The Daily News. MONDAY, JULY 3, 1916. THE ALLIES' OFFENSIVE.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 July 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. MONDAY, JULY 3, 1916. THE ALLIES' OFFENSIVE.

It is safe to predict that the news of llie Allies' offensive, which has now commenced, will cause a thrill of pleasure throughout the Empire. This forward movement has been eagerly awaited, anil the fact that it has been set in motion clearly indicates that at last the Allies; feel themselves in a position to abandon their lengthy and tenacious defensive tactics in order to take the first sten towards that final victory which v/ilf seal the fate of the enemy. The prelude to the move was in every way worthy of the occasion, for as far as the eye could see there was nothing but a blaze of fire, while shells screamed through the uir at the rate of sixteen a second. Then the British forces, operating over an eighty miles front, started in and captured important strategical positions, taking many prisoners. The guns and ammunition for which our forces iri the West have been waiting fcave now spoken with telling force anil with a vigor hitherto unparalleled. For the first time in the history of the war the British artillery exceeds that of the German, jnd there can be no doubt that the enemy has been fairly stunned by the intensity of the attack. The time chosen for the offensive was most op-

fortune, for it is stated that eight German divisions had been withdrawn to the .Eastern front, where the Russian advance has struck terror into the iiearts of the enemy. Simultaneously with the development of the British attack camr that of the French, the result oeing that the Germans are losing heart. This is, probably, only a momentary result, out there can be no question that the sudden and determined activity of the AngloFrench forces will have a marked eil'ect in depressing the Teutonic hosts. The German positions are being bombarded with the utmost severity, while trenches have been raided and captured. Great fas been the interest exhibited day by day in the past concerning the events of the war. from now onwards it will be far more intense. The struggle will now be of a far more sanguinary nature than hitherto on all the fronts. Italy has imbibed nc-w strenth and confidence and is making splendid progress, while, the Russian activity is a world's wonder, i'he .Allies have so co-ordinated their plans that the enemy will no longer be able to rush troops hither and thither for purposes of attack. We must be prepared for occasional rebuffs which will only emphasise the triumphs. There will be but one desire now that the offensive lias started, and that is for its prosecution as speedily as circumstances will permit so that the duration of the war may be of limited extent. The outlook is certainly most encouraging,

«'. tide not the slightest intention of reflecting on the members of the Civil Service as a class or individually, but there is not a word therein that by any stretch of imagination can ho so distorted as to convey any such interpretation. Our contention was, and is, that the Governr.ient, instead of giving a war bonus to Civil Servants receiving up to £315 a year in wagei, should have courageously tackled the cost of living problem and thereby conferred a direct benefit on the community generally. We pointed out. that while the Government was so callous over the urgent needs of the stnig<;h'is with incomes of £2 10s to' £3 !0s per week, they were generously disposed towards "the army of well paid, not. overworked, and highly privileged Civil RcYvants," to whom a bonus is proposed to he given although they niiiy be receiv:vg up to £0 a week. If we sinned in this respect, we did so in excellent company, for the leading newspapers of the Dominion take a similar view of *ho matter. Our correspondent expresses the opinion that the newspapers have not done their part in exposing exploitation. He is entitled to his opinion of course, only the facts happen to be against him. The duty of the press is to advance the best interests of the community as a whole and not to suffer abuses to deep in that are intended to benefit one class at the expense of olheis, and that duty is being faithfully and fearlessly performed by the leading papers of the Dominion. Th* pity is that the Government have not as yet profited hv the advance and criticism ef the press in regard to the cost of living, Mhieh the Government refuses to fi'ce and deal with courageously, as has, for in.il.'.nce, '.he Commonwealth of Australia. If it him done so, we agree •.villi on - correspondent that the question r.f granting a bonus to Civil Servants nifty not have arisen, it has to be borne in mind that many other sections of the community have, had to suffer and are suffering by reason of the war prices obtaining, but their chance of getting any relief by way of bonus is hopeless.