PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 24, 23 October 1918, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

The later developments of the Western campaign give the enemy as little reason as possible to be satisfied with the outlook. In one of yesterday's messages a correspondent remarked that the pressure of three British armies, co-operating with the French, on the front south of Douai, had imminent strategic possibilities. But for the fact, thatwinter is at hand, as much might be said very confidently of the whole West front. The drive into the enemy's northern flank in which tho Allies have advanced to within about eight miles' of Ghent certainly cannot be regarded as of minor importance; still less can tho wellsustained American attack in the valley of the Mouse or the attacks of French and American forces alo:ig tho trout west of that river be so regarded. The enemy is credited with having successfully concluded tho first stage of his retreat between the Oiso and the Argonne, but looking at the front as a whole it seems impossible to fasten upon any point at which it could.be said,that the Germans had carried out a aiecessful. retreat and definitely improved their situation. On tho contrary, their difficulties and the perils by which they are faced seem to be growing rapidly more serious as time goes on.

.The enemy's losses in prisoners and guns have been less heavy during the last week or two than at earlier stages of the retreat, but the speed at which he is compelled to move makes a. serious and increasing congestion of his avenues of communication inevitable. The possibility is still well in sight that some new surprise, stroke by the Allies— a sudden and formidable intensification of the attack in vital areasmay raiso new dangers for his retreating armies. The very fact that winter, must soon impose a check on operations suggests the likelihood of such a culminating move in the near future. It is fairly safe to conclude 'that the Allies will exploit the enemy's present difficulties to the utmost while the opportunity of doing so remains.

To-day's reports show that in spite of bad weather' and the enemy's desperate resistance tho British arc making _ wonderfully rapid progress in their drive into his northern railway communications. As official news stands they aro within two miles of Valenciennes junction, which is already, of course, practically useless to tho Germans. This development cuts

out some of the most useful railways hitherto serving the enemy front. If it becomes possible to con'tinuo the drive to the vicinity of Maubeuge, twenty miles, farther * cast, while the enemy is still strug- t gling with the problem of emptying , the awkward salient he holds to the 'j south between the Oise and tho ] Serre, his defeat may yet and in ' tho near future reach the propor- ] tions of overwhelming disaster. ] # * * * , Belgium, it is intimated to-day, ] will demand from Germany the sum 1 of £384,000,000 in part payment for the devastation and robberies committed by Germany armies within ; her territory. Apparently this ' claim covers material losses suffered i up to January, 1915, while an additional sum of several, hundreds of millions will be required to make good the losses suffered in later robberies and crimes of destruction. The first instalment claimed by Belgium is nearly twice the amount of the indemnity which. Germany exacted from France in 1871; the total claim may easily amount to four times the result of that indemnity. When the demands of France and other Allied countries whose territories have been ravaged and despoiled by the modern Huns are added Germany will be faced by a colossal bill. But.it is, of course, an essential condition of peace that she should be required to pay this bill in full. * * « * Sir. Douglas Haig's report dealing with the March offensive makes in =some respects astonishing reading, This is particularly true of his statement that the 64 German divisions which participated in the offensive of March '21 considerably exceeded the total forces composing the entire British Army in France. If the total British strength in France last March consisted of only about '60 divisions this would amount, on the base of the old divisional strength of about 20,000. to an aggregate force of no more than 1,200,000 men. The strength of l a division, however, had been reduc- ; ed, so that the actual numbers of the British Army in France when \ the German blow fell must have ! been considerably smaller,' Sir '• Douglas Haig is presumably speak- ; ing of the total force under his com- ' mand, in Flanders as well as in France. In any case, tho information now supplied in regard to the British numerical strength at tho [ time of the German offensive must ' intensify admiration of the dauntless heroism with which the British \ armies met and stemmed the enemy's j. formidable onset. It was known already that they, were handicapped I by being caught in the transition " period from .national to unified command, but Sir Douglas Haig's dispatch throws new light upon the l terrible odds against which Ehey had in fact to contend.