Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1916. THREATS OF A GERMAN OFFENSIVE.

Nelson Evening Mail, 16 September 1916, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1916. THREATS OF A GERMAN OFFENSIVE.

RECENT cables 'have stated that Germany is contemplating delivering a smashing 'blow in the Balkans. Doubtless this is what, the Germans would like to do, 'but it is very; doubtful whether they have the power to make it. They now find themselves confronted with, superior forces in a field that extends from Ostend to IBelfort and from • the Baltic to the Aegean. Everywhere '■they are either being held in their posiI trans or else they are going back. And •there is a remarkable simultaneity in the movements of the Allies. The Roumanians are pushing further into Transylvania, the Russians advancing in the ■Carpatliians have joined hands with the Roumanians, the Serbians are driving the B-ulgao-s in the region of 'l.ako Ostiovo, and the Anglo-French forces in this region also have the enemy on the move. •T(he temporary Germano-BuJ-garian offensive in the Dobrudja has apparently come to the latter part of its course, and last ibut not least the Anglo-French are •pushing .forward in the region of the Somtne in Northern France. This great change that has come about in the last few months is important, mainly in its revelation of the relative strength of the contending Powers. Naturally it is the German desire to strike a smashing Mow at some vital (point ibefore it is too late. But little is to be feared from ■such talk for ■tlhe time when such blows could be effective has gone -by. Possibly the statement has been made to back up the Premier of Bavaria's efforts to frighten the Roumanians, by threatening them with the fate that Germany has meted out to the Belgians, .Serbs and Poles. But M. Bratiano, Prime Minister of R.oumania, studied the subject in all its branches for two years 'before he made mp his mind that Germany, was certain to be pulled down by her adversaries, who were steadily gaining against her. And M. Bratiano knows that if the 'Germans mass troops to invade Roumania to deliver the smashing iblow the AL'sgiodfl'ench armies will seize the opportunity to make another such forward move on the Somme, the Italians will press down towards Trieste, the 'Russians will push across the Carpathians, and the Serbs and' Aiiglo-Fren:h armies in Macedonia will attack the Bulgars in the rear with ihoreased vigour. The same kind of tlhing will go on on every part of the thinly-held German front directly Von 'Hindenburg masses men and guns for ariy :big thrust. It has 'been stated that (Falikenhayn 'believed it to be necessary to shorten his front, and that t-hid was one of I;he causes of his downfall. Other Germans have bee: l , of opinion that such a course is not necessa-ryu Tho longer they go on- 'believing so tlhe "better for the Allies, foi when the collapse does come it will be alii the .greater.