CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 45, 27 May 1916, Page 5

CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

Verdun and the Trentino viu with each other for the world's interest. The moral failure of the former notwithstanding, it will be 'admitted that the Austrian effort against Italy must still take second place. Verdun is the graveyard of numerous German ambitions, for which,, thanks be! Then the ancient convincing ground holds the unenviable reputation of providing the greatest battle in history—the largest number of troops employed, unsurpossed slaughter, latest tactics in trench warfare, and the longest period of actual fighting. Not for the sake of the Italians only will all pray that the Trentino operations might spare the world the frightfillness of a repetition of the bloody work on the western front in France. Italy can ill afford, and cannot stand, to be bruised and bled ,in anything like the manner our French Allies

hay pi suffered. And there is moro misery to follow-, for we road that the defences at Liege and on the lines of the Mouse are being strengthened by

the. Germans.' .Here, more digging-in operations'are going on, and the service of several thousand sappers moans that strong defence works will be prepared upon which, no doubt, to fall back, should the German arms meet with reverses.

Verdun has figured in history on many occasions. She has been Roman, Austrian, and French.' This is the fourth time she has been attacked: By the Prussians in 1792, when she at once surrendered j again by the Germans in 1870, when, after a gallant defence of three Aveeks, she surrendered; and in October of 1914. Here it was, in 843, that the compact was. signed which divided the kingdom of the Franks into three parts,' and so gave rise to the future Franco, Germany, and Lorraine. By this treaty' the first capital was Frank-foi"t/-oh-the-Maih, 'that important commercial ' and financial centre in Prussia where, by the way, a fatal riot by hungry women is mentioned in the cables to-day as having taken place. It was at Frankfort where, from 1152 to 1806, the German emperors were elected. In 1810 the French made it the capital of the new grand-duchy of Frankfort. From 1816 to 1866 it was the meeting-place of the German Diet, and in 1848-9 of the German National Assembly. In 1866 it was incorpo rated with the Prussian province of Hesse-Xassau, and in 1871 the peace which terminated the war between Germany and France was signed in the town. In a population of nearly half a million, it is only to bo exCpected that poverty and misery will bo found, but the bread and meat riots do not come within that category. These are a natural corollary of the British blockade, just as are bread-tickets and the appointment of Herr von Botoks a s food director.

The Austriana claim to have captured several villages on trie Italian side or the Trentino frontier, and heavy fighting continues. The reports, unfortunately, do not favor our Allies, who were badly surprised by the oirensive. Notwithstanding that the enemy suffered enormously (this phrase is now unpleasantly familial - ) their progress was material. The danger of the move is in their chance of reaching Vicenza, from which they are now distant less than ten miles. Enormous reinforcements are stated to he reaching the Italians. This cannot too soon oe a fact but more than that is required. A good stiffening of .Britishers, or, what is as good, Colonials, would guarantee the morale of the defenders, and supply the necessary backbone, vvhicli many people feel is lacking in the miktniannered subjects of Italy. The Italians are reported to be initiating an offensive from" Avlona, or Valona j in Albania, whatever that may mean.

The announcement that the German Chancellor is prepared to discuss practical peace proposals based on the present situation in the war will not surprise anybody. The effort upon the German people has been too serious, and it is a growing trouble, to put the position mildly, which« can have no other effect than an increasing demand for peace. The problem of foodstuffs is bearing so heavily upon the populace that riots are oi almost daily occurrence in various towns -throughout the country. Even to-day the cable informs readers that the women in Frankfort-on-the-Main marched in procession, mobbed the moat shops, and fought the police, the result being that eighteen women lost their lives. This is one only of the many similar and unfortunate occurrences that have been reported both in Germany and Austria-Hun-gary, and which must sooner or ""ater materially assist to bring the leaders of the Prussian militarism to their knees.

In connection with this peace,movement in Germany, the "Letters of an Englishman" in this Daily Mail make interesting reading at this stage of the struggle. Under the subject, "rumors of peace," he says:—There is no neutral whom the Kaiser is not asking to give his doves an airing. With Teutonic clumsiness he approaches his adversaries one after another. Now it is to Russia that he points, out the blessings of peace, now it is to Japan. With all the hypocrisy of Pecksniff he pleads with Belgium to accept, with a restored King and country, a large indemnity. And no one listens to him ; no one will ever listen to him. His spoken words are carried out of earshot like smoke in a. gale. His plighted troth is not worth the ink in which he seeks to express it. Neither he nor his Chancellor will ever be trusted again, and perhaps even Herr Bethmann Hollweg himself regrets that he once talked contemptuously about scraps of paper. Germany chose, in August, 1914, to go to war, and. she assumes that she has the right also to choose the moment for making peace. Unhappily for her, the Allies have learned many a bitter lesson in the last 18 months and the privilege of taking the decisive step now rests with them. We have Herr Harden's word for it that it is Germany's war and Herr Harden was not always wont to veil his eyes and cloud his brain with the cobwebs of imperial sophistry. "Not against our will," said he in November, 1914, "and as a nation taken by surprise, did we hurl ourselves into this gigantic venture. We willed it; we had to will it." That is true enough: the Germans "willed it," and upon them rests such a weight of blood-guiltiness as never before was put upon the back of an arrogant people, and to-day ,\ in Herr Harden's despite f they stand before the judgment seat of Europe, whose jurisdiction they shall be compelled io acknowledge. Nor will Europe pass sentence until the enemy of the human race stands bound and broken in the dock.

And now Herr Harden sings another tune. He lays aside his pride in "the might which shall make a new law" and joins in the general clamour foi peace. He, who once refused to excuse Germany's action, now would put the whole burden of responsibility of continuing the war upon England. "But," says he, "if recognition of us is withheld, if the world insists upon despising the Germans, then the word 'Europe' will lose all sense, and meaning." And at last Herr Harden fulls to threats. If we won't have peace he promises us "war without mercy or quarter." "There will not he any means whatever lot the world think ; ,s it pleases- which the Gorman people will not joyfully turn against its foes." Joyfully we accept the challenge. If Llerr Harden, released at Inst from truth and facts, believes.that he will make our flesh creep by menaces as crude as these, surely the war bus turned his head. What the Germans can achieve that can the English achieve also, and it is in our favour that, while the Germans are nearing the zenith of their energy, the English are still climbing up the iower slopes of endeavour.