The Polish offensive, which assumed so sensational an aspect several weeks ago when Red divisions were shattered before Pilsudski's onslaught, has, as we indicated a week" ago, passed its climax, and the danger to Poland is now grave. The. remarkable statement was telegraphed a few days ago that the Reds had opened an offensive along 740 miles of front, a thing which can hardly be believed, for the number of forces required to carry that on, to say nothing of the equipment demanded, would be absolutely beyond the resources of the Soviet. Nothing of the kind was ever dreamt of by either the Allied or German commanders during the war, highly skilled although they were in the technique of their trade and well supplied by railways. While we may dismiss that as a telegraphic error or the vain imaginings of the Moscow wireless, we have nevertheless the fact that the Reds have captured the fortress of Rovno, which lies at the confluence of railways in Volhynia, and is on_ the direct oad to Lemberg. The Poles are already suffering from the rashness which marked their recent plait in challenging a much larger power with greater resources, power. moreover, which has in the past two years been able to organize a dangerous army. We are now likely to sec the truth of the saying that God fights on the side of the big battalions.
Those Who Die Not A Swiss paper revives the report that the Tsar and his family are still alive—in hiding in Russia. It is no new story, the principal variant upon it being that the princesses had found a refuge in America, but it will be received with interest by innumerable people. Though no witness has given a categorical account of the—Tsar's death, it is believed that the spot where his murder occurred has been fairly well identified, but as matters stand the circumstances of the case will give full play rumour for years to come. The most prominent example of this sport of rumour in modern days is to be seen in the case of General Sir Hector Macdonald, whose tragic death is supposed to have occurred in Paris in 1903. Principal among those who refused to credit it were the men of the Highland Brigade who fought under him. in South Africa, and it is a fact that to this day the remaining ones are largely sceptics. They received with avidity the news that their old leader had been seen on a battlefield during the Russo-Japanese War, and during the Great War they' agaly enjoyed the thrill of another vival, Between Macdonald and the Russian General Rusky somebody observed a likeness, and the story at once gained currency that, being barred from serving his coun: try, Macdonald was doing his utmost for it by leading Russians. These stories die hard, and it is likely to be the same with the unhappy Tsar.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.