WEEKLY SUMMARY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10107, 22 October 1918, Page 5

WEEKLY SUMMARY

GERMANY'S POSITION IMMINENT DEFECTION OF ALLIES. The following 'telegraphic summary of ouicial war. news lor the week ending October 18th ..has--been received by tae Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. "F." M'ass'cy)''from' the.'British Ministry for Information: Tin, first stage of the German retirement between the Oise and the Argonne was successfully carried out. The enemy is nqw; back,to His, main rear line of defence. He cannot ,hold this any length of time, and the latest report shows that the French have established themselves north of the Serre river. But the success .of--the..first German withdrawal will prove less successful. The Allies' difficulties increase with their advance, owing to the necessity of repairing and organising the lines or communications. Nevertheless last week's operations in Artois and .blanclers "ready increased the enemy s difficulties. The Germans have not shortened but lengthened their front, and their withdrawal from the salients occupied involves large numbers of troops converging on certain points, so that there must be serious danger of congestion of railways And _ road junctions. The Germans, however, are so good { at largo scale troop movements that wo must build no fantastic hopes of a* general German breakdown-or of great hauls of prisoners and material. Despite the tremendous transformation of the whole military situation, nothing justifies the views that the German armies are faced with, imminent disaster, ox aro on the point of collapse. Despite severe defeat and losses of nearly 300,000 prisoners and four* thousand guns, the German.line is,.stUJ-unbroken, the German armies are. still intact, and no general demoralisation has yet started. The German army numbers, more than 2UO divisions,- and if they retire to the line of the Meuse and the Germans determine to continue the struggle, there is ;no reason against-their protracting the war "many-months yet'." History very seldom shows a nation 'concluding a humiliating peace while it retains its army in the fie!d, and it is probable that it is not so much.the military situation which causes the enemy anxiety as the imminent defection of all his allies, which would make Germany's position quite desperate. HUNS FEAR REVOLUTION. In view of the kaleidoscopic movement of events, it is no good saying more than that the German Government were probably frightened into the present apparent changes, with the ap. pointment. of Prince, Maximilian and hia support by the German Socialists, not so much by the military situation as by serious fear of social revolution, which might land the, country in the hands of Bolshevik and anarchist elements. It is uncertain whether Prince Maximilian' stands or falls, but the latest news suggests that the Socialists are prepared to maintain him, at any rate for the present. Should he go, it would be very hard to find a man of sufficient weight to replace him. Credible reports prevail of serious agitation throughout Germany, even among tha workmen-at Essen, and the tone of the whole Conservative press shows deep gloom. * AUSTRIAN GOVEHNMENT LOSES CONTROL.

The Austrian Government apparently has lost control of the situation. The Jugo-Slav, Czech. Polish, and Ukrainian members of the Reichsrath are reported' to have 1 withdrawn to make constituent" assemblies" of" their own. Thus hardly anyone would remain in the Reichsrath except German-Austrians. But. if these-'realise' thev are unable long;, to'dominate, Austria,' they might join hands with the Austro-German Socialists in demanding self-determination for Austrian Germans. This must inevitably brine theih up against the other nationalities, but might mean a unionism movement with the Germans of the German Empire. If that is so the organised" government of Austria will practically cease", especially as their national ouestions are so closely bound up with social ouestions that diverging national struggles might quickly become class warfare. The Turkish situation and the composition of the Tewflk Cabinet remain obscure. Since Turkey associated herself with the German Austro-Hungar. ian peace nronosal to President Wilson, Turkey has taken no new step towards peace hitherto. GREAT AIR WORK.

The rapid movement of events on the Western, front made the heaviest demands upon British airmen. At first, while the British advanced on Douai, air operations' centred > chiefly between the Scarne and the Somme. But early on Tuesdav morning' the storm centre moved to the sector between Cambrai and St. Quentin. An operation on the biggest scale, launched under cover of darkness, necessitated every possible form of aerial co-operation. Soon after midnight heavv rainstorms greatly hampered the machines, but after dawn the weather quicklv cleared and large British forces flew perpetually over the battlefield, directing .artillery fire, reporting fresh targets, and maintaining contact with the front line. We again used the device of dropping smoke shells round the enemy's strong points, to blind his machine-gunners and screen our advance besides, thus saving many valuable .British lives.. After the fall of. Cambrai ..Cateau tho rapid erosion, of the .vital, enemv system of railways converging on Brussels gavo tho British airmen notable chances of attacking congested communications behind tho battlo zone. Station junctions were repcatedlv heaviltr attacked, and tho permanent way broken up at many points. Vainly did strong enemy air forces resist. Nine British machines wore reported missing, hut twenty-one enemy machines were destroved and nine more driven down. From Thursday till Sundav bad weather greatly hampered ! flying. Very few nnemv machines were met, and these mostly behind their lines. Tho British, however, carried ; but highlv successful raids. On Monday, during the Belgian offensive on Dixmude and Wervicq, most intense air activity prevailed. On this one day thirty enemv machines were destroyed, two brought down by ground fire, «ix driven down, and one balloon shot down ! aflame. The TtvA.F.. despito heavy mists during the week, dropped nearly twentv tons of bombs over the usual objectives and lost not ono machine