PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 58, 1 December 1917, Page 8

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

There is news to-day of another sonsational development in Russia. In the full tide of negotiations aiming at peace with the Central Powers, the Bolshevik Government headed by Lenin has been overthrown. Taught by experience of the uncertainties of Russian revolutionary politics, commentators are cautious in estimating the bearing and importance- of .this event, .but the successful attack on Lenin and his faction is obviously a move in the right direction. It is apparently a matter meantime of one set of extremists competing with another. Whether there are now/prospects of a working agreement, between the less fanatical .extremists and the moderate parties remains to be seen. Tchernoff, who stands out.. as the leader of the-latest revolt, -was for a' timo Minister of -Agriculture in the Revolutionary Government. He is the leader of the "Socialist Revo.lutionaries" 'or "Narodmki. A correspondent-of the- ■Manchester Guardian stated soine..tinie,ago that though the members of- this body represent the urban' their doctrines are not Marxist.. • lney are 'Internationalists; •he adds, "but they look more to the peasants than to'tho urban proletariat for the regeneration of Russia, holding that the country is preeminently, agricultural and not industrial. Jt is interesting, to note this leaven of peasantTnfluence m a body-like the Petrograd Council, which nominally represents only urban workers and soldiers. Their presence >s, of course, due to the latter. the increasing part played by peasant representatives is the outstanding feature of. the- latest developments in Russia. What the effect will be upon domestic and foreign policy and upon the war,is still a-matter of speculation, but-it seems possible that the events now recorded may mark the beginning of, a definite reaction and recoil.from anarchy:.

An' American correspondent- m London says tha> a serious effect of the Russian crisis wi 1 bo tnatttumania will bo-cut off from her .West-., ■em Allies; and- that developments in the Balkans will therefore"be' ."mofe interesting/':: .• So.iar as Ru- ; mania is concerned: tragic would;. to a better word than 'interesting. ~U the Russians abandon their battlc-front-and in spite of a slightly improved political recent reports make it difficult to believe, that the front-will bejuaintainedr---the position of -Rumania .will■■- at once be made hopeless. Her armies are already desperately menaced by; the retirement of the Russian forces on their northern flank to positions cast of. Czernowitv.aiid' they;cannot possibly maintain their resistance if their flank is laid open. .The abandonment of their gallant little ally is an infamy from which thiv mostfanatical pcacemongcrs in Russia might be expected .to shrink, but it has vet to- be seen that any. scruples on the point are entertained; by these visionaries. " *. ■*..■■■

' An entirely .satisfactory situation j B reported in th'e.Cambrai region.' In spite of the fact that he ls.hurryr ing troops to this point from Russia, and even, it is stated, 'from -Italy, the enemy has failed to mod-.; ify""the unfavourable position into which he was thrown by tho successful British offensive, and Sin. Douglas Haig's troops arc .improving, and consolidating 'the advantageous positions .they hare y0n.... A brief, -remark in an -enemy - 'cgmiMi-nwe which deserves attention is to,: the effect that.the English shelled Cambrai. No doubt this is intended as. ■a charge against the British of shelling a French town, but the real interest of the announcement is in' the indication it affords that the British guns-have, now been established in positions from which they are able to bombard a junction, which formerly constituted a valuable centre in the enemy's communications, and'is'now so exposed as to have largely, lost its value. The importance ofCambrai'was clearly described sonie.timo.ag/). by an English correspondent, who'; observed that'its fall would certainly have a serious effect upon the enemy s line. It is one of the old centres of communication, the importance of which must still be recognised in spite of tho fact that new roads and railways have hcen built, for war pur-, poses during the war. The great main lilies of railway iollowimrtho ■easy- gradients, ■ the many; sidings, and .arrangements for dealing with heavy traffic, cannot easily be sub-1

stitutccl, and the loss of a junction like Cambrai would mean a serious blow to tbo enemy. "Into this town," the correspondent continued, "comes from the north the line from Douai and Lille, some 45 miles away; from the north-east the line from Valenciennes and Belgiiini; from .the ' oast the line which reaches' 'lie Catcau, famous -in the first fighting of the war, and so joins the great international route through Maubouge to Liege; while by another line linked with this there is communication throligj) Hirson to the German headquarters at Mezieres. and through St. Quen : tin and Guise with the southern section of the retiring front. lii Cam-, brai, too, there cross each other three grcatVßoutcs N-ationales, that .which runs'from Arras by Le Gateap to Mezieres,- that which comes from Amiens through Bapaume ' to ■Valenciennes, and that which, coming from ' St. Quentin, passes through Douai to Lille. This catalogue does not pretend to -be exhaustive, but enough has been said to: show how.many.avenues of communication would/be lost; and won by the- capture of Cambrai.. Cam-; brai is not yet captured, but the m : .'tcrforence with the cnemyls. communications resulting from,the bombardment which has now opened is only less serious than.-.-that.- which would result from the occupation of. the town. •