GERMAN DEFEAT CERTAIN.

Taihape Daily Times, 25 October 1917, Page 6

GERMAN DEFEAT CERTAIN.

CONTINUOUS RETIREMENT. “PEACE BEFORE THE RHINE.” LONDON, October 4. General Smuts, on behalf of the War Cabinex, has issued a statement covering the operations on all fronts. In the course of this statement he said that 'with one or exceptions the enemy is everywhere on the defensive, every■where slowly retiring before us. ‘ * This movement, is necessarily slow, from the nature of the new form of warfare, which requires an enormous transport, heavy artillery, and mechanical apparatus of all kinds, ’ said General Smuts, “but even the advance of a mile by us involves tremendous enemy losses in comparison with those sustained in the great battles of former wars. Such losses and defeats are now continually inflicted on the enemy. “On the western front, where the power of the German army is gathered one continuous retirement has bteten proceeding from the opening of the ISomme campaign" last year. It is very slow, but very sure, On that almost immovable line, German manhood is bleeding to death, and a tragedy of slaughter is being enacted which is probably unparalleled in the world’s history. You need not advance to the Rhine to defeat Germany. One strip of country is as good as another as long as they will only stand. Believe me, long before the Rhine is reached Germany will sue for peace. Our military predominance on the western front is no longer in question. Remember that the issue of military predominance is the very one upon which the Germans challenged the world in Aug nst, 1914.” Referring to the operations oh the Turkish front, he said the ever victorious General Maude had struck a stunning blow on the Euphrates. “Now when the temperature cools,” he added, “and fighting on the Turkish front becomes possible, wo may look forward with interest to developments. It will quite possibly, be a keen struggle, but in the end Turney will find she is nor going to be saved by her German masters from, further humiliations and defeats.” Describing German hopes in the submarine campaign as illusory, General Emats added: “it would be useless to conceal the fact that there was a time when we felt most anxious about the submarine, but that time has passed. Tne submarines have been beaten by tile siient heroism of the navy and rnc mercantile marine. Deeds have been done on the seas so astoundiug that details cannot bo published until the end of the war. ’ ’ He felt sure that the future would appraise this aspect of our naval effort as its true value.