PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3186, 10 September 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Sekiocjs questions aro raised by the news, officially transmitted, that the Swedish Minister to Argentina has been convicted of sending anrl receiving German code messages relating to submarines. Tho details thus far supplied suggest that the Argentine Government has been flouted and fooled _ in _ a. fashion which reflects upon its vigilance and will injure its dignity, but the very fact that it has been treated so cavalierly seems to acquit it, as a Government, of complicity. Whether individual Ministers or other citi- ! Zens of tho Republic are implicated remains to be seen. Still moro important issues aro raised where Sweden is conccrncd. The Swedish Minister at Buenos Aires acted a German agent, sending and receiving as his own messages in furtherance of the German submarino campaign, notably information enabling tho enemy submarines to intercept and attack particular ships, including a number flying the flag of Argentina. Presumably, theso messages must have been sent to Berlin by way of Stockholm, and this, obviously, implies tho complicity of the Swedish Government. There is at all events a caso to answer, and the Allies aro, of course, bound to call Sweden to account. Tho fatter country had not previously laid itself definitely open to a charge of departing from neutrality in favour of Germany, though it takes a big part in tho trado with Germany which tho American embargo promises to heavily reduce and came into dispute _ with tho All'es over tho mining of the northern channels entering tho Baltic. At one time the pro-German party in Sweden was but war developments repressed its ardour, and the Socialists, headed by Herh Bkantino, who is strongly proAlly, aro regarded as the rising power. A change of Government in Sweden seems likely to be ono outcome of the revelations now made. In any' case, a state of extreme tension has been created ■ which demands a radical remedy. Tho settlement should involve another striking demonstration of the working of "Germany's peculiar brand of diP * *

Apart from the position of Sweden, tho exposure of the GermanSwedish machinations should be tho last thing needed to bring Argentina into line with thoso Latin Republics which aro moro or less definitely making common oauso with tho United States. Argentina was admittedly regarded by tho Germans as their last important foothoM in South America, and while deceiving tho Republic in the manner now exposed they havo at the same time intrigued busily with the object of retaining a place in its good graces. One result of their activities was to impose serious disabilities on tho A'lies in connection with the purchase of Argentine wheat. "Distrust of tho United States and discord among tho Latin-American Republics; internal unrest, to be connected in the popular mind with the determination of the Allies to continue the warj a I'outrance—theso (a.n American correspondent wrote recently) aro the seeds of present and future trouble that Gorman diplomacy, private and official, appears to bo sowing in Argentina and Chile." An indication that Germany was losing ground in Argentina in spite of her industrious efforts was given recently when, in response to a demand by the Republic, she mado paper promises to modify her piratical tactics at sea. Argentina is now as well placed as possible to estimate what these promises aro worth.

The engagement between an Allied merchant convoy and a German submarine flotilla which is reported by tho Now York Tribune presents somo unusual features. As a rule tho 'Üboats hunt singly, sometimes in couples, but as information stands they aro hardly ever concentrated in flotillas in the campaign against merchant shipping. A submarino flotilla attacked the escorted convoy which transported the first section of tho American Expeditionary Force to Franc©; but on that occasion it was reported that the_ German Admiralty had received information from spies as to the dato on which the convoy would sail. Tho convoy attacked in tho circumstances described by tho Tribune consisted of merchant ships bound across the Atlantic to American ports, and it must bo assumed either that the Germans in this case also had prior information, or that tho Allies havo so developed tho convoy system as to compel tho enemy to greatly modify his tactics in under-sea warfaro.' If it became the rule to concentrate the submarines in flotillas in order to attack convoys tho effective scope of their operations would probably bo very materially reduced. Ono of the miain advantages claimed for tho convoy system is that it is possible to afford naval protection to convoys where tho protection of singlo ships would bo impossible, but in tho case reported on to-day the merchant ships were without naval escort. Presumably they, had been escorted into an area where they were supposed to bo .safe, or where, at_ all events, it was considered unlikely that thoy would be attacked. Tho Germans' sprang a surprise, but although four of the twenty-two merchantmen in the convoy were sunk, three of the seven' attacking U-boats shared the same fate. The fact thattho ships, after returning to port, wero dispatched to their destinations singly indicates an expectation that submarines might again bo encountered in flotillas. No doubt by alternating between the dispatch of convoys and the dispatch of singlo ships the Allies might gain a. good deal in tho way of confusing tho enemy's dispositions. As a whole* the report raises interesting questions in regard to the development of events at sea, but it cannot, of course, be accepted with tho samo unquestioning faith as if it wore official. That it has passed the censorship is not conclusive/ ovidence of its accuracy.

Tho Aru (or moro correctly Aroe) Islands, reported to havo suffered a Revere earthquake, are about 100 miles south of Papua (New Guinea). Iliey aro the headquarters of tho Celebes Trading Company's pearling gronilAs, which produce tho best pearl shells in tno world. The group consists of alwut twenty islets, separated by chann-ls called suogais. They are composed chiefly of coral, nnd tho highest point in the group is only about 300 ft. above sea lovel. Earthquakos are frequently experienced. The chief town, Dobo, has a population of about 5000 of mixed Asiatic races, and the Aronoso native population numbers about '10,000.