PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3125, 2 July 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Some leading aspects of tho war on land and sea are reviewed by Mr, Lloyd George in public utterances reported to-day, and there is much in his remarks to encourago reasonable optimism. He confidently predicts the failure of tho enemy submarino campaign, and declares that the underwater craft will sufr ceed neither in starving Britain nor in so interfering with stocks of military material as to prevent tho successful prosecution of tho war. As to the land war, Mr. Lloyd George points to ,the fact that tho German armies in the Western theatre havo been driven underground, and his comment that for tho enemy the existing state of 'affairs marks tho : beginning of tho end is no doubt amply warranted. # # * *

In tho present trend of events tho dofcat of tho onomy is being visibly worked out. It is true that during the last day or two tho Germans have gained a limited foothold in French positions on tho Aisne front and on the Verdun front, west of tho Mouse. At an immediate view these enterprises, in spite of theirlimited scope, may seem to discredit Mr. Lloyd George's statement that tho enemy has ,bcen driven underground. In point of fact, however, 'the counter-attacks ho is making on both sections of tho Allied line emphasise tho awkward plight in which the enemy is placed. Ho is pursuing no largo offensive object on the Aishe front cu; elsewhere, and it is safe to assume that if a passive "defence were possible he would prefer it greatly to his present tactics. Tho French, have lost a number of local positions during the last month or two, usually only to ' recover them again shortly afterwards, but they have nowhere been dislodged from the dominating heights mastered in 'their lato offensive. That thoy are at present standing on tho defensive is no doubt a matter of arrangement with their Allies, and they havo assuredly' not lost tho art of 'an.economical "defensive which they practised with /conspicuous success during critical months at Verdun.

* * * « An interesting comparison between the enemy's counter-attacks and tho Allied thrusts by which they were provoked was made by ap English correspondent when tho Germans succeeded in recapturing tho village of Fresnoy, nprth-east of Arras, early in May. "So far," he wrote, "no episode of the battle has been moro strongly confirmatory of the maxim that it is fighting values that signify than the counter-attack on Fresnoy. In that operation there appears to have been employed tho infantry of four German divisions, and divisions picked for tho purpose. As the point attacked was narrow, not more than two of these divisions could bo mado use of at one time oven in massed columns of exceptional depth-. was a failure, despite its weight. The second, launched immediately after it, and pushed home regardless of casualties, compelled the British troops to evacuate tho village and Fresnoy Wood. All this was preceded by a bombardment of unusual intensity. Very good; but tho episode has a context. Tho effort which enabled tho Germans to achieve this local success was as great, and far moro costly, than that which sufficed to leave in our hands Fresnoy and tho enemy defences south of it, to Oppy and north of it to near the Souchc?, River. In other words, a result five times as great was accomplished with less than one-half the loss. As a comparison of striking force on tho ono side and tho other, wo may put it without tho least exaggeration at ten to one. And, lost tho comparison should bo thought an.exaggeration, it should be added that the French assault which carried tho Craonno llidge affords an exact parallel. There the German reaction had no success, however local, doubtless becauso it 1 ,was attempted .with tho common

I mass tho German infantry, llence this comparison of ton to one in relative striking force is really too favourably since it is drawn between selected German troops, and the mass of tho. Aliioa, and not between .mass arid mass. From the beginning of April to the present time tho German counter-attacks ril&y be counted by hundreds. Those out of ihe hundreds which have sue-, cfteded may be reckoned on tho fiilgei's of one hand. And thore is not one of these exceptions that has not been a Phrrhic triumph, ruinously expensive. So broad and marked a tendency is the very core of tho situation." No doubt these conditions exist broadly unchanged to-day, and the fact in itself explains tho willingness of tho French to stand fast and meet tho onemy's counter-attacks while tho British, with a shorter front to oare for, aro pursuing a more active policy.

British progress is reported Eo-day on tho Oppy line, north-east of Arras, and south of Lens. In tho first-mentioned area the enemy has been driven out of somo of the exceedingly strong positions south of Frcsnoy. His occupation of these positions meant that tho British held Fresnoy as an awkward salient in May, and this was a big factor in enabling tho enemy 'to recover the village in tho manner whioh has been mentioned. South of Lens the British aro advancing on a wido front, and breaking into formidable enemy defences. _ Prospects aro opening of a considerable forward movement into the Douai Plain, but the arresting feature of tho day's news is Sir Douglas Haio's statement that the enemy has suffered heavily in tho recent fighting south of Lens, whilo tho losses of tho attacking troops have been relatively slight. It is such facts as this that indicate the extent to which tho enemy's organisation is being broken up fin dor tho pressure of tno British attack.

Reports of a Russian offensive which camo from different quarters at tho end of last week seem tofiavo been premature, but it is possiblo that they only slightly anticipated events. Tho Germans report a strong bombardment in northern and contral Galicia which "indicates attacks," and thoy olaim that at another point they repulsed Russian attacks. Meantime internal troubles aro reported to 'bo narrowing down to a contest bctwqcn tho Provisional Govornmont and a small body of extremists, and it is suggested that tho 6tate of tho Army is bettor than that of tho country at largo.- I # * * *

The Italians to-day admit tho evacuation of advanced positions in a frontier pass from which a road runs down to tho Austrian town of Borgo, in tho South-Eastern Trontirio. They retain the eastern end of the pass. The withdrawal was no doubt mado necessary by tho onomy's success' in compelling _ the Italians to' evacuate the summit of Mount Ortigana. a ,