The Daily News. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1915. KITCHENER'S SILENT CAMPAIGN.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1915. KITCHENER'S SILENT CAMPAIGN.

Two events of the utmost importance fii)T« recently lieen cabled in rclati-m to the part Britain is playing in the war. The first took place in Franco, when on August 20 Lord. Kitchener met the French Minister for War, M. Millerand, and the French Commander-in-Chief, Ccncral .TotFre, when the most urgent problems connected with the war were '-atisfactorily settled. The second event occurred in London on September 2, when a special meeting of the Cabinet was held, at which Lord Kitchener and all the leading members were present, the cable message stating that "rumor portends that something important will happen on the western front before long." If to these significant facts there be added a third factor—the raising, eqnipp'ug, and transporting to France of Kitchener's legions—it would appear there is good ground for assuming that the time is not far distant when the long period of waiting will be over, and resolute action will ensue. Those who have studied Lord Kitchener's career have every cause for placing the utmost confidence in his tactical skill, mature wisdom, and sure knowledge of when and how to strike so as to secure victory. All his actions in the past when clothed with responsibility have been governed by the most rigid adherence to tiie prime rule of being thoroughly preparod before striking a blow. Being naturally of a secretive temperament, he does not let the world know what he is doing, and in the game of war as it is now played there is more than ever an imperative need for keeping the enemy in the dark as much as possible. Tn the present war there is a marked change in the conditions under which previous conflicts have been fought out. It is a war of munitions—heavy artillery of long range, machine-guns, armed aeroplanes, and high explosive shells. It is also a war in which the enemy pays no heed to toll of life, being prepared to drive masses of men to certain slaughter in order to gain even a temporary advantage. That Lord ' Kitchener has thoroughly studied every phase nf the new conditions, every strong or weak point of the enemy, we may. rest assured. What has troubled him most was uot the strength of the enemy, or

the lack of Allied forces, but the imperative need for adequate equipment to justify a forward move that would aave the desired effect. The timid 9ouls of the Empire have been eating their hearts out because the Allies have not long before this driven the enemy out of Belgium and France. They should now take heart of grace, as well as comfort, if only from the fact that Lord Kitchener, instead of being ra9h and courting a disaster, has calmly and effectivoly been building up and equipping a fighting force that we all feel will achieve that victory which the Allies are bent on securing so as to bring about the freedom of the nations and the removal of the Teutonic menace. The Allied officers, states a recent cable message, are all optimistic, and the armies are awaiting the big clash with the beßt of spirits. At the same time, Lord Kitchener is not in the least likely to underrate the strength, resource, or determination of the enemy. We may confidently assume that he has studied the campaign from a German point of view as well as from a British standpoint. With regard to Holland being a facto, there is no need for any anxiety as to her neutrality being violated. The Dutch liave naturally more sympathy for the Germans thau for the British, but they are reaping such, vast advantages from neutrality, and have everything to lose by partisanship, that they may be trusted to study their own interests in the future just as successfully as they have done in the past. The one great outstanding feature that should appeal to every Britisher is the sure knowledge that in Lord Kitchener they have a military organiser and tactician of the very highest rank, in whose hands the destiny of the Empire from a military point of view is safe beyond all question. When he gives the signal to strike we shall know thai the Allies are ready to go forward to victory with a certainty that all is ready to accomplish the great task.