THE Pukekohe and Waiuku Times PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS TUESDAY, DECEMBER, 22, 1914 THE WAR.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 258, 22 December 1914, Page 2

THE Pukekohe and Waiuku Times PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS TUESDAY, DECEMBER, 22, 1914

THE WAR.

"We nothing extenuate, nor net down aught in malice."

The temporary slackening ct fighting in the western theatre of the war affords a suitable opportunity for briefly reviawiog the situation, and taking a general glance at the conditions prevailing. To every thinking person it has i.ow become plain that after rome five months of fighting Germany has gained nothing of wbat she set out to accomplish, unless the decimation of the Belgians and the irreparable destruction of tbeir towns and villages was pare of her original programme,

Undoubtedly the first and most important factor in the amazing check ti the supposed invincible German army was the remarkable stand made by little Belgium during the first fortnight of the war. To all of us hire who care for freedom, for safety and for the maintenance of national independence, the manner in which the Belgians held at bay for so long so immeasurably preponderating a force must be extremely comforting. It shows us how a small country which has made reasonable preparations for defence may, fighting in its own territory and behind its own defences, offer a sustained check to armies that would have been deemed capable of flowing over it us the tide fbws over an isolated rock. To the world's surprise the tide instead of immediately overwhelming the rock was held up by it anri had to face to the west instead of towards t'ari*. The effects of this gallant stand were ruinous to the German plan of campaign, and it seems impossible that she can ever regain the gtrund lost during the first sixteen days, when every minute was of enormous value to the allies. The delay enabled us to land three army corps in the North of France, and gave time to the French armies to partially mobilise. How our men held the enemy for a tew days, bow, overwhelmed by ten times their number, they were forced slowly backward, fighting for nearly a month a series of rear-guard actions more glorious than most victories, and how at length, when almost in sight of the walls of Paris, the Allied armies were at length strong enough to turn the tide and roll back the enemy, will make stirring reading when the history of the war is made public, Foiled in their attack upon Paris the Germans have been since making desperate and constantly renewed efforts to obtain possession of the coast of France, where the narrowing of the channel brings England within little more than twenty miles. The hate of the enemy now seems to be almost entirely directed against us, for tney clearly realise that without our ail France must have been beaten to her knees, and the German armies freed to meet the steady Russian advance upon the east. Calais and Boulogne would, they believed, be convenient stepping-stunes for the invasion of Enerlaid. Gott! What a city to sack," was old Blucher's remark when he came to London after Waterloo, and we ran easily believe I the aspirations still tills Vbe hearts j of the Kaiser and his men.

In the west the Russian advance

fcems lo te tiUady and irretietible. Owing to its loaiea in the field, the disaffection of the Slavs, who make up nearly half of it, and the ravages of cholera and other diseases, the Austrian army has become a comparatively negligible factor in the war, and probably Servia is fully a match fe- what remains. The Germans bave thus to face Russia alone, and when the endurance and courage uf the Russian soldier are taken into consideration the issue appears to be hardly in doubt. They are now facing the fight on two fronts, which Bismarck always declared would be their ruin if it ever came.

Vast though her difficulties are, however, Germany is still the most formidable military nation in the world, and the task before the Allies is undoubtedly a heavy one. If she had upon her French frontier forts similar to those she was faced with the work would te of almost insuperable difficulty. But she thought only cf attacking and never for a moment contemplated having to stand upon the defensive. If we retain our confidence and calm, relax go afforts to refill (he depleted ranks of our army, and hesitate at no racritice of money or goods, the downfall of Kaiserism and German culture with its hateful doctrine that might is the only right, «ii certain, and with the triumph of the free nations will be ushered in a new era of peace and prosperity, not only for Europe but for the whole civilised world.

Throughout the Empire we are doing what we can to make the Belgians realise what we think of their courage, patriotism and heroic self devotion. All we can offer will be but a trifling recompense for the irretrievable ruin and desolation bruught upon them by the implacable and dishonourable invae'er who bad guaranteed their safety and integrity. But they will rise from their ashes ennobled for generations ti come by the knowledge that their glorious sacrifices have saved the civilised world ftom the greatest calamity that has threatened it since the Athenians, themselves a little nation, heat back the Eastern hordes at Salamis and Marathon.