The Taihape Daily Times SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1915. LORD KITCHENER'S SPEECH..

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 290, 18 September 1915, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1915. LORD KITCHENER'S SPEECH..

AND WAIMAEINO ADVOCATE

(With which is Incorporated The Talhape Poat una Waimarinu News.)

The Russian retreat has been a prolific source of concern to almost all the civilised peoples of the world. What its effect on the general aspect of the war from the Allies' point of view was no one knew. Why the seeming breakdown of the great steam-roller had happened was beyond all comprehension. What effect the invasion by the enemy with such huge armies would have on the sacrifice of the life of our Empire would bo was what concerned all Britishers most. We calculated, guessed, and speculated from day to day as flashes of intelligences reached us of further advances and still further retreats, but there all along came the one bit of silver-lining to the otherwise dark cloud, that the Russian armies ■were nnpierced, unbroken, and that complete control of movements had never been lost, and as our hopes were reinforced by Russian assuranoe we waited for the hour that we might metaphorically throw up our hats and exult over another dismal failure of German strategy. It was in this strain we last reviewed the conflict. ’Now, however, we have learned from Lord Kitchener’s own lips what effect that marvellous retreat is going to have on ultimate victory. "German victories,' ho said, "may be defeats in disguise." Kitchener is the last man to look to for unsubstantiated hope; ha is l;he one grim matter-of-fact man of the whole conflict, and there is not. a soldier or a civilian, either, in all the countries of the Allies that has not been made hapf p ; er by his words, and there is not an individual among our enemies on which they have not had a diametrically opposite effect. His speech has disclosed much but there is a vast deal that it lias cloaked, and perhaps rendered more obscure, but it does seem t.n indicate that we are nearing- the time of portentious happenings; indeed i our great war lord’s intentions are so cleverly concealted that one need not ho

surprised to learn that forceful offensive movements were already being made. Lord Kitchener d->es not tell us that the Russians have now, at least for the time being, brought the German invaders to a standstill, but it is a fact nevertheless, and it is quite reasonable to assume that while the Russians can keep such huge numbers of the enemy engaged, who dare not turn back for four of disaster, in a country far removed from supplies and to which all means of travel and transit are blocked by colossal supplies travelling towards the fighting area, so that rapid retraction is entirely impossible, no more favourabe opportunity could be engineered for the great clash of ams that we know is to come. On the other hand, it may be that the German hordes in the east arc to be led still further array and more awkwardly enmeshed before the Damoclesian sword is to descend. So far, Kitchener has relieved the tension of feeding, but it may be that events in the near future will remove it altogether. Germany has admitted the failure of her Russian invasion programme, by the fact that virtually all her available re'sources are being employed in preparing for another winter in the trenches, but who can say what may happen in j another short month. Kitchener has made it very clear that the Russian retreat is by no means a Russian defeat; as a matter of fact, he practically tells us it is the reverse, and he asks who will say that Germany's losses have not been greater than those of Russia. A most hopeful aspect has been thrown over coming events by what Kitchener lias told us, and his words have been supplemented by a review of the position by Britain’s , Prime Minister, who claims that ultimate victory will go to the side with the largest silver bulltet. And as he is confident that this precious article is at the disposal of the Allies there can 1 only be one termination. Still, Mr. Asquith’s ’ remarks strike a deep note which we might with profit ponder over. It leaves no uncertainty about the need for dealing with money just as the Empire may be compelled to deal with men before the conflict can end.