South Wales Weekly Post

 The persistency with which the ALIies are pursuing aggre.?ive tactics in the West in- dieates the complete mastery of the initiative obtained and kept by Foeh's strategy, and the efficiency and vajour of the troops. Every week has produced its outstanding victory, and the blows struck at different points are so vigorous and sharp that the enemy is being sriaken by the strain of chronic imcertainty and apprehension. The situation is fluid to an extent baffling to the conjectures of friend and foe alike. One cardinal advantage conferred by unity in the command is that secrecy can be pre- served up to the last moment and lightning strokes delivered. By Friday the Allies were abreast- of the Hindenburg line along the greater part of its length, and in some sectors had driven in the outposts and secure 1 valuables vintage points for observation. The strongiioMs of Cambrai and SL. Quentin are gradually be- ing enfolded from the north and west, and the supports of the great Laon petitions are being "diligently undermiced. The furious counter-attacks attempted by six divisions in the area between Arras and St. Quen- tin denoted enemy impatience with the coils closing in upon his key positions and realisation that a further advance of the Allies presented a .menace justifying the most desperate endeavours to avert. Little has been heard of the Americans since they pinched off the St. MiliieJ. salient. but we may be sure that. they have not been idle since, and the German disposition :;ug- gest that the latter are expecting the lire to blaze up at any moment in the region of Nancy and Belfort. This hypothesis ac- counts for the evacuation of Muiliouse, which may be accepted as the Germans' tinet step under compulsion to give up the rich province which in 1871 was "torn from the bleeding sides of France. The populw- rcxpectation that the Army that acted so brilliantly at St. Mihael would be attracted towards the grea-t fortress of Metz preparatory to an advance into German Lorraine may not be realised. Northward of the line now held by them lies not only the great hoghwav. via Confians, which pro- vides the easiest access through Belgium into Germany, but also the irou fields of Briey from which the Germans have been drawing nine-tenths of their ore for war purposes. The prospects of obtaining per- manent, possession of these rich deposits was one of the motives impelling the Germans to aggressive action against France, and the Loss of the ore supply would have a crippling etfec-t upon their war industries. We have some idea of our own difficulties with all the world to draw upon in pro- curing an adequate supply of the raw ma- terials essential to the production of muni- tions and armaments, but oau only iiiake deductions, based upon fragmentary f art s. in regard to the straits of the enemy, who have been melting down monuanerats, stripping church belfries, public and even private buildings of every form of metal, and particularly of ibronze and copper. How even these abnor- mal measures are failing the Germans may be gathered from the inferior quality and limited quantity of_ the copper used in the Shells fii-ed at the Allies. Defects doe to this cause account for the un- usually large proportion of "dud" shells en- countered and the erratic nature of the work dO-ue by the German artillery, whose barrage lire is ireT-Lieiitly so unreliable tliat the shells fall on thetifei-mau s £ roni~-lw& woo-pi, to the exasperation and despair of the latter, who attribute the resultant CEhmaJties to care- jess and bad registering. As Col. Repping- ton observes "The Boche infantry does not love its gunners. Over a, Boche dug-out was found the inscription, 'We fear only God twid our own artillery.' Hence the importance which attaches to the enormous low of guns and ammunition pufferod by the enemy, who is not in the posi- tion to quickly replace them. Apart from the many g-uns destroyed by our fire-which is ol deadly accuracy as a rule, by reason of the dose observation kept by the aeroplane smnice-it is computed that the Allies since the 10th July have captured not fewer.than 3,000 guns, many of them of large calibre. Couple with this the fact that the prisoners brought into the cages are about 200,000, and it must be obvious that the fighting power of the Germans has been greatly reduced ma- terially, while the moral effects have been (Correspondingly grave. The art of concealing disasters is being assiduously cultivated "by the officials re- sponsible for the compilation of the German "war reports: but even these cannot disguise from a people so well posted in military mat- ters as the Germans the true significance of events in the West, and hence the general depression wihich the most laboure d efforts of a PresS controlled by its war chiefs cannot r xebeve or lessen. A complete change is ob- servable during iecent weeks in the criti- cisms of the military writers to the leading journals. As these writers are in close touch ■with the High Staff., and in a large measure select the views which prevail, in military circles, the change is highly suggestive, the I more so as ever since his appointment to the supreme command and until a lew weeks ago it was the fashion with them to disparage the capacity of General Foch as well aa the yalrifl of