CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 2, 6 December 1915, Page 5

CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

Our attention is primarily drawn to-day to the unfortunate' turn of events in. Mesopotamia, Where General Townsend’s gallant “race” to Baghdad has suffered a set-back alter winnipgj a big battle at Osteifyjn , nL ~ sight. of his goal. He ( .won tho fbpittjq/but hisj losses were so heavy that he, was forced to withdraw down the-river before strong .Turkish (reinforcements. It now appears that the Turks pushed the pursuit so. closely that’ thei gallant troops’ had to fight; a - Teafguard action in order to allow the safe' transference of i the wounded who were in large numbers. In fact, General Townsend had to leave behind two river boats find airships, ’ which were taken by the 'enemy. The losses were set down at nearly 5000. A serious set-back, no doubt J’, ‘

■ 1 . V/; i; ■ ‘ )" h . ). '«■ 11 i: . Th© writer expressed tbs yiew ; , wbep the news of the ( rpy.prse pame, tf>.,hand ? thai/Gewpal Townsends force jyps a, light advance party, sent on [ip I( |thp race to try and get into Baghdad befetf# tlife Turks from the north,, | probably fvdm - Mosul, When ha got th4reV' ’Was probably told to hold ou atl'nil ftMs, until the arrival of the

main body under General Nixon, who i 8 the Commander-inXJhief in the * campaign. Townsend apparently was beaten ip the race, and the Turks sortied and, though beaten in the actual battle, were in overwhelming numbers, with the result that the Britishers were forced to fall back on their main body. This force is apparently in the neighbourhood of Kut-el-Amara, which was the scene of a victory, hard won by the British, and which can offer a very strong defence in good hands. The Turkish defences, whence they were turned recently, were, formidable, and a maze of ’trenches and underground defencs. Here probably the main body is established. The set-back is, no doubt,, uncheery to the public, but to the gal* lant troops, who got so close to the goal and had to retire, it must be heart-breaking, after lighting what hah been described as the hardest battle in the war. The danger is added to by the treachery of the Arabs and native races, who fight for both sides, as the fortunes vary. However, “dogged does it,” and in a short time we may expect to hear of a continuance of the advance, and the fall of Baghdad. The effect of such a victory has been told of in this column.

From the West front, ■ comes an indication that the Germans are about ,to make another another attack on the Allied lines. The French were-attacked by gas, burning liquid, and other devices, followed by heavy assaults, but were successful in defeating them all. It seems usless for the enemy to attack, as in every instance they are driven back with heavy loss. .

Roumania has taken a strong step, and has seized all foreign shipping in Roumanian waters from to-day. The Premier, M. Britiano, refused to state what the Government’s policy is, and there the matter ends. There is one thing that can be definitely stated, and it is that someone will require an explanation,and then there is a chance of seeing who’s who. It may be a drastic step devised to prevent both aides making use of the river, but no one will tolerate it very long. The military have done the act in commandeering the shipping. If the mili-

tary are carrying out such a policy, then something of a military nature must be afoot. A few days should tell what these operations are.

The cry of the people in both the Central Powers is becoming mere and more insistent, and 'the Socialists with headquarters at Berne have issued strong manifesto,i proclaiming itltyth they do not want victory for Austria, but do wfint ’her defeat./' The mani-Ji festo ihakes the ’not-altogether-unex-, pected statement that the civilised world will when it knows is being done in Austria, referring 'fo tile 1 exefcuitidu d£ *nleh .for Renting their desire for peace. “This,” Says the remarkable document, “is how the Austrian Government acts while pretending to fight barbarism.” Tire Socialists declare that, after the war, they will imitate the French Revolution. After denouncing the Ultimatum to Serbia, the manifesto concludes, “Austria is suffering terribly in the war, and will be the first tp be ruined-thereby.” That,is tfie cry from Austria 1 . From -G.ermpny iM , there, ,iis hews of food riots in which the military fired on workers, killing two hundred and wounding many others. The 1 persistent rihts of the workers’ wives we’re regarded as actual happenings.' which did not avail; n and now the time has apparently come when their husbands must demand food, or an explanation of thfe state of affairs which they perhaps rightly say is not consistent with the victories they are told of. “If we are winning the war, there ought to be food in plenty. There is no food ? Then G’ermany must be losing, .and we, the workers, are being bled and starved while you rush on youv way to ruin and drag us with you.” ,Britishers complain and kick up a lot of fuss, if the price of food increases, and they become more and more pessimistic. The writer deplored the undue pessimism which breaks out at a reverse, and urged that the enemy must be in a far worse condition; and asked that pessimists should bear that in mind. The case set forth has been at once answered by ? the reports published to-day. The 6nemy scale is going down, while ours is going up steadily* and the two have just about come tp the point of meeting.