The Daily News. MONDAY, JUNE 3, 1918. THE WAR SITUATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 June 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. MONDAY, JUNE 3, 1918. THE WAR SITUATION.

The latest news from the "West front, while containing some hopeful items," reveals that the situation is causing anxiety, owing to the determined onward push of the enemy. The fact that the Germans have reached the Marne is of itself indicative of the enormous weight of men and guns they are throwing into the offensive, and of the inability of the Allies to stem the onrush with the forces at their disposal. It must, therefore, be assumed that the Allied reserves have not yet reached the danger zone in sufficient numbers to deal successfully with the enemy, but every hour will assuredly improve matters in this respect. It is no use being under any delusion as to the enemy's strength and determination. The Allies will have their task of defeating the enemy greatly increased by the successes he has gained in the Aisne sector, but that will only add to their efforts towards success. The main immediate object is to hold up the advance. No great harm has been done at present so far as loss of territory is concerned, but it is high time to ery "Halt!" It will be noticed in to-day's cables that protests are being made against the excision of portions of the war correspondents-' messages, allegedly to make the reports more optimistic than the.situatioxiwaErants.

Presumably this does not refer to the record of actual events, but to theories and speculations. Forecasts of this nature are not only of little, if any, use, but are liable to raise false hopes and impressions. The official reports give us the dry facts, but these, of late, have certainly not been inspiring. What the people of the Empire wish to know —and have a right to know —is the true position, so that they may be prepared for bad news as well as good. The position at present is that the enemy has piade advances covering between fifty and sixty miles, by sheer weight of numbers. The offensive was not a surprise, but its weight was evidently miscalculated. The enemy, of course, had the great advantage of selecting the locality for his main attack. Whether or not the Aisne district was the sector chosen is immaterial. It has ceritainly suited his purpose, and he lis making the best of it. At the same time, there is no getting away from the fact that Germany's great .aim is to get possession of the French ports, so as to cut off British supplies and reinforcements. The possession of Paris is quite a subsidiary measure, for if the French ports are captured the rest is comparatively easy for the Germans. That is why, in moving reserves, the Allies have to make sure that the barring of the road to the coast is not in any way placed in jeopardy. General Foch has to consider many vital problems in connection with the present enemy offensive, not the least of which is the disposition of reserves, and we must trust to his proved strategical skill, aided by the advice of the Anglo-French High Command. It may be disconcerting, but there is no disputing the fact that the Germans have driven in the Allied lines each day during the offensive. Though Rheims is still held, it is half, or more than half, surrounded, and the enemy has pushed forward to the west and south. This has not been done without creating dangerous salients, which may be intensified. The whole campaign turns on the question of reserves. We are told to-day that the Crown Prince has used most of his reserves. If that is correct, then we may take it that the initial force of the blow has been expended, and as the side which holds the reserves the longer is bound to win, the outlook for the Allies is by no means so gloomy as at first sight some would consider. Although Soissons has been lost, the French are hanging on to the hills on the west, and the enemy is firmly held north and northwest of Rheims; yet he has made his way to the Marne, and the time has arrived for putting an end to his progress. A study of to-day's cables shows there is good ground for taking a more favorable view of the Allies' position. No move has yet been made in the Amiens sector, and it is there that most interest centres, on account of its being the real line of danger, at the same time the enemy appears to be endeavoring to obtain the protection of the Marne on his left Hank, just as he relied on the Oise when he tried to break through to Amiens by the Somme country. Hence, probably, his rush for the Marne, and the question that is being asked is whether there will be another battle of the I Marne for General Foch to repeat his former victory in this historic war theatre, in which the Germans have already been defeated. Time will show. Parisians are anxiously awaiting the counter-stroke on the Marne that will turn defence into attack, as the prelude to driving the Germans out of France. This is not only possible, but is well within the realm of probability. A message from Russia points out that at least a silver lining is appearing through the dark clouds there. The same, let us hope, may soon be said of the West front.