PROGRESS OF THE WAR

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9629, 9 April 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

President Wilson’s speech has ■ received formal recognition and ■ cordial commendation. ■ from the- King and Parliamentary leaders of tho nation. The King strikes the dominant note of the situation with his recognition of tho world-wide results of the American intervention. , The Prime Ministei does justice, to the President’s, glowing periods, and gives them their special value as placing the United-States in tho lino of Democratic nations, fighting for the greatest cause that ever appealed to human endeavour. . And ■he is generous-as-well as picturesque in his justification of the long delay in tho recognition of the* great principles at stake. Mr Asquith rounds off the situation with bis reference to .the .union ..of .the whole .of tho Englishspeaking people in the - great struggle for freedom and right, and points but that, the United States have, like the United Kingdom,' been forced into, tho war by the highest considerations of honour and the unprincipled aggressiveness of the enemy. : Neither el these statesmen has neglected to describe the enemy’s character in telling terms. With tho King, both show great confidence in tho determination of America to use tho public resources to the utmost; Perhaps the greatest impression will be produced in America by Lloyd George’s recognition of the chivalry and courage which have been tile main motives of her entry into the war. - -

■ This confidence is ■well placed. ■lt passes by the frequent criticism that the dollar rules in America, declaring in effect that the real ruler of America is the American "soul, "which in this crisis has emerged beyond . all doubt as the ruling power, with lofty ideals. and noble language. A hundred years have elapsed since Britain and- America, wore-at war. The circumstances of the;- alliance between them just . effected guarantee that never again can there-be war between them. Their common great cause, and their splendid"'method of its acknowledgment - hare cemented the union for all time of the whole of the English-speaking people. With them stand the great democracies of France and Italy, and Russia is joined as a great 'Democratic Power. Thoughtful men have talked with passionate zeal of a great union of nations for the preservation of the peace of the world after the war. - But before the .end of the war that great union is ah accomplished fact. • The heroism, the sacrifices, and the efficiency of the Allies have secured the support of the great American nation. The greatest World Power for peace ever seen in the world is now launched on its splendid mission. It will begin by beating down tho most hideous menace that has ever assailed civilisation and liberty. It will end by securing tho permanence of peace among mankind.

America has lost no time in providing for her share in the final struggle of Armageddon. Vast credits have been established, a great army has been voted, the fleet is mobilised, the German merchant ships interned have been seized, 90 of an, aggregate of 630,000 tons; numbers of enemy spies have been arrested and’ thousands are under'surveillance. The detail of the battleships, as given in ' a cable message, is eminently satisfactory, fof_.it gives a total of .27 mobilised —12 firstclass and 25 second-class —which is the number given in the Naval Annual as likely to be ready in 1921, which means that the speeding-up process of the last year has been very effective.

The mobilisation implies that the fleet will be ready for immediate service. As to ti e army, there is no reference to anything for immediate service. But as both Viscount Bryce; and Sir William Robertson are reported to-day as advocating the use of an American Expeditionary Force, and as the report of the seizure of the German traders 'mentions that they can be used as transports, it now appears likely that America may be quickly represented in the field by a fairly largo" army, say, almost immediately of about the size of the British Army which went to France under Marshal French, which, after the ‘ Marne, reached between 100,000 and 150,000 men. ' The goodwill and expansive power of America may be depended on

to increase the numbers without unnecessary delay. The Americans arc just as alive as Mr Lloyd George to the importance of the part thev have now taken up as a great M orldl ower. They will strain every nerve to make that part worthy of the American nation. The President’s proclamation settles the point hy its appeal to “every American to give undivided support to necessary military measures.” And what undivided support can do in the United States in the matter of setting armies in_ the fielu of first-class quality, the North and the South—now united enthusiastically—showed in the great Civil ”W ar. America will be served to the utmost effort hy the traditions of the Grand Armies which fought each other—traditions kept afresh to this day hy annual celebrations—and tho memory of the heroic, enlightened thoroughness of Abraham Lincoln will find a great ally in the latter-day development of national efficiency which is the great discovery of tho present war.

Tho expeditionary force according to an American account is not to be more than 5000 strong, the report adding .that fear of too much claim on the available tonnage is the deciding factor. The story is not official, and as America is not likely to be satisfied •with so small a force, we must suspend judgment on the point until we got official and more definite, nows.

