PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3191, 15 September 1917, Page 6

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Yesterday's message relating t.o liussia left tho strength of the movement headed by General Kobniloff in doubt.. It is now reported that the movement has to all intents and purposes collapsed—indeed, that at its height it attained no very formidable- dimensions—and it is suggested that if General Kornilofi? has not yet surrendered unconditionally ho is on the point of doing so. On the. assumption that a military dictatorship represents Russia's only way of escape from her present difficulties this would bo extremely bad nows. But an opinion that a military dictatorship is the only alternative to a state of hopeless chaos is to some extent weakened though it is not conclusively falsified, by tho developments reported to-day. Kerensky and his associates arc, shown to be labouring actively to restore order. It is of good omen thai; General Alkxieff fa working with the Provisional Government. Whether ho has resumed his former office as Chief nf Staff is not quite clear. An item to be set on tho other side of the account states that Kerensky has made concessions lo the extremists

who prevented an effective union of parties at tho recent Moscow Conferonce, but this is possibly erroneous. Another report stales that JCbrensky will probably endeavour to form a Coalition Government in which all sections will be given representation, and to make concessions to liio fanatics who have laboured to destroy discipline and spread demoralisation would be a hopeless beginning on such an enterprise. It is announced also l.liat henceforth tho soldiers' committees arc, to have no say in military affairs, and that commanders nt the front aro to he. supreme. .For the time at least tho balance of the various reports is distinctly to the good and it would appear that although Genisr.u, KotiniUiff has failed and is discredited and proscribed there is still some, prospect of an approach to tho conditions ho declared himself anxious to establish. It is noteworthy also that news from the. lighting front, as far as it goes, is good. The Russians arc shown to be attacking and winning 3ome success in the area north of .Riga, where they were lately retiring in conditions approximating to rout, and they have gained a local success also in Bukowina. It is impossible to entertain any very confident anticipations of really favourable developments _ in Itussia; but it seems quite possible that the situation may not develop to tho positive advantage of the enemy much boyond the poiut now reached.

The statement made in an Austrian official messago that the Italian offensive has failed is as absurd and as far from being true as similar statements which have frequently been made, by the Kaiseii and others, in reference to the Allied offensive in the Western theatre. It is clear enough that the Italians are for the time at an end of their offensives effort, and possibly, though this-is an open • question, they do not intend to renew it this -year. But even if this is the position.it is by no means true- that the Italian offensive has failed. On the contrary, it has succeeded' brilliantly. In their latest effort the Italians advanced and captured important positions on a wide front north, cast, and south of Gorizia. . They dislodged the enemy from fortified lines in which he was strongly established with convenient communications, and threw him back upon a line which is certainly inferior in tho matter of lateral communications, and presumably is, in general, much less effectively organised than tho positions in which he sustained defeat. Tho Italians have greatly strengthened and improved their line, and aro well placed to resume the attack. The price of victory in tho country cast of the Isonzo may have been heavy, but it is unlikely that it was as heavy as tho Austrians allege. Probably, in publishing these figures the enemy is seeking to soften tho effect produced upon his home population by the heavy losses sustained in meeting the Italian blow. ' Tho later- stages of the battle witnessed a long succession of Austrian counter-attacks, and it is tolerably certain that in this period, at least, the enemy s losses were qiit of all proportion to those ho inflicted.