WITHDRAWN FROM THE LINE

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 98, 25 April 1917, Page 6

WITHDRAWN FROM THE LINE

Recent; reports of the fighting in the Lagnicourt-Bullecourfc district, combined with statements from, Australia concerning the recruiting deficiencies of the island-continent, provided ample warning of the development cabled yesterday —the withdrawal .of the Australian Divisions from the fighting front. So far has the recruiting tally fallen below the reinforcement requirements that it was inevitable that/ something would have to happen after the first big knock, and that knock the Australians received round about Lagnicourt shortly after the opening of the Battle of Arras-Lens. Though the circumstances are still obscured by the equivocal character of the cablegrams, it seems that the Australians advanced with characteristic dash—the dash that cost them heavy casualties, sometimes needlessly, on the Gallipoli Peninsula. They penetrated the enemy line for about 2000 yards, but were unable to retain their position, either because they had charged too far in advance of the covering artillery, or because—as ,one message alleged—an inopportune snowstorm blinded the airmen and therefore the guns, and left a thinned line of Australians unsupported against the German counter-stroke. Whatever the reason, the Australians lost heavily, and in one encounter the Germans claimed 450 prisoners—a claim that has not yet been rebutted. Add to this the heavy nature of the fighting in the whole sector over many days, and the deduction is simple. Owing to lack of reinforcements to meet exceptional wastage, the divisions had either to be reduced in number,,or withdrawn for a considerable period in order that reinforcement on the voluntary basis might catch up with losses. Apparently the latter course has been adopted, and the Australians will be withdrawn " for nearly three months."

Some people wilL say that this fact is a reproach to Australia. It is not, however, the business of New Zealand to sit in, judgment, nor will any good result from recrimination. But it is quite in order to point out that what the world is witnessing is the failure of voluntaryism; it is a failure that, had the French relied upon such a weak policy, would to France have been fatal. And the only reason why it is not fatal to Australia is that Australia does not happen to be France or Britain, the moment, Australia is a sub-nation outside the actual fighting-zone, not in, active touch with hostilities, and depending upon the sacrifice of soldiers not raised in Australia. Therefore Australian' citizens can, for the present, afford to assemble" in their hundreds of thousands and vote "No " on compulsion; but the moment that the first line of defence in Europe arid in European waters fails—arid, fail it might as far as the anti-comptusionlsre are concerned—the remoteness of Australia, in these days of scientific distanceconquest, disappears. And much the satae thing would happen in a Pacific warj on the day when Asia marches, anti-compulsionism will not have in Australia a political value equal to one cent. .What protects ; Australia is the British i(not Australian) naval and Asiatic policy; 'though it must be conceded that the •creation of the Australian Navy was an admirable piece of Federal and Imperial statesmanship. To this brilliant performance it 1 is pleasing to turn at a t time rwhen the- Australian army in France is in temporary eclipse. Unfortunately,.-even in this respect Australians suffer ! from 'the defects of. their : virtues. When Count) Spec's warships fled from the bat-tle-cruiser Australia, they deprived the white populace gathered on the fringe of the continent of any first-hand i evidence of the meaning of war; and the moral effect thereof is seen in the "No" vote. The fears of August, 1914, were.forgot-, ten at the; referendum poll in October, 1916, with'.the'result that in April, 1917, | the Australian infantry falls out oE the line, and the Commonwealth pledge remain* unhonoured. But the history of I thfi/Sfrtigp .will byng means have run

its course with the conclusion of the present war, and payment of moral debts has not been evaded, it has merely been postponed.' - . "