THE ALLIED STRATEGY.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 226, 11 June 1915, Page 7

THE ALLIED STRATEGY.

FRENCH ACTING AS BATTERINGRAM. GERMAN COMMUNICATIONS SERIOUSLY THREATENED. ENEMY MAKING FRANTIC EFFORTS. (Times and Sydney Sun Cables), (Reed 6.45 p.m.) LONDON, June 9. The London “Times” correspondent in the north of France writes as follows; While the British, French and Belgians are firmly holding the enemy in check in Flanders the French are battering his lines at Artois. For weeks they have been fiercely fighting their way at Lens and Vimy, and are still heroically advancing. Every yard is strongly fortified and is being stubborn, ly defended, but the French are driving the enemy out of position after position/ with bombs and bayonets. The ground tg£l!ned is strewn with German bodies. There is no time to ibury them and the stench is unbearable to the French soldiers’ nostrils. The enemy is offering stout resistance They know that an important and perhaps vital point in their line of communications is threatened. The army under Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria has been strongly reinforced by the finest troops, in a frantic effort to stay the French advance. The French are making secure the newly acquired positions,-preparatory to a further advance furthr south. The French ore covering themselves with glory. Furious hand-to-hand encounters took place at Neuville and St Vaast and the Labyrinth, the French driving out the enemy house by house. In the Labyrinth and Vast area, ni the trenches and in open and covered warfare, the latter being practically subterranean, they have displayed special aptitude and shown astonishing skill and daring, talcing a network of wire entanglements. Two-thirds of the Labyrinth is in their hands, and the line of the outer defences of Vimy must soon fall. CONSCRIPTION. LORD ST. DAVID’S OPINION. MEN WORK. SHOULD BE MADE TO FIGHT. LONDON, June 9. The Munitions Bill passed the Lords and has received the Royal assent. Lord St. David regretted the Bill did not give power to requisition men as well as works. He dissociated himself from any attacks on the great organised working classes. He said the upper classes had come wonderfully well out of the trial, but there were still idlers among them. Even among members of the House of Lords there were men who had never done a day’s work for themselves or for anybody else since they were born They were still hanging round theatres and music halls, and while that was so, it was no us e going to workmen talking about coinscription or 'compulsory sendee. Men who refused to work v made to fight.