THE WAR REVIEWED.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 August 1918, Page 3

THE WAR REVIEWED.

THE OFFICIAL SUMMARY. (PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT, j WELLINGTON, This Day. Official summary from the Ministry of Information London, 23rd August— Mr. Hoover continued. —In the Unit eel States there is the need to exercise continue rigid economy in conisumptiou so that we may meet the increased demands from Europe and enable us to carry over from this more abundant harvest year, a stock of foodstuffs to form a positive insurance against possible climate eventualities next harvest. Most, excellent weather encourages the hope of the fulfilment of the Allied decision to maintain the distribution cereals unrationed and ..enforced reliance upon home supplies of meat, will compel further reduction in meat ration, while the increased cost will necessitate an increase in the price of the same. The problem of providing additional feeding staffs continues to be nr gent. It is likely supplies of North American bacon will prevent any real

privation. The military reverses have produced a great disappointment in German political circles. Some newspapers point out how they coincide with the appointment of Hintze. The Reichstag was. not consulted, but there is a more liberal sentiment of the part of German press that it is merely the case oi the devil being sick and wanting to turn now to the Polish question, which has for a long time been hung up. The German policy was recently reported to be near a solution. Austria wanted the union of Russian and Austrian Poland as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, while Germany was anxious to keep the triple division of Poland so that German Poland should not be the only unredeemed territory. A suggested compromise now is that Archduke Karl Stephen be made King of Poland in close connection with Germany with territory, which might include parts of white Russia, where there, are big landed estates owned by Poles, though the population is Russian, but this Kingdom would contair none of the present Austrian or German Poland. More over, such an artificial new Poland must rely on Germany for protection against universal Russian indignation. This compromise would give German policy all it wants, but it is still uncertain whether Austria will acquiesce. Russia more and more realises the humiliation of the Brest-Litovsk treaty and i strong anti-German feeling strengthens. The German Embassy is reported to have, lied from Moscow, protecto*l by German soldiers disguised in Russian uniforms. It found Petrograd in the hands of .the bitterly hostile social revolutionaries, and being unable to travel to Pskov was compel! ed to go via Helsingfors and Reval. The unexpected arrival of British troops at Baku gives fresh revelation of British resource, and adds a larg< factor to the many eastern problems, which Germany and Turkey must solv< between them, none the more easy since each is on the worst terms with each other and both are on bad terms with Bulgaria. Great Britain’s rigid rationing oi coal for domestic consumption and j non-essential industries gives yet an- ; oilier instance of the sacrifice to which | she cheerfully submits, in order U i moot the heavy demands of the mili i tary needs of the Allies. The French | Prime Ministers and Marshal Foci 1 have just paid a noble tribute to tin work of British coalminers urging them to yet more strenuous efforts, since, coal is as essential to victory af men and munitions.