The Daily News. SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 1917. THE WAR STRUGGLE IN 1917.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 January 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 1917. THE WAR STRUGGLE IN 1917.

There was a time in the history of the present war when Germany proclaimed that she could bring about the decisive action when and where she thought lit. Much lias happened since then, and in tho coining year of the war it will be j the Entente and not the Central Powers who should be in a position to select the time and locale for the final blow, preparations for which are already being actively pushed forward. During the winter and early spring there are few places in the "war theatre where operations of any great importance can be carried on, owing to the difficulties of moving up heavy artillery, but the enemy jas shown in the Balkans that winter conditions are no bar to an advance. This is probably due to a total disregard of mail-power wastage I of which Germany takes 110 account, but the Allies are more bent on conserving

and increasing "their striking-power so tliat when.cxerted it may yield llie best results. The Russians are so accustomed to move with ease during severe winters that they have a great advantage ovei the other troops engaged in the struggle, and they, are proving their worth in this respect in the Balkans. At the same time winter operations are extremely costly, and the Allies are not likely to throw away good material merely for the sake of keeping the enemy busy. By the end of March or April they will haw nearly reached their full strength, and the supplies of munitions should be correspondingly complete. It has been proclaimed by responsible Allied authorities that in mii the greatest possible pressure will be exerted oil the enemy. What that means may be gathered from the AngloFrench operations on the Sommo and the Mouse. It is the knowledge of this forthcoming mighty offensive that has caused the gravest concern among the CeDtra' Powers and prod Deed the des-

perate efforts tliat have been made to bring about a cessation of hostilities, the main object of which is undoubtedly to enable Germany to save herself from being deprived of her remaining manpower whereby she can alone maintain her militarism, and incidentally her existence as a great military Power. Much as the German wire-pullers would like to be able to force the Allies into wasteful engagements on the battlefield, they have not the remotest chance of success. it is perfectly clear that the Allies do not intend to resume operations on a large scale until they can be carried out simultaneously, ceaselessly and vigorously. The three main centres of activity must necessarily be the Weat front, Galicia and the Balkans. The cutting of the Balkan railway would separate Bulgaria and Turkey from Germany and Austria, By a continuance of the Russian advance in Galicia, Prussia and Hungary would be exposed to invasion, and that would certainly involve the retirement of the Germans from Russian territory. On the West the Allies, by striking across Alsace — the nearest road to Germany—would compel the evacuation of Belgium by the enemy. That Germany is aware of her weak spots has been amply proved The iear of the Russian advance in Galicia in 1915 caused Gernnny to make a stupendous effort on the Eastern front and to give ap the idea of reaching Calais or Paris, and it was to retain communication with her Balkan allies that the campaigns against Serbia and Roumania were instituted. The Rll3■uans are still in the region of Lemlwrg, and the Anglo-French have advanced in the West to a favorable position for their forthcoming great offensive. It is only in the Balkans that the position is not so satisfactory as could be wished, but it is manifest that inability 011 the part of the enemy to prevent the advance in the West and in Galicia will necessitate the abandonment of the Balkan positions. The great factor in the coming struggle is the declining man-power of the enemy, whose limited reserves are slowly but surely becoming a negligible quantity, and in spite of all the desperate efforts Germany is making to strengthen her armies and munition supplies the process of exhaustion is going on. At the same time she is laced with the certainty of having to stand up against the full strength of ' the Entente Powers and will have to defend herself at every point. The (breaking of any of her fronts would •mean disaster, and there is the absolute certainty that the Allies will do their best to break every front. It is for tnat great work they nre now preparing, systematically, thoroughly and confidently. They will select their points of attack without any reference .'to the enemy's plans. Germany deliberately loiced the war on the Allies and must take the consequences. All hei intrigues, bluster and threats of frightfulness will have no effect. The Allies are girding themselves up for a supreme effort that should mark the closing stage; of the war, and it is imperative that now more than ever all other considerations must give way to the achievement of a complete victory.