the Allied Armies. Of the many examples available, we might cite the comments offered as re- cently as the 4th inst. by Major Endries, one of the foremost contributors, to the Bavarian newspapers. He wrote Whern our offensive waa at its height it possessed in the three great salients south of Ypres, east of Amiena, and south of the Aisne a formation of front suitable for the develop- ment and continuation of the offensive, it was a perfect offensive position, but by no means suitable for a defensive. Its value diminished as time went on. Foch's stra- tegic counter-plan was to seize the initiative, and prevent the offensive being continued, and to take advantage of the fact that the gre-at extension of the German line made its de- fence not easy; not simply because it was considerably longer than before the German offensive, but particularly because the fact that the German offensive had come to a standstill offered the enemy opportunities of envelopment which had never before occurred. Foch, who even m peace time was a eTeat authority on strategy, and had rightly em- phasised the superiority of strategy based on theory, has shown in his book the plan which he has for weeks, as we must confess, been carrying through with great skill. He is not pursuing a strategy of attrition, but is following out a great strategic idea, and has been successful as far as he has gone." After describing in detail the various operations resulting in the enforced retreat of the Gemang, Major Endries sums up the consequences in the following observations, which are illuminating, having regard to the fact that the author is a German and a prac- tical soldier, writing under the close supervi- sion of the military censors:—" When the attempt to repulse tactically these brilliantly equipped armies failed, the German High I Command had to endeavour, "without suffer- ing too heavy losses, to ieach the strong front they held before their offensive. This was certainly a difficult decision for the High Command to take, particularly because it meant that we should have to be on the de- fensive for a, considerable time. But it was to be preferred to an unfavourable final de- cision which might result from stubbornly clinging to our advanced lines. The whole thing is simply a postponement of the deci- sion, not, however, H voluntary one. The old positions will soon be reached, and the, is tor the present no cause to assume that they will not be held, although the successful ad- vance on September 2 by the English from Arras to the line Ftwng--Cagnicourt.- Queant may make it possible to nanK further parts bf the old Hindenburg line. No on& will, and no one can, deny that the military situation is serious. It has not been so serious since the battle of the Marne, in 1914. But it would be a gloomy omen for the Ger- man people if they were to lose their heads in face of a serious -situation." Whether or not the Germans are able to keep their heads,, it is plain they are los- ing their hearts. They suspect much more than they are permitted to know, and the most vigilant methods of suppression can- not prevent- information percolating through from neutral countries. No offi- cial lists of casualties are being issued, but in every city, town and village the in- habitants are able to draw depressing in- ferences from the number of soldiers and sailors in their own families and the families of friends and neigh' bours from whom lette1'; have ceased to arrive. And the feeling of de- pression is naturally intensified bv the scarcity and high price of food and cloth- ing and the conditions of general dis- comfort. A well-known Swedish author, who has returned home after fifteen years' residence in Germany as the correspondent of leding- Swedish journals, publishes a description of the state of that country, which is transparently true, because dur- ing the war his sympathies have been pro- German. Last spring, he says, the sol- diers in the trenches were hopeful of peace witnin a few months, but the resuLts of the A larch offensive, which cost half-a-miliion men, crashed all hopes. The failure was due to the stamina of the reserves being re- duced through under-feeding. Moreover, General Foch attacked with enormously larger forces than expected, which proved the failure of the German intelligence ser- vice. The air supremacy was lost, and another dangerous feature was the fact. that a great number of troops had to be diverted eastward. Hindenburg, who pre- viousl y was popular, is now hooted a-t and cursed. The potato harvest has entirely failed in Rumania the harvest is bad and the Ukraine cannot spare any food. We may imagine, therefore, the state of mind of the average intelligent German, who, despite his touching faitdi in official declarations, perceives the wretchedness all around, and surveys the external situa- tion without discerning a gleam of hope. In the West, the vital part ol the war. the German tide is visibly receding, and the Entente Allies score success after success which cannot be hidden from the soldiers, whose sense of defeat is communicated by the tone, if not the substance, of their letters home. Retreat "according to plan" becomes a mocking formula when the hold- ing of a posit son one day is extolled with the same fervour as its abandonment later in a space of hours. The