The Daily News. SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 1916. THE ALLIES' OFFENSIVE.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 June 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 1916. THE ALLIES' OFFENSIVE.

The question that is exercising the minds of the people throughout the Empire is: When will the Allies abandon their defensive policy for one of aggression? The answer to that query is: When they are ready. Therein lies the reason why Germany and Austria are making such fierce and desperate offensives, the one at Verdun./and the other in the Trentino. Meanwhile terrible inroads are being made into the enemy's strength. If Mr. Hilaire Belloc's figures are in any way reliable, Germany's permanent losses must be in the vicinity of p our millions, and Austria's at a corresponding total. It is estimated that the Austrian losses on the Italian fr»nt since May 14 amount to over 100,08§ men, so that the Italians, although- forced to retreat, have inflicted heavy punishment on the eHemy. A recent cable from New York states that, according to a message from Rome, several indications confirm the statement that t'he design of the present strenuous campaign of the Austrian s is to prevent Italy from participating in the struggle on the French front, also to paralyse action which might result from the Salonika army and the Italian force at Yalona, Albania, making a simultaneous eff»rt. How much truth there is in this view we are not prepared to estimate, but the probability is that Austria is more concerned in defeating the Italians quickly in order that she may be aide to utilise her whole strength against the Russians in Galicia, for there is no doubt that when the Allies start their offensive in the West,- a similar move will 'be made by Russia in the East. Another side-light is thrown on the Allies' forthcoming offensive in a message received in London by way of Zurich, Switzerland, to the effect that the King of Bulgaria has urgently appealed to Austria and Germany for reinforcements, owing to the Bulgarian army being inadequate to meet the threatened Allied offensive from Salonika, while a message from Rome states that the Central Powers are striving to exhaust France and Italy, and are relying on a momentary respite from Russia', hoping that when Russia is ready to take revenge, France and Italy will be wearied and need rest. If any such hope is entertained it is doomed never to be realised. The Allies are not acting in a piecemeal, disjointed fashion, but have carefully and thoroughly discussed all likely contingencies and irrevocably agreed upon concerted action, the attempts of the enemy to force the Allies' hands having been already discount'".!. There is one more, and probably the most important, indication of the near, approach of the forward move, and that is to be found in the request made by the British Munitions Minister (Mr. Lloyd George) that the munitions workers,should postpone their Whitsuntide until the end of July. There can be 'but one construction to he placed on such an exceptional request —the anticipation that by the end of July the stress of work will be over by reason of the necessary output to justify operations being available. It may also reasonably be adduced that before the end of July the millions of troops raised and trained in Britain will have been transported to France and be in readiness to take an active part in what cannot but prove to be the most momentous and colossal struggle th world will ever witness. Germany cannot possibly maintain her present numerical strength much longer, for s'ie has reached and passed her maximum, and when the operations at Verdun have ended it is inevitable that her strength will be still further considerably reduced. She will still be a very formidable opponent, and the task before the Allies will severely tax their resources, but Germany's ability to strike a deadly M.>w is no longer to 'be feared. Much will depend on Russia. If her other forces can display the marvellous ability to achieve ' successes like those in Asia Minor the duration of the war will be materially ■ shortened. Russia, like Britain, has been organising her industrial resources successfully in the direction of munitions, and is resorted to be adequately equip-

ped. The test, however, lias yet to be applied, 'but there is 110 reason to doubt her readineSE to take a prominent part in the combined offensive. The crucial phase of the war is approaching, arid Willi it an added confidence in the Allies' preparedness. .Earlier in the struggle Germany claimed the power to force the Allies to fight where she willed, but, like most of her boasts, the claim lias been falsified. It is now the turn of the Allies to put forth their combined strength in an organised and determined effort to crush the disturbing element that menaces the world's peace, and all our hopes are concentrated on the terrible struggle that cannot oe far distant. It is now more than ever that we must display the courage of that confidence which is not affected by temporary reverses, but soars above all minor considerations in its one great aim —^victory.