THE WAR OUTLOOK.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 July 1917, Page 5

THE WAR OUTLOOK.

RUSSIA'S INACTIVITY PROLONGS THE WAR. WHAT AMERICA'S INTERVENTION MEANS. THE GALLIPOLI TRAGEDY. • By Wire—Own Correspondent. Wellington, (Last Night. "I feel very strongly a'bout Oallrpoli," said the Prime Minister in the House of Representatives to-dav. "There is no question at all that" the campaign was a blunder, and worse than a blunbut even now it is almost impossible to say iwho was responsible. I have no doubt that some dnv the responsibility will be .placed on the proper shoulders, and then we will be able to refer to the campaign in terms we feel inclined to use."

Turning to recent events of the war, Mr. Massey said that the 1917 campaign had opened well for the Allies, but Russia, owing to internal troubles, had disappointed her friends. "If Russia had been aMe to strike as hard this season as she did last season," added the Prirao Minister,. "I believe that the present year would 'have seen the end of the war. .but with Eussia out T think tlio end this year is unlikely. I do not believe for a .moment that Russia is going to make a separate peace, 'but during recent months she has not lieen an active fore© in the iwar. This fact .has been balanced to some extent by the appearance of the United States on the side of the Allies. We all know that Germany is weakening. That fact is noticed all over Europe; but the Germans have-not yet reached the stage of collapse, and I do not 'believe they Wisl reach that stage for some time. Germany is now fighting for time. She knows that the Allies are war weary, and she hopes that by holding out slie will get -better terms of peace' than she could hope for if she ceased .fighting now. it 'hope very earnestly that no attempt will be made on our side to conclude a premature .peace. We have got to win a decisive victorv. We must place ourselves in a position to dictate terms of peace. Tf we discussed those terms now, and I have no doulbt Germany would 'be willing, the first thing Germany would demand would be the return of her colonies, including those in the .Pacific. Then she would insist upon retaining the great territories she has occupied in Europe, and she would demand the restoration of pre-war trading conditions. The British Empire ought not to concede that I hope that we iwill not agree to go hack to pre-war conditions. I shall 'be disappointed if, when peace terms are discussed in the near or distant future, the representatives of the British Dominions overseas are not given the opportunity to take part in the deliberations. We have got to remember in framing terms of peace that we have made a deadly enemy of Germany. She will never forgive Britain for what has 'happened in this war. She says that if it had not been for Britain sho would have succeeded in over-run-ning "Europe. We must remember Germany's lust for revenge, and see that sho is never given an opportunity io strike at Britain. We must win the war. Nothing else matters in comparison with winning the war."