The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1916. PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 25 November 1916, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1916. PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

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

News of war progress has been generally disappointing during the past week, except for the brilliant and most important advance made by the Servians in their own country. Witn the assistance of some other Allied troops, the great junction and centre, Monastir, has been captured and tne Allied line carried many miles further to the northward of that place. The enemy has tieen largely reinforced, still the Allied advance has" continued slowly up to the last receiptor news from that quarter. The Bulgarians blame their chief ally, Germany, for the misfortune. They say their ranks were thinned to enable reinforcements to go to the Roumania revenge. It is notable that reinforcements for the Bulgar-Germans at Monastir are said to come from Mackensen's command, and with this report comes one stating that the Dobrudja campaign is being abandoned. However much truth there is in the Bulgar rumour, there has been no news or •Dobrudja fighting for some time past. The advance from Salonika is not of so general a character as will permit of an approximate idea of the strength of the opposing forces, therefore if the balance of power is on the side of the Allies, the rapidity of progress cannot be estimated. On the Russian front, from Riga to Roumania there are millions of troops facing each other and yet not a line of report readies us about any engagement. It may be that some great movement is pending and a period of preparation is necessary before the project is launched; but it is remarkable that so little is heard of so many millions of men. There seems to be some considerable cause for alarm about the position in Roumania, and it appears as though this is due to nnder-estimation of the action Germany would take, and the slowness to concentrate adequate forces to meet it. There is still nothing of a convincing character to indicate that the Central Powers have

enough men to withstand the pressure that is tightening around the almost complete circle, from Riga down to Roumania, through Transylvania, Macedonia, Lower Hungary, Trent, Tyrol, Alsace-Lorraine, along the whole western front to Belgium, and then seaward to Norway. To gain 'ground against Roumania, equally important positions and immense losses of life and war material were sustained in Servia and Macedonia. The Allies are doubtlessly straining to send help for Roumania, and seeing that Bucharest appears to feel no special alarm at the gams their enemy nas made along the Alt and Jiul Valleys, that help is of the right magnitude and is near at hand. There is yet nothing to convince the close observer that the Central Powers are strong enough to overrun Roumania-as they did Servia. On the other hand, whichever way one turns, the Germans are losing ground, the "nippers are gripping." a most decided move up from Salonika has taken place the Italians have made sensational captures of terri'tory, and they are close on Trieste, and are driving for the Trentino and the Tyrol, The French have gained equally sensational recaptures of territory in the Verdun sector, taking in a day or two what cost'the Germans appalling losses in men during five months of the bitterest fighting. On the Somme the advance of the Allies is of necessity slow, but it is supremely important; and although the winter season is at hand it is not certain that a final break through will not be persisted in. They may yet be able to bend the Hun line far enough back to flank them and drive them out of France. Germany realises all this and her military rulers are calling up the ,last man and thing helpful in stemming the final disaster that must come before peace. At all points in 'the encircling steel ring the Central Powers are losing ground, except for what is happening in Roumania. It must be noted that the Hungarian attitude is almost wholly swayed by local happenings. Therefore, to keep the powerful opposition consisting of Karolyi, Apponyi, Andrassy, and Rakovski from casting out the Tisza Government, and pursuing a course that they consider would secure the independence of Hungary, Germany is compelled to exert every possible effort to keep up a show of superior power against Roumania. The Hungarian Opposition has secured many little victories in the Diet, clearly denoting that it is a body Germany must of necessity have respect for. What changes the death of the old Austrian Emperor will make in the conduct of the war are not yet apparent, but there is a probability that very anxious moments are being experienced by the German high command. The new Emperor has had the command of his own troops taken from him, and been forced to submit to German generals taking supreme command of jhim and his men. Such things "have a nasty way of rankling in men's minds, and there may be no surprise if resentment in some form results.