The Otago Witness. (WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1918.) THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3348, 15 May 1918, Page 35

The Otago Witness.

(WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1918.) THE WEEK.

WITH WHICH IS IHOOIIPORATSD TS3 \ •00XHE3N UEHCUBT.

"Xunqnam allud natura, allud aapieatla tflrfV* —JtJTBKAL. •"Good natura and good sense mast ctox ic4n,"-«< POFE.

Tho Maurice ' incident leaves a nasty.

The Maurice Incident.

taste in ' the public mouth which it is difficult altogether to get rid of. It

must - be regarded as little short of a national calamity that in this day of • terrible stress, when- the people of the British Empire have been officially in.-. formed that their fa-to to-day hangs in the balance, since "the Germans aro silently preparing the biggest blow of the war," tiiere should exist a 6crious differ-.

enco of opinion between certain of the military heads and the British War Cabinet, as to the proper conduct of the war; and, moreover, that this difference of opinion has bc«n responsible for a considerable amount of friction between the French and British army authorities. Ihe Times, in a leading article—and it has to bo remembered that the- Times to-day is Lord xNorthcliflVs main mouthpiecespeaks out as follows: -"The conviction is gradually strengthening in the pubae mind that the issues at stake m the Maurice affair go far beyond personalities Mr Lloyd George's disclosures enabled us to trace a campaign oi obstruction thwarting every stage towards periect Allied unity. The nation is aroused now and determined to end the intolerable mischief." m he plain meaning of this statement k that the charges made by General Maurice against the veracity ot Mr Uoyd George and Mr Bonax Law must be read in relation to the attack ot Colonel Repington and the resignation ot General Sir William Robertson, and they must be taken as a protest on the part of these military men against Mr Lloyd George's insistence upon the appointment of General Foch as Generalissimo of the Allied armies. It was a serious matter, involving a well-nigh crushing responsibility, for Mr Lloyd Georgo to oppose Himself to a body of military opinions, so weighty as that of the generals mentioned, and others who thought with them. Evidently, however, the Prime Minister still commands the situation, and has behind him a majority both inside and outside Parliament. Lord Ourzon, doubtless, voiced the popular opinion when, addressing the Primrose League, he declared that Mr Lloyd George was rewarded as a symbol of the inexhaustible spirit and resolve of the British Empire, and that had he fallen flags womd have waved at Berlin. And in rough and ready fashion the popular verdict on the Maurice incident is largely covered and expressed by the resolution passed at a meetino- of the Woolwich Arsenal workers, which °ran: "The Germans want you to go and the Pacifists want you to go, but we, the workers, don't want you to go. Your enemies are our enemies. Damn them all. God save England." Whatever view be taken of Mr Lloyd Georges policy, there can be no two opinions that he is the one man upon the horizon at the present time who possesses the ability and courage essential for the successful prosecution of the war; and when Mr Lloyd George declared that if the House of Commons carried Mr Asquith's motion, Mr Asquith must again be responsible for the conduct of the war, he so manoeuvred the issue as to be certain of once more triumphing over his political foes. Many things beneath the surface as yet remain unexplained, and there is an air "of mystery.and uncertainty everywhere; but the main affair of the moment is how most effectively to withstand Germany's next threatened offensive.

The Admiralty claim that the attempts 'made by the navy to close

Submarines and Food Supplies.

the ports of Ostend -and Zeebrugge have been completely successful, and consequently that the Germans

will no longer be able to nee these ports as submarine bases. The Germans dispute these claims, and allege that the entrances to the harbours are only partially closed ; and a subsequent London message partially confirms this statement, alleging, on the authority of airmen who flew over Osfend, that only half the channel is blocked, and adding; “It is possibly usable by destroyer’s and submarines; but useless for cruisers.” The point is being raised why in the past the navy has not been allowed to initiate a more aggressive campaign, especially in view of'the very great food shortage new obtaining in Great Britain, and which is reducing the non-combatant population to very great straits. It must be admitted that the submarine campaign is the most effective weapon used by Germany against Great Britain during the war, arid that the future of this world contest hinges very largely upon the success or failure of that campaign. Thus the resolution of the German Reichstag in favour of a continuance of unrestricted submariuism is not without significance, especially since the resolution was unanimously adopted as the result of the favourable representaions of Admiral von Cap die. The German Admiral declared not only that the increase in the number of sinkings exceeded the U-boat losses, but also that the shipbuilding both in Great Britain and America was far below expectation. “There was every reason,” averred Admiral von Oapelle, “to regard the submarines with trust and confidence, and their success was not far off.” In opposition to this new declaration of German confidence in submarines as the weapon of victory, there is the assurance of British aad American naval authorities that the crisis has been passed, and that henceforth there will be an improvement in the shipping situation. Admiral Sims, of the American Navy, stated in London only last week that the two curves on a diagram representing sinkings and new construction are now due to cross. And after the crossing, if- the diagram speak truth, the new construction will gradually forge ahead of the sinkings until the existing shortage of shipping is relieved. Of a similar optimistic import is the message received by Sir Eric Geddes from Mr Daniels, Secretary of the American Navy, and which runs: “One splendid result of the Avar is the mutual appreciation of the men of the British and American navies. The work of combatting Üboats necessitated Anglo-American conferences, which will have far-reaching results in the relations of the two nations. I am engaged in equipping more and more units of the fleet. The whole service is being keyed up, and the watchword throughout the navy—‘Full speed ahead.’ ”

In the recently conducted peace with Rumania, Germany once

Germany's Gains.

more scores a temporary triumph, and shadows forth

the kind of treatment which a conquering Germany will mete out to all conquered people.;. The Kaiser rejoices that the results so far achieved are the outcome of the combined influences of "God, German patriotism, brilliant military leadership, and strong diplomacy," and from a purely perfunctory point of view he no doubt ' has grounds Tor his rejoicing. The Kaiser is able boastfully to point to the fact that after nearly four years of war Germany not only holds Belgium, but a larger tract of Northern France than ever before, and thanks to her submarine campaign the inhabitants of Great Britain are on shorter commons in regard to essential food supplies than ever before in their history. Not only has Germany imposed a peace upon Russia, one of her most formidable adversaries, but she is at present engaged in a campaign of domination which aims at compelling that vast empire to contribute her great resources of food and men for the maintenance and support of German arms. In the Balkans Germany now reigns supreme, and save for the reverses in Palestine and Mesopotamia, the Kaiser is able to survey wellnigh uninterrupted victory. Yet, as the days of war wearily drag on, the Kaiser, in his calm moments, must be convinced that all this seeming victory is but the prelude to crushing defeat, and that the more complete the seeming victory, the more abject will be Germany's ultimate overthrow. President Wilson has appointed May 30 as a day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer, "To beseech God to give victory to our armies, as they are fighting for freedom, bringing at last a peace in which men's hearts can rest, as it is founded upon Mercy, Justice, and Goodwill"; and it is precisely because the peace which Germany seeks is diametrically opposed to those eternal principles that while she may temporarily prevail, she cannot hope to conquer. It may be difficult to discern the end; the Avar may have to go on for another two years, but in the end the right will triumph. The people of the British Empire have set their teeth doggedly, determined to endure to the end, and as to the ultimate issue there can be ho manner of doubt.