colossal losses in men, gtuis and munitions are not- mentioned in the official reports, but this merely retards and does not. deter the knowledge of them penetrating Germany. And German civilians—nearly all of them ex-soldiere—-appreciate the importance of the places evacuated under pressure, and their dismay will be great should and when the Hindenburg line is definitely broken or turned. Whether lie glance East, Wast, North, or South, the same dismal prospect confronts the German. Russia requires more soldiers to buttress Teutonic authority in the occupied parts, and elsewhere the tide of re- sistance to the Germans is steadilv rising, from Rumania, German correspondents are sending lugubrious accounts of the intensity of anti-German feeling j^nd point to sinister signs of a stiffening o. oljwsixion which is becoming organised. There is here an im. perative need of more of the Kaiser's sol- diers if the hateful treaty forced upon the unhappy State is to be executed. Attempts to coax and cajole the Poles into obedience to German requirements are failing conspicuously. Eighty per cent, of the mem- bers of the State Council a.re confessedly anti- Germau in sentiment. By placating the Pole-s it had been hoped to create an anny useable in Russia so at; to relieve the German gar- risons but in view of the popular sentiment the promoters hesitate to proceN.1 with the. scheme, fearing that the organisat-ion would be turned against Germany. Austria-Hungary is being compelled to yield divisions for the Western front-, whilst her own pressing interests demand mititary activity in Albania and Bulgaria and a more secure position against the Allied Armies in Italy. Bulgaria calk for German and Aus- trian aid. and threatens to cotiapse. uider the vigorous attacks of the Allies, who, if they find resistance soft by reason of the reduced morale of the Bulgar soldiery, may march far and effect a t.ransformation bound to react poweriallv in Turkey, where German influence is declining. The latter has troubles of its own and is hardly in a position to help the Hulo-ars. The brilliant victory obtair ed cy General I, Allenby in Palestine touches the "enemv on an extremely sensitive point. It is" pre- mature to hazard a conjecture regarding the real objective of this move, but any serious advance towards Allepo is calculated to put the nerves of the Sultan and his entourage on edge, and in any case the aggressive action of the British ill t-hregion will tend I to fully preoccupy the Moslem friends of the Kaiser. On the surface of the sea and beneath it, on land and in the air, the same indications of Germany's failing strength are plainly disclosed. The gigantic failure in France has its reper- cussions the whole world over, in neutral lands as well as the countries of the belli- gerents. In the altered condition of things there is little danger of any neutral Power going over to the Germans—this could not be said with truth a few months ago-more especially as the principal neutral countries are now mainly dependent upon America and Great, Britain for their supplies of food and raw materials for their industries. The day for the judgment upon the scourges of mankind—for the reparation and the punishment—is approaching. It is being hastened by the valour, fhe sacrifice, and the suffering of the soldier and the sailor, and the courageous endurance of sorrow and pri- vation by the great body of civilians. The opportunities about to be granted for wrest- ing security for peaceable people and ridding the earth of autocracies, cabals and tyrannies —created and buttressed by systems and con- ventions which have no longer the sanction of the intelligent and are being condemned by their fru.its-must not be lost through the folly or weakness of politicians, to whom the government of States is a game played for the profit of persons or factions. A last- ing peace, broad-based upon the determina- tion of the freedom-loving peoples of the world, demands not only the smashing be- yond repair of the German war machine, but also such a demonstration of German impo- tency against universal wrath as only the carrying of the war into Berlin itself can yield. American insistence on this point- hardening every dav-is full of hope that henceforward humanity will be adequately protected from being made the sport of scheming potentates and their satellites, whether domiciled in Potsdam or elsewhere. Albei-t George Coulson (25), farm labourer, was summoned at Swansea on Saturday bv his wife, Evelyn Coulson, for arrears of maintenance amounting to JB19 4s. 6d. De- fendant asserted that his wife was gu-iltv of misconduct, while the father of the com- plainant stated that defendant had admitted misconduct on his part. Defendant was or- dered to pay. or go to prison for three months. The Press Association learns that n Order will be issued by the Food Ministry m regard to the rationing of jam, the Order coming into force on November 2nd. It is believed that the ration will be 4oas. per head weekly for adults and' 6ozs. for children. As to the position of restaurant proprietors, the question has not yet been settled, but it is expected they will be given a certain supply of jam on the same lines as the butter supply they now receive. I The Turks' tuiai now; whose next? Rabbits are being liold at