Untitled

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 221, 22 October 1914, Page 6

The German; right ami the allied left havejxfen a long time ' playing the flanking game.-.* The spurt of one was answered by the sprint of the other, anil the result, was, . until . a few days ago, "as you were." If there is any advantage on the northern end of the tremendous battlefront now it rests with the Allies,\ whose cavalry and artillery, aided by the Belgians, have been responsible for some admirable work across the Belgian frontier towards the sea. Von Kluek, whose reputation as'a leader has not suffered by his good work of late, aimed a deadly blow at the British lines of communication on the. French sea coast, but, if report spealvs trite, that movement was thwarted, and the. enemy forced back. The while this -strenuous clash was taking place in "the north, the German lines from Arras to Noyon and Verdun were set in motion against the allied front, but it is satisfactory to have the official statement that the general attack was not only repulsed, but that in many places the Allies made ground. No doubt the enemy's centre has made desperate attempts previously to break through and isolate the Allies' left wing, but all such have been frustrated. The Germans are being held or pushed back all along the extended battlefront from the sea coast to Verdun, arid their failure after repeated bloody endeavour to free themselves suggests that they have passed the apex of their strength—that their punching power is weakening. 'ln'the; south-east the French are edging the enemy back slowly but surely, and at many points on the line the Allies are making progress in the face of strenuous resistance. Germany already has her cadets at the front. The Kaiser (records a Berlin message published in an American exchange), in a farewell address to these lads said: "Now march with God." If the German losses have been so 'terrific in the wes f that the <-adets are needed to strengthen the decimated battalions, then it is apparent that German mobilisation is practically at an end. Austria has her head down and her hands full—there can be no help from that quarter. If, in the spring, the German General Staff fail to meet Lord Kitchener's second army with a powerful infusion.of new fighting, material, then Berlin will have to prepare itself for discouraging new?.