HINDENBURG'S RESERVES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16963, 27 March 1917, Page 6

HINDENBURG'S RESERVES

ARGUMENT FOR PEACE.

Conspicuous m the peace talk which fills the latest German newspapers to reach London (those for December 19, 20, 21, and 22) is the prodigious "bluff" about "the mobile, strong reserves" now at Hindenburg s disposal after the "conquest" of Rumania Mr F. W. Wile, in The Daily Mail). The military correspondent of the Vossische Zeitung (December 20) describes these as "a very weighty argument" m Germany's favour—i. e., one designed to incline tho Allies to walk into her peaco palour for "conference."

"Aunt VossV expert writes: —"British statements that the Rumanian army has been ( rescued intact are a downright he. An 'intact' Rumanian army exists just as little to-day as a Serbian army existed after the retreat into the Albanian Mountains, though, of course, in the distant future, the remnants of the Rumanian army may be consolidated under Russian direction and / licked into shape, like tho new Serbian contingent, for Entente can-non-fodder.

- "The essential fact is that our Eastern front has now been shortened by at least 565 miles. That is by far the moet important,, feature, and shows what masses of troops are thereby liberated for employment elsewhere. It is this fact which guarantees us not only freedom of political movement, but also enahles us to offer peace.

"Our enemies are at present undoubtedly in complete and almost nervous uncertainty as to wiiure Hindenburg will use the very strong fighting, forces now at his disposal. Hie military value of our Near Eastern succosses takes precedence over the purely poiit.cal advantages we have won. At the same time tho unpleasant reverse at Verdun loses much of its importance. "Nivulle, the new French commandei wanted to maka an agreeable debut at Verdun. We acknowledge he has done so. But we know that we shall continue to hold as a whole our Western front just as it is. Ot all-dominating importance is the undeniable fact that it lies exclusively within the power of the Germanic allies to convert tho invulnerable trench warfare into mobile campaigning. Freedom of held action has come back into our hands (Jurs are the easily moved large reserves or enforcing now decisions in a now theatre of war. That has given us the polital advantage which finds expression in our peacp offer. ■ . .

'The mobile, strong reserves at Hindenburg s command constitute a very weighty argument. Any enemy who is not wilfullv blind to our peace offer must acknowledge that the mere making of the offer implies renunciation of the nonsensical annexation plans which tnc hostile press has exploited as the best means of fanning the wax fury of their peoples." .