The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1916. STRAFING ROUMANIA.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 2 December 1916, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1916. STRAFING ROUMANIA.

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

To whatever extent German forces have become depleted in various ways during the past two years of war, Germany still seems to have ample to perform what the Allies appear to be incapable of. Prom time to time invading armies have been organised, and in every case they have been to a very large degree successful, and in some, absolutely so. While we are told that the Allies have much superior forces and a store of guns and munitions that Germany cannot equal, that country not only holds all present lines against the Allies, but can embark upon such a venture as wiping Roumania off the map. Although the consensus of opinion of the world is that the Allies must ultimately be victorious, these successful thrusts indicate one of two things, either that the inferiority in number and quality of •Germany's armies is mythical, or that when the first victory in a thrust is won, -huge reserves of men and guns are ready to pour in to keep the ball rolling; they get the ball from the scrum and their backs take possession, carrying it through all opposing forces to the coveted goal. The Allies have never yet done anything of the kind. It is true that Russia has made two cr three dangerous rushes, but these have been stopped. If the Allies have the stronger team why is it they cannot get up something similarly successful? This waiting game to tire an opponent out is disappointing, and surely it is much more costly in life and treasure than the sharp, determined, businesslike thrust of the Germans. The invading armies in Roumania, if successful in their aim, will not lose near so heavily as the ::onquered will, simply because they will have the advantage of choosing place, time and method. There should not be a man in all the Allied countries

i that does not regret that brave RouI manians are left, as it appears, helpless against the Hunnish hordes that can yet be spared for such an expedition. We read a good deal about comparative strategy, but who wilf say that the Allies, in this Roumanian affair, have not been beaten at every point—in strategy, in generalship, anc in ability to concentrate? It is truly said that Germany attacks a weak spot with an overwhelming force, but that is the natural thing for an enemy to do. Why have the Allies any weak spots to attack, and why don't the Allies attack the weak spots of the Central Powers? Is it because the Central Powers take care that there are no weak spots to attack? The late disclosures in the Russian Duma, when.it was discovered that all but two of the Russian Ministers of the Crown were pro-German and that they were taking part in pro-German acts, I may explain why Russian troops, guns I and munitions are not much more in I evidence in Roumania than they are, I and although that has all been put right, it still leaves Roumania exposed to the most horrifying disaster that can befall any nation. It is not improbable that were the Allies to concentrate a huge wedge to be driven in after a chisel-point has entered, they would be just as able to make these thrusts as Germany is. Were the Allies to prepare for a thrust on the Somrae as Germany prepared for that at Yerdun, who will say~ what might not be accomplished, We are not supposed to know what we are talking about, but we see the little friends of Britain, France and Russia wiped out ofj existence, one after the other, we deplore the conditions that permit it, and we naturally wonder Avhy Germany can go on doing these things, while the Allies, with their superior numbers and equipment cannot. In this Roumanian venture there is something more than fireworks behind German intentions; it is keeping open the road to food stores, to a recruiting ground, keeping free the only land outlet that is available. It seems incomprehensible why sufficient was not done from Russia to protect Roumania, and at the same time close Germany's outlet before this little kingdom was allowed to enter the arena. There is not the slightest cause, however, for pessimism; whether the Allies have made a mistake over Roumania, or whether they are following plans definitely evolved and decidfed upon, it will make no difference to the final result. Some such thoughts as here expressed will arise in the mind of every one of us as we see, after all previous experience, another brave little nation likely to be swept out of existence because it stands in the way of Germany. Roumania is not beaten yet, however, and from the amazing display of confidence by the Russo-Rou-manians, under the circumstances as we see them at this distance, it is by no means certain they will be. A great battle has begun; artillery is booming as it never did before on Roumanian soil; reconnaisanco is proceeding, spying out weak points and threateningdangers, and even at this moment waves of infantry may be rolling against each other in the struggle that is to decide whether Germany is to reach Bucharest or not. When the Kaiser's forces made the grand effort to reach Paris his armies were much stronger than those moving against Bucharest, and although the French Government had quitted, just as the Roumanian Government has, Paris has not yet been reached, and there are still good reasons for hoping that Bucharest may be saved. The RussoRoumanians appear to have chosen their own battle-ground; they have experience of the forces they have to contend with, just as the Franco-Brit-ish had at the Marne in the first months of the war, and it seems that they have quite an equal chance of succeeding, if not a better chance even. The world is breathlessly awaiting the result.