PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 150, 14 March 1918, Page 6

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Between the extreme caution of high diplomacy and the censorship the j)resent war has been extraordinarily productive of rumours— kite-flying and sheer guessing. The Bnsso-Japaneso situation furnishes a case in point. One message today states that the Japanese Minis-, ter at Peking has returned from Tokio armed with authority to negotiate with China for co-operation in Siberia, the Allies having consented. Another message states that the British and French Ambassadors at Tokio have handed to the Japanese Foreign Minister a. request for Japanese intervention in Siberia, and that the American Minister has announced that his Government will raise no objection. The British Foreign Minister (Mb. Balfour), whten asked in- the House of Commons for information on the point, replied that he could not say when he would be able to give it. To a similar question in the Japanese Diet, Baron Montono (Foreign Minister) replied that the whole question of Japanese intervention in Siberia was at present the subject of careful and extremely delicate consideration, and that an exchange nf views was in progress. The Leader of the Opposition declared that intervention was necessary, but agreed that the situation required careful handling. This, then, is the sum and substance of the news today. It means, at the most, that intervention in Siberia is certain, but as to the form, extent, and time of Japanese action nothing can be asserted.

It is safo to say that whatever Japan may undertake to do in Siberia, the Bolshevik element will be antagonised._ German propaganda will see to it that Japanese intervention is made to spell ruin to the Bolshevik cause. Republican Russia is anti-German. Bolshevik Russia is anti-everything , that offends its "class-consciousness" (blessed shibboleth!). No one begrudges the Russian people the full constitutional fruits of their revolt against the evils of Tsarism, but no one desires to see the country ruined, de : vastated, and dishonoured in the eyes of the world by an incompetent coterie of anarchist visionaries, who I have i enlisted tho support of thousands of the ignorant, starving and miserable proletariat of Russia by issuing a free license to help themselves to other people's property. A message from Peking to-day states that tho Chinese commander, in warning tho Bolsheviki against an invasion of Chinese territory, declared thiat General Samenoff's forces represented the Russian Provisional Government, which China recognised. If any credence can bo attached to this report, it furnishes a clue to the basis of Allied intervention. # * * # In the meantime the evacuation of tho Russian capital is reported to be proceeding apace. Tuotsky, who resigned the Commissionersbdp of Foreign Affairs over a difference with Lenin on tho question of resisting the German demands, is remaining at Pctrograd as head of a military revolutionary committee. How long ho will stay there will probably depend on the Germans, and whether he will be a factor in the future state of Russia remains to be seen. This split in the Bolshevik camp is a hopeful sign, and evidence is not wanting that a revulsion of sentiment is growing stronger and more militant elsewhere in Russia. A messagq to-day states that an anathema against the Bolshoviki was pronounced in the churches. At an earlier stage of tho Bolshevik regime thft churches would not have dared to do it.

American files by the last mail throw a clearer light on a point in connection with the dispatcjb. of United States troops to tho Western front on which there has been some loose thinking even amongst American Senators. The New York Evening Post, in taking Senator Hitchcock to task for representing the Secretary for War (Me. Baker) as saying that America, could send over a million men to France this year and keep them supplied, states that what the Minister really did say was that America would have half a million men in Franco early this year, and that the Secretary for tho Navy (Mr. Daniels) had given an assurance that transportation for that number of men was in sight. A fair approach to that number of men are already in France, says the Post (issue of February 5). Eoyond this half million. Mr. Baker is quoted as saving: "If tho transportation facilities are available to us—and tho prospect is not will have, one and a half millions who in 3918 can lie shipped to France." * * * #

Thk British Ministry of Munitions has come in for somo severe criticism at the hands of the Committee which was appointed to in-, quire and report on national expenditure. In this country a, Commission has been taking evidence on the subject of Defence expenditure, -and will report in due course. According to the British report, the, Ministry of Munitions erected national factories valued at sixty-six millions, and granted privato firms sixteen millions to meet capital expenditure, and the only security the taxpayer had that these enormous sums wore wisely spent were the officials of the Department. Tho sum of three millions was saved on cordite alone by reduction of prices after accountants had investigated the cost, and similar investigations had resulted in savings of thirty-five millions in the cost of gun 'ammunition during the two years ended September, 1017, as compared with the first year of the war. There are other indictments, but one example will suffice. War, unfortunately, is synonymous with waste. OiiiP.ital is fired' jnto space..

by millions, and as many more millions arc spent in getting ready for the. salvo. People who used k> discuss a million loan with something approaching awe now think in billions. The tendency—and it is a sheer human tendency—is to spend freely when there is plenty to spend. The other day the Secretary of the United States Treasury drew a mild rebuke upon himself for saying: "What do we care about waste! There is always waste when war comes, but let us not think of the waste, of dollars; let us not carp about expenditure, and so give aid and comfort to our enemies." This "magnificent disdain," as tlio Now York Jivcninc/ l'nsl, described it, "comes with ill-srrnoo from a Secretary of tho Treasury. We do not deny that there is a. certain force in what the Secretary said about tho necessary extravagances of a war. Emergency-cost is notoriously high; and the Government, since last April, has had to buy and build many things in an emergency. It is probably tho case, also, that more or less experimenting has to be done, in order to ascertain what are the best standards in Army and Navy supplies and equipment - , and this inevitably means . apparent money losses. Tho sums spent in finding out what not to do may seem gratuitous waste, though in reality they may prove in the long run to be economy. All this and much more of tho same sort we- , freely admit. What jars, however, is the implication that waste- in Government war expenditure is wholly negligible; that with billions to spend it is ridiculous to comnlain of the losing of mere millions; and that tho proper attitude for the Government to take is 'Hang the expense.' In reality, the logic ought to run the other way. Such enormous requisitions upon the people is an added reason for the most jealous watch over expenditure. The fact is that the bigger the amounts that have to bo raised by taxes and loans, the' more rigid ought to be the spirit of economical administration. The country is in no spendthrift mood, and doesn't want its officials to be either."