The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 1917. IMMINENT RUSSIAN DISASTER?

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 9 August 1917, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 1917. IMMINENT RUSSIAN DISASTER?

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

Disaffection of Russian troops, resulting from German campaigns of lying and intrigue, promises to teach a much more bitter lesson than was evidently anticipated. On the anniversary of declaration day Mr. Lloyd George led the world to understand that the deep, dark glen of Russian trouble had not been crossed; there were rough and dangerous paths yet to be trod, but with it all he could see the shining banks on the other and bright side. Subsequently, there came a distressingly ominous message from .Southern Russia which made it clear that a German invasion was possible and even expected at hn early date, but there were still hopes that the Russian army would be reorganised in time to stem the Teutonic wave of death and frightfulness. Then, yesterday, came a report on the Russian position from Mr. Wilton, who is with the Headquarters Staff of the Seventh Russian Army, which intensifies the gloom very considerably. He fears that the whole of the Russian forces in Roumania and the Carpathians will be surrounded and captured; that the southern Army of Russia will be broken, and that the great seven hundred mile front will have to bend back some two hundred miles to prevent supreme disaster to the whole Russian cause. The failure to hold up the German advance south-east of Czernowitz is most unfortunate, says Mr. Wilton, and worse still is, the Russian line is unstable. It appears that there has been strong dissension between Russian generals, as Korniloff row claims, and Mr. Wilton favours the claim, that it would have been better for Russia to abandon all offensives and regroup her armies directly the revolution came about, but Korniloff’s views were not heeded, but they have since been forced upon the Russian command. It may be that owing to this mistake the great Brusiloff has forfeited the confidence of the Russian Government, as we arc advised that his dismissal is irrevocable. The operations of the Germans arc of a bold, risky and daring character; they are based on the belief that the Russo-Eoumanians were unable to de-

liver any effective counten-blow, and in this belief they were correct, being supported by the fact that the road opened by the traitorous soldiers in Galicia imperilled the Russian Army’s front. The position at present, says Mr Wilton, the Germans are now secure from interference on -the • Carpathian and Roumanian fronts while carrying out their plans to conquer Southern Russia. Interviewed by Mr. Wilton, Komiloff said, there were signs that Germany had decided to transfer the main pressure to the Russian front, and in such a case it would be hopeless to rely on methods that availed against inferior Austrian troops. Russia was full of men, splendid fighting material, millions of whom had been enrolled, but they were scarcely well-enough trained. They had been too busy attending meetings, and they would now have to finish their training under British and French officers. Korniloff was firmly convinced that the war would have ended this year if Russia could have averted this disaster, for he says, "It will be a bitter disappointment to have to carry on the war another year, the burden is heavier for Russia than for her Allies, but,” he said, "unless it is the wish to commit national suicide they must bravely grapple with the task." He completes the interview by saying, “we have to remember that the enemy is in a worse condition than i Russia, and the only victories the Germans could flaunt were those over a foe that was grievously sick, though not incurable. The position in Southern Russia is indeed desperate and the Germans may yet carry their advance right to the shores of the Black Sea. How far-reaching such eventualities would be we need not now bother about, many things may happen before Germany reaches the Black Sea. Kerensky is straightening matters out in Petrograd; dangerous officers and politicians irrespective of rank, are beinsarrested and rendered harmless, whde reorganisation proceeds, and even in Southern Russia* 'while .provision is being made for the wmrst, there is the belief that the Invasion may yet be stemmed. There does not appear to be the best of grounds'for Kornilo'f’s assumption that the Germans main pressure is being transferred from West to east. It can scarcely be said that Germany is exerting pressure on the West, hen armies are rather endeavouring to withstand the pressure of 'die Allies, and it is certain that there will be no relaxation so long as it can profitably be continued. That Lens must soon fall to the British seems unavoidable; this danger has to be taken from the rear of the advancing Allies. The British chief command is positive about its power to smash German defences, and we have, i-t from a French Minister that the present offensive is quite unlike any others, in that it is to be kept going till one army or the suffers decisive defeat. To-day, Kerensky will make known the personel of the new Russian Government, and, though we may not be made aw r are of its decisions we know that a great Allied conference has been sitting in London for the last two days; Sir Douglas Haig had nothing to report yesterday. These three events taken together should result in some very important, interesting, if not sensational happenings, in the very near future. We were nearly forgetting to mention that the Hon. Mr. Massey wittingly risked his prophetic reputation yesterday by prophccying that the war would terminate next year.