CENTRAL POWERS BEATEN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 11, 8 October 1917, Page 5

CENTRAL POWERS BEATEN

END NO LONGER UNCERTAIN

ATTACK ON RUSSIA A

FATAL BLUNDER

SUBMARINE NOT A DECISIVE FACTOR

WAR SITUATION REVIEWED BY GENERAL SMUTS

(liec. October 7, 5.5 p.m.) London, October 5. General Smuts, speaking at a luncheon tendered him by the presidents of the Chambers of Commerce, reviewed the war situation. Ho said tho Germans were already beaten. Their rulers knew it. The Germans had challenged tho world 011 a military ground and hod calculated on oprtain success. They mado the greatest mistake in history. This war was far more than a military war; its decision would depend upon political, economic, and other non-mili-tary factors. Our military predominance on tho Western front was 110 longer in question.

Germany's Most Fatal Blunder. Referring to Russia, General Smuts said he was not sure that from the point of view of far-sighted policy Germany's attack 011 Russia was not the most fatal of German blunders. Sl'-e was striking a nation who, like herself, was an autocracy, but who had received a new consciousness from the terrible sufferings arising from the war. Russia was like a woman labouring in childbirth. "Germany is choosing this moment to strike her down, and tho spirit of history will never forgive her. The liberty which is being painfully bora, in Russia will arise to vindicate her • in the coming generations, and become the most implacable enemy of the future Germany. Central Powers Faced With Bankruptcy. "The, Central Powers are everywhere beaten, and are retiring everywhere but in Russia. Add 1 to this tho fact that the Central Powers are exhausted, demoralised internally, and faced with the spectre of bankruptcy, and we see that the end is no longer uncertain. The Germans' hopes of the submarine have proved illusory. It has now ceased to be a decisive factor. Take tliat from me as a bedrock fact." Aerial Warfare a Terrible Boomerang. General Smuts predicted that Germany's aerial' warfare would not enly fail, but prove a terrible boomerang to tho enemy. "We aro dealing with an enemy whoso culture had not carried him beyond the rudiments of the Mosaic law. We. can only apply the maxim of 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' Consequently wa most reluctantly are compelled to retaliate. There is no longer any choice in' the matter. We shall endeavour to avoid the German abominations, sparing as far as is humanly possible the innocent and defenceless in our air offensive; but it is inevitable that they will suffer to acme extent." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter.