PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 149, 13 March 1918, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

The Japanese question has become a conspicuous feature of the news from Russia. According to the Petrograd correspondent of the London Daily News, a sensation has been caused at tho capital by' a report that Prince Lvoff, the first Premier of the Revolution, has constituted a new Government, and will accompany the Japanese in their invasion of Siberia. The Bolshevik newspaper, the Piravda, says that this means war with Japan. Another report states that the Smolny Institute ha? been informed that Lvoff is at Peking with a number of leading Russians waiting for Japanese' help to.enter Vladivostok. The point about these reports is that they are either true, or, as is quito likely, they are inspired by the Germans for the purpose of fomenting distrust of the Allies generally, and of Japan particularly. The Germans have just concluded a vory profitable deal with the Bolshevik Government, and they know perfectly well that if they do not by various means bolster up the Red Flag regime in Russia _ the next Government will not hesitate to annul tho treaty. Their policy, therefore, is to harden tho unity of the Bolsheviki by making it appear that the latter's regime is in danger not only from within but from without. The developments in the Russian situation during the next few days should be full of interest. The German treaty must be ratified by March 17. The Congress of jthe Bolshevik Party has resolved in favour of ratification by 30 votes to 12, but if the Daily A r ews correspondent is correctly informed Lenin told the Congress that he would sign any treaty that would enable them to prepare for a new struggle. Against whom? If he had the Germans in mind_ then his utterance was extremely indiscreet and foolish. Does he, does anyone, imagine that the Germans would accept a treaty resting on such flimsy security 1 Not for a. moment. Having secured their treaty, tho Germans will use all possible means to see that its terms arc observed.

1 After a prolonged silence, which docs not necessarily imply a period of inactivity, news has como from the Salonika ' front. A British official report states that a _ Bulgarian garrison on the-other Bide of the Struma was surprised by a raiding party and killed to a man. A report from the enemy's side asserts that as the result of an attack, in which German storming troops participated, the French section of the line was penetrated and prisoners were taken. Theso attacks are probably the >, prelude to the 1918 campaign in the Balkans, and the reference to German storming troops is of f-ome significance. Some indication of Greece's intentions should be available soon.

Allenbv in Palestine is maintaining his energetic and successful advance. His main, advance, astride the Jevusalem-Nablus Road, is encountering extremely difficult country, in which tho enemy has concealed machine-gun posts. Nevertheless the line has beon pushed forward a distance of 3000' yards on 12 miles of front. Tho wings, on either side of the road, are moving ahead more easily. The flank on the Jordan side has been improved, and is being steadily thrust out in anticipation of a junction with the Arab advance on' the Hcjaz line.

The British success at Hit is a great advance on tho Euphrates line of the Mesopotamia campaign. Tho ultimate' objective of this campaign, in view of the Russian collapse, is at present somewhat obscure. Previously, the prospect of an effective junctioning with .the Russians opened up a clear view of a strong and successful pressure which eventually would have crowded tho Turks up in a corner of their Asiatic country, and probably forced the surrender of very large forces. Now, tho situation is very different, and is likely to be complicated by the German intrigue in Persia, a hint of which is given in the news to-day. A message from Amsterdam refers to the presence of members of the Persian Parlia-

mcnt in Berlin. What they were doing there is not clear, but at any rate they were told, states the message, that after breaking down the Russian barrier above Persia the Germans hoped to breach the British wall to the south, and contribute to Persia's prosperity. Some time ago we were told in an official statement that the Persian situation from the British point of view had been placed on a satisfactory basis, and that our influonce had been restored. The visit of the Persians to Berlin' would seem to indicate that in the interim German intrigue has been at work with a degree of success. It is not unlikely, in view of the recent German references to Persia and Afghanistan, that a statement will be asked for in the House of Commons. It will be read with interest.

The "tuning up" in the West is still strongly in evidence in the official, dispatches. Reuter's correspondent to-day refers to the artillery duel, which, he says, is steadily growing in intensity, and at times readies ft tremendous volume of sound. The French line has been very active, and several German attacks have been repulsed.' A daring raid by the Americans in Lorraine is also reported. The Americans arc > located at ■ four different points, including a stretch of miles of trench north of Laon.' This points to a systematic stiffen-' ing of the French line. It must be remembered, tliat the real weight of the American reinforcements for the West will not begin to be perceptible till June or July, but) the increase of strength is going on all the time.