How Goes the Fight?

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12061, 17 July 1917, Page 2

How Goes the Fight?

. NOTES QN THE WAR, THE POSITION IMSED, OHIUSTOHURCH. July 17. The correspondents in Holland and Switzerland hav.p long been prophesying the crisis that has now occurred m Germanv, and nearly two months ago one or two of them expressed the conviction that, the Chancellor could not hold his ground. The .internal trouble threatened to come to a, head early m May when the Chancellor was scheduled'to make a pronouncement concerning Germany's war aims. For some reason tho speech was postponed. In some quarter* it was alleged that there was a sharp difference between the civil Government and the General Staff as to the national programme, in others it was alleged that Austria would not endorse the German proposals, and in others it was stated that Bethmann had at last failed to reconcile the Conservatives and tho Centre. It had been expected that the Jupkers and Pan-Germanists would ultimately bring about the Chancellor's downfall, and the Crown Prince was named as tie head of the opposition. But m the end it was the Centre that threw Bethmann over. AVheu at length 1 became necessary for him to make a declaration lie was bound to lose one croup or the other, and he appears to have lost both. The Socialist \ orwaerts" declared that the only chance of saving the Administration lay m a free and frank acceptance of tho Austrian formula —a formula which, it said, would, unite Austria, Germany an,d Russia. Theodor Wolff, the editor of the " Tageblatt," on the other hand, contended that the only hope of salvation for the Government lay in an immediate concession on the basis of responsibility to the Reichstag.

An article in " Vorwaerts " early m May emphasised, the growing discontent but all the political organs were tclluv the same story. "Though it is little more than a month emce Beth-mann-Hollweg last spoke the mind of his Imperial master, the situation has meantime changed considerably." wrote a correspondent, "Kaiser A\ dhelm s Easter manifesto; the strikes in Berlin and elsewhere; the repeal of the Jesuit and language laws; the reduction of food rations to the lowest conceivable minimum; America's entry into the war ; Austria's strongly expressed desire for peace at almost any price; and the severe fighting on the west front are the outstanding events of the month. \nd it is impossible not to behove that ■i. very much altered state of affa.irs has arisen out of them all. . A most important influence in the situation is the increased determination of tho democrat to express its views freely and to proceed on that path of domestic reform whose goal is government by the people."

It is to he remarked that Hungary, Austria and Germany have now all had their political crises, and in none of the enemy countries are the conditions even now quite stable. These events do not occur by .accident. There must b<> some general movement common to Ibo peoples of the enemy countries. ur '->r them to overthrow their old administrations and to demand reforms. And it is not. only the pressure of hunger that moves them. The cities are seething with discontent, according to the few neutrals who now travel°through Germany, and nothing but a. tremendous victory in the field or its equivalent in a. complete solution of the food problem will reconcile them to the continuation of the war. The German people, these travellers declare, have fallen into a mood of extreme pessimism. They do not believe that victory is possible, and the best ihev can see ahead is a. wnr long drawn out. involving years of further suffering, with an inconclusive peace at the end of it. If this is the true. state of enemy countries the political movements need no further explanation. " Austria, would make peace to-day if Germany would let her." says one correspondent, "and it is in the balance whether Germany consents or not this year. I believe that the people will really have to take charge, and if they do there will either be an early peace or a stiffen and more, terrible determination than ever to wage, war."

The Russians, in spito °f no Dai weather, -which is flooding the rivers., are still making good progress south of the Dniester, the fighting being principally above Kalusz, where the high ground still gives some freedom of 0 action. Immediately south nf Kalusz the enemy resists strongly between Dobroviany and Novitsa (Nowica). on tho right bank of tJie Lomnitsa, but further south still the "Russians are apparently across the river and have driven the Austrians from Rozniatov, capturing prisoners and guns. On the immediate left of this battle, however, a strong enemy counter-movement has been initiated, the Austrians crossing to the east bank of the river, in an effort to turn tho Russian line. From Perehinsko southwards the Austrians still hold the eastern side of the river valley, for the communique records a very stubborn resistance on the Slivki-Jasien front, in the valley of the upper Lomnitsa, where the country rioes rapidly to the Carpathian ridges.

There are the inevitable inquiries for suitable maps. These are not very readily obtainable locally just now, but maps that were in use for the Russian operations last year are quite serviceable. The present offensive in Galicia can be followed quite well with the "Daily Telegraph's" large map of the Russian theatre—-No. s—issued away back in 1914. Or if one has the "' Telegraph's" .shilling atlas and a fair reading glass the principal towns can be located. Kalusz is about seventeen miles from the confluence of the Lomuitsa with the Dniester. Jasieu is more than twenty miles further south, so that the Russians aro fighting on a front of about forty miles. Between Kalusz and the Dniester they are across th& river a.nd are gradually extending their occupation of the west bank. Immediately above Kalusz they have not yet woa the crossing. The next crossing to the south, that to Rozniatov, is hold by the Russians. Further south, at Pcrehinsko, the Austrians are endeavouring to win back the crossing they have lost, and above Perehinsko the fighting is still along the o/ist bank of the river. The Russians do not appear to have established themselves on the higher ground behind Kalusz, but Kalusz itself is on