The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 1917. THE HUN SCUTTLE.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 22 March 1917, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 1917. THE HUN SCUTTLE.

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

The battle of greatest magnitude, splendour, spectacular effect, and decisiveness is that which will for ever be known as the Battle of the Somme. At the Marne the Germans were scotched, and were compelled to take to life underground to retain their hold on French territory then invaded. There are brilliant war gems that will shine in future history, and none more so than that on the Yser, in 1914, when the little Belgium army, with the King of Belgium in personal command, secured the Allies’ left flank and saved Dunkirk and Calais, preventing the enemy gaining that seaboard from whence the very heart of England could have been attacked. The Belgian numbers in men and guns were altogether insignificant compared with the huge new German army with its five hundred guns. It was the last bit of Belgian territory left, and King Albert addressed his men; saying that not a man was to even turn his face from the enemy, it was the last scrap of their country left to them and they were to defend it to the last man, with what glorious almost miraculous results we all now know. The Belgians that day earned the right to live as a nation, and it is a similar spirit that is now being displayed on the Somme. When our New Zealand soldiers knew the great final push was to be commenced they begged to be allowed to stay fu the front trenches, they wanted no relieving. Such spirit cannot be conquered. To where has it carried them at this minute? Our men are pursuing the running Germans as fast and as far r.s their commanders will allow them. The territory they have recaptured in the last few days is now probably over two thousand square miles. There certainly will come a lull, for no big artillery can follow at the rate the Huns are scuttling. About where they will make this stand there are many guesses, but reducing them all to a common,sense view, there are two lines which arc feasible. One is that which extends from Arras to Craonne. cutting off the bull-nosed projection in the line towards Paris, but it is said that the Allies arc already at St. Quentin, 'and on the Arras-Cambrai road, which is sufficiently true to warrant the assumption that this line is not the German halting place for getting breath. It is a stern fact for Germany that he escape from Franco is one of the very greatest difficuty. Her armies are already close on the line from Arras, in fact, from Armentieres to Craonne, but our airmen report that destructive fires are burn-

■ T f; i tv mill's fiT/tln'r to t'lo German roar. These fires may primarily be to

clear a battle ground to the Gorman liking. In any case they seem to indicate that the scuttle will go on till the high ground to the eastward of Maubeuge and Mezeires is reached. To do this the difficulties look insurmountable. Those from Arras and Lens may retire towards Lille northward, but the impression is that Germany is now the objective, and in that case the flat country to Cambrai and on to Maubeuge would be followed. It seems the German line right down to its most south-western corner must also move back between the hills, along the valley of the Oise. If this is the intention then a slight stand [may be made at Cambrai and St. Quentin, to give them time for getting back, but such a plan would bristle with difficulty and probable disaster of the first magnitude. We cannot suggest a way out for the German armies unless the French can be firm--Ily held back all along the southern [ line right up to Verdun. If Germany , can, under the circumstances, extract 1 men and war material from Roye to Verdun without disaster she will have performed nothing short of a miracle. Verdun is still the point of importance upon which all eyes may rest. Germany must keep a force there that will prevent Nivell e moving along the Meuse if she is to avoid certain disaster. To-day, in all probability, we shall know whether a halt is to be called from the Cambrai plain over the bills to the St Quentin plain, and on, over the hills to the Laon and Verviers plain. We think not, the burnings fifty miles in the rear, and the speed at which the Huns are running are facts against that view. It is very doubtful whether the retreating line can be kept intact; if not, where will the break be made, through which our men will hustle? The retreat is of such a magnitude and the pace so fast that no one, who does not possess the most intimate knowledge of the roads and railways can form an intelligent opinion, and this is no time for guessing. What we do know is that the German position is fraught with extreme danger, ana it will indeed be surprising if most sensational captures of men and material do not result. Germans are clever organisers, but their position on the West Front looks impossible. We have, however, the experience that their most cherished intrigue, strategy, and organisation has almost invariably failed at the post.