THE WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 15 September 1917, Page 4

THE WESTERN FRONT.

The usual signs of a coming struggle in major force are becoming plentiful on the western front, particularly so in Belgium. Naval and land aircraft are more than usually persistent in big operations from the sea to Thosout. Zeebrugge and Bruges have received very special attention by the Naval aeroplanes and the Army planes have carried the air attacks well along a marked course into the interior. Hundreds of tons of bombs ha\ e been dropped and much military property has been destroyed. German communications, their munition dumps and aerodromes have been harassed and much destroyed, and even a large destroyer was put out of action at Zeebrugge. These visits into the German rear, photographing their positions, destroying their fortifications and blowing up their munition stores is either a feint in very great force or it is the heralding of another X'ranco-British attack. Yesterday we were advised that German artillery was heavily shelling in this neighbourhood, showing that our enemies arc anticipating another break through their lines. The French in the Verdun sector arc performing work that is apt to be overlooked or under-estimated. They have pushed the enemy back on the German side of the Meuse to an extent that must be causing the Hun 'Command some very anxious moments, and something with sensation about it may eventuate in this quarter at any time. Viewing the whole of the battlefields in one broad observation where do we see the Central Powers even holding their ground? In an observation of this broad nature we are convinced of the waning power of Prussian Militarism, that the sting has gone out of the would-be dominators of everybody and everything and that the ring of steel, even in its weakest places, is tightening around the Teuton body, and there are undeniable evidences that it is noticeably being strangled, and that it must eventually succumb. Even on the Eussian front with revolutionss and counter-revolutions, all German efforts have been scotched and held up. In little Eoumania the great Mackensen is being pushed back and punished. In

Macedonia there is marked successful \ activity, while something approaching j extreme disaster may at any moment happen to the Austro-Turks facing the Italians in the eastern Tsonzo region. The beast is now manacled and it is crying for mercy in the form of peace proposals that should be compared with those|first set loose in speculation We cannot have any better evidence of Germany’s growing impotence than the peace feelers she is putting forth, and we shall not be at all surprised if the news comes at any time stating that the end is certainly near.