PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 184, 24 April 1918, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

The most obvious explanation of a message from Australia published to-day, which speaks of the receipt of Information pointing to "the probability that tho realities of war will soon be brought before Australia in the most convincing fashion," is that another German raider is at large in the Pacific, or possibly more than one. Tliis at least is the impression conveyed by a report regarding which definite explanations are meantime withheld. The cabled statement points obviously to a danger immediately concerning Australia, and presumably this country as well, ralTier than to developments in the general war situation.

With affairs still at a halt in the Western campaign a decidedly optimistic survey of the position reached is supplied by the Paris correspondent of the Mnrninr/ Post. He declares, amongst other things, that the past month has cost the enemy a third of his forces, while the British and French strength has grown greater, and that a million Germans in the battle-area are now marking time in a country as sterile as the surface of the moon, and nearly as difficult to revictual. While there is no doubt that the events of the battle which concluded last week in the northern area have improved the outlook from the Allied standpoint, the assertions of this particular correspondent arc rather sweeping. His estimate of enemy losses and the present balance of strength must be taken_ for what it is worth. As to the situation of tho Germans they are not on all parts of the front by any means as heavily handicapped as he implies by the state of their communications and of the country in rear of their line. It is chiefly j in tho south that they are at a disad-1 in this respect. The result! of the northern battle is encouraging j mainly because the Germans suffered their heaviest defeats in areas where they attacked with all the" advantages of lirst-cl;'.ss communications. They- are undoubtedly-'likely to resume the offensive with all possible vigour in the very near future. They arc impelled to that course equally because they have already incurred enormous sacrifices which nothing but success would justify and be-1 cause they have made some headway | towards results of decisive import- i ance. According tp a message from' Mr. Pip mi , Gitißs another cyclone of I battle is now to be expected at any j time, but he gives no hint of the point at which the enemy is lively to strike, unless such a hint is conveyed in references to a violent but abortive German attack on ' the Ancre._ Reports from Sir Douous Kaio in hand at time of writing sneak only of minor engagement. The enemy has enotured a "British nost near Festubert, but the British line has been slightly advanced in the neighbourhood of'liobecq, at the apex of the Lys salient. * * * * A dispatch from Captain Ross describing the part played by New Zealandcrs in the northern battle makes stirring reading. The New Zealand, Division is apparently still located in tho vicinity of 'Hebutcrne

west of Bapaume, but'smaller bodies of Dominion troops have given a gallant account of themselves in assisting to stem the enemy's thrust at Hazcbrour.k. The simple recital of what they faced and accomplished is far more impressive and telling, than any panegyric could possibly' be.

A message from New York quotes an American officer returned from France as stating that General Foch's reserve army totals ono million men. The matter is one upon which we_ are not likely to be given any detailed information for some time to come, but vital issues—possibly the whole fate of the campaign —depend upon the existence of such an army and its effective action at the proper moment. Statements published in Continental papers imply that the formation of an Allied reserve army—an army of manoeuvrewas undertaken some months ago, and that General Foch, though he was not then Generalissimo, hacr much to do with its organisation. The statement that the reserve army bad to be brought into action t'o stem the enemy drive on Amiens is not altogether good news, but there is no reason to doubt that it still represents a great body of force held in reserve. A certain amount of light is thrown on the matter by the recent official announcement that American troops would be brigaded with French and British units so as to become speedily available. No mention has been made of compound divisions organised under this plan going into action, and in the aggregate they no doubt constitute a considerable body of force. Certainly there is every reason to believe that the Americans will play a considerable part before the present campaign lias run its course.