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Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 274, 4 November 1916, Page 4

The resumption of the Italian offensive east of the Lsonzo takes its place as one of the well-timed movements calculated to convince the enemy that danger now lies in depleting any section of his lengthened front iu order to reinforce another. General Cadorna’s fresh, attack on the Carso must necessarily have an intimate effect on General Falkenhayn’s attempt at the subjugation of 'Runtauia, and if the weather will only permit of its being pressed with persistence and vigour it will find itself reflected in a weakening of the Austro-German movement from Hungary. Despite that we arc told a few days back that activity in the Trentino had been suspended on account ox winter conditions having set in. it is quite possible that the reported withdrawal of Austrian troops from that quarter may induce an attempt at a renewal of the Italian offensive there also. It is evident that the Allied Couticil of War does not yet consider that the time has come for a simultaneous concerted attack in all sections, but is bent on harrying and flurrying the enemy, first at one point and then at another, with a view to reducing both his numbers, and his morale as a preliminary to the great crash that may yet. be far away from precipitation, but is none the less inevitable, do we but hold firm to our purpose.

There is no news to indicate any material change in the Rumanian situation, which, so far as the Austro-German attack from the north is concerned, seems to have reduced itself to a concentrated effort to reach Bukharest from the Predeal and neighbouring passes. So far as the messages to hand at the time of writing are a guide the Russo-Rumanian forces are proving sufficient to effectively frustrate this purpose, while in the Dobrudja Mackensen has evidently been brought to a standstill, more than doubtful of Falkenhayn’s ability to carry out his share in the arranged plan. Sakharoff is, however, not likely to let matters stagnate altogether, and we should hear shortly that he is stirring the enemy to activity on Rumania’s southern front. Although things are by no means in a state of quietude on the Salonika front, and indeed considerable successes are being gained, still there is no outstading evidence of any immediate endeavour to press strongly on to such an invasion of Bulgaria as would compel the close and immediate attention of the Centra] Powers, which have set their hearts so much on the retention of co’ihol o tin ni’in Balkin idihiax -I icm Ills how 1 1, mivchitiop it im turn picniih I t uculk m I'lic'i ij '■■atisr ictoii'y p onmd lor In that unhappy country internal dimension c roi s stiongi i ciciv d \ 11 d uni vai is p aetje ’ll ’ 1 pio uic 1 ith pihi pi< spe< i of I'-'-u n mg larger dimensions.

I Although there is still little official news from the main Russian front, a Petrograd press correspondent yesterday gave us assurance that Brusiloff’s activities have been in no way suspended. This message told us that his energies had been particularly directed towards Vladi-mir-Volynsk, in Volhynia, and had been rewarded by substantial progress. At the same time it- was said that the Germans were making a strong artillery demonstration against the northern Russian lines, the purport of which seemed not yet to have become clear. That there has been some tremendous fighting going on upon the Dniester, in Galicia, has always been confidently assumed, and the same message indicated that the enemy had fully

realised the importance of retaining his hold on Halicz, to which he was clinging most tenaciously with th* 1 aid of reinforcements of picked troops believed to have been drawn from the Western front. To-day the only fresh word is rd an admitted cueinv success on the Stokhod, in Volhynia. where he has diiten th»‘ Russians out of som>‘ over-salient position. The long-continued spell of bad weather on the west front, which may mean the opening of an unusually early winter, has badly retarded operations tbeie. Despite this, there is generally some little advance, to note as an indication that, but brief respite is allowed to the Germans in their new trenches, and to-day is no exception, a joint movement by the Fieii' Ii ami British having" secured some further considerable accession of ground m the neignbourhood of Lesboeufs and badly bailhsel. Ihe Germans are com) lb d to 1 belted idnnssion of th tl tn him nt ot 1 it I iux, on tin I uun tint an 1 ecm to tint < n 01-itirr tic 11 th? fact th it tn v wtic al It to acuate it without t u 1 tench it c< gnistng that th c h id done Beilin will, however gain little ''omfort from this 1 itlu 1 ingloi ous quel to the undfitikinp which wi to itduie the litmh Aimc to 1 c ndition of impotence.