Swelling tide

Allies’ continued progress

Movement gathering impetus

Prospects in the east

No occasion for doubts

Every official message that comes to hand now confirms the impression that a great move forward by the allies is either in progress or is in contemplation for the very near future.

Possibly the great move will not be enters upon until a few weeks of the new year have gone by.

Possibly it may take place sooner.

German reinforcements have several times lately been mentioned and undoubtedly spasmodic attempts have been made to strengthen the German line but you cannot mend a leaking pipe with gummed paper and the class of soldier hurried of late by the Germans into Flanders is not of the sort to stop the allies when their movement gathers impetus.

The latest communiques illustrate the frankness of the general staff but the slight German successes to which reference is made only suggest despairing efforts to stem the tide and throw into greater relief the advances made by the allies.

South of Dixmude , South of Ypres and at some points on the front from the Lys to the Oise further progress was made on Friday while on ground gained earlier, positions were consolidated.

The official report issued late last night does not carry on much further but it was not too brief to contain one announcement of interest.

At Lihons a column of the enemy was surprised and literally cut to pieces which is good enough evidence that we are not going forward in single spied but in whole battalions.

The news from the East is more reassuring than it has been for several days past for although only partial successes are recorded there is sufficient to dissipate any fears of German victories other than the phantom kind on which Berlin so frequently rejoices.

Various bits of evidence suggests that Germany is making a tremendous effort to capture Warsaw. So far that effort has been terribly offensive and it still looks very doubtful if it can succeed.

There is no doubt either that the Russian army in North Poland is fighting a very hard battle. How that battle may turn is still uncertain.

Meanwhile it is essential to remember that success for Von Hindenburg can be spelt only by two things. He will achieve a great success if he can occupy Warsaw and drive the Russians to reform on a front facing North, and with imperfect communications.

He will achieve a minor success if he forces the Grand Duke Nicholas in order to save his northern forces, to abandon or weaken his offensive in West Galicia.

So far he has done neither. We may soon learn, if the signs are read correctly of a great battle in Galicia, it is a battle from which Russia stands to gain a good deal more than Germany.