Dec. 4.
Ow June 27, 1743, George of England led an Anglo-German army to victory at the battle of Dettingen: and, in passing, it might be asked whose fault it is that the forces of these two countries are now against and not with each other. Since Dettingen, reason of State have for-hidden British monarchs from leading their armies in person. On this as on other grounds history presents no parallel to. the memorable visit which King George V has been paying to the Allied armies in France and England. It is in a very real sense an act of leadership. Commanders-in-Chief no longer fight in the midst of their armies. The science of war and the vast field of operations have given them other duties and positions. When they go down into the trenches it is to encourage, to congratulate, to reassure. No greater encouragement could the Allies receive than this visit of King and President. But more than this, we may safely assume tha when His Majesty thus goes into the field of battle, his advisers are fairly confident that all is well. In that sense his visit to France and Belgium would inevitably be interpreted; and for this reason, and because the meagreness of official communiques gives so little information about the course of events, we may even feel that there was a special reason for the banquet at British headquarters and the pubplicity accorded it.
Let us for a moment see how even the official communiques support this view. In Flanders, the scene of the second great German scheme of offence, but little serious fighting, as compared with what had gone before, has been recorded since the on-slaugh of the Prussian Guard, on November 11 was shattered on the British lines. More and more the enemy has been relying upon his artillery, less and less posed to fixed fortifications, tempts in other places. artillery alone, even the Jack Jobnsons" appear to have no practical effect. Is it not also significant that on November 23, we heard of a violent bombardment of Ypres, chiefly, directed against its historic buildings, although the town of Ypres has never seriously been in danger of being taken, and that since that date the relaxation of the enemy's attack has been most conspicuous? Does this not suggest a parallel to the case of Arras, so poignantly described a day or two ago by our Paris correspondent, where, because there was no chance of taking the town, these valiant German generals, representatives of so much boasted culture, deliberately set themselves to destroy its ancient monument? May not the bombardment of Ypres town hall have been a last futile act of impotent vengeance? Meanwhile in the eastern theatre even the Germans have to admit a severe reverse.
Their army, they say, was seriously threatened on its own rear. The plea that, in fighting their way out, they captured 12,000 prisoners can, of course, be dismissed contemptuously: what should an army fighting desperately to cut through surrounding forces do with such a number of, of any, prisoners. Meanwhile, the Russians methodically pursue their plans, pressing hard upon Cracow and advancing steadily down the Vistula by Gombin and Plock. The latter piece of formation is highly important. Tt suggest that, although the German army near Lodz is not wholly overthrown, it may presently find itself in position of cruel isolation. Are not the Their armies are still very great, their position increasingly desperate. But we may venture to believe that the worst of their offensive power has been broken. One great scheme has failed and another, and with each failure there must be less spirit in the German host for new adventures, m20re spirit among the Allies to meet hem: and we may trust that other attempts will fail as their predecessors have done. This warrant of confidence bears the royal signature of our King.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.