The Taranaki Herald. DAILY EVENING SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 1918. THE ALLIES’ OFFENSIVE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16218, 24 August 1918, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. DAILY EVENING SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 1918. THE ALLIES’ OFFENSIVE.

Gradually the Allies’ counteroffensive is spreading and we shall not, be surprised if shortly the whole line from the Belgian frontier to Verdun, or even to the Rhine in Alsace is not more or less heavily engaged. The points of greatest activity to-day are along the Oise valley and westward of Bapaume. the Oise j valley the French are pushing steadily ahead, endeavouring with some success already to drive a wedge between the Crown Prince’s and Prince Rupprecht’s groups of armies, threatening the flapks of both. General Mangin has penetrated eight miles eastward of Noyons, which General Humbert is threatening at closer quarters, so that there is every likelihood of its falling into his hands very soon. If the advance along the Oise continues the enemy will find it advisable to retreat northward of the Aisne and the Allies may re-establish themselves on the Chemin dejj Dames. The British between the Ancre and the Somme are making splendid progress against determined opposition, and' we may at any moment hear that they are attacking Bapaume. We have particular interest in this part of the front, for the New Zealanders are engaged in the operations after a rather lengthy period of comparative inactivity. Already they have disthemselves and as they must be in great Heart and at full strength we may depend upon their pushing their attack with great vigour if permitted. The Canadians and Australians are close at hand, so that Sir Julian Byng has the right men at hand to make a really substantial advance. Still further north, in the Lys river region the British are attacking with increasing vigour and may soon recover the territory lost in the German offensive five months ago. A study of the map shows that the Allies are rapidly returning to their old line all along the front. All accounts agree that their losses are comparatively light, while a Parisian newspaper estimates that in the last five weeks 100,000 Germans have been taken prisoner. Their total casualties in the same period must be enormous. Evidently their High Command views the situation with serious misgiving, for Dr. Solf has been permitted to make an appeal for peace, perhaps more pronounced than any that has yet been allowed to reach the outer world. If this was not actually inspired by the Kaiser, it is significant that publication was allowed. The reply is furnished by The Times’ corespondent at Paris, who as a result of an interview with “high authorities,” says that the French utterly distrust German bona tides and that the Allies will not entertain peace suggestions this year. The object of Dr. Solf no doubt was to try and sap the determination of the Allies to push their present

advantage by hinting that Germany is willing to agree, to reasonable conditions of peace. Now is the time,..however, that General Foch’s hammer blows should bo struck as hard, as continuously, and as extensively as is possible. There are many indications that a considerable enemy retirement is an progress, and it is desired that it should not be harassed to the extent, of making it a rout, ending itfa great disaster. Never yet, in the whole course of the war, have the Allies had so good an opportunity of “getting some of their own back,” and it'makes excellent reading to find that at so many points they are attacking with great force. Since the middle of July the enemy has lost immense numbers of men and guns and vast stores of one kind and another, besides giving up a large extent of territory. The Allies are being reinforced daily by fresh American troops and they are fighting with all the confidence of victory, so that the next five weeks ought to se,e even better results than the last. There may be no possibility of peace, as the Americans say, until July or August of next year, but there is more thtpi a possibility of the enemy being decisively beaten before winter comes.