PROGRESS OF THE WAR

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9758, 6 September 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

The Russian reports of the evacuation of Riga throw no fresh light on the deplorable story. They confirm all that has gone before—the refusal of the Russian troops to hold their ground, and the successful pursuit of the enemy. Apparently the defections still continue, for the last of them has occurred simultaneously with the faking of measures for the readjustment of the front. The fact that.. immediately, after the reassuring statement of the readjustment measure, we hear of the abandonment of three districts by reason of the army defections, is nob a reassuring sign. Paris tells us that the public buildings of Riga were evacuated many months ago.This is a touch of history whioh carries us back to the autumn of 1915, and the following winter and spring, when the violence of the enemy’s attacks caused everything of value to be sent out of Riga. The repetition of this history “many months ago” is eloquent proof of the distrust prevailing since the Revolution allowed the armies to be tampered with. Nevertheless, there is, as we shall presently see, no reason to he downhearted.

The Paris report that there are ten German divisions on the Riga front intended for the advance on the Russian capital is the thing to bo expected under the circumstances. The only Wonder is that tho Germans have not truade a tremendous song about following the glorious victory by marching on the enemy’s capital to dictate a peace there forthwith. That would have, been tbe case if Riga had been evacuated in 1915. But the enemy has been a good deal chastened since then. Has failure to crow in the old manner suggests that he hag not force enough to enable him to seize his Very magnificent opportunity. He has a Russian army retreating in a state of defection, and he gives its chiefs time for measures of reorganisation. It is quite clear he has ‘not got the men for the work. The longexpected banquet is spread, but his appetite is gone, like the Russian armies. This was the case in Galicia, and is probably the case at Riga. The enemy, it is true, made a tremendous onslaught in Moldavia, but he had to scrape up troops for it, and was unable, after the Austrian disasters on the Isonzo, to maintain it.

Paris reports ten German divisions ready for this advance. Ten! At the new computation, 75,000 men! For an advance of 350 miles, nerarly all of it without the support of the fleet, through a country of swamps, and lakes, and vast difficulties. The 75,000 men would be absorbed by the communications long before covering half the distance to Petrograd. Time was when the German machine would have rushed men on this expedition by the hundred thousand. But the wastage of his man-power on the Western and Italian fronts is leaving him without material to grind out of has. machine.- Tho chances are that the Russians will have plenty-of time for readjustment by disciplinary and other measures. Will they utilise it? There can be little doubt on that point. The situation is favourable to panics and pessimism, and there are men in Petrograd favourable to pessimism and panics. That sort of news requires to bo liberally discounted.

An advance on Petrograd is, of course, practically impossible, if only on account of the lateness of the season. Moreover, the enemy, as a Russian expert authority quoted in today's cables avers, has not men enough for the project. Besides, the country is difficult, and abounds in well-fortified positions, lacustrine and otherwise. It is true there is defection in the Russian ranks. But that is balanced by the possession of an! exceedingly powerful, well-served

artillery, - prodigally supplied with munitions. The enemy lia-d to fignt very hard against this before he could cross the Dvina, as he reports. This is at the outset, and there are over 300 miles of it before him. He will never attempt to march on Petrograd. He knows that if he does he will never get back out of the swamps of the Lake region. Ilindenburg realises that these are not the Masurian lakes, where his local knowledge gave him the battle of Tannonberg.

Can the enemy secure a decision without attempting to go to Petrograd by a vigorous offensive to destroy the Russian armies? The answer must be “No.” Those armies are not wholly disaffected, and they are. not unarmed, as I they were in 1915, when the enemy failed, though he bad unlimited strength of men as well as of munitions.

A Paris newspaper explains the recent skirmishing and raiding on the Macedonian front, of which we have been hearing from the enemy’s bulletins, as “an energetic offensive designed to prevent the Bulgarians from reinforcing the enemy in Moldavia,” where Mnokensen wants troops to replace those withdrawn in such hot haste to the Italian £ront. A wire from Berne confirms this with the statement that Bulgaria has refused the Austrian request for reinforcements for Moldavia. The two reports look the component parts of a likely story. And just now any story that helps to keep up our pecker about the Russian, front is welcome reading.

