Hokitika Guardian & Evening star SATURDAY NOVEMBER 3rd. 1917. THE WEEK.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 November 1917, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening star SATURDAY NOVEMBER 3rd. 1917. THE WEEK.

The situation of the Italian campaign as disclosed during the week is easily the most tragic circumstances of the whole course of the war. The expulsion of the Italian armies from the soil which they captured after more than two years of most desperate fighting has been the greatest surprise in .the whole progress of events. It might be aptly described in that colloquial figure of speech as “a bolt from the blue.” The effect of the stroke is apparent all round the world, the comment indicating that the serious consequences are not being miininised bv any means. As to the cause, that is not yet explained except for the indication that spies have, been at work, and there lias been the statement that the Italians ran rather than fought. It is difficult to believe either story. The Italians were so firmly resolved on the war, arid so earnest i n their preparations that spies would have had great difficulty in obtaining a footing serious , enough to create the debacle which cm i sued. As to the personal bravery of <

the Italians, their intrepid work in winning the way to the point they had won was proof that', ordinary obstacles of opposition could not deter them from attaining their desired objective. It would appear to give the devil his due, and not to deceive ourselves on the vital issue, that the enemy has outwitted our ally. The strategy and organisation for battle is again on the side of the enemy. Once again we have the spectacle of the well laid and confident plans of the Allies being blasted in one short week by the sir- 1 cessful intrigue and preparation of our 1 too wily enemy. Despite more than J three years of eye-opening experience we have still failed to fathom the do pths and lengths to which the enemy will go to win through at any and all cost.

Some neutral officers who visited the Italian front a few months ago after our ally had been well installed on Austrian territory gave the assurance of secure occupation, wrote thus of what the Italian forces had achieved: “Wo have seen them all—bold infantry men, Alpine troops or Bersaglieri, rough artillerymen, persevering miners, workmen and soldiers—in the gloifcius scenery of their exploits. No war can present more difficulties and, at times be more paradoxial than that which they wage. Their task seems impossible; butt these men of the mountains are endowed with such lightness of heart and such great tenacity that they carry it out in the face of all obstacles No praise can be too great for the troops which storm peaks, conquer glaciers, bayonet in land, and hoist guns where never human foot has been set before. The writers this will realise now that the greatest paradox of all has come to pass. The unexpected has happened and what was apparently not, i s now really true. The task of stemming the flowing success will bo a heavy one. It will call for efforts from Britain, France and the United States just at the time when the occasion was ripe for the giant offensive of all in the main deciding theatre of the wax—the western front. Thi s division of resources delays and certainly hampers operations in the west, but

this sacrifice and pause is most necessary to save the Italian situation. A L the worst the enemy will profit largely

from the material success achieved by the important stroke, and retaliatory operations and a minimising of the effect created cannot be undertaken too soon. With the Cenrtal Powers playing winning hands in Russia and Italy, it is n°t surprising to find Allied territory like Finland and Poland within the full grasp of the enemy. The seriousness of the general situation .calls for the most active Allied steps to

