The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1915 THE WAR.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 290, 25 September 1915, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1915 THE WAR.

(With which is Incorporated The Taihape Post ‘ina Waimarinu Newa.)

Greatest interest in the war just now is centred round the latest developments in the Balkans. Bulgaria may bo taken to have declared herself on the side of Germany. JSTothwithstanding the statements made in. Athens that her mobilisation is to defend her territory from violation by Germany, there are too many circinlstanees favouring the Central Powers, chief among them being the German loan, the cession of Turkish territory, and fmallj the decoration of the Bulgarian King and Cabinet with Iron Grosses. The talk of armed neutrality is a mere preliminary, and in only a comparatively short time it will be found that she has thrown herself entirely into the great struggle on the side of the Aus-tro-Germans. If this does eventuate our position at the Dardanelles will be rendered difficult indeed, for although a road would first have to be forced through about 40 miles of Servian territory to reach Bulgaria from Hungary, it may be presumed tmat immense force might be concentrated to effect its accomplishment, so that armies could pass through into Bulgaria and thence into Turkey. The one great hope left is that Eonmania and Greece will join Servia in resisting this new combination that is menacing their interests. In face of such interference Germany would hesitate to take the risk, as Bulgarian help would be more than countered by an addition to burdens Germany is now unable to bear It may be that Germany’s successful intrigues with Bulgaria have been primarily to overawe Eonmania and to effect this she has gone to belittling extremes, If Eonmania stands firm and Greece shows determination to be true to her “scraps of paper” the German boast of punishing Servia may end in talk, as the. work involved would certainly add a strain that must weaken her position on every battlefield. It is, perhaps, in the best interests of the Allies to add new scenes of action as wide apart as it is possible - to place them, for they now have predominating forces and they have the ocean f highways to transport them to whichever point they may be most required. The Allies’ armies are still growing, while it is admitted that the AnstroGermans have reached a numerical ..point from which there is only a downward tendency. The greatest war strength of the Bulgarian Army is less than 350,000, the cost of which in peace is £1,700,000. Bulgaria is entirely without money, only regpjitly having

accepted a loan from Germany. She would be quite dependent upon her new friends for money and equipment to keep up a state of active warfare. Germany has all this to consider, and it is very doubtful* indeed whether she will face such a huge undertaking, with all its added difficulties and responsibilities should Roumania and Greece throw in their lot with Servia. The road across Servia that Germany would take, as the shortest and most direct into Bulgaria and on to Turkey, is right along the Roumanian frontier. The presence of huge forces would constitute a menace to Roumania’s neutrality, therefore she will probably make it very clear that she will resist any such effort as Germany seems to be contemplating. Bulgaria still seems inclined to play the hang-back game, and would have continued to do so if the Allies had not compelled her to disclose her hand. It is too early in the stage of new events to see with any degree of clearness, or approximately to indicate what the immediate future will develop, but, no doubt, when the Allies forced Bulgaria’s hand they were prepared for all eventualities.

The Russian front, if yesterday’s cables convey anything near the truth, is proving a war-mill that may be grinding the German armies slowly but it is doing it most effectually. A great coup was prepared against Vilna which was to have encircled the Russian army, but we now know that from what appeared like certain disaster a brilliant military feat sprang, and we are told that Germany lost, in the deal, a quarter of a million in casualties. How absurd to suggest even that Russian strength is broken in face of such feats. In the south, Russia has defier all attempts to force her armies away 'from the Roumanian frontier, and with all the forces Germany thinks she can spare for her venture to help Turkey, the Russian bear so close at hand to (join with Roumania will have a very strong deterrent effect. On western battlefields artillery warfare seems to bo incessant; at present, we can only ask, what for? Spying and bombing by Allied aeroplanes is an everyday occurrence. Yesterday it was some railway works; to-day it is the Kaiser’s palace at Stuttgart, It is evident that no great move is to be made until! the Allies are perfectly satisfied with arrangements and conditions in all quar- , ters, and it. was doubtless in this connection Bulgaria was compelled to disclose her leanings. We have yet to wait for the real work for which Kitchener has yet some two million men in waiting.