PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 147, 11 March 1918, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

In reviewing his forces in Flanders towards the end of December, the Kaiser was pleased to lay special stress on the importance of this portion of the Western front. It has now, for the time being at least, become the centro of the greatest activity. At various other pointe raiding is frequent and minor attacks have been conducted, but for the last few days the Flanders front has received special attention. In the extreme north the Belgians have been heavily engaged, and against picked enemy troops have acquitted themselves splendidly. Not only have they regained the whole of tho ground lost in tbe first onrush of the enemy, but they have captured a number o£ prisoners and nino macbine-guns, which may be taken as a very satisfactory indication of the completeness of their success. That the enemy was expectant of more hopeful results from this enterprise, may be gathered from' the severe nature of his preliminary bombardment, which is described as being of a most violent character. It is plain from the description of the struggle for mastery that our Belgian Allies are still fighting with splendid valour and . determination and more than holding their own against the specially selected "shock troops" which the German commander hurled against them.

Further south the British • forces have been subjected to a severe test. It is not quite clear from tho messages to hand at time of writing whether oho or two attacks in force were made by the enemy east and north-east of Ypres. A brief message from the High Commissioner quotes a report from Sir Douglas ilAio to' the effect that on Friday evening tho enomy vigorously attacked east of Ypres, but were unsuccessful except at Polderhoek, at which point our forces were driven back after a night's heavy fighting. A Press Association message describes a heavy attack south of llouthulst Forest, in which were at one point forced to give ground; but they subsequently regained all the lost ground and forced the enemy to retire a distance three hundred yards beyond our original line. Whether the two attacks here mentioned—and they both were evidently attacks in force—wero ouo and the same fs open to doubt. If both accounts relate to the one. struggle then the ground lost at Polderhoek evidently was regained with serious loss to the enemy. If, on the other hand, there were two attacks, one east of Ypres and the- other t. iittle further to the north, then iiVidcfhoek has yet to be recaptured. Under the present method of holding the front lines lightly it is a common thing to lose a trench at the first onrush of tho enemy and regain it almost immediately by coun-ter-attack. The description of the Polderhoek affair, however, rather suggests that on this occasion the first attempt to regain the position failed after 6oyere fighting. Tho question that is of most concern, however, is the price the enemy is called on to pay for these ventures, and, according to the Press message, the enemy suffered heavy losses, whereas our casualties were light. * * * #

Probably no more illuminating evidence of tho intense activity on tho British front at tho present time could be found than is conveyed in tho message of congratulation from Sir Douglas Haiq to the First Flying Corps. The occasion was the remarkable achievement of this splendid body of airmen in bringing clown eighteen enemy aeroplanes in a single day. Probably the feat constitutes a record, but apart from that fact it is significant of ono of two things. Either the enemy airmen have been driven by desperation into attempting to fly over the British lines in the endeavour to discover tho preparations and movements of our forces—an enterprise the German livers have in recent times shown a disinclination to practise very freely—or they are showing a more determined resistance to the flights of the British airmen over the enemy lines. It is_ probable, judging by past experience, that the latter is the case, and if so it naturally suggests that something is going on in a big waysomething out of the ordinary— which the German Commander is particularly anxious _ the British Staff should know as little about as possible. In any case, whatever may have led up to the air fighting, eighteen enemy machines downed hy one flying corps in a single day is a great achievement.

Under tho threat that the whole of her territory would be divided between Hungary and Bulgaria, Rumania made peace with the Central Empires, and, as previously stated, was forced to make economic concessions which, in tho light of information contained in a dispatch to-day, it would be more correct to describe as highway robbery and extortion. The Germans are to have a monopoly of tho oil industry and are to surrender in lieu of indemnity payment for German requisitions during the period of the enemy's occupation equivalent in value to fifty millions sterling. Another dispatch details the task which the Ukraine people have to achieve within the space of very little more than a month in order to satisfy their late enemy's demand for food supplies. In return for these, the Germans will provide the Ukraine with agricultural implements—a significant reminder to tho Ukrainians of their obligations under the peace treaty to supply food to the Aus-

fcrians anrl the Germans. The experience of Rumania unci of the Ukraine, hut of .Rumania, particularly, should bring home to people of pacifist inclinations what the British people might expect were the Germans by any chance placed in a position from which they could dictate their terms. It may help them—the pacifists—to realise that there is only one thing to do in this war, and that is to defeat Germany.