The Daily News. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1916. THE WAR OUTLOOK.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1916. THE WAR OUTLOOK.

According to General Botha the end of the war is in sight, but he rightly states that it would be better to go on light ing for two years more than have to begin all over again in ten years time. To-day's cab!e3 contain quite a number of important items that indicate the superiority of the Allies, but tfic most sensational message is the report from Athens that the Russians have captured Xegotin, a Serbian town 110 mile east-south-east of, Belgrade, and are threatening Widin. Both theie towns are near the Danube and can be reached from the Gate, where important operations recently took place. The report lacks confirmation, but it is quite within the bonds of possibility that it may be true. If so, a glance at. the map wll at once show the immense importance of .the movement, which would certainly be one of the pleasant surprises of the war. If the mysterious Russian army, which was recently referred to, is making a successful offensive in this region it will certainly have a most material effect in shortening the war. The Russians would be only sixty miles from the main railway line between Sofia and Constantinople, which constitutes a vital artery in Germany's power in south-eastern Europe. How, vital that line is may be estimated from 'the comments, in the German press to the effect that if it were effectually blocked it would be the beginning of Germany's strangulation. The capture of Orsova has given the Roumanians the key to the whole of the Danube position, and it would seem to be a most strategical move on the part of the Russians not only to block German reinforcements for the Balkans, but to obtain an exceptionally tactical position from whence to over-run Hungary, and cut off supplies. It would be an ideal central position, the tenure of which would give the Allies complete command of the Balkans campaign. The Bulgarian reports concerning the fighting at Turtukai, are so absurdly exagger ated that they are unworthy of credence, and this view is confirmed by a cable which states: "Bulgarian communiques are notoriously untruthful." There is every reason to believe that although the Roumanians have experienced a reverse, it is of no great consequence, and that the position >n the Balkans is most satisfactory to ths Allies. On the West front, the AngUj French are proving their superiority over the enemy. The interesting cable this morning describing the meaning of artillery activity will be read with thi> greatest interest for it throws a new light on the colorless formula used in the communiques, though few peopie will be able to realise adequately the terrible effect of this day and night hurricane of shells. Germany now realises the hopelessness of her task, but horrible as is the work of the artillery, the German press has struck .1 note of comedy in relation thereto that cannot fail to raise a smile. There was a lime when they boasted of the thousands of shells rained upon some particular locality. To-day, because the Allies are fully equipped with artillery and shells, their use is denounced as mere butchery, therefore it has to be assumed that Germany alone is humane in her methods of warfare. Unfortunately the facts are too strong for them and the German press would have excreted more wisdom by a discreet silence. More ludicrous, however, is the rabid denunciation of the use of gas by the Allies It was, of course, legitimate and proper for the Huns to 'introduce.' this horror into the war and to rejoice ever the success of the barbaric novelty, but it is fiendish when the same weapon h turned against them. Germany has shown that the only department in which she can claim a lone hand is submarine piracy and Zeppelin raids, and it would be interesting to .know what sort of a howl would be raised if the Allies sent airships over Berlin ajd Vienna dropping bombs on public buildings and killing innocent and harmless citizens. The gloatings over the last air raid ou

London show the unscrupulous nature of the enemy, but if reprisals were made on their capital towns it wou'wl bo difficult for them to find words sufficiently fiery to express their outraged feelings. It is interesting to note that already Britain is preparing material for the day of reckoning. Tie; longer the war lasts the larger will tho claims grow. All these matters are indications of the closing chapters of the war, and of the terrible desperation that 1 as now taken hold of Germany—a desperation engendered by the certainty of her coming down.