NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15929, 16 June 1917, Page 10

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

V KAISER'S MESSAGE TO CONSTANTINE. A message dealing with the s'tuation in Greece states that the Kaiser was chagrined when ho learnt abdication of his brother-in-law. ixing Constantino, which marked the failure of another of his machinations. Mr G. Ward Price, the noted war correspondent, in a recent dispatch from Salonica states that the Kaiser, according to information which had reached the Greek Provisional Government, recently sent a significant message to his brother-in-law. He told King Constantine that he could not co-operate with him or como to his aid against the Allies in Macedonia, and added: — "All I ask of you now is that you shall keep your throne." GERMANY'S "MITTEL EUROPA." "This word of Imperial advice has moro than casual importance," "ays Mr Ward Price. "It throws light on several matters. For one thing, it sounds like the dirge of Germany's j schemes, which undoubtedly were real j end active up to a few weeks ago, for making an attempt, with the co- I operation of the Greeks, to clear the j Balkans of their foes. For another, it explains the docility with which King Constantine is evacuating his troops from Northern Greece into the natural internment camp proscribed • or them by the Allies in the Peloponriese. "Tho Imperial message, in fact, fits in with possible German plans after the war which those in touch with Greek affairs are beginning to perceive clcarly. If the terms <jf peace leave to Germany so much as a brain to intrigue with, Greece will be the field to which she will instinctively turn. Greece forms part of the "Middle Europe" ido4, a partial realisation of which Germany has tasted during the war. Her long, indented coast line gives her naval importance disproportionate to her size. Her position at the very rentes of Egypt and the East has considerable strategic value. If Gerrontiv had won complete sway in the Balkans during tho war she would have made of Salonica a Mediterrannean Kiel. POST-WAR DANGERS. "Tho danger that has to bo foreseen is that Germany may try after the wax to accomplish by intrigue what sbe_ has failed to win by arms. While M. Venizelos, with his prestige enhanced by tho Allied victory, remains a forco in Greece, this is unlikely of accomplishment, but were Venizclos to disappear his country, whoso territorial integrity his action has done much to preserve, would fall again under the unchecked .control of its King and his heir. This danger is clearly perceived by the Vcnizelists whose point of view is as fallows : 'It is necessary that wo should bo left a free hand after peace to put our house in order, aaid to take such steps as will ensure that the policy of Greece shall not again bo directed into courses that arc anti-Greek.' " KING'S AUTOCRATIC PHILOSOPHY. "Tho King has announced that in the matter of foreign relations he will tolerate no interference on the part of his Government, since he holds himself responsible. This autocratic philosophy, and the Germanophilism which brought it into conflict with the interests of his country, are dangers to Greeco which tho Venizelist Party consider they must have freedom to deal with after the war. Such are tlie_views of the Greek Provisional Government. It will be seen that they do not harmoniee with the Kaiser's aspirations for his brother-in-law." JUTLAND BATTLE ANNIVERSARY. Tho President of tho German Reichstag (Dr. Kaempf) recently held a ceremony at the Reichstag palace in commemoration of Germany's "victory'' in the battle of Jutland on Ma.y 31stJune Ist, states a exchange. Gorman newspapers published boastful articles in connexion with the Jutland anniversary. The "Borliner Lokal Anzeiger" said: —"The battle wes really an epoch-making German victory, as the British Fleet has not smce approached the German coast. Although the Americans are now co-operating with tho British Grand Fleet,-the English admirals are actually afraid." The "Lokal Anzeiger" is a "kept" Government organ, one of its owners being Herr Kruno von Bohlen. Its political director, Eugen Zimmerman, writes as the Foreign Office tolls him, and Captain Kuhlwelter its naval expert, cousults the Naval Press Bureau before he discusses events at sea. SUBMARINES IN COLLISION. Tho "Rheiniscbe Westphalische Zeitung" (Essen) publishes what purports to be an account of a collision, between a German and an English submarine on April 19th. The English submarine, it states, was moving under the surface. when it rammed the German vessel. The shock forced the British craft to come to the surface, bringing with it the German submarine. Tho latter's bows lav over tho British, and the German fell alongside the British. Both submarines made frantic efforts to get free in order to attack. They eventually got clear, and the German dived for the purpose of delivering an attack, but the British, whose number was cither 35 or 55, disappeared. The German reached its base. ENEMY'S AIRCRAFT LOSSES. The announcement that during, May the Germans lost 442 aeroplanes against only 271 lost by the Allies, is the best reading in this line there has been for some time, states tho Sydney "Daily Telegraph." It will be noted also that, according to a recent cable, almost as many German -planes were lost to the British as the British and French together lost to Germany. It must always be remembered, however, that as a "result of their stay-at-home policv the enemy do not usually lose so much by the bringing down of one of their craft as wc do when one of ours is brought down. Because, since most air losses, ours or the enemy's, occur over enemy territory, tho enemy gets what is left, and often enough the plane 'brought down., may be well worth mendiug. Also, no gets the airmen, alive or dead, Allied or German. The following table gives the losses for last three months: — Allied. German. Total. Ma-eli ... 129 134 253 Kmil - 343 36G 714 May ••• 271 442 713 The way in which the totals have grown is good evidence of the intensity of the struggle. It provides also an excellent commentary on the assertion of that German squadron commander a few days ago that Uermany had tho supremacy of tho air.