THE WAR

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 41, 16 August 1918, Page 6

THE WAR

The battle continues without abnormal development, with the centre of greatest activity on the hills su Lassigny. The report that Laa?;gny lim been taken still

awaits <!ii!ifin».iiitioi], but it is officially ?U.'.e.l that Kibecouvt, seven miles to cho south-east, on the Oise, has been taken by tile French. This capture is presumably one of the immediate fruits of the advance on the Laseigny Massif, for Ribeeourt stands at the foot of the hills at the eastern end of the plateau, and no doubt became untenable by the enemy as the French made progress. ', Further north the line is unchanged, and the chief influence on the enemy's situation eeems to be rather in the hands of the Allied aerial forces than in that of the armies at present. The fighting forces are not yet in sha-pe to attempt a further big attack, but the aviators' lia.ve boen steadily at work since the opening of th* battle, and are treating the German lines of communication, his roads, railways, and bridges, with the utmost severity."

Still furtheri north an interesting development has appeared—a German withdrawal across the old trenchline of the days of the Somme between Beaumont Hamel and Bucquoy; that is on a. sector of about five .miles, beginning five miles north of Albert, just in front of Bapaume, which is about six miles from the line. The significance- of this move ■■•af not at tho momont apparent. But it is notable that the bulk of the line which has been moved back ds north of the famous B&paum'e ridge which was tJic backbone of the German defence in the Battle of the Somme, and this implies a certain weakening of the enemy's defence if it is considered as comprising the same scheme as operated 1 in the 1916 campaign. The defence of the ridge against which the British attack swung depended for its tenacity upon the firmness with which the western portions of the ridge were held; so that the whole attack had p to carry the ridgo broadside on instead of traversing it from end to end. This new withdrawal hints at an abandonment of the idea of using the ridge in the same way again.

There is a hint of possible trouble in the report cabled yesterday that Mexico has replied unfavourably to British pTOtests against a decree,, which affects British interests in the Mexican oil business. Mexico alleges that no foreign Power has any right to protest against Mexico's fiscal legislation: and, put thus baldly and without the illuminating detail which presumably exists, the Mexican case looks reasonable. The additional statement that the Mexican Government is prepared to allow the Mexican courts to decide vth ether the decree is unjust, however, raises a strong suspicion that there is "a nigger in the woodpile," and' that the present friction about Mexican oil is a renewal of the trouble which sprang up over the same subject in the early part of last year. Since the famous incident of the German Note to Mexico, little ha-s been heard of the attitude or condition of the Republic, but it is apparent from recent American publications that all is not so peaceful as it seems. Carranza, who owes his position as President to the favour and help of the United States Government, is not moved by that fact in the direction of benevolentneutrality, or even, to maintain strict neutrality.

As the San Francisco Argonaut puts it, "from the day that he was helped into authority by President Wilson he has been the enemy of President Wilson's Government. % First in secret waya, more recently in open ways, he has exhibited contempt and resentment wheru gratitude was due. He has sought by every possible means to promote in Mexico not the interest of the United States, but the interest of Germany. German influence now rules in Mexico. . . .

If a way shall become available to divert the resources of Mexico to German account, and to aid Germany in establishing a foothold in that country, Carranza may be counted upon to turn the trick. There is, of oourse, no way of knowing definitely his relation to the German Government, but it is a safe presumption that he hae been bought with German gold. No other theory explains recent circumstances, including Ms formal expressions of friendship for the Kaiiser and his < pin-pricking activities against the United States." And the paper goes on to hint at the necessity of an American military action of a nature more serious than on previous occasions—which is probably exactly what Germany would like to see.

A German retreat to a short defensive line, on or near German territory, would raise a new set of difficulties for the Allies, but it would also create new disadvantages for Germany. One of these would be the greater 'HaJbility of the Rhine Valley, and of interior Germany, to Allied aerial raids. As time goes on, bringing a vastly increasing number of Liberty motors and a decreasing mileage between the Allied aerodromes and Germany, the Germans will suffer air-raiding on a scale to which experience hitherto provides but a slight index. In yesterday's issue, under the heading of "Hun Brutality," the London correspondent of the Melbourne Age shows that the German populace of the Rhine towns is already appealing to Berlin to diplomatically avert the punishment which Germany has herself invited. But will Hun entreaty find in the Britain of to-dky the hearing it would once have found? Certainly the reprisal sentiment sounded by Sir Conan Doyle, coming from an Englishman of his moral authority, has an ominous ring. When the Age's correspondent penned his despatch, emphasising Sir Oman. Doyle's attitude, the Ger-man-American reprisal contest had not developed; it is, however, even more eloquent than the outburst of an individual Englishman. Germany has two weapons^-terrorisdng truculence and hyipocrifaical repentance. The Allies have not been demoralised by the one, and are little likely to be deceived by the other.