The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE MONDAY, JULY 1, 1918. THE TREND OF WAR.

Taihape Daily Times, 1 July 1918, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

MONDAY, JULY 1, 1918. THE TREND OF WAR.

(With which is Incorporated The Tfti* hape Post and Walmarl-ao News).

Considerable interest still centres around tbo situation in Russia; cables received on Saurday leave no doubt about the rapidly growing opposition to Bolshevik government. General Korniloff, who has previously been reported to have lost a leg, besides being killed three times, is at the head of a very considerable force just now; he has attacked the Bolsheviks in their capital of Moscow, and has driven, them out; the leaders, Lenin and Trotsky have fled and a sane government is being reorganised. One naturally wonders where Korniloff got the munitions, guns and equipment from which gave him such superior strength; but the capture of Moscow, the capital, is not all, for most important centres in Ukraine and Siberia are falling into the hands of the section of Russians w r ho are friendly to the Allies, and who arc as much opposed to Bolshevism as they are to Prussianism. It is also very remarkable that Germany has discovered that its interests have no more use for the Bolsheviks whom they assisted with money and every means in their power to wreck the country and render it an easy prey to the Hun system of robbery. Of course, Germany is not sincere in opposing Lenin and Trotsky, and threatening them with war; Germans realise that the day of pro-Germanism has been rendered negligible, if it has not gone altogether. A now regime in Russia has commenced and Germany has set about a campaign of corruption with such indecent haste that its insincerity is obvious. From, whatever Source Korniloff may bo drawing supplies he has organised a force far superior to that the B'olsheviks can .accumulate, and if he can take and hold Moscow, it is evident that he can continue his scries of victories. This is all very gratifying because it indicates that if Russia can unassisted -wrench away and throw off the Bolsheviki-German yoke, it is of such a magnitude and power that it will draw to it wavering, undecided, smaller sections, who wil| realise in it the saviour of their peoples from Lenin and Trotsky murder and starvation, as well as from German robbey and slavery. Sometime ago Japanese and British forces w r ero landed at Yladivostoek, but it seems that they were mainly to keep open and free a landing place for stores, guns and munitions, as well as' armies, should they be needful. Korniloff must have considerably augmented supplies, which have apparently found their way along the Siberian railway; he is demonstrating to the Allies, what Russia is capable of, while in London Kerensky is appealing for that assistance that will not only quickly reestablish sane government, but will also render it possible to send a crushing force against invading AustroGcrman brigands. The deeds of Korniloff are giving undjeniable (weight to the mission of Kerensky; we have reached a stage of such rapid movement ip war matters that it will not be at all surprising to learn that Russia has done as much towards the scrapping of Germany's war plans as the great defeat inflicted on Austria by the Allies in Italy. It must be realised that the German High Command is in very tight quarters at the present moment; every available man is wanted to make headway on the West front that will keep heart and courage in a starving people; that will contribute to the maintenance of a morale in the army necessary foi continuing the conflict. The Russian battlefield must have additional support if all that has been gained there is to bo retained, and now Germany is faced with a decadent Austria that cannot sona a man to the rescue without leaving a door open to Vienna from Italy, Russians are flocking to the standard hoisted by Korniloff; a victorious march into Moscow has added t° Korniloff > s prestige, while the flight of Lenin and Trotsky will cause their erstwhile followers to reinforce the Moscow victors. This is

the picture being presented by Kerensky in London; he is telling the Allies that Russians do not want their fighting done for them, but they do require that kind of assistance that will enable them to at once commence rushing to the rescue of their country against the invading Germans. German politics are in a state of confusion; the Chancellor has frankly admitted to the Reichstag that Germany cannot win the war by military means; the conservative and military dream has collapsed; Kuhlmann is advocating >a confidential, or political rapprochment; soldiers and civilians are wanting to know what they are fighting for if victory is not possible; socialists are taunting the Government, telling them, that all German victories are nothing more than defeats; that after four years of war and the slaughter of all the best manhood of Germany victory is not to be theirs. In Austria they see their chief ally laid low by Italy; in Russia they see Korniloff at the head of a great army, victoriously marching into Moscow; they see their puppets. Lenin and Trotsky in headlong flight and a mighty fear overtakes them; they see their countries in the first stages of a bloody internecine sruggle, rife with and riots. Germany’s War Lords indeed find crushing trouble in whatever quarter they turn; Austria is in the last stage of exhaustion, and must have Gcman help to keep standing; Bulgaria is robbed and plundered much as though it were captured territory; Turkey is bankrupt, and has told the Kaiser that it is impossible to call up more men, or to continue fighting unless the flow of gold is kept going as strongly as ever. Germany has staked her all on the Russian hand and has been beaten; the stock of gold has run out, and her armies are held up even on the west front, notwithstanding the hundreds of thousands of now American troops coming in each month. Wo may be quite assured that when Germany cannot take the time that is vital on the west front something is very seriously wrong with plans and arrangements. General Maurice, while admitting that the Austrian defeat will prove most disastrous if Germany fails to do anything better than hitherto accomiplishes, apologises for their waste of the time that is vitally urgent, by saying that’"German troops are not sufficiently trained; meaning that the battle to come is being rehearsed, much as a theatrical entertainment is rehearsed. That may bo so, but when one considers the boast of a forty years preparation, this need for further training now is rather farfetched. Viewing the predicament our enemies are in, politically and militarily should leave no doubt in any mind that if the Allies hold in the forthcoming offensive on the west front, they are doomed to failure. The signs are distinctly in favour of an early peace if the Allies can stop the next wild bull rush.