are expressing the view that even now a state of war exists- between. America and Germany. When the.. German, .submarines, sank. the" three merchantmen,- the • City •'• of Memphis, the Illinois,.and.the.Vigilancia, in which several American citizens lost their lives, many leading publicists considered that the .terms on which peace could be maintained, as described by 'President Wilson, had been ruthlessly and deliberately" broken; and that. a de-" claratioriof-war must follow. The cautious President did not' desire to hurry the issue even at. that stage, and a message came to say that-lie would not declare war. unless a passenger steamer was attacked and sunk. It seems that public opinion in America is again forcing the President, "and there is • manifestly a nation, as .united as America can be against ' further-' postponement. The Sun of New York, declares, that. "We are now at war"; the World says it is the duty of Congress to declare that "a state of war exists"; and the same journal's Washington correspondent affirms that when Congress meets the Pbesident will say that'"a state of war has existed since March 17." Already preparations are being made for the mobilisation of .the-National Guard, which may be sent abroad, and interned German, ships are likely to be. used for that purpose. Congress, however,, mus.t.first sanction the.use of armed force's' to avenge 'the ■ outrages ■ to■' which tho United States have submitted at. the hands of Germany, and.it really.looks at last as though Congress would do this."

'After a" week" of'. unparalleled events there is a lull 'in : tho recording - of. -warlike -.- incident. V. News, however, reaches us this- 'morning, that.Germany is preparing to begin a'great offensive on' a'certain front oh 'the' fifth-- of- ApriL We -"have heard this sort of thing before, and nothing has come of it. Periodically we get stories about' tremendous movements of enemy troops and the like,-and 'then the incident passes, and is forgotten. Still it will occasion no great surprise to see an enemy offensive on the - Eastern front. In the West he will have his hands full for some time to come. Looking at' the recent results of the ; fighting in' 'Macedonia, the French and British forces there are admittedly more than holding 1 their own. In Asia Minor the, Turks are. suffering such pressure as is speedily culminating in actual defeat. In the Trentino and the Isonzo the Italians content.! with repulsing any enemy attacks, but their position is reported to be stronger than ever before. As" far as the Rumanian situation is concerned,, . the German-Austria-Hun-gary offensive has been brought to standstill,-but here-, is a. possible danger point, owing .to the-internal disturbances in Kussia being likely to interfere to some extent with the transport of munitions. Whatever the German plans, may be, however, they will have to take--into-account the grave danger which'' threatens their armies on the Western front.

_ Germany's inspired; Press is striving to discount the' Soinme retreat. Some, of the points made are reasonable enough, notably.the. difficulties placed in the way of the Allied yance, but these are merely of a temporary nature. Much of the comment is reminiscent of the old story of the, man who went bear-hunting and came tearing back to camp with a 'ferocious-looking bear in hot pursuit. "Boys," he gasped, as he stagger'ed into camp,' "I've got him. I'm bringing him home alive." The. Germans are getting back to. a new line for. much the same reason that the bear-hunter hurried.home. It is true that they may- gain time by..... this manoeuvre, .but they would: not have givenup- the ■lines .that-it had taken them two and a half years to build up into such-perfect fortifications if they had b&n able to hold them. Retreat -was-certainly-.the lesser <pf two evils,' but it : is an admission of weakness and defeat, and a sign to the Allies and to all the world that Germany is on the-down-.grade. Events for a time may m6ve"'less swiftly than has been recorded dur-ing-the past-week or two, but the Somme'-push' will . only pause ■ to gather: new "impetus- for. a fresh ad-, Whatever, the German Pressmay say for the •• edification of the German people, the German High Command can have ho illusions on 1 the point. . .

■ Affairs in. Russia show no marked change...The further, disclosures coming to hand -provide- added, jus-' tification for the revolution; which, it will be noted, has been formally, approved by the British Parliament. The appeals to the troops made by the Grandv Duke. Nicholas, -and Generals Russet/ and- Brusiloff will, it may be hoped, exercise . a powerful influence in restoring order 'and'enabling .'the Government'to concentrate a share of its energies on the war. . The continued infernal' unrest in'Russia'is the only dark spot .on the''horizon, a'ndthis may disappear; und— the .activity of the Provisional "Government, which \.is plainly .striving: to hasten all practicable measures.of reform.