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Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15964, 27 July 1917, Page 6

Nine American officers wlio havo returned from an inspection of the "Western front report, officially, that '"the German line is practically impregnable, unless tremendous assistance is received from the United States.." So far as it is calculated to stimulate America to still more vigorous efforts to take her full share in the war as quickly as oossible, the effect of this roport may be cxcellcnt. But we demur to the suggestion that it would bo practically impossible to break the German lino withqiit American help. Welcome as that will be, we have driven tho enomy out of positions probably as apparently impregnable as those which ho now occupies, and done it, not onco or twice, but several times, without America alongside us. We broke tho Hindenburg line, and captured fortress villages, now far behind our front, attest tho vigour of our assaults and the unconquerable valour of our men, whoso dictionary know no such word as impregnable. When the American officers have seen a little more of tfar they will, porhaps 3 be more chary of using a word which experience hitherto has proved to have no meaning at tho front.

Not much of next season's wool clip, •which is to bo taken over by the Imperial Government at last year's prices, will bo available for civilian use, at least until after the war. There was some talk lately at Homo of rationing tho nation as to its clothes, for, according to tho chairman of one of tho subcommittees of tho War Trade Department, who is a clothing manufacturer of long oxperienco, people are hoarding clothes. Tlioy have, he said, been making extravagant and unprecedented' mirehasos of woollen fabrics for dress, arid more wool has been used in tho last year than has been nocessary, or than would have been used in normal times. Tailors assert that many middlo-class people aro buying two or three times moro clothing than they require, and aro putting it away for use when prices are much higher than they are even now. Recently all stocks of woollen fabrics were officially surveyed and inventoried, with the view, if necessary, of taking them over, it is noteworthy that while changes in fashion make women buy more clothes, tho rules that used to govern men's dress arc being relaxed, and among people whoso social and financial position is beyond suspicion, even evening dress is often not worn. If tho war lasts another year there may not bo much difference between tho habits of the average citizen and thoso of Jie advocates of the "simple life."

"While old public schoolboys, as everybody knows, aro distinguishing themselves at tho front, tho boys still remaining at the English schools aro also doing their bit. Wo learn from a privato letter that tho summer holidays of the boys at Clifton this year were to be spent in farming largely among potatoes. The school was supplying 100 boys for ono moving camp, and 50 for a stationary one. Other schools were doing likewise. Clifton had 40 boys potato planting during the holidays, and. were supplying labour to the local market gardens and farmers during the term. Wo, in New Zealand, have not yet begun to realise what may be done by schoolboy labour should it Ixjcome necessary to make use of it.