The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1917. ITALY AND MESOPOTAMIA.

Taihape Daily Times, 12 November 1917, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1917. ITALY AND MESOPOTAMIA.

(With which is incorporated The Tal-, hapo Post and Waimanuo News).

Whether Britain has materially strengthened h(Cr forcies in Palestine and Mesopotamia or the Turks have con; siderably weakened theirs, it is noteworthy that the latter are being push: ed back in a way that looks very much like rout in both quarters. If Turkey has been persuaded or forced into a wholesale converging of her armies in south-eastern Eurpoc she is certainly paying the penalty. The advance of General Maude to one hundred miles north of Bagdad, and to within a similar distance of Mosul comes as a sui; prise, because at latest official intelligence the Turks were concentrating at Aleppo for a major assault on General | ‘Maude for the recapture of Bagdad, if j the Aleppo concentration of Turks was | not a myth the men and guns must surely have gone in an opposite direction to that for which they are said to have gathered, for they have neither put in an appearance in Palestine or in the neighbourhood of Bagdad. Where arc they 1 ? It ■seems that the Turks in Asia must have weakened or they would have been able to make a better stand against General Maude, if not against General Allenby in Palestine, who is working along the coast and has the 'Allied navy to assist him. The probabilities arc that Germany has concentrated every soldier available, whether he be Turk, Bulgar, Austrian, or Hun, in Southern Europe, A mighty effort is being made to overrun Italy and there is good ground for thinking that a similar thrust may be made in Macedonia. The Bulgars were refusing to fight, stating that they had achieved all they went to war for. At the same time they were in constant dread of an invasion of their country from Salonika. They manouvred for separate peace, they were bankrupt, and Germany had to do something for; them or they would not fight. Much the same trouble was current in Austria. Despite the all-but armistice on the Eussian front the Austrian armies wore not strong enough to prevent Italian invasion of their -territory. They we're short of men, money and equipment and, above all, they had lost heart and hope. This is about the position that Germany had to provide' for in Southern Europe, and it is reasonable to assume from what is happening in Asia that considerable German and Turkish forces have been

withdrawn to Europe to help in redeeming the Austrian position and in pacifying Bulgaria. There is no gain saying the fact that matters were looking very serious from Italy and the Balkans, so serious that Germany found it imperative they should be attended to if disaster was to be prevented. 'A highly successful lunge has been made on Italy, but there is rather much boafet about a coming attack in Greece for the Allies to attach much importance to it. Germany has turned the tables on Italy for the pre-

sent, but if she is unable to carry the work to a decisive issue, either by conquest, or separate peace, it is claimed that she will only have in creased her troubles. It is now known that Germany cannot afford to in, her fighting front, and thal she,, js now taking a risk which maj prove ,-Jicr undoing. The Allies have noi yet the zenith of their man power,, while there arc Japanese anc Chinese begging to be allowed to tak( a hand. What is being gained by Ger many in Italy is being lost in Pales tine and Mesopotamia. Transporting

great numbers of troops from om arena to the other, as Germany na; been compelled to do, are enervating operations, and the Allies will find th< weak spot sooner or later. Hitherto Germany has had particularly gooc fortune in withholding information til her onslaughts have commenced, bu even that cannot go on for ever. Th< campaign in Italy may result in ex tending the Western front from th< North Sea to the Adriatic, an cxtensioi .that must be more acceptable to tin Allies than to Germany, and were i not for the needs of Austria it is j possibility that Germany would neve: have risked. The factor that stands ou in boldest relief is that the munitioi factories of Germany will be ovcrtaxec to find the number of shells and othc: munitions that are' required to drivi back an Italy that is very strong!; reinforced with the class of men tha whipped her glorious armies at Ycr dun and at Ypres, The Hun hammer i falling while the 'Allies are building u;

a resistance but there is still cause fo hope that the neutralising agency is already equal to requirements, if not, then a little more of Italian territory will have to go. The Allies have determined to save Italy; they have said so and they may be depended upon to keep their word. Can Turkey stop j the adances being made by the ,British in Asia? If they cannot there will soon be- a functioning ‘of Maude with Allenby; and no possibility in view could ’ prevent the' fall of Constant! noplc. AVcf are inclined to the view,

however, that• the chief object in Germany^ 1 recent sensational diversion is W put in her best plea ' for peace. -.Germany is unacr the impression that.,peace can be effected with Russia, aftdojf she can by throats to destroy bripg ( ltaly to accept peace, sire hopes thereby to, influence France, Britain, and America to come to terms. If such be the project Germany will fail for excepting America and Britain all belligerents are bankrupt; the bulk of the wealth of the, world is in British and American keeping. Russia will yet fight and it is not likely that Italy will fall out of line, and even if both did other nations arc begging to be allowed to come in Saner Russia headed by Alexieff, will form a War Government, and in all probability call in their ally Japan.

If peace docs not come soon the Eastern front is destined to be again the of gycafi battles, and if the worst happens in Italy it will mean that while the eastern front extends from the Baltic to the Black Sea, the West front will reach from the North Sea to the Mediterranean, and there is no question about it being a consummation distinctly favourable to the Allies. Taking every aspect of the Avar into consideration there is good cause for Allied satisfaction and encouragement. Italy is not finely to bo deceived by German claims that the Central Powers only can solve the scarcity 0 f food problem.