THE COMING OFFENSIVE.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 April 1917, Page 6

THE COMING OFFENSIVE.

GERMAN UNEASINESS. ' Gorman military critics are becoming remarkably outspoken with regard to the prospects in the near future (writes Leonard Spray from Rotterdam on - 23 rd January to 'London Daily Telegraph). Appearances are as if they had received a hint to prepare the public for a gigantic struggle, in which their armies nearly everywhere will have to bear the brunt of a great combined onslaught by the Allies. Lip service is paid to the ! existence of unbounded confidence in the i power of the Central Empires success- , fully to resist all attacks, but, at the j same time, it may be perceived, beneath l all the bombast, that there is a feeling | of uneasiness. Main attention is directed to the Western front, where, rightly ; or wrongly, the, German General Stall' | believe the Allies arc preparing for a great spring effort. They are, too, acting in accordance with this belief, so far as is within their power, for I learn that recently considerable reinforcements have arrived in the West. These are exclusive of concentrations near the Swiss frontier, and are being directed to and distributed along the whole line. Of all that is now lieing written by the German critics, the most significant thing is the passage in an article by Major Moraht. Contrary to 'his usual practice of commenting only on purely military all airs, this critic makes amazing and totally unfounded allegations against the Aliies' dastardly treatment of German prisoners of war. This all leads up to this significant sentence: '•Our troops know what fate threatens them in ease they ar.e taken prisoners." The purpose would appear to be to induce, through fear, a. frame of mind in German soldiers calculated to make them offer desperate resistance in the tremendous ordeal for them which is anticipated. I quote from the article: "With the exception of oil the Rumanian front all direct war action is at present in the background. In the West and East probably also in Macedonia ar.d Italy, preparations are being made and organisation effected for a fu" ture general attack. Nowhere is there any doubt that \yithin a reasonable time r tremendous crash of armies will take place. We are nosv, therefore, in a new stage. The war has not altered much the armed waiting attitude which has existed, apart from the fact that the military position of the Central Empires is considerably more favorable than it ' was in the first period of the war. The j reasons for this have often been ex- | plained. Although they have made no I impression on our enemies, tlhey afford I us a basis for reckoning up probabilities, and arriving at a conclusion which gives us a motive for continuance of the" war to a victorious end. ''All the States at war against us have had great losses of persons who ivern entrusted with the organisation of the war. We, also, in the. course of the war have seen many new men come to the frot\t., This -all proves' that a liig'h degree of elasticity is demanded of leading personalities, for \ftir continually evolves new ■ principles for-success, although the chief conditions upon which ft victory is grounded remain the rune These are thq moral of the anm. Uie will of the whpfe.nation for victorv.

TORTURE FABLES. "One fact appears decisively, that tlio moral of the Russian, French", and English armies and leaders has descended to a pitch whichi when the history of it •is written, will bring the blush of'shame to all their successors. I mean the unworthy treatment of the prisoners of war. Like a red thread, it' runs through all the events of the •v nr that our enemies have despised 1W methods of carrying oil war laid i — u by j„t er . national law, by the misi: " •>; 'heir prisoners of war. Our enemu- - sinned against those principles, fi„ 'i,, m and by many others in th. humanity. It is a horribh > t'lieir roughness and hate disci,. ! their treatment of our soldiers. ' "France forces them to actions dl ed against their own comrades. 1, land expresses its bate, especial apainst our brave naval officers and me,,. Whilst we in Dei-many, only with reluctance and late, have decided to take measures of reprisal, exclusively to prevent the increase of repetition of our opponents' unheard-of cruelties, their brutality increases with the lengthening of the war. The whole German nation expects our army leaders will insist upon it thati, in some way or ot'iier our enemies shall be taught better. ' Our troops, however, will know what fate threatens them in ease they are taken prisoners. This consciousness must call forth glowing indignation and secret linger. The force of every German man Wd woman. }vjA