PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 85, 3 January 1918, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

The continued and brilliant success of the British invading army in Palestine is on all grounds very gratifying. In the recent fighting most important progress has been made in tho high inland country where tho Turks are best placed to resist the British offensive. As a result not only is Jerusalem held by a. much safer margin than it was beforo the Turks launched the counter-attacks which drew such an overpowering reply, but a great deal is being done to clear the way for a further advance in the coastal zone. Whether or not an extended advance is in ' near prospect, it seems evident that even to restore tho 'situation to something like equilibrium tho'Turks must speedily throw in considerable additional forces, assuming, of course, that these are available. Apart from its great immediate importance, tho Palestine offensivo is thus doing not a little to prevent the enemy devel6ping an offensivo in Mesopotamia, a theatre in which, according to some recent news, he is likely in other respects to be given extended opportunities as a, result of the increasing demoralisation of tho Russians. A recent report that the Russian forces in Persia, are retiring conveys serious news if it is true.' Such a retirement would give the Turks an open road by which to develop a flank attack from the cast upon the British army in Mesopotamia. But unless they' aro able to find a solution of the problem in Palestine, the Turks may bo unable to profit by even tho most tempting opportunities in Mesopotamia: 11 * * * * .

An important feature of the British advance in Palestine, though one about which no very explicit information is available, is that it is calculated to extend the Aral) revolt against Turkish nils. The new Arab kingdom in Hejaz is now firmly established, but it has been recognised that the attitude of the Arabs east of Jordan is likely to be determined very largely by British progress in Palestine. Under such conditions as now rule it is likely that their active co-operation will be secured. The immediate result would probably be to deprive/ the enemy of a further considerable section of tho Hejaz railway, and at once add materially to lm difficul-

tics and saEcguard the Britisu right llank.

There is remarkably, little news from the war theatres other than Palestine in hand at time of writing, but available reports indicate that iho enemy has made no headway in his attack on the Cambrai front—h, vague German claim_ regarding this sector is at variance with news from British sources— and that he has failed to retrieve his defeat at the hands of the French on flic Tomba ridge, on the Italian front. An Italian semiofficial dispatch makes the definite statement that: "In his air raids on Padua, the enemy is deliberately seeking to wreck precious treasures of religious art." This is not only a shameful addition to the enemy's list of crimes, but affords fairly plain evidence that he is conscious of the failure of tho intrigues by which ho hoped to cor runt and weaken the Italian nation. The vandalism upon which he is now engaged will undoubtedly awaken universal and bitter resentment and ccincnt tho national resolve of which Italy has lately given splendid proofs.