Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY NOVEMBER 15th, 1917. TO WIN THE WAR.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 November 1917, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY NOVEMBER 15th, 1917. TO WIN THE WAR.

Piie nen*g from France ,■* Hat the Americans are now irrivng in considerable • oreo is some small offset to the position in Italy. It must he remembered however, that while the Americans are coming in by one port Anglo-French troops are being .moved off by rail to assist in retrieving the position in norhern Italy. Still, it may be expected that the Americans will arrive in ouch greater numbers than it i s likely the'Western front will be depleted of fighting forces for the Italian campaign America, is thus entering the war at a

very critical time, and it is well her entry has not been left till later . The burden of the war from now on will lall upon Britain and the United States France continues to do her part nobly and tlie wonder is how after forty months of draining war, she still has the men to spare for Italy. France indeed has shown a wonderful spirit the brightest action in all the war. Britain and the United States will be the sheet anchors of the Entente Allies to (lie end of the fray. This will be so not only in men and munitions hut also in finance and food. As part of the British Empire it behoves this Dominion to continue to do its part to the full limit of its powers. The National Government,in the earliest days of the war places the resources of the country at the disposal of the Imperial authorities That was a right and proper action to take. It might he as well to repeat the offer in ease New Zealand, remote ns it is, might be overlooked in these times of swift action. The primary products held up in this country should be potent factors in assisting to win the war if they were in the right place The distance New Zealand is from the main theatre of the war creates difficulties of transport in these times when shipping is being depleted, or so fully occupied in the waters more immediately affected by tbe war. For some months now the United States will absorb a great volume of shipping to deal with the transport of its forces, their sup plie s and the requisites u> supplement the wants of America’s Allies. In this circumstance while shipping is congested in the Atlantic transport trade, the fullest facilities might he provided for a Pacific t rade between the United States and New Zealand. If this wore oossilde America could afford to deplete her stocks of many commodities, knowing that the supplies could be replenished from the surplus stores of the Dominion. This is a matter of moment, islicd - from the surplus stores of the < Dominion. This is a matter of moment which should have the fullest consideration in these critical times, when no effort must be spared to help win the . war. '.

rpne war correspondent .writing from the Italian front, who regretted ho 1 could not indicate the location o£ the line it is intended to defend in Northern Italy, apprises the seriousness of failure, the consequences of which ho cannot, detail, otherwise he adds significantly, “the world would realise exactly tho stakes for which tho Italians are lighting.” The 'stakes he subsequently indicates by stating that > “Italy is fighting for its life.” This sweeping statement conveys ample enough indication of the plight of Italy, j Messages from other sources confirm it. | The fact that the enemy is debouching from the Trentino regions and captur- i ing important points in the Venetian \ Alps such as Bclluno and ’Felt-re, show that tho immediate pressure on tho Piav© line is going to be very serious. , Judged by the ominous remarks of the ( correspondent to which we have referr- j ed it would not he surprising to find the Italians yielding the Piavc line, with the evacuation of Venice, and other large centres like Padua, to follow. The dire extremity of the Italians to which the correspondent refers, gives color to this grave possibility. This would mean that the rivers Adige pnd Po are to bo the main defensive line to he taken up by the Italians and their 'Allies. Northern Italy is thus likely to fall into enemy hands, and realising this, we can appreciate the value of “the stakes” for which Italy is fighting. It is going to be a giant task to hold the enemy up. while the prospect of winning back tho overrun territory well be an ordeal of tremendous proportions. Grasping the situation in all the seriousness which the suggestion of the correspondent implies, the critical nature of the position is brought ( home. The .Central Powers will use the tremendously improved outlook to them to all possible advantage. It is possible the newly created position will have a critical effect on the Italian nation. There is the pre-disposition for a patched peace there, and the task of the Allies will ho as much to fight the enemy without, as the pacifists within. For this grave reason the situation surrounding the course of events in Italy is of momentous concern as affecting the duration of the war. Tjtr Minister of Finance has published a statement of the review of tho Dominion finances which is not very satisfying as to the future. In a comparison with the. position a year ago,-' the revenue shows a decrease of £343,401, and the expenditure an increase of £245,166. This is a deficit of over half a million. The principal decreases are in regard to customs and railways. Those sources will continue to show shrinkage., the former because of lessened imports owing to the want of tonnage, and the latter for the same reason so far as exports are concerned, and to the peculiar'management of the railways so far <i * s internal communication is affected. New Zealand is to depend largely on loan moneys for the immediate future. This is bad when means of local revenue are being cutoff deliberately, property depreciated and trade dislocated by the peculiar action of Parliament. The effect of thi s will he gnore particularly realised after this month, when a: new order of tilings is to he brought, in, a.nd the difficulties of the financial situation made more acute for the people and more complex for the country’s finances. Then, Sir Joseph forecasted an--1 other loan in March, adding a semipermanent burden to the Dominion by the necessity of ultimate repayment. The finances of the country threaten to grow so serious by the haphazard way of disposing of all questions involving ! heavy payments, that the situation -is not likely to be satisfactory until it is turned over to expert financiers to . study both sides of the statement, receipts and expenses. While it is im- . perative to raise more revenue in preference to excessive borrowing, it is

just as essential to review the expenditure as closely to see where money can he saved. Advantage in this last respect would be preferable' to either collecting additional revenue or raising increased loans. The country is drifting into that positon now when this large and vital question should pass into the control of a national committee rreo of all party bias, and directed solely for the national well-being.