THE WAR

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 143, 17 June 1916, Page 4

THE WAR

The military correspondent of The Times, Col. Eepingtoa, is a cWious writer, not at all given to wild enthusiasm or to the underrating of the enemy. His remarks upon the influence of the Russian offensive are therefore of more than ordinary value; and they convey at least one important piece of information to New Zealand readers. It is that Yon Hindenburg has been "sucked dry" of troops for the sake of tlie Verdun offensive. Col. R-epingfcou does not quote his evidence, and may be arguing only on general principles; but he probably has very good reason for making so important a statement. An inadequate supply of troops would, of course, explain the absence of a great German offensive in the north of the eastern front to relieve the pressure on the Austrians; and it is difficult to find another explanation for it. • Germany must be very strongly impressed with the danger of a serious defeat of her ally. She was probably directly responsible for the offensive against Italy, for although Austria carried out the work, the latter nation is subject in full to the orders of the great General 'Staff of w,hich the German war-chiefs are the head. If Austria has put her head into a trap, Germany must take the greatest share of the blame, and is bound, not so much by the demands of honour, which probably concern her little, as by necessity, to do what she can to rectify the blunder. The Repington review of the position credits Russia with having the power to attack the centra and the north, as she has just attacked the south, of the eastern front; and the same critic has already shown that he thinks the enemy has, generally speaking, reduced his eastern forces a good deal. A simultaneous offensive all along the eastern front would thus create a very serious position. The only doubt which most people have had about the Russian front is whether Yon Hindenburg has had a trump up his sleeve in the,, way of a great offensive force for a "northern attack.

Out of the tangle the Battle of Verdun emerges as an event of extraordinary importance. At Verdun the enemy has made his greatest effort of the war; and so far he has achieved singularly poor results. At times the sacrificial assaults, ii> which German blood was poured out with that amazing indifference to its value that none but a German Staff can fathom, have threatened to reap some adequate reward; but everywhere the defence by the French has been unbreakable. At the best the enemy has been only able to wear away a, little of the French lines; and the wearing process has been exceedingly slow, except in the beginning. Even if at last it ended in the capture of Verdun, the Germans would find that the real effect upon France of that capture would be remarkably small, and the road to Paris as firmly barred as ever. Moreover, if by dint of this persistent and terrible hammering at Verdun the French were exhausted to near the danger point, the real strength of the Allies could readily be summoned. At short notice the British forces could be hurled against the Germans. , The Allies do not know whether Germany has .any hidden reserves. But Germany knows well that tho Allies have a great store of power which has yet not been touched; and it is the fear of a huge British offensive which has tied more than three-quarters of a million Germans opposite the British front throughout the Verdun offensive. The enemy's ambition in attacking Italy gave Russia her opportunity, and made it a good one. The enemy's ambition in attacking Verdun has prevented Germany from assisting the Austrians. Recent events have shown that ths enemy is now committed'to about as great an effort as she can safely manage. Tlie next move seems to lie with Russia. If she can> strike again, in a fresh place, the words of Col. Repingtoii may soon come true.

A message from Bucharest reports that Czernowitz has fallen, and if the report is confirmed the news will«create no surprise. Russia laid her plans well for the attack upon this city, and the past day or two has shown that a very tight grip had been secured. The enemy had left to him no clear line of supply, and there seems little prospect of much good being done by standing a siege in a town which may not be effectively defended. Whatever the strength of the garrison, it is probable that the Austrians would try to save it from the inactivity of a siege. While Czernowitz is undoubtedly a town of much importance, its value is mainly political. Kolomea, about fifty miles further west, is of much greater strategical importance, because it lies upon the most easterly of the railways which come from Hungary through the Carpathians and thus act as main lines of supply. Kolomea is an important junction, and if it could be secured, along with the smaller town of Delatyn to the west of it, this railway would be completely wiped out for the enemy, and a great advantage gained by the Russians.

The rapid phase of thfi Russian advance has been ended, at all events for the present, and the enemy is described as holding prepared defensive positions and fighting better An important struggle is now going on north of Buczs.cz, whore the Russians are endeavouring to force a crossing over the Strypa river, with the object or making the. enemy retire from the area west of T&Tnopol, and the cables indicate that they depend upon indirect efforts to achieve their purpose, though a, battle may have to be fought in the Tarnopol region. The enemy is not- in Tarnopol, but-, some miles to the west-of »>. A sttlds i& W.A fe&Uttg of slk&sj? giuptf in Auatru. by tk£_JUsiifcii dim-

sive is the fact that the authorities have _ ordered a third revision of the remaining men of military age, in order to sort out of those previously rejected all who are fit for military duty under a new standard made to meet the necessities of to-day. The message states that on the previous revision. 75 per cent, of the men between 18 and 50 were called up. When it is remembered that of the young men who yearly become liable for service 75 per cent. of _ "fit" is as much as can be expected, this' report indicates that the Austrian authorities have come down to very, inferior material, particularly when allowance is made for the vast, aifount of work which a modern war demands outside the ranks of the army itself.

The position in Greece is peculiar. According to the latest •cable news, the Government 'is allowing all sorts of liberties to the pro-German propagandists, and there have been deliberate efforts to provoke a breach with the Allies. The latest scheme is said to be a.n effort _to create disturbances which shall justify the authorities in declaring martial law; and as the authorities seem to be definitely under the German thumb, such a regime would put a complete stop to the furthering of the Allies' interests_ in the country. The Allies are still maintaining some pressure upon Greece by restricting shipping; but that is an invisible effect which may have no influence'upon the elements which are depended upon to bring about the desired trouble. It is reported that the majority of Greeks would welcome any steps 'the Entente cares to take in order to upset the present scandalous form of government. At present it is very doubtful whether, after all, the Allies can do more than exert pressure. If the Greek Government deliberately condemns the country to the suffering which must follow such a step, for instance, as a complete blockade, the remedy would seem to lie with the people themselves, rather than with the Allies. Recent reports have shown that the Greek army has been in part demobilised ; but the Government, while it has so. far yielded to the Allies' demands, shows no signs of trying to get rid of that other army of German-agitators which'is doing its best to make a catspaw of the nation.

The French have shown the Crown Prince again that lie has not a monopoly of offensive power at Verdun, by attacking and taking some of the entrenchments on the ' slopes of the Mort Homme. The Germans naturally counter-attacked at the earliest opportunity, but completely failed to recover the lost trenches. On the other side of the Meuse, renewed German attacks of great weight at Thiaumont (designed to take the Vaux position in flank) again failed. The situation at Verdun re. mains as solid as ever.