FAVOURABLE PORTENTS.

Southland Times, Issue 17830, 6 September 1916, Page 4

FAVOURABLE PORTENTS.

The general trend of events reported this morning is highly favourable to the Allies. From Greece there is ho definite official news, but It Is highly probable, one might almost say certain, that Greece will join the Allies and that M. Venizelos will carry his point not by seizing the government but by inducing the Zaimis Administration to accept his policy. In that case the Government will have the cooperation of the Nationalist party. The ICing appears to be resigned to the inevitable. If reports are at all accurate (and allowing for a margin of exaggeration there is no reason to believe that in the main they do not exactly represent the temper ot Greece) all the pro-German influences in the Court and the army will not be able to prevent Greece from taking the tide at the flood. The Roumanians continue to advance into Hungary, still without meeting serious resistance. Austria is admittedly in sore straits for men, and although it mus*t be taken for granted that the German and Austrian commands are working at high pressure to prepare barriers against the Roumanian invasion the lines of the defence have not yet been encountered. As was to be expected the Bulgarians are attacking on the Dobrudj* frontier, and obviously the best possible reply to Roumanla's invasion of Transylvania is an attack in force from Bulgaria threatening the rear of the armies on the Transylvanian frontier. That is what Germany will certainly try for if she can get enough men together. A report from Rome states that the Roumanians are falling back towards the Russian forces, which are said to be hastening down to stem the enemy’s advance, the immediate objective of which is Constanza, the most important town on the Dobrudja coast, and connected a? rail with Bucharest and the general Roumanian system. The Russians, who were said to have concentrated large numbers at Reni, which is only one hundred miles north of Constanza, are presumed to have entered Ronmania some days ago, and they should soon be in touch with the enemy. Immediate developments will then depend upon the relative strength of the opposing forces and the ability of either side to command rapid reinforcements. No developments of importance are reported from the Macedonian fronts and there is no indication of a general advance by SarraU’s force. The Russians are attacking with renewed violence in Eastern Galicia and the Bukowina. Austria’s extremity is Brussiloff’s opportunity, and the Russian offensive brings the Austrians face to face with the double problem of finding men for the new Roumanian front and reinforcing von Bothmer and tne Grand Duke Carl. Bulgaria, “ between the

devil* and the deep blue sea, ’ is uo doubt wondering whether there is anj avenue of escape from the perils which surround her, but there is no evidence yet of any friction between her and her Teutonic Allies. The news from the "West is satisfactory. The gain of ground by the latest Anglo-French success was substantial and it has been held despite the enemy's furious attempts to recover it. Conditions everywhere are favourable to the Allies, so favourable that the gravity of the situation is admitted from Germany, though, as was only to be expected, admissions are accompanied by expressions of confidence in Germany’s ability to meet the increasing strain.