The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1917. DEVELOPMENTS ON WAR FRONTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1917. DEVELOPMENTS ON WAR FRONTS.

At the annual banquet which takes place at the Guildhall, London, on the evening of Lord Mayor's Day, it is customary for Ministers of the Crown to make statements of importance concerning the most vital matters of the moment. It was hardly to be expected that the present crucial time would lend itself to any pronouncement that could be of service to the enemy, and it fell to the lot of Mr. Bonar Law to review the general military situation. Naturally this task could only be performed in a general, and not in a particular, sense, and according to the somewhat meagre cabled report of the proceedings, the Minister dwelt chiefly upon the question of unity of control, a subject that had recently been prominent in the business of the Allied War Conference, when a complete agreement was arrived at for the constitution of an Allied War Comicil, with the object of securing unity of policy as regards the Allies' needs as a whole and individually. Mr. Bonar Law was able to point to the advantages which Germany promised by way of complete control of the armies of her allies, while the Entente Powers were a league of free peoples, acting more or less on their separate initiative. The disaster which lias befallen Italy has clearly shown the weakr-ss of such a system, and the remedy lias been applied by the creation of an inter-Allied military staff of France, Britain and Italy, whereby their co-oper-ation will henceforth be far closer than it has ever been. In welcoming 3ir. Lloyd George to Paris, M. Painleve pointedly stressed this new arrangement, which has his whole-hearted approval. In his view victory depends on the Allies having one front and one army and acting as one nation. Such a position is ■unassailable, and it should have been so arranged from the outset of the war. We are told that this Allied War Council is merely advisory, but it is extremely probable that this pronouncement lias been made to soothe the very tender susceptibilities of a section of the British people who are very antagonistic to the power of initiative being vested in any body outside the Cabinet. It is, however, manifest that unless such a war council was able to act promptly its usefulness would be very greatly curtailed, though any decision involving great issues and possibly an element of risk would rightly be submitted to the nations concerned. Mr. Bonar Law's faith in the Italians being able to hold out until aid arrived from the Western Allies appears to be well justified, but much depends on the rate at which troops, artillery and munitions can be supplied. According to the latest accounts, these are pouring in by every available means of transport, and as the rains are keeping the rivers high, the Italian defence is being greatly aided thereby. It is probable that Mr. Bonar Law's view of the reason why the Germans launched this offensive against the Italians is not far wide of the mark. He considers it was intended partly to divide the Allies and partly to keep up the spirits of the German people, but, as he aptly stated, Germany can never win the war until she has defeated the FrancoBritish armies in the West. There is a very wide discrepancy between the German reports of their advance and the Italian statements of success in holding the enemy. No doubt the Italians have lost heavily, but to nothing like the htige extent which the notoriously exaggerated German reports claim. The Italians may be trusted to use their utmost efforts to check the invaders, and every day they are drawing nearer to their help from the West. The Russian position has changed most dramatically, and it now looks as if some concerted effort will be made to save the country, though other revolts are by no means outside the range of possibility. These disturbances of the Allies' plans must necessarily prolong the itru#

soes no prospect of an early peace, and that it is now a question of nerve and staying power as to who will be finally victorious, but lie relies on the hearts of our soldiers and sailors to see the war through, and is confident Uicy will not fail. That is the feeling which exists throughout the Empire, though we all recognise that the utmost efforts must be put forth. The successes on the West front, in Palestine, Mesopotamia and East Africa are all most gratifying, and it may confidently be expected that before long the position on the Italian front will be satisfactory. Nerve and staying power are factors that will tell, and these the British have always proved to possess to a remarkable extent.