PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2953, 16 December 1916, Page 8

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

German peace : mongers have now quite frankly faced inward,' and are volubly telling their own people what they will certainly do when the Allies reject the peace proposals. It may be taken for granted that all the enemy newspapers quoted to-day, though at least three distinct lines of suggestion. are. observable in their outcry, are acting obediently under Government direction. The divergence noted, though it is conspicuous at an immediate view, is quite consistent with the common end and aim of persuading 1 the German' and allied peoples to persevere unflinchingly m the war. The predominant note is one of furious bombast. We are assured that the refusal of the Allies to consider peace will olicit such a response from Germany as the Allies have never dreamed of; that, Germany and her allies will-unanimous-ly approve "a merciless prosecution of tho war with every weapon at our disposal," and much more to the same effect. The Berliner Tagcbla.lt takes a different line in the statement that "not until the New Year shall we know how our thrilling ..appeal (surely an excessive valuation) has struck the hearts of the Entente peoples." The Frankfurter Zeitwnij, in an even humbler tone, pleads . for a peace conference at which, by its, account, the difficulties which now loom so large as ~ opposing a settlement would fade away. As it is taking shape; this peace and war campaign will bo found, instructive by students of German organisation. The leading aim, of course, is to awaken wrath and resentment in the, German people which will reconcile them to an indefinite prolongation of the war. But lest tho response should be slower than is hoped, tho directors of the campaign are playing for time in side suggestions that prospccts of a peace conference, or of peace itself, have not yet departed.

Contemplation of t-hese'rather farcical proceedings must heighten an impression that the Chancellor's pcace overture was directly inspired by a desire_ to'rectify and cover up weaknesses in the German war organisation. As to the dreadful threats that arc being, levelled at tie Jinlcnte, it, is plain enough that if the German people were really as determined as Bethjmnn-Holwegg and his newspaper supporters pretend there would bo no need to make so much noise about it. Wordv protestation in matters of this kind is a patent proof of weakness and apprehension for the future. It has no other significance worth considering in tho case of a nation like

Germany,' which has at once thrown Unrivalled energy into the prosecution of the war, and descended to the lowest depths in violating the laws of humauity and civilisation. Apart from the measure of light cast upon the internal condition of the Teutonic League, the situation at the moment contains little that calls for remark. There is matter for satisfaction, however, in the suggestion that President Wilson is likely to play no more than a postman's part in transmitting the German proposals to the Entente. Apparently he realises that this is not a time for mediation, and is disinclined to invite a rebuff.

In their present efforts to awaken, ardour ana stiffen resolution, tho members of the Prussian Wai\Pa,rty. are probably turning much more anxious eyes upon their allies, and particularly upon Austria-Hungary, than upon Germany itself. Bui-' garia and Turkey are ' no " doubt well under control, but the people of tho Dual Monarchy are in q, plight which may well make them restive under _ the yoke, and increasingly' unwilling- to endure further privations. _ It has been announced .that Austria initiated the peace proposals, and while the announcement may only .mean• 'that Germany is trying to save her own face in tlio matter, it is at least as likely that the demand for a peace move attained such force in Austria -that it could not be denied. The fact is well established that the Dual Monarchy, weakened in any case' by internal dissensions, has in every way incurred proportionately heavier, losses and sacrifices tifan .its chief ally. Such a toll has teen, levied upon the Austro-Hungarian armies that only heavy German reinforcements saved them from decisive defeat in thelater stages of the 1916 campaign. In the matter of food supply also the Dual Monarchy is at a desperate pass, and is materially worse off than Germany. This is well brought out in the following table of prices in- Germany and Austria, based on official, returns published in the Prussian Stalistuche Korrespondenz, and the. official Austrian returns:— Germany. Austria. '. Price Price. Articles. July, Aus. July, Aug. 1914. 1916. 1914. 1916. s; d. s. d. s. d. s. d. Beef, per lb. ... 0 9 231 0101 3101 Veal, per lb. ... 011 2 04 1 11 3 H Pork, per lb. ... 08} 1 7 11 3 7 Bacon, per lb. ..." 0 9 '2 43 0 9 3 91 Lard,. per. lb.. ... '0 81 2 7 081 371 Milk, per qt. ... 0 3 0 4i 0 31 0 6 Butter, p"er lb. 1 2 2 45 .1 41 3 Margarine, per lb. — 0 9 3 71 How. per 71b.... 1 3} 1,6 1 13 3.2 41b.'bread,-rye.-.,.. 0 6 0 85 0 5? 0 101 Eg£3, per doz. ... 010 3 5 0 81 3 0 Potatoes, 71b 0 3 0 63 0 7} 1 31 Haricot beans... 0 2} 0 51 0 21 0 -81 Onions — 0 1J 0 5 Sugar 0 23 03} 0 4- 0 4J

From this it will be seen that while food prices have increased enormously in Germany as compared with pre-war rates, the coincident increase in Austria has been on an average-nearly twice as great. The prico of bread has increased by 43 per cent, in Germany, and by 75 per cent, in Austria.' For beef the increases 'are respectively 198 per cent, and 353 per cent.; for veal, 125J per cent., and 203 per ccnt.; for pork, 117 per cent, and 232 per cent. The capture of supplies in Rumania may have done something to temporarily relieve those conditions, but the latest report on the subject'(a message from a Nines. correspondent . which' was published j yesterday)"speaks'. of . thecontinued prevalence of.;acute .'distress.. Such conditions manifestly emphasise the necessity of the efforts Germany is making to revive popular sentiwent in favour of resolutely conjtinuing the war.

What authority Lord Northcliffe has for his, statement that Britain will have three times as many guns and shells as Germany in 1917 is not stated, bnt there is no doubt that tlje output-of British war factories is increasing at a phenomenal rate. • Mr. Bonar Law, in a statement reported to-day, mentions that an amount of £350,000,000 by which the estimated war expenditure for the past year was exceeded was in' considerable part absorbed in the production of munitions. The increase in munitions, he added, was enormous, and almost .incredible. This, with the provision Britain is now making for an additional millon men for the Army, bringing the total up.to five millions, is the best answer yet made to Germany's latest bluff. For the time Germany holds an -enormous asset of invaded territory,-but dicr own Generalissimo was . unkind enough to- remind" her some time ago that she has no lien upon the future. Her record for 1916 is ono of heavy,. though not decisive defeat in the main theatres, £nd of success in a secondary theatre. Such glimpses as are given to-day of the mounting power of the Allies leave no room for doubt, as to what her fortune will bo in 191 V- -

There is little news of military developments at time of writing. A Russian report tells of a continuous battle in Wallachia, west of -the Buzeu line, and the ' Germans on their part claim that they have' cleared the railway from Bucharest to Cernavoda, arid have therefore mastered the north bank of the Danube to or beyond the latter point. This suggests that they are chiefly intent for the time . being upon compelling the Russo-Ruman-ians to completely evacuate the Dobrudja and gaining command of the whole length- of the Danube to the sea. No definite change is reported at the moment on the""Maccdonian front or in Grccce, but a statement *by Lord Robert Cecil that the Allies are about to presentdemands to Greece with a view to clearing up_ the existing unsatisfactory situation conveys good news If it means that the force required to enforce these demands if they should bo resisted is now available.