The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 1917. PROLONGING THE WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 June 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 1917. PROLONGING THE WAR.

There were one or two references in Monday's cables that afford food fcr reflection. For instance, it was stated officially that American Government officials do not expect an Allied victory this year, and predict there will probably he :ee nr-e years of war. Russia, they say, has collapsed, and i 3 'believed, to be out .." '.'.■■> -r:.r a; an offensive factor, probably for good, whilst France can :be counted on only to hold her own. That the war cannot ho won this year must be patent to any student of the war situation, though that it will be prolonged for another three years is open to _oubt, With everything going well for the Allies, tho enemy's complete defeat before the winter was only a possibility; with Russia's semi-coliapso it is an impossibility. This time last year Brnssiloff was in the midst of an offensive that put", nearly a, million of the enemy out of action. Another such attack, as had been planned, would have driven the enemy from Russian soil, and perhaps carried the war into his own camp. But the internal turmoil in Russia, no doubt fomented if not initiated by Germany, has enabled the enemy to loosen his grip on'this front and send divisions of men and numbers of big guns acrosß \o resist the offensives developed by the Italians and the Anglo-French. The Italians were doing admirably, and were woll on their way to their main objective—Trieste—when the Austrians were largely reinforced in men and guns from Russia, and now the Italians, though lighting tenaciously, are being forced to give ground. The success of the Italians would do much to hasten the end of the ■war, as it would dishearten the already depressed Austrians and thus lead' to their defection from Germany. Victory lor the Austrians against the Italians must, on the other hand, correspondingly the ties binding Austria to her Teikon ally and increase her determination to see the war through. In France, the Anglo-French are meeting with tremendous opposition. The Allies reckoned upon a gradual decreasp in the enemy's power, due to the eating up of his reserves of men, from now on, but the enemy is seemingly in as strong a force; as ever, due, again, to divisions being brought across from tho Eastern front. Ttte war has resolved itself into one of attrition, and the only way to win is by so weakening the enemy's power that -we can deal him a succession of decisive blows. Without Russian assistance, the process is prolonged indefinitely. Just what is the actual position in Russia is hard to say, "but- the fact that the enemy can materially weaken his forces there siiows conclusively that, from the Allies' standpoint, it is exceedingly bad. Roumania is in as good a position to know I'vi bat is going on immediately near

her in Russia as any. Tier people, according to a wire in yesterday's issue, avo very anxious about the turn of affairs. As the Daily Chronicle's correspondent truly says, Roumania is irrevocably bound to the Allies, and any defection on Russia's part wilT result in the disappearance of Rouinania from the comity of nations* The army is ready and eager, but is paralysed by the indifference and inertia of her neighbor. Meantime German agents are busily at work seeking, happily without avail, to infect Roumania with the "peace" virus they have apparently successfully administered to Russia. For the latter to secede from the Aliias would be an act of perfidy without historic parallel, for, it must be remembered, that the war was primarily olio between Austro-Ger-many and Russia, the hone of contention being the Austrian proposals to humiliate little Servia, and that France and Britain iwsnt to Russia's assistance to put the Teuton brigands in their place. It has also to be remembered that Russia brought Roumania into the war, and, it is feared, the pro-German element in Russian high places, betrayed her, in that when committed to the Allied cause Roumania was left in the lurch and had to give up the best part of her lands to the invaders. No doubt there is a big proportion of Russians who are conscious of their duty to teeir Allies, and appreciate at their true worth the value of the peace terms that tlte enemy agents are sedulously circulating throughout the Russian Empire, but the j unfortunate part is that the people as a whole are woefully ignorant and easily swayed by the traitors and mountebanks that seem to be directing, or misdirecting, the affairs of the ccuntry. The country lacks cohesion, and this in face of an enemy at the gates is disastrous. -Nearly all the parties are playing for their own hand; the interests of the nation are but a secondary consideration. All tho time millions of Gorman gold, no doubt, are being employee to maintain the turmoil and confusion, and, if possible, to bring about a separate peace. It 'is, of course, a very vital thing for Germany. It would pay her to distribute in Russia a thousand million sterling to bring about her defection, for she knows that with Russia out of the war there is a hope of her emerging from tlie war, not exactly a winner, but with her wings not completely clipped, as is the aim of the Allies. It means more. It means that the Russian Empire would after the war lay at her feet, to be exploited economically, and, later, militarily. The Germ&Ji is as resourceful and cunning as he is unscrupulous and cruel, and it would not be long before he would be sitting like the old man of the sea on the shoulders of Russia. May be Russia will yet assert herself, arid remain faithful to her obligations, but the damago has besn done for this year, at least, and wo must face the centafnty of the continuation of the war for a period thai cannot yet be measured. More and more, tho main part of the task of defeating the enemy will rest upon Britain ani America, who will never ease l/p 1 uutii susce£3, complete and absolute, is achieved. France, of course, will remain true aa steel, but she has done her part, and, as the meriean officials say, can now only hold her own, whilst Itcly can be depended upon to do her utmost and persevere to the end. Japan is another faithful ally, but any effective help she can give can only be rendered on the Russian front, and 'whilst the present instability—to describe it mildly—obtains she will not place her forcas in the perilous position of fighting a powerful :iemy in front with an uncertain friend behind. All is going well on the west, fortunately, but the driving back of the Huns would be immeasurably accelerated and the length of the war grer.tly shortened could we have relied upon the loyalty and assistance of the Russians.