THE WAR IN THE WEST.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 232, 29 September 1915, Page 4

THE WAR IN THE WEST.

f Considering the very critical 6tate of things in France just now, it would be unreasonable to expect any detailed and authoritative account of the plans and purposes of the Allies. We arc, therefore, still in the dark as to the true objective of the remarkubly successful attacks upon the German positions reported by cable during the paat three days. But we know enough to he cer tain that it is no exaggeration to dp--1 Ocribe these successes as "victories," and '|<Ciat thific operations have opened up [great possibilities that are probably materialising even now. Naturall.v, the enemy is doing his best to minimise the eigTiiurancv of thesr- events; but the fact seems undisputed that the British and French have made important pro j grots in the neighbourhood of Lens, thus ' • threatening vital German communira tions through Belgium, while the French in the Champagne country have broken the German lines along v front broad enouah to permit the operations of a very large body of troops. The suggcrf- i lion that the Allies may attempt to drive a wedge through the Gorman lines, after the manner of yon Mackcnsen'e famous advance through Galicia, shqwe that in the opinion of the experts this! forward lunvejnent in the Champagne; may. exercise a decisive effect on the progress of the war. Colonel Maude, one of the leading British military' authorities, hae gone so far as to say j that with .1 reasonable amount of luck j the Allied may be able to drive the Germans bark to the Rhine within two luiintbt). 6-uch a i>ugge3tion appears to-j uaumc that the German centre is now j practically broken, that it will h « possible for the Allies to threaten the enemy's communications on one or both flanks, from Alsace and in the direction of Lille at the same time, and that w« have enough ammunition to keep up a 'continuous* and unremitting assault on the Germane for weeks to come. There seems to be no doubt that tbre Allies in France have now a large margin of superiority over the enemies in point ot numbers. and if the difficult, question oi munitions can also be answered eati«fac- j torily. we may find that even Colonel] Mau.de> rather sensational views ar<i not unduly optimistic. At the feme time, remembering the enormous strength of w*lWeiended . tfenches and earthworks, and the tremen luua effort* the Germans have made to equip themselves with powerful . artillery and machine guns, we will do well not to indulge in extravagant hopes which may, after all. prove delusions. Of course, as we have previously sliown. from the. military point of view, the German position in France is hopeless, given that the Allies posse** "tt definite numerical Bupe.riority and an unlimited supply of puns and ammunition. We know, too, that the resisting'powers of. , the German forces in France have long • been strained nearly to breaking point, and that if once they ffive way, th»-ir i defeat may srieedily become a positive) i " debacle " It is important to observe., i aUo. that the "fighters of ouf FTfth Ann; the, nenal sqtuulrooe- are' i now actively engaged in attacking the main railway junctions, liar.ra.cks and i munition depots far in the rear of the enemy's line*, and when the German re treat becomes a rout, the effects of this | "preparation". will .. apcediU- make 1 themselves felt. We should note also th,at it U now difficult if not im- , possible for the enercy to draw reinforce- ' ments from the eastern front, becaune i', tl») German annios that have invaded' Riirtsia arc now fighting desperately to J hold their own, if not to eecurel their" ' rotreat. The fluxeisni< have upon [' their pursuers moef effectively, ami even !■ if only a small pVrcentace of their |' reported successes are to bo taken as J authentic, we ran eafoly conclude that i thn revcrem which the Gormam have eu.v ! t.iini»l in the East recently have very ! BOriooalT compromieed their poeition in | the West. At the eamo time ,we learn I that the German General Staff is still j ■ determined to xnako one moTe desperate , j attempt at breaking the line of the | Allies in France and Flanders: and •loubt if this resolve is taken, the French I ; and British will need all their courage j and ekill to ensure a decisive success. '■. That in the c.nd wp will be victorious ' hardly admits of doubt; but the jkw |' fiituation in France, eatisfactory ac it j ie, has not yet developed sufficiently to justify aiy positive conviction that, the ei»d is already in eight.