The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1915. THE RUSSIAN SOLDIER.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 348, 1 December 1915, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1915. THE RUSSIAN SOLDIER.

(With which is incorporated The Tai hape Post and Waimarino News.)

While new Russian armies, running into several millions Of men, are in

course of being equipped for a spring campaign, and while some half-a-mil-lion are likely to be heard of during the next few days as having entered and invaded Bulgaria, the question of the fighting quality of the Russian soldier forces itself into notice. Taking a cursory glance over the eastern batl tlefields, some 800 miles in length, we find the boasted invincibility of the Austro-Germans is now nowhere in evidence, and it is more than probable that no pushing back 'would ever have occurred but for a practice that will cause Germany to go down into history as the most contemptible people with which the earth has ever been encumbered. Germans were trained to insinuate themselves into the confidence of other peoples and to remain amongst them like a cancer spot ready to work destruction at the signal of a Kaiser who presumes to be in league with his God in loathsome, devilish acts. By treachery, cunning and lying of the vilest order these men got into Russian munition factories, and at the signal from their dlvlnely-rlght Kaiser they applied the torcli of destruction wiping out Russia’s only means of making munitions land hundreds lof innocent lives at the same time. Such acts disclose one .aspect of the brav-f-ery (?) of Germans, a spurious bravery iof which we find no parallel in any ■ •other army, not even the Turks. On j the other hand the bravery, devotion, and self-sacrifice of Russian soldiers 1 stand out in bold relief amongst the 1 whole of the armies engaged in this war. The courage and skill with which : they have retrieved defeats are not surpassed, and are certainly not equalled by any Teutonic feat of arms. Germany is Tike nothing so much as a caged wild beast, rushing around, trying at seemingly weak spot to break through to decisive victory, and fails everywhere; she cannot persist anywhere ffor long; she must keep up a semblance ■ of victory, therefore, when she is thrust back and recovery rendered hopeless, she does not persist, but draws off to another weak, partially undefended spot and enjoys a little more gallery play, wasting, frittering away her forces with no possibility of decisive victory or gain of lasting value. Russia is an example of what per- \ sigtency and determination means to-

wards ending the war in her favour; she has boldly struck for victory when the situation seemed hopeless. Russia’s conduct has revealed examples of brilliant leadership, and whether in victory or defeat the Russian soldier has proved faithful. When in the trap at Osterode, regiment after regiment deliberately sacrificed itself to save the army. Later, when the most loathsome treachery threw a whole army corps into German hands in the Masurians, half-cut their way through the German lines rather than surrender. When their Intelligence Department failed to locate the great German concentration on the Donajee, and the meagre Russian defenders found their lines of communication cut, one division nobly sacrificed itself to let the other escape, when both might have been easily destroyed. While the Russian centre was being cut up on the San their left was winning a great victory between the Dneister and Pruth, rendering their left perfectly safe. But it is at close grips that the Russian never fails; this ] is the chief factor in the wonderful recoveries that Russian infantry have

made. They are hardy and can stand the rigours of winter better than any other troops, and these are the chara'.cjeristies of the men that are ;to march into Bulgaria this week. Berlin may well feel concerned, may well quake with fear in contemplation of what this Russian advance means to them, for when treachery has played no part the boastful Hun was never a match for the hardy, determined Russian. .We lock forward to the time when they will be called upon to leap forward, charging the Teuton masses with the bayonet—we need have no fear of the result. The work of the viper in blowing up factories has now been made .good, and with the help of Allied munition works and arsenals seven millions of sucb fighters are to enter the lists with the rapidly deteriorating German, Austrian and Turkish armies. Germany may well use her subtlety and cunning in fomenting peace campaigns. As Kitchener suggests, the j man who thinks the Allies can be beat- I en is a fool