The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 1917. THE RUSSIAN FAILURE.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 7 June 1917, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 1917. THE RUSSIAN FAILURE.

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

Conditions prevailing in Russia comtimie to give cause for alarm to all the Allies. From what Colonel Repington says, as .reported by cable yesterday, he is not at all sune what the usefulness of Russia will amount to in this year's struggle, which has been opened by the British, French, Italians and Americans so auspiciously. He is of opinion that whether the war is finish' ed in 1917 or drags on for another year entirely depends upon the part Russia will take in it. Present indications ar<e not too hopeful, and yet they arc far from giving rise .to feelings of despair. To sum up 'the' position from what Colonel Repington says alone, there is a strong probability that the new Government will have control of people and army, who arc agog with their new found liberty, in time to make the weight of Russia a facton in winning peace in the current year. We know that a great co ordinated offensive on all fronts had been arranged and agreed upon; each of the Allies was to commence pressure, not simultaneously because Britain and Fra.nce w r ore to lead so as to keep an undue task from falling upon enervated, revolutionised, out-of-repair Russia, but when the Western offensive was well in hand both Russia and Italy were to strike. Italy fulfilled her engagements, but Russia failed, thus throwing a hugely inordinate burden upon Britain and France. By Russia's failure Germany was able to increase hen fighting strength on the Western front to over two millions, leaving only a few tired reserve divisions to rest before the inactive Russians on the long Eastern line. As Colonel Repington puts it, a constant stream of heavy guns flowed from East to West to stiffen the Ger, man defence against our men, and the Colonel adds, "the militany consequences of Russia's failure have filled the Allies with profound chagrin. Russia's failure will at least prolong the war another year, unless, contrary to anticipation, Russia promptly renews her mighty deeds." With all the avenues of information open to this great military expert ho can speak with no certainty or definiteneSS about Russia's immediate future; he predicts nothing, so chaotic and wanting in clarity is the present situation, but ho by no means despairs of Russia pulling her forces together in time to do something towards meeting her engagements. AVhat is the glorious portent if she does? If Russia completely fails her Allies, the wan will be prolonged another year, it she rallies in time there is a. strong fighting chance that the war will end in 1917. This opinion comes from a very clever military expert, a trusted man to whom most ordinary as well as extraordinary

channels of information, are always open. He can never be accused of optimism, in fact he t is generally regarded as an out-and-out. pessimist. Of course, he may be nothing of the kind, his seem ing pessimism may be only a studied effort to avoid Taising an hope in the minds of the British people which there are no real grounds fori. He is not without hope that Russia will recover in time, and, consequently, that Germany will be brought to her knees this year; he does not know, and he hesitates to offer an opinion. "What are the prospects of Russian recovery? With a revolution pnoceeding Russian statesmen. and army leaders undertook a definite obligation to commence an offensive on a certain date, to co-ordinate with offensives on other fronts. That date is past. Russia was not ready to meet her obligations, but can it&reasonably be assumed the statesmen and army leaders entered into the compact without having some reasonable assurance of being able to keep it? We think not, and on the othen hand the Allies, from the conditions prevailing over all Russia when the arrangement was entered into, could not have placed full confidence in Russia's well-intentioned promises; but, although Russia has not met her obligations on due date, there is Teally no cause for thinking that they will not be met at all. The Allies have done everything possible to assure the Russian campaign being a brilliant success, which means that munitions and money arc not the cause of failune; the. Russians are simply drunk in their new-found liberty. The process of sobering is being hurried forward by Russian leaders, and by deputations fom the democracies of Britain, France and America. The Russian Minister for War is visiting all principal military, munition and food centres, and is meeting with brilliant success everywhere, ovationed by soldiers and civilians. Fraternising with the enemy has a changed aspect, it is not now a vive voce affair, but is conducted per medium of guns and bayonets. That hero of the Russian Army, Brussiloff, has been made Comandeivin-Chief of the Russian armies, and activity against the enemy has commenced in some quarters, near Kovel and in the Carpathians. It is indeed a pleasure, and, to an extent,. reassuring, to see ,'these place names in Russian official cables a°ain. We do not under-estimate the seriousness of the Russian failure, but wc see no real reason for despair. Her ability to fill the engagements made must navc een a subject for doubt in the Allied mind from the outset, and recovery has, perhaps, not been as rapid as anticipated, but if Kerens 1 ky's assurances and Brussiloff's appointment mean anything at all, they are indications that Russia is still striving hard to take her place in the coordinated pressure that was intended to bring Germany ,to her knees in 1917. ,—May she succeed.