GERMAN DEFEAT CERTAIN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume L, Issue 175, 25 October 1917, Page 7

GERMAN DEFEAT CERTAIN

CONTINUOUS RETIREMENT. "PEACE BEFORE THE RHINE." LONDON, Oct. 4. ■General Smuts, on behalf of the War Cabinet, hats issued a. statement covering the operations on all fronts. _ In the course of this statement he said that with one or two exceptions the enemy is everywhere on the defensive, everywhere slowly retiring before us. "This movement is necessarily slow, from the nature of the new form of warfare, which requires an enormous transport, heavy artillery, and mechanical apparatus of all kinds," said General Smuts, "but even the advance of a mile by us involves tremendous enemy losses "in comparison with those sustained in the great battles of formerwars.' Such losses and defeats are now continually inflicted on the enemy.

"On the Western front, where the power of the German army is gathered, one continuous retirement has been proceeding from the opening of the Somme campaign last year. It is very slow, but very sure. On that almost immovable line /German manhood is bleeding to death, and a tragedy of slaughter is being enacted which is probably unparalleled in the world's history. You need not advance to the Rhine to defeat Germany. One strip of country is as good as another as long as they will only stand. Believe me ,lon'g before the Rhine is reached Germany will sue for peace. Our military predominance on the Western front is no longer in question. Remember that the issue of military predominance is the very one upon which the Germans challenged the world in August, 1914.' Referring to the operations on the Turkish front, he said the ever victorious General Maude had struck a stunning blow on the Euphrates. "Now, when the temperature cools,' he added, '"and fighting on the Turkish front becomes possible, ' we may look forward with interest to developments. It will, quite possibly be a keen struggle, but in the end Turkey" will find she is hot going to be' saved "by her German -masters from further humiliations and defeats." j _ , . Describing German hopes in the submarine campaign' as'' illusory, General Smuts added: "It would be useless'to conceal the fact that there, was; a time when we felt most anxious about the submarine, but that time has passed.' The submarines have been beaten by the silent heroism of the navy and the mercantile marine. Deeds have been done on the seas so astounding that details cannot be published until the end of the war." He felt sure that the future would appraise this aspect of bur "'naval effort at its true value.