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Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144714, 24 June 1915, Page 2

Official news from Vienna states that Lemberg has fallen ,and there is no reason to doubt its accuracy. Tho importance of the incident may, however, bo easily overrated. In spite of the statement recently reported that the Russian Commander would defend tho city to tho last, it is quite clear that lie did nob think it worth the sacrifice of a groat number of lives in an effort to save it. It is not a strongly fortified place, and Germany has such an enormous number of men around it that its fall was inevitable if a defence had been attempted. Tho lesser of two evils was therefore chosen and the city evacuated, leaving the enemy at the last a bloodless victory,-except that it may have the effect from keeping Roumania from joining tho Allies for a while longer, and Roumanian assistance just now would be very welcome. To retain the city, however, Germany and Austria, or both combined, must keep a very large garrison and a still larger army in.the region surrounding, and neither country is in a position now to keep many men idle. Russia’s position on that front is now much more secure than it was when her armies were fighting all along tho Carpathians, and the Grand Duko will, wo may be sure, seize tho first opportunity to pursue an offensive again in that region. In tho meantime it may be that Germany will be able to turn some attention to stemming tho Italian adv vance, which is beginning to look serious. She may also bo in a position to send back to the western front some of tho mon recently withdrawn from there. But both Italy and tho Allies are well able to withstand any greater effort tho enemy is now capable of in those directions, and every aggressive movement by the Gormans only servos to weaken them and bring them nearer tho day when resistance will be in vain. It is tho policy of the Allies to invito attack on fields of their own selection and not attempt at great cost to drive the enemy back into his own country, where his ultimate defeat would he much more difficult than by tho slow process of attrition which is now being carried out.

It is becoming generally recognised that the object of tho Allies is not so much to reach Berlin as to wear down the German armies with as little loss to themselves as possible. Mr. Rudyard Kipling, in his speech reported in Wednesday’s Herald, said that the Germans had already had three millions of casualties and could suffer another three millions for the dominion of tho world. Tho duration of tho war therefore simply depends on tho rate at which tho German armies can bo disposed of. A short time hack tho rate of German wastage was. put at 260.000 men per month. If this rate can be maintained tho war will bo nearing an end in about twelve months. It is obviously impossible that, at tho present stage, calculations of this sort can have the slightest value, but it seems hardly possible that throe millions of Germans can bo put bors-dc-combat before the end of the autumn in Europe. The point fs rather that wo should not be rendered unduly anxious if the Russian retreat should seem to portend victory for Germany in that direction. Tho Russians can easily afford to lose two men for overy German disposed of, and Russia is a country which offers plenty of space for a defensive retreat. Similarly on tho western front the delay in any marked advance does not portend disaster to tho Allies, whoso present position is just as good as any other for killing Germans. ‘lt is true that another winter in trenchos in Belgium would not be desirable, but there is yet plenty of time for some advance there.

It is interesting to find that the eyewitness at headquarters is in substantial agreement with the views expressed by Mr. Kipling. Writing lasu month ho said;—“A truo idea of the • moaning .of tbo operations of'-th^Allfes

can be gained only by bearing in mind that it is their primary object to bring about the exhaustion of tho enomy’.s resources in men. The extent of ground covered by an advance of either side as measured on the map is usually a minor matter, though the position of certain points or areas may for tactical reasons be of considerable military importance. Progress must, therefore, as a rule bo judged by the drain caused to the enemy’s strength and not by the extent of ground won or lost. In tho form now assumed by this struggle—a war of attrition—tho Gormans are bound ultimately to lose. And it is a consciousness of this fact that inspires their present policy, which is to achieve as early as possible some success of sufficient magnitude to influence neutrals, to discourage the Allies, to make them weary of tho struggle, and to induce a belief among people ignorant of war that nothing has been gained by tho past efforts of the Allies because tho Germans have not yet been driven back. Dcing undertaken with a political rather than a strategic object, it is to that extent militarily a sign of weakness. Another sign of weakness is the adoption of illegal methods of fighting, such as spreading poisonous gas. It is a confession by the Germans that they have lost their former great superiority in artillery and aro at any cost seeking another technical advantage over their enemies as a substitute. Nevertheless, this spirit—this determination on the part of our enemies to stick at nothing—must not bo undor-estixnated. Though it may net pay tho Germans in the long run it renders it all the more obvious that they aro a foe who can be overcome only by the force of overwhelming numbers of men and guns.