A WEEK OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 237, 25 June 1918, Page 5

A WEEK OF THE WAR

OFFICIAL REVIEW

THE AUSTRIAN FAILURE

AMOUNTS TO A SEVERE

DEFEAT'

The following telegraphic review of the general war situation for the week endin" June 22 has been received by His Excellency the Governor-General "from tho Secretary of State for the Colonies:—

s On June 15 the Austrians opened an eifeiisivo against tho Italians along • tho whole front. The theatre of operations was divjded into thrco sectors, namely, the Asiago Plateau, tho Brenta Valley, e and the Piavo lino from Montello liidge s to the sea: In the Asiago . Plateau, where the lines are held by British and _ l'rench divisions, tho ground gained by the enemy's first assault was very small, hut his losses were very heavy. Immediate counter-attacks* completely restored the position, and gave the British over one thousand prisoners and several guns, whilo the French' took over 300 prisoners. In the Brenta Valley the - first enemy assault gained ground slight--1 ly on both banks of tho river, but im-' mediate connta'-attacks restored the situt ntion completely. In these mountain .- ; sectors, sinco his severe initial repulse, 0 tne onemy has not attempted to renew e his offensive. Moreover, the weather ■- conditions in that region now render r operations almost impossible. Along tho '• lower courses of tho Piave the enemy has e gained several bridgeheads on the. wests ern batik, a footing on tho Montello Y Ridge, and a triangular pieco of ground 1 between Senson and Caposile. Ko took three days to achieve this limited suor eess. Subsequently he has not only been r unable to advance further, but has been - driven back at many points. The Aus--1 trians now occupy only certain narrow disconnected strips on tho right bank, with a footing on tho lower slopes of tho Montello. They appear to have had an entirely erroneous idea of tho fighting value of the Italians. It has been established beyond doubt that' they expected to reach 'Proviso, on tho Piavo side, ■ and the foot of tho mountains in tho north end. after tho first day's fighting, [ and to take Mestro and isolate Venico J on Sunday. Sinco after six days' lmrd lighting they liavo gained no ground at j all in the north, and aro still held on j the Piave, it is evident that tho offensivo has failed so completely as to amount to a severe defeat. To cross tho Piavo tho Austrians constructed fourteen bridges, all of which have been continuously under Italian artillery fire. During tho last threo days the river has > been in flood, and twelve bridges have ; been washed away. Seven now footbridges have been built to replace them. This work was also done under direct Italian artillery fire. Whilo tho Austrians make tho most exaggerated claim as to the number of prisoners taken, tho . Italians captured over nino thousand 1 Austrian prisoners, many guns, and sev- j . cral hundred machine-jjuns. In the i circumstances just described it is inevitable that the Austrian losses havo been lar heavier than .those of tho Italians. Hitherto with one exception no German unit has been identified as assisting tho Austrians. The exception was tho German "Eequisitioning Battalion," ivhoso duty it was to secure for the Germans a portion of any loot available. The fact was typical of tho whole attitude of tho German masters towards the Austrian sorvant. Everything suggests that tho Austrian offensivo was launched at tho order of Berlin, and was attributable as much to reason of internal politics as to 'lie idea of assisting tho German operations in France. In contrast to the German attitude towards her so-called allies, it is pleasing to find that an important and successful share of tho Italian success was taken by British troops ■ in a sector of the greatest importance to our Allies. Big Blow in the West Expected. In France the Crown Prince's offensivo on tho Aisno and Oise-Aro reached definite stability last Thursday. On tho Tuesday evening, Juno 18, three German divisions made a most determined attempt to capturo Reims. The attempt was completely defeated, with sovere loss to tho enemy. On tho remainder of tho front in France last week there wcro no operations other than considerable raids on both sides. Tho British near Bethuno secured two miles of tho enemy's firstlino trenches, and captured one hundred and ninety-six prisoners and several ma-chine-guns. The French, near Hautebrayp, gained ground, taking three hundred and 6Cvonty prisoners and twentyfive machine-guns. Throughout the weekend tho artillery on both sides was very active all along tho British front and aerial activity increased markedly. Otherwise, tho last few days have been ominously quiet on this sector. Thero aro many signs, supported by strategical reasoning, that a Gorman attack on tho greatest scalo may bo expected before long. The War in the Air. The Air Ministry reports that British airmen luive been activo.and successful in France, Italy, Palestine, Germany, and the German strongholds in Belgium, such as Ostend, Bruges, and Zoebrngge. Tho Australian Flying Corps in Franco and Palestine has substantially added to the importance of tho air work. Notwithstanding tho unsettled weather, over six_ thousand photographs were taken during the week over enemy territory, and tho enemy was kept under almost continuous observation. Co-operating with tho Frnch airmen the ,l!oyal Air Force carried out most successful work on the French front, causing considerable casualties among tho German troops. From tho beginning of the Austrian offensive tho Royal Air Force has been able to render valuable assistance to our Italian Allies. Despite tho most unfavourable weather conditions, tho enemy's bridges over the Piave have been coitinuously subjected to the machine-;;un fire of our low-flying airmen. On the Balkan front British bombing machines raided dumps at Letrovo and the < I'orna railway station. Tho enemy near Sanjak Ccrnisto and Furka were i frequently attacked and direct hits secured, inflicting widespread damage. In / the Adriatic, British seaplanes and aero- i planes co-operated with the naval craft * against tho enemy's submarines, Bombing attacks on Cattaro kept the port an- <] thonties in continuous suspense. In 0 long-distanco bombing operations into t Germany our squadrons twico raided J Meiz-hablons. They also raided Treves. J Haseildingenand Dillingen, our machines J rcturiiinff safely to their aerodromes. At Ostend, Bruges and Zeebruggo high-power bombs were frequently dropped on \ Ihe docks, shipping, and harbour works. Many direct hits were obtained. On the British home const the i sual close watch has been kept by aeroplanes i, and seaplanes. In the British nir fightinr > on tho Western iront eighty-five enemy machines were brought down and twentynine'wero brought down out of control. 1 lurty-two of our machines failed to return to their aerodromes.

