The Daily News. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1916. THE BATTLE OF VERDUN.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 February 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1916. THE BATTLE OF VERDUN.

The desperate nature of tlie fighting at Verdun shows that the Germans are making a determined effort to break through the strongly fortified positions held by the French. Verdun lias been regarded as impregnable, and, possibly, for that reason has attracted the desire of the Crown Prince to aehieva fame by a successful attack. According to one of to-day's cables the Kaiser has backed up the Crown Prince in this enterprise as against an attack on the Russians, which was advocated by some of the German military chiefs by way of a reply to the capture of Erzerum, but whatever may be the real object of the ferocious German attack at Verdun, the battle is described as the most terrific of modern times, and to add to the terrors of the onslaught was a snowstorm of twenty-four hours duration. Once more is exemplified how utterly callous of loss of life are the German commanders in endeavoring to carry out their object. We are told that a whole German brigade which advanced in massed form was suddenly caught by the converging fire of several French batteries and annihilated, almost to a man, in a moment. Eight successive attacks at Haumont were repulsed with enormous losses, a Baden regiment being so shattered by artillery fire that only seventy were left out of two thousand five hundred men, and the survivors, seized with a mad panic, ficd." It is evident that the Germans have secured some gains, but their claims to have penetrated a mile and three-quarters on a front of six miles, and to have captured ten thousand,prisoners must fc» received with grave doubt. It is extremely probable that the French firstlines have been driven in-by t!i3 intense bombardments of the enemy, but it is evident that the Germans have suffered terible losses and, a3 far as can be judged have' gained no position of importance. Verdun does not rely on its fortifications, but on its entrenchments and field defences which cover an area of twelve miles or more inn the centre of the stronghold, while powerful artillery is available at all points and can be moved from place to place as required. The French reports of the battle all show that their forces are maintaining their ground (except in one or two places), against repeated enemy onslaughts which have been made regardless of the sacrifice of life, and, according to a Copenhagen message, the Germans have suffered unparalleled losses during their recent attacks in the West. It is stated that German officers informed a neutral representative that it was intended to inuka a desperate effort to break through I the French fortress lines and open the read to Paris. The probability is that tiie Germans are anticipating t'ia 'rreat forward move to be made by the, Allies in the spring, and, doubtlescs, it was hoped that by taking the initiative now they might accomplish their desire. It is evident they did not catch the French unprepared, and there would seem to be much appropriateness in the simile used in a press comment, to the effect ■ that the German army was like a hull dashing forward with lowered head to its battle of brute force, and, sarcastically adds thp message: "We did the Crown Prince too much honor in failing to consider the possibility of his Imperial Highness utilising- such a primitive instinct." The fate of the mud hull is beyond question. Meanwhile, Russia is creating a brilliant diversion in Galicia and Poland, and the eiicirclng arms of thcN Allies are gradually tightening their grip on the enemy.

Hon. J. A. Hanan) dealt with the question in a statesmanlike manner, and his remarks are worthy 0 f serious attention. It must, he said, be the aim of our people, after having beaten Germany in arms, to sec that she was wrecked commercially and industrially, but he was at some pains to impress on his hearers that as the marvellous commercial success achieved by Germany was due to her system of technical and industrial education and her commercial organisation, so was it imperative for John Bull and Sons to wake up. and by giving more attention to technical, scientific, and industrial education, fight and beat Germany in the coming economic battle. That victory, Mr. Hanan emphasised, could only be attained by national efficiency, and such a fiat coming from the Minister of Education carries with it the implied intention of the Government to provide the necessary training, as well as the- required measures for penalising enemy goods. There is sound logic in the Minister's contention that in this country we should have new industries, to occupy our own workers and to supply our own wants. We must expect to pay a higher price, as New Zealand workers require a living wage, whereas the Germans work for 51 mere pittance, hence the need for a protective tariff. Trade within the Empire should be firmly adhered to by all the dominions, and then trade with the Allies for such goods as cannot be produced in the Empire. We should like to see exhibitions such as that held at Wellington become general throughout the dominion, for there can be no question that they would become powerful factors in educating the people. The Government might arrange to forward, free of charge, the exhibits from one centre to another, to be added to by local productions, and addrosses could be given by leading commercial men. If the scheme is made comprehensive in this way it will be far more likely to succeed than by any other means, and it would show that the people of Xew Zealand were taking up the matter in real earnest, so that the economic victory over our enemies would be absolute and our great Empire would become still greater and more perfectly united than ever.

TRICOLOR DAI The well-organised efforts of those who, on Saturday last, collected funds in aid o- the French Bed Cross Society resulted in a success vvhieh is a flattering testimony to the zeal and ability displayed by all concerned in the movement, as well as to the generosity of the people of the district. The initiative of this humane movement devolved upon the French Club in Auckland, and the credit for the. success of Tricolor Day in Xevv Plymouth belongs to the members of the local branches of the British Red Cross Society and the St. John Ambulance. They may well be proud of their work, for it is probable that when the contributions are all gathered in, including the sale of the French Flag at the forthcoming Agricultural Show, the total will reach four hundred peuads. Considering the many calls that the war has entailed on the spare cash of the people, this generous response is particularly gratifying. Just now the French troops in the region of Verdu« are undergoing a most severe trial, the German hosts making ferocious efTerts to break through our allies' lines, n« matter how great the sacrifice of life may be. Under such circumstances funds for the French Red Crosa w«rk will be doubly welcome, f«r it stands to reason that its work will be very largely increased, from now onward*. In helping this humane work New Plymouth has done well, and all those who assisted in the movement richly deserve the thanks of the community. They worked from daylight till dark, hut it was a labor of love and for a cause that stands out as one of the highest and noblest in the sphere of limnnn action. We sincerely congratulate the workers o« their success.