The Russian nation has at last consolidated the new order. The fact is signalised by the departure for the front of troops for tho first time since the success of the Revolution. the troops had a tremendous send-off, as they marched with their democratic flags. The inscriptions show that the soldiery of Russia mean to win the war as the best method of establishing the Russian Republic on tho best lines of national freedom. The figjhting reported to-day is of secondary importance. The Russian armies are settling down to their work, and presently wo shall hear of great doings. The j Minister for War recently declared that Germany is preparing a great °£ en ' sivo. The probability is that this offensive, if it is in preparation—and there is not any sign of it* in the present aperaf ions—will ho forestalled. ihe Germain reports claim a great victory in the .Stokhod—on the Kovel sector —hut the Rotrograd accounts of the fighting; do not encourage, anyone to believe in the claim, which is made to make Germany think that her troops are Impairing the Russian line. Moreover, the offensive expected by the Russian War' Minister was to he on the Riga front. The Stokhod story looks like a theatrical paper campaign for political .purposes. The interest in the Russian front will presently he -due to more definite operations on a large scale, on the Russian initiative. The departure of Russian troops looks like the enthusiastic beginning of a now campaign— . - ... .

- -Genera) Ivanoff lias sworn fealty to the new Government, we learn, to-day, but he is not employed. Oh the coh--1x317, he is only, at liberty_ under surveillance. . The fact, emphasises the statement that it has been found necessary to retire many of the ■higherplaced officers as'- unable* to accommodate themselves to the new conditions..

■ The rival organisation to the Duma has attempted to make a new departure —arresting the Executive of the Duma and the ,ex-Czar-—under pretence, of the dangerr of a counter-revo-lution. But the troops simply laughed, at. them, and the Council of» Soldiers and Workmen has’ collapsed. It will not. affect - the campaign:.:

Sir- Dougins Haig reports a further advance to the north of St. Quentin, and ,to the north-west of -Noreml. .which is south of Croisijles. That menus that having cleared the coun-try.-between Arras and St. Quentin he pushing forward both ends, of his line of advance. In that, region it is significant that he reports, the Josses of, the enemy in that fighting a» enormous, judging by the large numbers of dead in various localities- left; 'the enemy’s; positions were, it.'.is evident, heavily .stormed,: and his, retreat from them -hurried. Under-the -circumstances tho cbnfinued. British advance at the end of the line looks like, a steady victorious progress.

. At the -other side .of St., Quentin, between the Somme and the Qiso, the French' report only active ■ artillery fighting, which means that the enemy is holding strong positions which require heavy artillery work before the infantry attacks, -under tho new tactics, can. be -made,; ; No- doubt-, the steady British advance to the north of St. Quentin will help. them. ■ , It ■ w evident'that the enemy is anxious ,to hold St. Quentin as a strong point of his main railway system. •

Further east, on the; lines of St. Gobain, the Ailette, and the Aisne plateau,- similar conditions prevail to tho,so between the Somme and - the Oise. Still further on the .east . tne battle on tho Reims sector has- developed - with., great fierceness. The enemy., claimed, a success two days ago ■ln that- region. The line of -entrenchments crosses the Aisne in this sector just west of.Berry-au-Bac and Sapigneiil, which places are'about a. mile apart. The French account to-day is that the enemy is driven hack on a front' of 2500 yards, losing not only the positions outlined the other day, but others of his old line. It . looks like a determined > French advance against Laon by the gap of Reims. That"" may be'the reason for the confinement, to artillery of the . attack west of Lion—delayed, lor the advance by -the- gap to the cast, of the place. . . : .« • • • • ,

At Verdun the 'French have advanced on the right bank. The enemy claim to have-repulsed them at Malan* court. That. means that the “French advance is serious. Whether this is fh co-ordination with the great offensive against the Cambrai-St. QuentinLaon fine remains-to be Iseeh; It is, at all- events when taken in • connection with the French attack at Sapigneul, very suggestive. - ' -. •

'Sir Douglas Haig reports' a groat raid of aeroplanes behind the German line on bis front, which did much execution on railway junctions, munition dumps, and aerodromes. The enemy calls it a reconnaissance, describes it as strong, and claims to hare destroyed over 40'of the machines engaged. .Sir Douglas says nothing of any such Toss, treating the operation as very successful. It shows that the British advance is (moving with steady persistence, preparing the way by annoying the enemy’s rear .from the air. The enemy’s report of our aeroplane losses "is clearly an invention. •

Further progress is’ reported in Mesopotamia as a consequence of the junction of the British and Russian

troops, with tho enemy retreating to Kefri, about 20 miles north-west of Ktiiuukin and tho Diala Valley. ft looks as if the enemy has avoiden crushing between the Allied forces hy getting away towards Mosul.

We have a spirited account of the battle of Gaza, in which the Anraes asquitted themselves with great skill and courage. The Now Zealand Mounteds, wo note, harc very few casualties, two killed and a few wounded. Former accounts had prepared us for very important losses. This news is a relief.