A WEEK OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 207, 21 May 1918, Page 6

A WEEK OF THE WAR

OFFICIAL SUMMARY TO THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL SIDELIGHTS ON WESTERN OPERATIONS THE LESSONS OF LOCAL ATTACKS Tho following telegraphic summary of the war newa has been receje>ed by His Excellency the Governor-General from the Secretary of Stato for the Colonies:— "The growing unrest among subject nations of the Austrian Dinpiro is becoming ton strong for the Government at Vienna, and the Emperor, impelled by tho instinct of self-preservation, has taken a further step ou the road to subjection to Germany. Though the terms c. 0 the new Alliance are not public, a Vienna telegram refers to its 'extension' _ and, 'deepening. . Even if tho Austrian Emperor at one time desired to escapo from German control, he is powerless to do so. since the interests of the Hababurgs are bound up with thu predominance of the German and Magyar land-owning classes. Emancipation of subject races can only be achieved with help from without. All the Allies will work in co-operation to satisfy their just claims. In Germany itself reactionary forces are still rampant. The Prussian Lower rejected equal franchise. In.a by-election in Saxony the Independent Socialists have lost a seat, and twelve members of tho Minority Group have been sonteneed at Leipzig to penal servitude. Further aggressions of Germany in Russia have led to friction between the German mission at Moscow and tho Russian Government, and the aggressions of Turkey in the long-coveted Persian province of Azerbaiam are causing alarm and Tcsentment to the Persian Government. Germany is now employing against Switzerland tho tactics recently used against Holland.

Our Mission to Brazil. "Tho British Mission which recently arrived at Bio do Janeiro was much gratified by the cordial reception and warm welcome received. The Week In the West. "With regard to the operations on the Western front for the week ending May IG:—The second week passed with only minor operations. There aro two points. specially to notice in these. The first is that the local qbjcclivo in each case is to observation points. Tho second point is that in each case of enemy initiative tho operation ended in j complote and costly failure, even j where, as on the Voormezeole-1 La Clytle front, he employed' and sacrificed considerable bodies of fresh troops. But oath operation initiated by tho Allies, namely, at Locre, Morlancourt, and Griyesnes, has been a complete success. This is a, sweeping statement, and the German propagandists spare no words to prove tho exact opposite. But tho map proves that at no single point did the enemy gam his objective, or succeed in holding any local gain for more than a. few hours. Enemy protestations of' Allied failures characterise every local gam, for instance, by the French in the Locre sector as an "attempt to vetako Kemmel Hill," an objective which , , as tho enemy knows to his cost, would call for an operation on a very considerable scale, and could not possibly be ;.imed at by local effort. The length to which tho enemy's publicists have gone in this perversion of truth is powerful evidence of the necessity felt for concealing from the German people anything which may detract from confidence in the Army, which, they are told, is invincible, but which, they are beginning to suspect, were better described as cannon fodder. Though minur operations have only local or tactical value, they have strategical significance indicating points where tho enemy ia prepared to incur considerable sacrifice, thereby to gam observation posts. From his persistence wo may draw conclusions regarding positions to which the enemy attaches special value f'ir future purposes.

Our Air Supremacy. "While minor manoeuvres for positions have been taking place along the front lines, it must not be forgotten that intense activity is continuous in the rear services on both siues. In the air service the Allies' claim to supremacy rests on more than mere protection. A comparative statement for the month of April last of the numl>er of bombs dropped by British airmen in France behind the enemy's lines and dropped by the enemy in the area oocupied by British troops shows:—By day: British, 17,867; enemy, 6S7 s T>y night: British, 0033; enemy, 1316; total: British, 23,900; enemy, 2033. Evidence is provided by the demornliaed complaints of German prisoners that even when the enemy have withdrawn for Test the British airmen allow them no peace. One described feelingly how 21 comrades were killed by a single British bombing attack on Banaume on April 30.

Hunger Disintegrating the Enemy, "The fundamental cause which is gradually disintegrating the Central European Alliance is lack of food. Little can be extorted from Germany's allies, some of whom are already experiencing actual starvation. To obtain |train elsewhero wili necessitate the i.so of force, and further demands on troops she cannot spare. This and the shameless exploitation of her allies by Germany for her own ends to their detriment 60ws seeds of discord among them. For two reasons Germany has been forced to seek a decision in the field as early as possible. Delay would involve the risk of a break-up of the Alliance, which she cannot afford. Her victory in the coming summer campaign must be absolute or worse than valueless, for Germany will havo exhausted her reserves, whilst even should the French .ud British find themselves, similarly reduced the American Army will just be -,pproaching its zenith. By commenting preparations Germany thinks she will be able to achieve a decisive victory vithin the time limit. The Allies are aiready confident that with the infusion of American, troops, whose first drafts tiro already incorporated in Erench and British <livi sions, they oau withstand ihe full fores of the enemy assault until the American Army in tho field has Brown to tho same proportions as those ot the French and British. It is a question of timo, Every day'e delay increases the strength of the American Army in "France, bringing Germany nearer to the end of (ho time limit.

In Mesopotamia. "In Mesopotamia Geneni] Afnrshall is advancing apiiCD. After occupying Kirknk !id pursued the Turks over lessor Zab, and his patrols are now within 70 miles of Mosul. A flank ttiluini) moving up Hie Tigris fron Telnit is co-operating with the main advance along tho caravan road. The roads into Persia <n this side are now blocked for tho Turks: in (his lies tho main result of General Marsliall's strategy. German Air Moral Weakening. "The Air Ministry reports that German air prisoners recently .'aptured show a noticeable falling-oil' in moral, s and make no attempt k> deny our superiority in the air. There is great aerial activity on tho Belgian coast, nartioul irly by our bombing machines. The coastal bases of Osteml and Zeebrtiggo aro repeatedly attacked, and tho enemy harassed in his Riideavoiir to repair I lie damage ensured by tho recent successful naval operations. Food Situation Easior. "Tho Food Ministry reports that live stock is coming forward mori , freely than was anticipated, and arrivals of frozen meat have rendered a .somewhat larger ration possible. The partial substitution of bacon for meat cncoiM'ngee the hope that tho live stock in the country will bo Fairly well maintained. Cereal imports liavo now improved, but cheese is short, and this scarcity affects tho workers. Food queues have practically disappeared. The urgent problem is to secure Biillicienl supplies in the autumn xn as to avoid scarcity during the early part of poit.year..'}