The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 1917 THE OUTLOOK.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 281, 1 June 1917, Page 2

The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS.

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 1917 THE OUTLOOK.

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

When at the beginning of hostilities Kitchener announced that he was preparing for three years of war there were few that did not imagine he was unduly pessimistic. It was almost universally believed to be an impossiI bility that any nation could stand Ihe strain of so huge a struggle for more than a few months, or bear without national bankruptcy the gigantic cost. If anyone had told us that the Kmpire could have provided an average of over four million pounds per day—we are now spending six—and that she could have made six million ot her sons into soldiers and sailors we would have deemed him out of his senses. Yet that is what we have done, and money is still (lowing into the Treasury, and men are still trooping to the colours ; while though there is no denying that the strain is heavy there is not so far the slightest sign of exhaustion, either physical or moral, visible. Kitchener's three years are drawing near their close, but

there is no certain sign as yet that the curtain is about to fall on the greatest tragedy of the ages. Some of the chief personages— Kitchener himself, Franz-Joseph, the Tsar—have left the stage for ever, but the arch-villain Wilhelm still struts before the footlights. Yet the play has sufficiently developed for us to be certain of the end, though we cannot say for sure when that end will come. Germany is still strong on land, though daily weakening while we are daily strengthening, and the submarine menace though scotched is not yet killed.

Had it not been for Russia's pitiable failure at the moment of all others when her co-operation was most needful we believe the end would have certainly come this summer. Had she done her share while we and the French were making our advance the complexion of things would have been completely changed. It is now painfully apparent that the Russian Government has little or no real authority and that the

greater part of the army is completely out of hand. We get daily reports that the position is improving and that Russia will attack with vigour, but it is evident that verv little reliance

can he placed on such statements. Though twelve million men an. with the colours, transport, eom-

missariat and the supply of muni lions are so mismanaged and in

adequate that it is almost certain no effective aid can be given to the Allies this mi aimer. The most that Russia can do is to

keep a certain number of German divisions anchored to the eastern front. The one ray of light illumining the gloom in this quarter is the chance that Japan may send a considerable force into Russia by way or the Siberian railway.

In the meantime the submarine campaign is weakening. The losses of the last three weeks have been reduced to halt of those of the previous three weeks. A device said to be infallible is spoken of as being responsible for this great improvement of the position. Its infallibility may naturally enough be doubted, but it is evident some new method of dealing with submarines has been adopted with great success.

In the meantime Germany's under-water piracy has gained us a fresh Ally. Brazil, angered at the torpedoing of the Parana, has apparently determined to join forces with us. Germany's U boats, with which she hoped to destroy us, are digging her grave for her. Not only have they brought the United States and Brazil into the war but have made the smaller neutral states writhe in impotent resentment at the heavy toll of their ships and men that have been taken : and though they dare not retaliate now their turn will come when we have finally crushed the enemy as a fighting force. For years to come Holland, Denmark and Norway will remember with bitterness Germany's defiance of all the laws of God and man, and their social and trading relations with the unutterable Hun will in future differ widely from pre-war conditions. That in New Zealand we are at last feeling the effects of the submarines is not surprising. We have been most wonderfully fortunate in having been able to send away our produce up to now without a check and can scarcely complain if the ships that perform the absolutely vital task of feeding the Motherland are diverted to the shorter trip across the Atlantic. New Zealand is a very small pawn in the great game — how tiny we may perhaps realise when it is remembered that the normal value of our produce for a year would only pay England's share of the cost of the war for four days. Though we cannot exist without the Empire the Empire can exist without us and it is better that we should suffer inconvenience than any risk should he run of shortage of necessaries in the Homeland. In the West, the really vital theatre af the war, we are meeting with success fully up to the hopes of the most cheerful optimist. It seems an almost absolute certainty that we shall hammer the Germans out of Belguiin and France during the present summer and if the war has to continue into I'M* we may look with confidence to the United States lending us valuable aid.