The Press. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1918. Nearing the Climax.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16363, 7 November 1918, Page 6

The Press. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1918. Nearing the Climax.

j:i Everyone will turn eagerly this mornJ i ing to the full terms of the armistice j I granted to Austria, which have been f J greeted with enthusiasm in all the *1 Allied capitals and in America; * For ( apart from the desire to know what !j terms the Allies have considered neces- "! ■ ■ < 4 sary to put Austria out of the war, everyone wishes to have an indication ij of the terms prepared for Germany, ,*1 and this indication was expected in the Austrian settlement. Although, as in ,*j the case of Turkey and only *ji an armistice, has been arranged, the iijj terms are such that'their acceptance tf means unconditional surrender. Aus- | tria is to' evacuate not only Italy, but ,! /the southern part of the Tyrol, the c -whole of the Istrian peninsula, the porthern part of Dalmatla, and most \ of the islands off the Dalmatian coast. | She is to demobilise her army, mainjjf taining only a shadow of Set ,military || force, and to hand over a great part i| S ■of her navy and disarm the remainder []! land place it under the Allies' control. I'; Tho Allies are to. have free passage | through Austria-Hungary, and freedom jj . to occupy any strategic points—in ji brief, to occupy Austria as a whold as < . a base for operations against Geri many. In announcing these terms Mr Lloyd ; George said that all. the forces of the Allies will now be used against Germany in a great convergf . ing on all front.s. It is un- | necessary to speculate upon tho details f of the terras which will place Germany I in the same position as Austria, for no '' doubt urs shall have them very soon.' } They have been settled, and the Gerf man Government has been informed ' that a copy may be obtained on appli- * • cation to Marshal Foch or Admi'ai Beatty. . It is now, as. the phrase , goes, , "up to" Prince Maximilian, who » • will recognise that the exact degree of " . democratisation achieved in Germany is <i ; not relevant cow to the main problom !j beforo him and the German peoole. It jj .is possible that the' German natioQ jj may for a time bo deluded into think- | ing that a prolongation of the fighting I may lead to an easing of the Allies' | , demands. There are many voices In jj ' Germany, however, pointing out the jj risk that continued resistance ma? | result in the terms being made harsn | and destructive in an extreme degree, jj There is no new reliable information as jj to developments in Germany, and we ji reed not speculate upon that point, ji sir.ee we have two solid facts to rest " upon,' namely, the hopelessness of tho ] . .enemy's military position and the ceri. tainty that the German people sooner .or later, and sooner rather than later, i> will rebel against .the policy of the J "bitter end." Nothing, as we .1 • said before, can reconcile them to a J continuance of the struggle except a 7 great German counter-attack—some j . striking and conclusive demonstration .J that there is a point on the Western | front beyond which Foch cannot proI grcss except at aprice which the Allies I '-Will think too high. The German | armies have for weeks been striving to. this end. continue 'to js

pressed back everywhere. In the Ghent region no substantial movement, has taken place, but from Valenciennes southward to Guise a fresh push has been made, in which the New Zealanders have greatly distinguished themselves. In the meantime the Americans and French have joined up north of the Forest of Argonne, aud rapid progress has been made northwards towards the Sedan-Mezieres railway. There are indications, indeed, that a large scale retreat has commenced.