certain Sm-ans ea shops without coupons. And to think that only a. few weeks ago the farmers were asking for rain A meteorological observer at Swansea states we had not had a clear fine day this mouth. The following notice appears on the door of a Swansea Valley office This door will close; try It." One topic to be carefully avoided in tram- cars these days is the weather. It is not becoming to use bad language before women and children. Prize apples realised 5s. 3d. each at the PontardnJais Red Cross sale; and a. pig, young, bu.t prime, w«a& knocked down for JE1. From, a district correspondent:—" Dear ,i!, .The curate is very cross with me because you left his name out of the report of Sorry, but name not sent! The local jam and currant distribution is puzzling. \Yhi some people seem to be able to get pretty frequent supplies, others cannot obtain any at all. A correspondent in a London paper urged that dust should be burnt with the coal. Must Swansea householders are al- ready doiug it—and have done it for a long time. 3 Swansea. Food' Office staff were kept busy with the green leaves on Friday. A special table, with staff and clerks, was kept at full pressure outside the entrance ► to the reference library. A-Swansea Valley man who has seen ser- vice in the Navy in pre-war days claims to be an authority on naval matters. From his very varied experiences his friends cal- culate his age to be about 600! More light beer is being anticipated. This reminds us of a Mumbles man's vb, serva,tion on some of the present variety, that to lind the beer it would be necessary to drop a atone in to splash the waiter out. I «r ft> HE Sergeant Gordon Beynon, A. S.C.. formerly of the "Daily Post" reportorial staff, who saw some of the recent severe fighting, is home on leave. Early in the war he lost a brother, Pte. Bert Beynon, a well-known Lianelly footballer. ■ i■ vim <»■ A small boy had ostensibly some jam- marks round his mouth the other day in the street. An enviou. beholder of the same age threatened to send for a "special." Evidently the jam goes all the same way. 4I54\S <jp The Swansea Guardians appreciated the action of the Po&t in supplying them with the news of the Boohe defeat, in their counter-offensive on Thursday, and they showed that they understood the signifi- cance of the news. Pater" (Swansea) writes Can't some- thing- be done to induce butchers to open earlier than Friday mornings? And even then some did not. open till 9,60. There is such a thing as public convenience, which at one time butchers uito study. They were indulging 4n recriminations ever the garden wail when one of the "ladies" put a further stopper on the argument by telling the other to go and get a pound of currants as she had done and then she would talk to her further. That did it Speaking of the presentation of the free- I dom of Kidwelly to the Premier, a local I correspondent says The casket, in which the freedom- scrip will be presented will vie with anything of the kind pre- sented in any borough." There for you! Blackberry sailers state that to sell the berries at the controlled price (4d. per lb.) does not admk- of a reasuna-ble return for their labour. But considerin.g most- of the fruit is gatherw bv school children, the argument loses a good deal of its weight. -> Sketi-y this season lias a merited reputa- tion for giant pctatoes; but. few would have anticipated the reply given to a woman who recently wanted to. purchase 21bs. from a. local allottee. "My good woman," was the prompt answer, "I don't cut. my potatoes." '<¡"£.. Our local coa,st is striking- enough at all times, but on Sunday it should be a spectael-e of the utmost- grandeur, because the tide will be at the highest of the year. We hope that the weather will be fairly clear, because, coupled with a brilliant moon, the tcene should out- rival a Turner nocturne for beauty, and will recompense one for the unsettled conditions of the past few days. Of co-i-rse, if even the elements are unruly, the sight will be sum. cieniiy majestic, and all should make a point of witnessing it at about eight o'clock in the evening.   -< & -< &  More Pickings from Punch." A few days £4. ns wiaa paid for a Fries land oow. The smallness of the sum is attributed to the fact tha.t. the animal had already been milked that morning. Truculent. Hun (to Scot): "Ah, Hinden- burg will be here soon!" Seot; "Eh, mon, he wull. An' he'll be cairtin' wooo., same as vei-slel, Physical Training Instructor (to dilatory squad): "Call that fallin' in? When 1 says. In two ranks—fall iIi;' I wants to see a cloud o' dust an' a living statue." The Swansea Social Committee are run- ning a series of monthly whist, drives dur- ing the eoming season for three successive evenings. The first is for the Daily Pest" Prisoners' of War Fund, at the Hotel Metropole, on October 1st. 2nd and 3rd, and a record crowd is anticipated, as the above fund is recognised as the one de- serving of pre-eminent support.' Nearly a thousand pounds a month are now being Bpent-and well spent—by the "Daily Post" in keeping local boys from starva- tion in Germany, so don't forge-t to buy tickets and do your bit to help along the good work. A Local man was entrusted with a sealed mission in the course of his duties. He re- ceived it direst, spoke to no one, and did not know what was required of him until he reached the destination indicated, when he opened his instructions and acted upon them. He returned home still without speaking to anyone on the matter, and yet the first- man who he met upon his return could tell inim all about his mission. And he subsequently found the subject matter of the mission was pretty public property. How these things leak out is a mystery. 