The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE THURSDAY, JULY 11, 1918. A WAR COMPARISON.

Taihape Daily Times, 11 July 1918, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

THURSDAY, JULY 11, 1918. A WAR COMPARISON.

(With which is Incorporated The faihapo Post and WaXtanrlao News).

The launching of the German offensive on the west front is not showing verydefinite signs of its approach] if Ludendorff’s plans are successful the firt intim'ation of it to the Allies will be waves of bayonets, supported by swarms of tanks and a hail of shells. British airmen are so very busy just now, however, that they have probably had an opportunity to notice where concentrations are likely to first become active. British and French generals express confidence, and Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward, after a visit to the fighting lines, and after having been instructed in what the mile after mile of echeloned Allied troops mean, so far as bringing reserves into action at any particular point in the shortest time possible, are jubilant and even optimistic about the result whenever the long delayed offensive may be set going. In taking a long look behind the Allied lines in France, extending observations as far as one will, through Britain, over America, to Australasia; or, going eastward through Eussia, Italy, Asia, to Japan, there is visible the same optimism about Allied final victory. There is hardly a discordant note anywhere; the Allies —civilians and soldiersI—are 1 —are well-fed and well-clothed and the morale and spirits of the armies simply could not be better, they arc all confident of inflicting a final crushing defeat on Mr. Boche and his Kaiser. The scene in the countries of the Central Alliance is quite different; from the front line of trenches there are some men so dissatisfied that they are ready to surrender on the slightest pretext, food is short, meatless days and meatless weeks, with war bread, do not conduce to bringing out the essential war spirit and physical strength for long strenuous fighting. German airmen are deserting with their nhachinfcs and are 'landing in neutral countries where they are interned; riot and rebellion is permanently lowering the value of the populace —civilian and otherwise—as a fighting machine; disease and starvation is doing a deadly work amongst the peoples of Germany and Austria; defeat by Italy has shaken the royal house of Austria, the Empress -is blamed for the miscarriage of German plans and the miserable military hounds have started a campaign of calumny against her, and have even demanded that the Emperor shall divorce her. Can anything of the like be imagined, even in Britain, in Italy, in France or in America? It only reflects to an extreme the conditions that now obtain in that unhappy country, conditions brought upon it by the military murder gang headed by William of Prussia. Bulgaria is taking steps to free herself from what she regards as a sinking ship and Turkey shows signs of joining the departing rat brigade. Following the Germans on into Eussia, from whence they expected to reestablish food supplies to quell riot and rebellion at home, they are seen to be surrounded with threatening disaster; the. Eussians have put a bullet through the heart of the German ruler of Eussia, a man sent there by his personal friend, the Kaiser, and the forces of Eussia are gathering in hundreds of thousands under the leadership of soldierly patriots, determined to free their cohntry from the slavery that they recognise is fast 1

falling upon it. The Gcrmano-Bol-shevik gangs are being defeated and driven back from important ♦owns; Ukrania, Transcaucasian States, eastern and western Siberia, arc all rushing to arms in such force that must result in sending the Hun hordes of robbers and murderers back home. Go as far back as the German goes from his front in France and there is nothing but seething discontent, riot and rebellion, shortage of food and clothing with not the slightest prospect of improvement, to say nothing of the uprising Russia and the victorious Italy., There is no question whatever about the seriousness of the plight of the peoples of the Central Powers, and the only ray of light through the encircling darkness is the prospect of a victory on the west front, and this they are hesitating to contend for. "When comparisons are drawn between the two great parties to the war there can be little doubt about wnieh will ultimately triumph. The present is one of great suspense, not about final results, but German success would undoubtedly prolong the conflict, making it more costly in the human life of all countries engaged. Germans are approaching the coming offensive in fear of defeat; the Allies are awaiting it with confidence and in the highest spirits.