The Sun THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1918. MORE GUESSWORK.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1358, 20 June 1918, Page 4

The Sun THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1918. MORE GUESSWORK.

Here is another man who knows better than the War Office, the Allied experts, and all the newspaper "specials." The Governor-General of Australia has shown his hand. As the world's Press has not been fair in its military comment and descriptions, he will put matters right, allay public anxiety. And this representative of the King, though 13,000 miles away from the scene of operations, proceeds to give his assurance—emphatic . at that—that "there is no chance of the Germans taking Paris, Calais, or Amiens." The wish is father to the thought, as it was in the case of Sir Joseph Ward's promise at the height of the Oise drive, that the enemy would never get to Paris. So -far, Sir Joseph has guessed correctly, and time may prove Australia's Gover-nor-General a sound prophet—we all hope so, at any rate. But nobody knows, not even Ludendorff himself, whether Amiens, Paris, and Calais will eventually be captured. Such a statement given to an Australian audience was a fine example of gubernatorial indiscretion. We know the difficulties that are being ex> pcrienced in the Commonwealth in raising recruits with which to reinforce Australia's splendid divisions in France. One, if not more, of those divisions has been disbanded in order to provide the supports and reserves which could not be obtained at home. Bean, the Commonwealth correspondent at the front, has put it on record -that there are Australians now in the line who have fought through from Gallipoli to Villers-Bretonneux practically unrelieved. In this connection one wonders how Mr W. M. Hughes can have the audacity to face a British public and accept its tributes while Australia thus deserts her valorous sons. Apart from being exceedingly the GovernorGeneral has said something which will fortify the shirkers in their contention that the matter of beating the Germans caflPbe left to the men on the spot and the Americans. If the situation is not critical, as Mr Asquith has described it, why rush thousands of young fellows away from their sports, race grounds and the picture shows? That is the kind of logic this misguided official is likely to encounter as a result of his transparently-unsafe opinion. Instead of such dangerous nonsense, the Australians should have it drilled into them that the destiny of their country will be decided on the battlegrounds of France; that every man will be needed this >ummer to avert a tragedy in which Germany will act the villain. The professiopal optimists who hand us out victories without explanation and solely because they wish things so, are as preposterous as the most rabid of the pacifists'. They are the propagators of disappointment; timorous folk who hide their faces from the lowering horizon and prate to their neighbours of bright skies. In short, the optimists who prophesy in the dark arc unmitigated nuisances, and where Australia is concerned, a drag on the wheels of the war machine. Even Mr Bonar Law, who is behind the scenes, did not go so far as the Commonwealth Governor-General in his review of the military situation. He does contradict himself, it is true, but he has learned from bitter experience the danger of dogmatising cheerily about the war, particularly when the known facts are antagonistic to hopefulness. In case there should be any number of people inclined to build extravagantly on Mr Law's remarks, it may opportunely be recalled that that statesman gave it out publicly, two or three days before Ludendorff moved in the West, that he was sceptical of the enemy starting an offensive on an important scale. On that occasion, Mr Law was guessing, and, like Sir Joseph Ward, his views on the European situation must always be accepted with reserve. He is too much addicted to tell his worldwide audience what it hopes to hear rather than the naked truth. It is a childish policy, breeding disillusionment and depression. The nation is not afraid of the facts, hitter though they sometimes are. Discouraging news stimulates rather than undermines the moral of the British public, but it is taking some of our leaders a long time to learn the lesson that frankness pays.

"TILL DEATH US DO PART." "Scratch my back," said the Kaiser to Hindcnburg, "and in the sight of all men I'll most royally scratch your own." Or was it Hindenburg who spoke first to the Most High? The cables do not make it clear. All we know for certain is that the two men in- Germany whose mana has been most palpably waning have taken counsel of each other to their mutual glorification. The famous see-saw act the other day at General Headquarters must rank as one of the most daring performances of modern times. "After Cod, Teutons," shouted Hindcnburg, keep-

ing all his weight for a moment on his own end of the beam, "William, your Refuge and only Hope." "After Jehovah,* answered the Kaiser, dropping in turn to the ground and exalting the old Marshal, "llindenburg, your military Saviour." F,udendorff clearly was a make-weight only. The people expected him, and the Army required him—and no mortal anyhow could alone counterbalance the Kaiser. But the Chief of Staff was clearly not a central figure. He said nothing, he did nothing—hut cling loyally to the old warrior during their momentary dizzy ascent. Ilindenburg. on the other hand, surpassed all previous efforts. Emulating perilously in his frenzy the ambitious and fabulous frog, he gave one mighty shout of unswerving loyalty. "We are yours, oh Resplendent One—yours, yours, yours, till Death us do part." And tlio Heavens, seeing nil, made no disclosure. And earth kept up her terrible composure.