WEEKLY SUMMARY

Taranaki Daily News, 29 October 1918, Page 3

WEEKLY SUMMARY

THE PAST WEEK'S OPERATIONS. MUTINOUS CONDITIONS IN GERMAN ARMY, By Telegraph.—Press Association, Wellington, Oct. 28. Mr. Massey has received the following summary of the war operations for tlie week ended October 25th, from the British Ministry of Information. Further evidence reveals tiie serious internal condition of tlie German army. Drafts frequently show mutinous conduet. On one occasion a draft was sent off without ammunition, since it wak not trusted, but they managed to hide it on their persons, and when the train moved out of town they opened fire on the parade ground. POSITION IN RUSSIA. On the Volga front the Czech right wing has made some progress, but tlie Czech left was threatened by a turning movement by the Bolsheviks and forced to fall baek*SO miles east of Kinel Junction to Chcliabinsk. The Taskekend railwaymen on the trans-Siberian railway had been giving trouble, and it was discovered that they were in collusion with the local Bolsheviks, while the Russian troops were powerless to restore order, This helps to show the vital need of strong Allied forces to secure the Czech communications with European Russia. In the trans-Caspian region complicated fighting is taking place. We, cooperating with the trans-Caspian forces, captured Dunshak, 200 miles cast of the Caspian, and drove off the Bolsheviks with heavy loss. Unfortunately, our unreliable trans-Caspian allies did little or nothing m the attack,- and then promptly scattered after loot, so that when the Bolsheviks counter-attacked all the fiahting had to be done by our handful of Indian troops, who suffered heavilv and were forced to fall back to Kaakha. But fho Bolsheviks left a weakly guarded rear, and the rearguard" was overwhelmed by the Turcomans. This, together with the heavy losses at our hands, so upset them, that l.hcy again evacuated Dushak and wit'i. drew to Tejend in the greatest confusion, leaving behind remarkable numbers of dead and a quantity of burnt rolling stock, THE GERMAN NOTE. Public opinion in the press'.of all the 1 Allied countries shows remarkable unanimity in its appreciation of the German Note and President Wilson's reply. This last completely sums up the public mg with regard to the German proposals for an armistice. With regard to the German conduct of hostilities, everyone feels that the past cannot be wiped out by a mere promise of changed methods under the stress of military defeat. Germany still does not realise the intense depth of the Allied feeling on this matter. She now sees that her provocation of the war was a blunder, but the world's opinion holds it was not a blunder but a crime. As for the constitutional reforms, the present German Government, which was brought into being to reassure the public after the military reverses, has offered no real guarantee that such reforms will be either sincere, permanent, or effective. ! The President's Note to Austria caused much satisfaction in the Allied capitals, and meanwhile the Dual Monarchy dissolves apace. The Government proposals for federation have been turned down by the Slavonic peoples within the monarchy and by their representatives In Paris. THE TURKISH OUTLOOK. •Twefix Pasha failed to form a Turkish Cabinet, and has been succeeded by Izzet Pasha, who managed,,it. Izzet Pasha is the soldier who carried out successful negotiations for the Turkish Government in 1910, whereby under Turkish rule, the Asam of Sanaa was granted autonomy. However, in the.present juncture the offer of autonomy would not be of such assistance to the Turkish Empire. The other most prominent member of the Cabinet iz Djavid Pasha, Minister of Finance, who is the very core of the Committee of Union and Progress. This implies that Talaat Bey is still 'behind the scenes, and that the party has not abandoned its position at Constantinople, while the Turks do not realise the position in which they are now placed by their military disesters.

THE AERIAL CAMPAIGN. In all only 15 German and British machines came, down on the Western front during the week. This* minute figuro was partly due to the rain and log, but chiefly to the inactivity of the enemy, who has been very little in evidence despite the abundant provocation of British bombing and reconnaisanee everywhere. British planes have taken an important part in the whole British advance, and by close co-operation with the artillery and infantry played a considerable part in the' heavy fighting that resulted in the capture of Menin, Courtrai, and ultimately the best day of the war, which saw the freeing of Ostend, Lille, Douai, and Tourcoing. During the week-end, aerial activity developed rapidly along the whole front from Zecbrugge to Le Cateau. British pilots and observers, flying low with machine guns, helped to capture Solesmes and aided the British advance to the suburbs of Vi\leneiennes. Meanwhile the troops who operated in Belgium were much helped by the British coastal squadrons vigorously attacking the Zeebrugge-Ghent Canal, sidings at Melle, railways at Somergam, and the enemy lines Tat Ecloo and Ghent.. Heavy cargoes of bombs were dropped on enemy 'barge traffic between Bruges and Ghent and hostile aircraft at the aerodrome at St. Denis Westrem. At Somergam a train full of German troops was set on fire, white horse and motor traffic'was perpetually worried on the conecstcd roads that converge to Ghent.. The E.A.I?. Independent Force continued its important work and, for the ■second week in succession, returned from all raids without the loss of a single machine* I