Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Nine days ago the British Prime Minister said in reference to tho anticipated renewal of tho Germaii offensive in the Western theatre that there might be a great blow coming in the next few hburs, certainly it was coming within tho next 'few days. Tho difficulty of forecasting the course of events on the decisive front is illustrated in the fact that the enemy has not yet made the move which was thus confidently predicted. To consider what rcasons may account for the enemy delay is to open a wide field of speculation, but in light of visible facts it can hardly be supposed that these reasons are wholly or mainly favourable to the enemy. In predicting a speedy renewal of the enemy offensive Me. Lloyd George was speaking about matters in regard to which he could not lie absolutely certain, but he was 011 much: more definite ground when he dealt in the same speech with the relative _ strength of the contending armies in the Western theatre. His observations on this subjcct are worth bearing in mind, for they take an added significance in view of the enemy's present delay.

He, said (us lie was reported nt (lie. lime) (hat by an amazing piecc of organisation a great miuibor of American troops were now in I'raine. They wore of tho best type. He could not give the number, but if it were known it would encourage (lie .Allies and disappoint tho enemy. General Maurice had rightly «aid the opposing forces were as nearly matched as could be. Sir. Lloyd' George, added that he would not bo surprised if ">ir forces were greater than those ot ! the Germans in a short time.

With the Allied armies on the Wes't front approximately equal in numerical strength to those of tho onemy, and with American reinforcements pouring into France, it is evident that whatever opportunity still confronts the enemy is tending to vanish. It is on this account so much the more difficult to understand his continued delay in resuming the offensive.

The most obvious explanation of tho delay is that the disaster which has befallen Austria,' in con junction with the losses sustained by her own armies in tho Western theatre, gives Germany no option but to reorganise her reserves and- incorporate all possible reinforcements before facing any new drain upon her strength. Her difficulties are, of course, much increased if she is under tho necessity of detaching forces to support Austria. As yet. there is no definite news that she has done so, but events on the Aus-tro-ltalian front and reported political developments in tho Dual Monarchy equally suggest that the necessity is likely to arise. Even if further weeks pass without any appearance of German troops on the Austrian front it will not follow that the defeat of her ally lias imposed no new drain on Germany's strength. The necessity of holding forces in readiness to assist Austria in an emergency—and this ix the minimum demand likely to bo made upon her—would still reduce her effective strength in France and Flanders.

The Italians have enterprisingly followed up tho important success on the mountain front which was reported yesterday. On the southern part of the Asiago Plateau they have now taken two thousand, prisoners, and besides holding Mont di Val Bella they have captured Iho ('ol del Rosso, a peak which stands between Val Bella and the Fronzela valley. 'I heir command of this valley, a short but by uo means unimportant military avenue, is thus extended, and they arc reasonably well placed to continue their offensive. The Austrians, who yesterday denied the loss of Val Bolla, now admit a "retirement" from this peak and from tho 00l del Rosso. Even if there were Dot explicit ac-

counts of their desperate efforts to retain these strongholds, their losses in prisoners would serve to- show how far their retirement was from being voluntary,

The torpedoing of another JBriLisli hospiliil ship, probably, with heavy loss of life, is a reminder that it is only from lack of opportunity lljat Germany has refrained from constant repetitions of this particular crime. In Germany's case the sinking of a hospital ship is only an item in a long list of infamies, but it will never be. forgotten that she, is deliberately committed to the policy of sinking such vessels at sight regardless of the fact that they arc sacred by every law of war and humanity. A Press Bureau statement lays emphasis upon the circumstances in which the Llandovery Castle was sunk, and jf such a thing were possible this simple recital' would blacken even Germany's infamy.

A. noon point is made by British newspapers which point out that, Germany is providing a useful precedent by forcing Rumania to punish ccrtain officials for alleged ill-treat-ment of German prisoners; and also in demanding an indemnification for relatives of prisoners who have died. No evidence is available, and probably nono exists, that .Rumania is open to the chargc of having illtreated German prisoners. It is more than likely that the demands made in this connection are simply an item in the comprehensive measures Germany has devised with a view to enslaving and plundering an unhappy litt-la country which for the present is talplcss and at her mercy. But this does not affect f.he value of the precedent Germany has established. It will retain all its foifc when she is called to account for her innumerable and abominable crimes against military and civilian prisoners. In her treatment of prisoners Germany stands plainly convicted not merely of cold-biooded murder, but of every deviltry and abomination that perverted criminality could suggest. If when- the time comes to determine conditions of peace there should be in Allied countries any section weak enough to desire that these infamies should be overlooked, the}; will find it all the harder to maintain _ that 'attitudo when they are reminded that Germany herself lias taken formal occasion to make tho alleged illtreatment of prisoners a matter for reparation and redress. The severest penalties that can be inflicted and the most ample reparation that can be exacted will be very far short of a just atonement for the sufferings of the unhappy victims of tho modern Huns. But though tho wrongs of these victims can never be righted, the Allies are bound to impose penalties and exact reparation equally as a matter of simple justice, and in order to re-establish tho moral law which Germany has so basely violated. As tending in some degree to facilitate action on these lines Uie precedent sho has established in .Rumania deserves to be noted and remembered.

No doubt many people who read the twelve commandments of PanGermanism set out in a late message yesterday were content to contemptuously pass them by as merely another example of Prussian bombast. It is, of course, certain that so long as the Allies have a ship on the sea or a soldier in the field Germany will not be permitted to annex Belgium and the northern coast and ironfields of France, together with the British coaling stations, to tako over the British Navy, to turn Britain out of Egypt, to divide the territory of our Balkan allies, and to oxact a colossal indemnity. But while it is altogether right to regard the people in Germanv who arc vociferously demanding all this and more _as extravagant fanatics, it is a point of some importance that they are not so regarded in their own country. On the contrary, they are established in power, and thus far have completely dominated German policy. If the views of the German Government on the subject of peace differ in any material particular from these Pan-German commandments, the fact has yet to appear. Where it is enabled for the time to enforco ifa will, as in Russia and Rumania, it has followed out Pan-German precepts to the letter, and undoubtedly, given the opportunity, it would do so to the ond of the chapter. German Ministers in general have cautiously avoided speaking in anticipation about actual conditions of peace. It is their simple creed and rule to reach out for all that they can lay their,hands upon. But where they have departed from their common practice, as on the occasion of vox Hertunq's speech some weeks ago, they have spoken always in such terms as the most ardent Pan-Ger-man must approve. Even the speech by von Kuiiuiann which drew such, savage denunciations suggested no retreat from the most extravagant Pan-German altitude $0 far as conditions of peaccare concerned. No doubt the lunatic fervour of these apostles of conquest and plunder will lead_ in the end to their downfall. B;i'u it is as well to recognise that for the time being they represent the active principle in German policy, and that as yet there is no effective competition.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19180703.2.13

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 244, 3 July 1918, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,479

PROGRESS OF THE WAR Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 244, 3 July 1918, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 244, 3 July 1918, Page 4

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert