PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3038, 27 March 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Judging by to-day's reports a great battle is about to opein in the Western theatre, in which thn ability of the Germans to successfully shorten their I lino will be put to a definite test. Correspondents with both the French and British armies tell substantially tho same' story, but the situation is most definitely, summed up by a Eeuter correspondent at French headquarters. He states that the enemy, having already suffered heavy loss under the yapid French pursuit, has ndw been compelled to turn at bay. ; Large masses, of the enemy infantry, the correspondent adds, aro nowl ongaged on tho whole front from opposite St. Quentin, south to tho River Ailette. Another aspect of -the Allied pursuit is brought out by a correspondent at British headquarters. who describes the. tremendous efforts that aro being made By day and night.'labour in the conquered area to put roads and bridges in a state to carry the heaviest transport. The British as well as the French now appear to ba meeting an organised resistance at all points. Taking tho details of the official reports with tho dispatches which have been quoted thero does'not seem any reason to doubt that the enemy now' finds himself under the necessity of attempting ,to hold; or oheck the Allies, instead of continuing his retreat. "That such a necessity "should arise was to be expeoted. The Germans have gained momentary relief by their retirement in the area between Arras and Soissons, and they have shortened their front in that area by something over .twenty miles. But tho > retreat as yet is local, and in its present development leaves them with' pressing problems unsolved, particularly as regards the defence of, or withdrawal from, that section of their front which extends north from .Arras through' Artois and Flanders, to the North Sea. It seems unlikely that up, to the present tho enemy's retreat ' has done anything to diminish the demand made upon his resources in tho Western theatre. It is a question; whether the shortening of line he has effected will compensate for the loss of labour and material sunk in what remained of his fortified positions in the Somme region .when the retreat -began.V On the other hand, ho has visibly lost an important advantage of ground! Except as part of a general and extended retreat the movement to the rear he has thus far made seems meaningless, but if ho has embarked upon a general retreat ho is only at the beginning of his task, and he has already laid himself dangerously open to the great attack which the Allies are undoubtedly making ready to

launch. - » * As to tho position actually reachfid it will be noticed that the British have made some further progress west of Croisilles, on the approach to Cambrai, but more pronounced headway has been - made further south in the advance upon St. Quentin. On the' Ca-stres-Essigny line, mentioned in an official report, the. French are now less than three miles distant from that junction, and they are working round :_it on the south. Essigny is practically due south of St. Quentin;\ait a distance of slightly over four miles. It has been suggested that the Germans will make a, stand upon a lino covering Cambrai, St., Quentin,' and Laon, but whatever tho pnemy's intention may have been it is fairly certain .that bis plans have been.badly upset by, the vigour of the Allied.pursuit, From tho line they now hold the Allies should bo able to make . St. Quentin junction useless to ' the onemv as soon as their guns are in position. .Further south, .towards the Aisno, the French'are still forging ahead in wooded country and on the outskirts of Folembray they thej are little more than .fifteen miles distant from Laon. It is in the vicinity of St. Quentin, however, that a dangerous invasion; of tho enemy's main communications is most- obviously threatened, and the prospect of a.break through at. this point would in itself ampjy account for the effort it is supposed he will now make to stem , the Allied ad-

vance. ; /' e . * * * It has been remarked that the enemy's most serious problems in th< near future are likely to'arise or that part of his front which extends north from Arras to'the sea. The reason is obvious. The Allied ad vance in wako of the German re: treat in the Somme region has'ex : posed the enemy's 'northern line to a heavily-incrcasod danger of at tack in flank and rear. The greal battle,now in prospect will not necessarily take shape only in the ares or the German retreat. It is vorj possible that the Allies niy.y launol a powerful attack against t,he north: ern front in concert with a dovelop merit of the operations' in progress between Arras and the Aisne. Th< Gormans to-day give a somewhat in flatod account of what was presum ably an ordinary raid upon Britisl tranches south-east of Ypres. Nc doubt the incident is chiefly sigm Scant as indicating the enemy'i anxious desiro to penetrate the de signs of the : In a message, just received f Times correspondent at British head quarters' is quoted as stating tlia the British are ; now passing well built dugouts, trendies, and gun pits, and vast quantities of valuabl< material-, miles' behind the surrett dered line. This is in keeping wit! what has gone before, t< afford clear evidence that the Ger mans have been driven beyond thi line on which they hoped and in tended to make a stand. As muol was iilready suggested in the nea approach of ths Allies to St. .Quod tin! If he has been driven ovor hi intended lino, the onemy's pros pects in the battle which is believe* to bo imminent are, of course materially impaired. A mesßagi which denies that a set battle ha yet opened, though it adds that ver; heavy fighting, is in progress, state tha.'/the Germans are expected t' hold a line passing, three mile south-west of St. Quentin, practic ally the line tfhioh has now beei reached. It is obvious, however that such a. line has elements o

weakness, and that a penetration of their line at St. Quenfcin would ba a very serious matter .for the Germans. It is still an open question whether tho Allies will be able to convert tho enemy retreat- into a rout, but indications at the moment arc certainly promising.- Doubtless the enemy's leading aim is to so shorten his Western front as' to materially 'rfedisa fcho call it at present makes rffion his resources.. He cannot achieve that end without withdrawing his northern armies from their present front in Flanders and Artois, and the problem of extricating these forces is rapidly assuming an aspect of/greater difficulty and complexity. If the enemy, as current reports indicate, has been unable to adhere to time-table and programme in the first stafjo of his retreat, ho is manifestly, likely to get into much greater difficulties and to be penalised accordingly as he enters upon further stages of the movement. • *."*••*/ •• Y While their affairs are going badly in the .West, the Germans will find little consolation in late developments in Russia. Something 1 has been heard recently about tho disturbing influence of some extremist sections of the population of that country, but.'to-day's reports imply that reorganisation under the now Government is proceeding apace. Steps are being taken to set up a compact Cabinet Committee to assume responsibility for tho main direction of the war, and General Alexieff has formally notified the President of the Council that the Army has taken the oath of loyalty to the Fatherland and Provisional Government. Weight may fairly bo attached to the assuranro of Professor; Miliukoek tKafc Russia .'will justify the confidence of her well-wishers. As leader of the Constitutional .Democrats,. Professor Miliukoff stood out boldly for a policy of internal reform and the vigorous prosecution of the war at a time when'that course, was not free from danger.'