The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE MONDAY, JULY 30, 1917. A SHARP JOINT ALLIED OFFENSIVE.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 30 July 1917, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

MONDAY, JULY 30, 1917. A SHARP JOINT ALLIED OFFENSIVE.

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

One of the most recent messages on the war to reach New Zealand states that diplomatic circles are anticipating a sharp joint counter-offen-sive to relieve the Russians. This may mean that an effort of considerable magnitude and comprehensiveness is being made at once on the Western'*' front, or that simultaneous attack is to eventuate on all fronts, but the statement that it is intended primarily to relieve the Russians does not carry conviction. German activity alone on the Western front is more than ample argument to satisfy anyone that the German high command -has been merely anticipating another huge, forceful thrust by the British, or French, or both; that they are ignorant as to the precise neighbourhood on which the full force of the blow is to fall, and that they have been feeling all over the rear of the British and French lines to the depth of some twenty miles to ascertain where the required colossal store of munitions and concentrations of men are. The recent heavy shelling by the Germans has been of the nervous kind, no other definite intention is in view, and no attacks, except on the French front, have followed the huge expenditure of shells of every descrip- | tion. That made on the sand dunes in Belgium was successful, w T hile only an inconsiderable resistance was to be met, but when British troops moved up the Germans were bloodily and effectually repulsed. German shelling is of the speculative character; its object is to discover B'ritish communications where movements -'are most active; to hamper the concentrations that they know are rapidly nearing completion, and to destroy if possible the stores of munitions that are being built up. If they could by any speculative shots chance to strike and explode one or two of these munition stores it would reveal the secret of the place selected for the next B'ritish thrust. It is just probable that the story_about a sharp joint Alfied offensive to relieve Russia is strategically to cause Germany to belittle the coming stroke, and to deepen the confusion in the Hun mind as to where the real blow is to fall. If the cable we refer to correctly discloses Allied intentions it helps to convert our belief that Germany is incapable of prosecuting two important offensives into feelings of certainty. For no sharp joint Allied offensive would be launched unless It was well calculated to effect the 'purpose for which it is ?S- be «made. The probabilities are that the artillery preparations for the great stroke that the Germans have for several weeks Been expecting are just about ready for-the final finishing touches that are necessary before the infantry onslaught can be successfully carried out with their minimum sacrifice of life, and the maximum slaughter and destruction of everything German. The whole world has been at the highest point of expectation regarding this offensive which immense expenditure of shells of all calibres and kinds fully portended, and now that it is coming it is said to

be nothing more than an effort to relieve the Russians. If it relieves the Russians however, it will do much more; the relief of Russia will not be its most important accomplishment, there was never greater secrecy and uncertainty about where the next dash is to eventuate' than about thai which may have already commenced. Reading between the lines of the message it seems likely that the joint Allied offensive means that it is to be naval as well as military, but no promised event was ever more enshrouded in secrecy than that we are anxiously awaiting. It is to be made by the joint Allies; and as the notification of the event comes from Washington it is reasonable to assume that America is to take an important part. We can readily understand that navally very important, work could be performed by the Americans, but we are not yet aware that troops in sufficient numbers have yet been landed in France to enable them to render much service on land. Russia is still retreating, not in a rout, but slowly and methodically, holding back the Germans sufficiently to avoid serious disaster, but the circumstances are of so extreme a character that it will be little short of miraculous if nothing much more serious happens than lias yet been cabled. It is a matter, for wonder that the break in the line made by the Germans has so rapidly been closed up, and if this surprising work of breech-repairing can be continued we may hope to soon hear that the opening given by traitorous Russians has been stopped, and that counter.offensives have been started

that will prove very costly to the intriguing, enterprising Huns. In any case the joint Allies, whatever that may mean, are about to commence a counter-offensive to relieve the pressure on Russia. We await disclosures of the nature and whereabouts of this offensive, as we know that it must be of an unprecedented severity, comprehensiveness 'and magnitude to fully accomplish the purpose for which it is supposed to be launched. The number of Germans in the drive on the Russian front is not great, as Russian commanders have told us that their men are in immensely superior numbers. To keep wastage in men and war material would not compel the Germans to draw on the Western front for much, but the promised offensive is to be so forceful that it wiM prevent even that little being taken, and that Will absorb any reserves 'that might otherwise be rushed to the Galician front! In this joint sharp Allied offensive it is even'proposed to utilise the Greek army, how or where is a matter of conjecture. In fact, so little information has been allowed to leak out that th e whole promised joint Allied relief attack is wholly a matter for conjecture so far as we are concerned.