PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3099, 1 June 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Brazil has taken tho decisive step I of revoking her neutrality, and is now in a state of war with Germany, though' she probably does not intend to take any very important military part in the world conflict. The fact that tho revocation was unanimously agreed to in both Chambers of the Brazilian Legislature is a convincing indication that Brazil has effectively set her house in order, and has checkmated the German conspiracy which aimed at easting tho .Republic into a state of civil war. It is an interesting point that the revocation of neutrality is to hold good not merely while America is at war with Germany but during the currency of war between tho- Entente and the Central Powers. Brazil has thus in ono respect gone further than tho United States. She has for practical purposes become a party to the Pact of London under which the Allies, other than the United States, are pledged not to make peace separately. . In tho earlier stages of tho submarine crisis the assumption that other neutrals would implicitly follow the lead of the United States occasioned some irritation in South America, and this, sentiment may have had something to do with determining the nature of the Brazilian declaration. Another and probably more important reason appears, however, in a natural desiro to gain an advantageous position in reference to tho trade arrangements to he made by the Allies after the war. There is hero an obvious promise of formidable opposition to Germany's future efforts to extend her foothold in the principal South' American republic, and it is quite possible that other republics, having similar motives for action, may follow Brazil's example.

Besides revoking neutrality, Brazil has formally decided to make use of the German ships in her ports. There aro 49 of tbeso ves-' sols, with an aggregate tonnage of 253,795. The United States and Brazil between them have now seized approximately a milliou tons of the .million and a half tons of German shipping interned in American ports. It seems not unlikely that a fair proportion of the remaining half-million may also bo made available before long; German ships still interned are distributed as follow: ' Ships. Tonnage. Argentine 15 75,721 , Chilo 8!) 318.353 Mexico 13 -17,722 Other ports 32 118,133 Enemy correspondents foretell au early renewal of heavy fighting on tho West front, but available reports disclose no big development.. The same applies to the Italian and •Russian theatres. British correspondents on the AVest front interestingly supplement recent oilicial reports relating to.air fighting. It is now abundantly cleav that the British airmen arc as definitely masters of tho air as they were in the days of tho gr.eat struggle on the Sommo last year. 1 The rate of shipping losses under submarine attack is still serious, but this week's figures show a further improvement. With the number of arrivals and departures moro than maintained, tho number of British ships over 1600 tons sunk was the same as in the two preceding weeks, 18. But only one ship under 1600 tons was sunk during the week. Tho losses of ships of this class week by week in the four preceding weeks were:—l 3, g2 t 5, 9. . Another feature of the return is the high proportion of unsuccessful to successful attacks by the submarines. The proportion of unsuccessful attacks is almost tho highest on record. I'iskcisely what- significance attaches to tho articles, allegedly reflecting the war policy of the Russian revolutionaries, which are mentioned in tho cablegrams to-day is a matter of conjecture.. In so far as they assert that "no annexation" means the restoration of pre-war boundaries, however, it seems distinctly possible that these articles arc tho vapottrings of irresponsible*. A very different interpretation* of.the "no annexation," policy was given some weeks ago by the Petrograd Xemiia Ynlla, an organ of the revolutionary Socialists. It wrote: A. pence formula without, annexationsimplies ol' necessity the restoration of

tho devastated countries of Belgium, Serbia, Montenegro, iind Rumania, and also tlio application uf tlio principle of a plebiscite to decide tlio into" oC tlio people in cases wlicre there, is n dispute. Even this formula is nob likely Lo '•licit in all wises tho approval uf tho Allies. For instance, it would übviously defeat tho ends of justice and endanger tlio future peace of Europe to allow Turkey to veto herself a further lease of life as a European Power. There is a marked difference, however, between a policy which asserts the right of oppressed nationalities to determine their fate by a plebiscite and a proposal to play Germany's game by seeking peace on the basis of a restoration piconditions that obtained before tho war. There is no reason to believe' that this proposal is upheld in Russia by_ more than an a irresponsible minority. While it is well known that the production of war materials for Prussia represents ono of tho most valuable of the series of important services Japan is rendering to her Allies, little detailed information on the subject has hitherto been made available. Some interesting particulars under this head and in reference to tho supplies which Japan has furnished to France and Britain were transmitted recently by an American correspondent at Tokio. It is estimated, he states, that Japan's total supplies to Russia alone havo reached as much as 400,000,000 yen (over £40,000,000) in value, consisting chiefly of guns, with officers to man them, ammunition, army accoutrements of all kinds, such as cloth for uniforms, saddles, kits, as well as extensive hospital and Red Cross supplies. The immense orders for Russia arc not yet all completed, and the arsenals iind mills of Japan are still busy turning out shipments for that country. Some 60,000 men are working day and night in tho Government arsenals of Tokio and Osaka, while minor naval and military stations, as well as private factories, are contributing a regular quota to the output. To England and France Japan has been shipping provisions for the troops,_ such as flour, beans, pea's, and tinned goods. This year, owing to war pressure, Japan's copper output Jeaped from 78,000 tons to 103,000 tons, some 60 per cent, of which went to Russia, 20 per cent, to England, and the rest to France, with the exception of what was used at home. . * * * *

Recent American newspapers throw some light upon the changes made or likely to be made in the war plans of the United States as a result of consultation between the military authorities and the members of tho Allied missions, notably Marsfial Joffke. .. Ono Washington correspondent, writing at tho end of April, remarked that what Marshal Joi'iuiE had to say differed somewhat from the views that had _been ascribed to tho General Staff of tho United States Army. "The hero of the battle of the Marnc," he added, "thinks it .would bo a- waste of energy and indeed impracticable to keep 000,000 troops in training oil American soil for a prolonged period, send them to France en bloc, and then find it necessary to acclimate them still further before letting them taste fire at the front. As soon as men are chosen and have preliminary instruction, let them go to training camps in France, ho believes, there to get tho benefit of the latest experience at tho earliest possible . moment. The General Staff here has hitherto thought most.of the. training should be done in America with the finishing touches abroad. The view of Marshal Joffre undoubtedly will have much weight, if, to bo sure, it does not dispose of the whole question of an expeditionary force by starting a series of transports to Europe within a few months with thousands of American troops to be given tbe greater part of their training in French camps, rather than hero. Apparently tho duration of the preliminary and final periods on either side of the Atlantic is .still being debated. Transportation must be gradually accomplished."