The Taihape Daily Times SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1916. THE WEEK OF WAR.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 79, 1 April 1916, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times

SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1916. THE WEEK OF WAR.

AND WAIMA2JINO ADVOCATE

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

The outstanding momentous event of the past week of war is the historic Allied Conference held in Paris for co-ordinating the future conduct of hostilities and matters closely- connected therewith. The meeting was of short duration, it being said that a remarkable unanimity prevailed upon the most important issues, materially shortening discussions. To know what was actually decided upon we must wait for revelations as event follows event in the future progress of the fighting. We can only hope on, relying on the optimistic observations of those who took part in the meetings. We can, at least ,feel assured now that Germany, with all the deviltries brought to her aid, cannot break the French lines at Verdun. There is almost daily fighting in that locality involving a terrib'e expenditure of life and munitions and an appalling disturbance of the topography of the surrounding country. Germany is unable to wrest the Verdun fcrts from France and is now revengefully dropping hundreds of fire spreading shells in the town, where none but civilians and noncombatants dwell, to burn down their homes. Wherever they have attempted to improve their posiHn n thpv have been thrust, back, and have suffered enormous losses in men. In fact the French are recovering positions lost in the first great attack at a comparatively light cost in life. The British front has been lengthened a further ninety miles, thus liberating the French therefrom, enabling them to make success certain where German concentrations are largest and most active. The British have considerably harassed the enemy throughout the week, keeping l them too busy to permit of any help against the French at Verdun, besides making some minor progress. A correspondent with -the British Headquarters significantly tells us* ''the British Army's hour is at hand," but that all Germany's efforts at Verdun to throw strategic arrangements out of step will have no avail; the prepared great offensive, shortly to be commenced, will begin and proceed exactly with the clock; Germany is helpless to prevent it. We know that an early offensive is premeditated, but where the vital point is, or when it will commence we know absolutely nothing. It may extend from Holland to Switzerland, or it may be confined to present lines—we must wait, but not for long. The Russians are making wonderful progress on both North and South of their seven hundred mile front. In the north they are the cause of Teuton consternation; Germany hasn't the men to send to Hindenburg to stem the onslaught, and so, we are told, the German fleet is to take possession of the Baltic Sea to help their armies along the Command coast. The value of the advantages the Russians are almost daily securing can scarcely be overestimated. . Hindenburg's greatest strongholds are going down like ninepins and his men are being driven from every bit of dry ground in the immense, flooded lake country, while a thaw has set in which is destroying German trenches forcing them to retire to where others can be constructed. Unless some material help

can be rendered their forces in Courland disaster assuredly awaits them. In Vienna and Budapesth there is the greatest alarm over what is taking place in Galicia. Tens of thousands of wounded are arriving, a fact that is ominous of a corresponding death roll. The Russians are fast the Austrians back and there is likelihood of a speedy repetition of what took place last year. It is not at all unlikely that the fall of such places as Kolomea, Lemberg and Przemsyl will be rapidly repeated and the Hungarian plains invaded. Russia will persist with all the more heart in knowing that no great additional forces to those she is now facing can be brought against her well-equipped men. We have been told that the Dardanelles straits are to be opened in April, and as we are already in that month sensational news should be coming to hand very shortly. How it is to be achieved we know not, but it may be assumed that the intervention of Roumania, and an advance, or a dual advance from Salonika, will have something to do with it from the European side, whi'e the Russians ar e doing- their part by rapidly moving on their objective—Constantinople—on the Asia Minor Coast. The Greek king is again suspected of treachery; his coastal territory and Islands are being rigorously searched for submarine supply bases, and enemy officials are being arrested. These are small matters and are only necessary to avoid .undue waste of life, ships and supplies from unchecked submarine operations. One needs to adopt a prophetic attitude to say where the coming offensixe will be most determined, but some experts tell us that our aerial attacks on German fastnesses are the prelude.