The Latest Peqco Offensive. Discussion in the German Press oil the "peace offensive" shows the anxiety,of the military conservative parties lo pledge the Government and nation to a •'German peace/' Even the Liberal papers, which still profess to desire peaea by agreement, demand terms irreconcilable with tho famous ..Tuly resolution. Prince Alexander Ilohenlohc declares that the object of tho Pan-German Party is to force a declaration' of annexationist policy, which the Entente is unable to accept, and cause tho war to continue till a German peace is secured. Infernal disorganisation and demoralisation 1 aro increasing. The "Frankfurter Zei-.'i tnn}»" confesses that tho existing ration? aro insufficient to support healthy exist-,! cnce. Crimes are increasing, as are also food frauds, burglary, wholesale robbery, and extortionate profiteering. Insurnnco payments on account of burglaries increased from ■ <£80,000 in 1914 | 0 •£220,000 in 1917; compensation for stolen goods paid by the Prussian railways from .£210,000 to nearly .£300,000, Tho vaunted incorruptibility of German petty officials Ims vanished. Supplies from the Ukraine are quite insufficient, though a Moscow;' official journal states: i'Gty.

mans are removing everything, but brisj nothing." The German Press sliowi with_ in .:roasi Jiff frankness serious appre> liensiono as to the impossibility of rostorifig the prosperity of German commerce. Tim Citizen Council of Hamburg passed a resolution on May 16 that future peace treaties should provide a sufficient war indemnity, preferably iu raw materials, protection against tlio boycott of German enterprise, and safeguards for German shipping. Similar forebodings- reappear in a resolution recently adopted by the German Associated Chambers of Commerce. The German plan remains avowedly military conquest and commercial subjection. rublio opinion in Allied countries increasingly favours the establishment of a Leaguo of Free Rations, security of which to be ( mutually guaranteed and the danger of a new war to be avoided. Tho publication of Viscount Grey's pamphlet will concentrate attention on the vital necessity for the scheme and the best method of meeting the difficulties - involved. In Russia. The Russian Press proves by German official documents that Eussian prisoners are treated as slaves. They are compelled to work for Government or private capitalists for sd. .a clothing themselves and tindiiifr tools. Falkenhayn has forbidden the holding of any. ■labour meetings at Minsk, and compels meil and women to work in the fields. Thirty thousand Poles at Minsk have been sent to forced labour in Germany. The Fdod Outlook. . Tho Food Ministry reports that Lord Ehondda has just completed his first year of office. A universal tribute wag paid to its success during his administration. The Press expressed warm appreciation of the invaluable assistance received from North America. Tho continuance of such efforts combined with' effective methods of production and distribution in this count,rv will nrevent a recurrence of tho former anxiety as to tho food supply. Tho delay in tho ox* pectcd arrivals 'of cheese from North' America, causes anxiety, but tho most serious tjpnblo is the .almost entiro failure of the autumn fruit crop. Pears, apples, and plums aro extremely short. It is necessary to. reserve all strawberries, raspberries, and gooseberries for jam. The absence of fresh fruit is keenly felt. Unljgs. additional supplies are obtained by importation, the shortages will cause difficulties during tho winter months.