chedk tilie far-reaching and possible effects of what reads like Uio Italian debacle In looking to the western theatre of operations a's the decisive campaign of the war, feelings of settled optimism on this point seem to he justified and confirmed by late authentic news from that interesting scene of decisive action. Mr. C. E. W. Bean, official correspondent with the A. I. F. in Flanders, cabling on the 17th October said :—The significance of the five great battles which have been just fought before Ypro- i>‘ which the Australians and New Zealanders have taken a really great part, may be lost sight of by attaching too much weight to the fact that the last two were not completely successful This makes not. the slightest difference to the one all-important fact, which is this: We know the method by which, given .sufficient preparation and decent weather, we can beat the German every time Vt*e decide to attack him. The following broad view is'worth keeping in mind by Australians, in order to understand the pre sent series! ot battles. The German cannot fool us by any evacuation or retreat, here, as he attempted at the Somme. He is bound'to stand up to every sknockdown blow we give him, simply because any retreat on a considerable scale of fbis part of t l ' line opens up the way to Lille and the Belgian coast: He must either give them both up or fight, holding on a. cost, whatever the losses. Thai is why the German correspondents arc warning the Germans that they are fighting for their existence on tlie battlefield. Personally, one has never been so hopeful before during the war, because t-be way is now clearly seen by which, soon or late, we must win through. While Mr. Bean’s message is a comforting one on the general situation; ire can understand now how true is his statements inat the Australasian troops took “a really great part” i n the Ypre.g fighting, even though their efforts to win their objectives “were not completely successful.” In the House on Thursday afternoon the Minister of Defence gave eloquent testimony to “the features of the fighting when he indicated the casualties for October. He quoted of course, those referring to New Zealanders alone, but these figures were impressive enough in all conscience. The battle for Bellevue Spur began in the early days of Oc-t. so that the casualties reported for the month cover that fighting. Sir James Allen’s .figures give a total of 5,282 casualties, more than a thousand of ‘which represent the killed. These- figures imply what New Zealand’s part is in the effort to win hack Belgium for the Belgians, to. secure to posterity that peace and security which can never be possible while a vaunting power like Germany remains unbridled. In the desperate fighting which took such toll of our own men, the. officers shared unflinchingly in the sacrifice. There can not he a town or hamlet of any consequence within the Dominion today which does not mourn the loss of some noble fellow who sleeps serenely, his duty bravely done, in the northern hemisphere. The toll ha s been a heavy . one, greater even than the Somme casualties of a year ago. The losses will j absorb not less than three er four j months’ reinforcements, a’ comparison ' which helps us to understasd the con-

vincing argument the figures impose. Tt was a great battle for a noble cause, and history will apportion to New Zealand the credit and renown for its part in so humane a cause. For the rest, we must see that this great sacrifice ha’ s not been in vain, nor that it shall remain, unhonored bv the nation.

Rite curtain has been rang down finally on the session of Parliament. The four months’ effort lias fallen far short of expectations in many respects. Yet,

notwithstanding, a considerable volume of business of one kind or another was disposed of. Tho war has imposed tremendous financial obligations on the j country, and the taxation proposals to meet same have not given anything like complete satisfaction. The session to come will be more important still in j ' this respect, and because of the delieato nature of the task we believe the recess could well be utilised by an expert commission in giving their entire attention to the task of meeting the ' growing burden in the most equitable 1 manner possible. "While one set of ex--1 perts are devoting their attention to ■ the revenue side of the 'Dominion’s po- | sition another group could not he bet- ' ter employed than revising the whole system of the expenditure. Money saved i n this direction would bo preferable to additional money* raised by taxation, and with the economy wo would have the efficiency improved also by an internal audit of the outgoings. The session was remarkakble for the secret sittings and private caucus meetings whereat important matters were determined without the country knowing the reason why. This is a departure which would be possible in war time or national crisis, only and it is to be hoped there will not he occasion to repeat tho tactics in future. Parliament was'lavish in bonuses at the close of the session, a confession of its failure to deal with the vital issues of the cost of living. It was not without generous consideration for the two extra Ministers serving so Cabinet cannot be chargod with forgetting itself. It provided also very liberally for the Ministers who went abroad and who had so prolonged a stay in England.

Thebe' is the suggestion that one or more Ministers will he going abroad this recess also. This holiday-making at the country’s expense is becoming too frequent a practice. If Ministers can be spared, so easily for so many months ofthe year, one wonders why they cannot he spared altogether. Invariably it is the Ministers considered to he the most important who go off on these jaunts. The result is that important matters are held up during their absence, while as was the case this year Parliament had to mark time for nearly two months till the returned Ministers picked up * the threads, aim got business ready for the House. Tt was not a . creditable position at all, | and the experience would discount the readiness of the country to tolerate so pliantly these holiday excursions to fresh fields at very great expense to the country. Parliament dealt with so- ( dial or internal matters in a peculiar manner. Urgent questions affecting I the public health were handled with I conspicuous care, in which the ease (for the' general public had far less consideration than the individual who might he the promoter of serious wrong to the third and fourth generation. Public convenience was allowed to continue to suffer tin the matter of restricted train traffic, in the curtailment of amusement, and in the radical dislocation of an important trade in which many folk has sunk their all. This is a side of the question „of “Winning the war’’ which .we cannot fathom—the why and the wherefore. Parliaments action to our mind makes it more difficult than over, because of the restric tive nature of the enforced legislation. ■ Altogether, the National Government with its great opportunity and clear ma jority has fallen short ot the great sibiltics which its advantageous position gave it. ’