In the West Lens once again takes first place. This time a correspondent at Headquarters reports an advance of tho Canadians to tho north of Lens, on a front of 600 yards, penetrating the enemy’s positions to a depth of two hundred, severely mauling a reserve regiment of Prussian Guards in the process. These Prussian Guards, by the way, seem to be endowed with the supreme faculty of surviving massacres. They were destroyed at the Mama; they suffered annihilation at the first Ypres; they w r ere several times reduced to mince-meat in Galicia and Poland; they contributed largely to the appalling German slaughter at Verdun ; they were I massacred over and over again on the Somme; they were twice destroyed bv the Australians—at Lagnioourb and BullecoUrt—after Vimy, after a severe handling in the battle for that ridge; they have been buried in heaps at Lens. And hero they are again at Lens bobbing np serenely for the usual “knock out.” It begins to look as if the Prussian Guards are tho real “Death’s Head” regiment.

The explanation of all these survivals, we suppose, is that the enemy is careful to keep up the strength of his Guards, but they cannot bo now the equal of the men who reached the Marne in grand fettle, only to be thrown into the marshes of Gond by Fooh’s onslaught, which decided the battle of the Marne.

At any rate, a division of them got badly mauled by the at Lens yesterday. The Canadians won their objective, and another attack of British troops alongside of them appears to have been equally successful. It is clear now, apparently, that the great attack on Lens which promised so much the other day,, was definitely held np, and by troops of the Prussian Guard, who were rushed in to the place for that purpose, and put np a great fight there, in spite of the commanding effect of our artilleij. This is the renewal of the attack, which proves the grim of the British General to make good his thrust at the enemy’s line on this sector. The report of the fighting, which ends with the statement that Lens is now further threatened, is evidently hopeful of better results this time.

The French have been very energetic on their front. On the Aisne plateau, between Craonne and Corny, where their threat against the valley of the"Ailotto is the strongest, they have beaten off the usual attempt to dimmish that menace by getting back some of the ground. This uniformity of the French success, which has now endured several months, indicates the slackening of the enemy’s efforts. His determination to improve his position is unabated, but his power seems to be waning. For that, compare these constant repulses of half-hearted attacks with the tremendous and brilliant charges he so long maintained m tKo great prolonged battele of Verdun.

Further east the French have been making strong reconnaissances at Sapigneul—in the gap of Reims —and at various points in the Champagne sector, which inflicted considerable damage on the enemy. These show ascendancy of initiative, and imply a determination to make a serious otfensive at various points. The air work continues very vigorous on these sectors, with droppings of bombs widely behind the enemy’s positions. This applies to both fronts. On the Meuse the artillery has again been lively.

From the Italian front comes an interesting story of an episode in the great battle of the Carso, in which a carefully-laid ambuscade of .the enemy, who had concealed strong forces in the big caves, was frustrated by the foresight of the Italian general, who turned the enemy’s plan to his own profit. There is an account ot famine in Trieste, but nothing of the further progress of the great battle. Bad weather.

The enemy’s air raid on Sheemess and Chatham is exceptional. This time he has managed to strike military buildings and fighting men, a rather largo number, ns raids go. It was a legitimate operation of war. The new departure has come a little late, for the American aeroplanes are beginning to come over, and presently there will be hundreds of them in the air, some of which, probably, will be available for the defence of the British coasts and cities. The bulk of them, however, we may presume, will find work in France and Flanders, where they will be most welcome. The enemy has lost his ascendancy, and as •the result of the American reinforcement ho will be swept out of the air altogether. We have to-day another instalment from the Russian archives of the Kaiser’s treacherous attempts to overwhelm Britain with a great League of Nations while he was kissing hands to us and professing his kindest regards. The revelation will not help the manoeuvres he is now carrying out everywhere underground to bring about the peace which he is now very sorry he ever disturbed. ■ • • A curious story, comes from Amsterdam that the German Chancellor has.

under pressure from the Reichstag, appointed Count Stein his representative at Headquarters to “curb the Kaiser’s speeches and assume responsibility for them.” If this means anything it means that the Reichstag considers the Kaiser insane, that the Chancellor agrees, and that he has taken measures to put him under restraint. The story, of course, implies that the military people are in the agreement also, tor if they were not, the Kaiser, as Supreme War Lord, would make some history over the matter. The story must be regarded as a ridiculous canard until it receives substantial confirmation.