PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 110, 26 January 1918, Page 6

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Just what has happened in Austria, is a matter of conjecture. The statement that revolution has broken out in Vienna, comes from Petrograd, and is perhaps only a Russian version of the news of serious industrial and other disturbances which had already been received. It is, of course, very probable that the Bolshevik leaders would put their own construction .upon _ events in Austria. At the same time reports from all sources arc consistent in asserting that a very serious crisis has arisen in the Dual Monarchy, and it is difficult to believe that these reports have been concocted. One message declares that it is believed'that Austria is becoming another PtAissiti) and it is not inherently improbable that this state of affairs may be reached, particularly if the Austrian Government adheres to the attitude it is said to-day to have taken up in resisting a Czech resolution in favour of the creation ofian independent Czecho-Slovak State. Probabiy, although the word "independent" is used, the resolution demanded autonomy for the Czcoho-Slovaks.. All recent news suggests that the Government of the Dual Monarchy is still completely _ under German influence, but it is clear that if they continue to yield obedience to Germany the Emperor Kael and his advisers will adopt a policy of sitting on tho safety valve. * k * * .

The reorganisation of AustriaHungary on a federal basis might even now do something to check tho forces of but such a policy would run directly count-jr to Germany's desires, and its adoption is determinedly opposed also by the two dominant races of the Dual Monarchy. The Magyars are on some questions seriously at variance with tho Germans, but are at least as strongly opposed as the Latter to tho political emancipation of the Czechs and other oppressed nationalities. Reports were current in the early days of the present Emperor's that he favoured a policy of conciliatrhtr all sections of his

subjects, but late events imply that if ho holds such views he finds it impossible to carry them into effect. It was reported a day or two ago that he had commanded the Austrian Government to continue- in office after it had resigned, but it seems distinctly more probable that he himself yielded to pressure cm this occasion and retained in office a Goycrnmcnfc of Pan-German sympathies, when ho would perhaps have preferred to .iec it replaced by one prepared to carry out internal reforms. In the debate which has been mentioned; Von Seidlek, the Austrian Premier, "indicated that he had the Emperor's authority to state that every Austrian Government would resist by all the means in its power an attempt to establish Home lUilc for th» Czechs." It seems unlikely that the Emperor actually authorised such a statement, but it .implies at least that he is under I'an-German domination. The plain intimation that the Austrian Government intends to maintain its murderous tyranny over the Czechs and other subject races is calculated in any case to rouse to maximum intensity whatever forces of revolt are working in the Dual Monarchy. Taking account also of the war-weariness which is declared to be general and intense, it is quite conceivable that the Dual Mouarchy may sooner or later be precipitated into the conditions of anarchy which are predicted. But whether these conditions have been as closely approached as some recent reports would imply only events will show.

Criticisms of Sir Douglas Haig in tho House ot Commons have drawn a Ministerial statement that tho Commander-in-Ghief, has never lost the confidence of the Army, Council or of tho War Office, and' that the breakdown which occurred at Cambrai was local in character —that it was a breakdown at a particular point of the line in spite of the fact, that tho General Staff took all tho necessary precautions'. The merits of the. questions raised cannot be profitably discussed in the present state of information, but there does not seem to be any doubt that much recent criticism of'the Commander-in-Chief has been inspired by the detail failure at Cambrai, and the Ministerial statement noted seems to effectually -rebut' criticism of this character.