CONDUCT OF THE WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 January 1916, Page 5

CONDUCT OF THE WAR.

ANOTHER CRITIC. H. G. WELLS, THE NOVELIST. ON OPPORTUNISM AND TRENCH WORK. I Received Jan. 17, 5 5 pin. London, Jan. 16. Mr. 11. C. Wells, the well-known novelist, writing to the Daily Chronicle, paid a striking' tribute to German thoroughness and adaptability. A Russian named lllot'h, prior to the Boer war, declared that war was played out, because when the combatants were fairly equal and increasing on the defensive, the efficiency of entrenched infantry would nullify the most brilliant strategy and attacks by superior numbers, resulting in a deadlock. Mr. Wells points out that the Germans studied Bloeh, whose book was not translated into English. The Germans correctly reckoned that their 1(114 army had to oppose an enemy retaining the year 101)0 methods. When the Germans built their strategic railways Prance should have prepared the most complete trench work?. The Germans should never have passed Liege and the Ardennes. One of the marvellous maxims of the Dark Ages, which seem to be the chief reading of our military experts, states that the army which entrenches is defeated. Until the battle of the Marnc the war was conducted on the loose mobile 1900 pattern. The Germans were confident in their overwhelming numbers, but then they abruptly changed the game, and, adopting 1914 rules, entrenched, thereby offending' British sporting instincts. The Germans did not expect the Allies to modernise so soon, and reckoned to achieve victory with the Allies still fifteen years "behind. •> They must not expect a triumphal entry into London, Paris, Berlin, or Moscow. M. Bloch's prophecies have heen justified on the East front, the West front, and at Gallipoli, and unless sudden peace occurs there is a deadlock—of which the Balkans is the only dramatic, tragic, spectacular, and inconclusive sequel—which can end only by the succumbing of the most vxhausted and immobilised of the shattered antagonists.