NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15770, 19 November 1914, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

GERMANY'S DOOM FORETOLD. In view of the war spirit displayed by German Socialists, it is interesting to recall the prophetic words of their' late great leader, Augustus Rebel, who. as far back as 1900, in a booklet entitled

•' The Permanent Army and Militia," predicted the present war and described its consequences to Germany in a manner that is astonishing for its true description of the events as they have come to pass. " A war between two great Powers will, with mathematical precision, lead to a general European conflagration," declared Bebel. " The German Fleet, no matter how large it may be, will be destroyed by the English Fleet that is certain to be its superior in force, and Germ my will lose all her colonies almost immediately after the declaration of hostilities. Should Japan join her forces with the enemies of Germany, and this would be inevitable if Germany fights England, then all the German colonies n the Far East will be irretrievably lost despite all the superhuman sacrifices In-light in acquiring them. But the mos, fatal result of tho war would be the loss of the German merchant marine and of the world's markets, which will be captured by England. A war with France and Russia, and with England as their ally, would also mean the complete destruction of the power of Germany. Beth France and Russia woidd be pleased at the prospect of Germany warring against England. In that case their wishes would come true, for France would regain Alsace and Lorraine, while Russia would see realised her centuries-old dream of possessing the whole of Poland and reveral important ports at the mouths of the Nieman and Vistula. The number of soldiers and the armament are nearly equal in Germany and France. The war of the future will resemble more a wrestling contest than a war, and first one combatant and then the other will appear to be victorious. It will be a blood-sucking process. But this is but one side of the medal. The other side is the economical situation of the people during the duration of the war. The war will stop commerce and industry. Tho war will stop the export trade of Germany, and under the present economic conditions Germany, robbed of export, cannot exist. As ore of the results of this will be acute unemployment. Besides, the import of goods into Germany twill cease, and Germany cannot exist without imports. The foodstuffs will rise greatly in pi ice, and poverty and misery will reign throughout the land." At tho time ofucii.-! Germany made Bebel the target of insu is and jokes.

GUARDING THE RAILWAYS. It is stated that the British War Office has decided upon a rearrangement of the regulations in respect to the guarding of railways and railway buildings. It has been decided to call upon the National Reserve to undertake this work, and the different territorial associations in til© country have been requested to make the necessary arrangements. When these have been completed the soldiers now doing duty on the railways will be withdrawn and will rejoin their units to undergo the necessary training to render them fit for whatever call may bo made upon them. BIG GERMAN GUNS. A French artillery officer gives some interesting details regarding the working and effects of the German 42-millimetre (I7in) howitzer, from which so much is expected in Germany. " If well served and employed under proper conditions the 17in gun, the officer admits, can produce really disastrous effects, but he observes that the handling and transport are so difficult that these ideal conditions are rarely obtained. Even 36 and 40 horses harnessed to a gun are unable to drag these gigantic pieces of ordnance over the French roads, soaked by rain, while tho mechanism of the gun is so delicate that it is extremely difficult to replace immediately the losses i among the gun team. Again, while ett'ee-

tive at a distance, the 17in is harmless at close range, and at the mercy of a bayonet charge. The officer noticed, furthermore, that the shells burst nearly all too soon or too late, and often not at all. The French Sroops have quickly grasped the best method of dealing with these monsters. Once they have succeeded in passing the zone commanded by their fire they bring the handy 75-millimetre gun in action, sweep away the German artillerymen, especially the engineer gunlayers, and then charge. Already a fair number of these enormous pieces have been captured in this way. The officer expresses the opinion that the 17in is certainly a tine invention, but is only really useful if its position is guaranteed by thoroughly efficient light artillery, such as the French 75gun, and by steady and accurate infantry tire.

TELEPHONE TO THE FRONT. The authorities in Whitehall are able to speak by telephone direct to General French. Messages are received almost from the battlefield itself without delay, and with as much ease as from Glasgow to London. Lord Kitchener can, as a consequence, sit in his chair at the War Office and .speak to General French without any mure trouble than if the commander of the British forces in France was at AJckrshot. This is the first time that science has permitted the British authorities at homo to possess such a close grip of the. circumstances of any war in which they have been engaged. In the South African war the War Office depended upon the cable service, and fortunately throughout the, war, owing to the position of th Boers, the enemy was unable to dislocate this means of communication. Even so, the answer to queries could not follow directly after the question, and could not elucidate facts as readily as a good telephone service.

OVER THE CARPATHIANS. It io 66 years since the last Russian forces crossed the Carpathians ami descended into the rich plains of Hungary. Or. that occasion the Russian armies entered Hungary in response to a pathetic personal appeal made by the Emperor Franc is Joseph, who journeyed to Warsaw to meet Nicholas i- The Russian armies crushed the Hungarian revolt, and saved the Emperor Francis Joseph's throne. To-day, turner another Nicholas, Russian armies nan entered Hungary to free it from the yoke of Austria, to overthrow the throne ami the dynasty of the same Emperor, and to avenge haif-a-century of policy marked by ingratitude towards Russia for the part slin played in saving the Austrian throne in the revolution of 1848. The Russians are entering Hungary by the same passes and over the same roads that took the armies of Nicholas 1., and also by other roads and other passes, tor the. whole Carpathian range from the 21st meridian eastwards, that is, from the meridian on which Tare.off stands, is in the possession of Russia. Among other points abandoned by the fleeing Austrian armies is the entrant to the easiest and test pass over tli-> Carpathians at Dukla. These admirable high roads lead through this pass into Hungary, and the total distance to buda Pest-h is under 200 miles.

THE GERMAN FORTRESSES. Twice the French have advanced in Alsace, and each time their objective has been Strasburg. This may indicate that the allies' plans are such that Strasburg and Metz will have to be taken or invested before the allies' advance up the Rhine can take place. Metz is protected by 11 forts. It has a strong garrison and long lines of warehouses, barracks, and arsenals designed to support, an army operating on its front. Strasburg was designed by von Moltke, who declared it to be impregnable. He said it would permit the German Army to operate east and west of the Rhine without hindrance. Approaches by road and rail are commanded, and citadel railways connect the 15 forts and arsenals and stores, while lines of trenches are ready for occupation. "Vast stores are concentrated in Strasburg.