4><;>- Madame Grace Daniel, who is "absolutely tophole" at Swansea Empire this week with her versatility and is deputising a star turn at short notice, is staying with friends at Sketty. She has done great Work in en- tertaining the wounded soldiers, having given songs and recitals at Reading to 900 Ganadiaaus. toured North Walles with her husband. Lieut. Daniels, who is likewise a line singer, and has now returned to his regi- ment in Ireland. Every military station West Wailes has been visited by this gifted artiste and her well-selected party. On Fri.dar afternoon she entertained the wounded soldiers of Swansea and district at the Empire., catching on" wonderfully in each of her five songs and skillfully playing her own aocompanimeow. i Some of the Swansea, coaitrimmers are getting 5s. an hour per man overtime. Certain of the Swansea. councillors are look- ing forward to beating the new boundaries. Fish is coming dowsi in price. "Anti- Profiteer" asks if the quality will be affected. Sandfields people thanked their stars tha.1 the' improved drainage did not mean floods yesterday. I' -0-0-< I Notwithstanding that little event in Ap- gust. Neath is going ttf'have another Eistedd- fod in October. Such  that few in Such is the flight of time that few in Swansea realise that the late Miss Talbot approached 80 years of age. Every prominent Labour man locally i- now being- asked if lie. is a candidate at the forthcoming municipal elections. The Mayor (Aid. Ben Jones) is, credited with already having in view a permanent site for the tajik ^Egbert^ at Swansea. In view of an earlier closing of offices, Swansea Doci?s juniors are taking an unusual interest in the Lighting and Heating Order. A practice obtains in the Swansea Val- ley, it is said, of parents taking the ehiJ- dren to a phrenologist prior to their en- trance to a county school. Besides the sugar e hortage there would appear to be a shortage in some of the re- tailers weights. The public may now be ex- pected to weigh it," and see. The charts in the Swansea Gas Com- pany's showroom windows will show every- body exactly what proportion of coal and gas they may use under the new Order. Discharged soldiers and men who have done their bit" find a robust champion in Mr. John Meredith, the sturdy one-time "All White" and Welsh International forward. "< I The imperturbdible East. A party of carpet-slippered, enjbroidered-capped Lascars from over the King's strolling unconcernedly through Swansea streets in the pouring rain. A man who appeared before a down-line tribunal affirmed, that he "had no time to go into the Army." Well., the Army is also very busy just now., the Navy never sleeps. What almost reconciled a Swansea man to the atmospheric conditions of Saturday afternoon was the sight oi a. "no-hattei-5' making his way down High-street in the heavy rain. Some people are smiling at the Coal Con- troller's generosity in the matter of coal allo- cations to small houses. Not one in six burns normally the quantities permitted. How's this for eeuiioi-i,v New we know the cause of the recent -wEll, call it. weather. Longshoreman Billy" tells us that "the weather vane on Swansea Harbour Offices hat; been out of order of late." Confound it! This age demands men who have con- victions," shouted the impassioned orator. "Where shall we find them I" "In prison! replied the man in t?ie gallery.—(Mr. Chas. Davie¡. at the Ragged School.) ■>»   at Mr. R. G. Lewis (of Ben Evans') i" apt at anecdote, and his latest hair-raiser concern- ing a small boy and a pudding basin is cal- culated to make the devil m gargoyle in Church-street grin more than ever. A certain Swansea Greek, well known in 1 shipping and dockside circles, exhibits pro- found satisfaction at the British and Greeks fighting side by side against the common enemy. For he is intensely 'loyal to the Allied cause. The most disconsolate objects in the fruit- erers' windows at Swansea on Saturday were onions, which were marked at the low Drice -6 -21 d. per lb. The public were rightly par- doned for thinking that the fruiterers had inadvertently made a mistake. There was a s-uggesiion around the Swan- sea docks on Saturday that- some of the, coaitrimmers had failed to charge enough on free tonnage vessels.. It is said that some of the men would not object to go over the work again to see if they were right. "Evperentia" (Swansea) writes "Turf fires have the great advantage of dispensing with wood for kindling. Leave two sods to keep each other warm. or ev?t one, facedown j on the warm health, and ?Eour bellows in the morning will ren&w the Cre. Turfites, for- ward "i-- A well-known Swansea Docks railway offi- cial s? a boy was on his father's sailing vessel, the Enterprise, in the harbour of Caen at the time of the outbreak of the Franco- Prussian War, and-witnessed the departure of the first detachment of conscripts for the front. Swansea Corporation has secured very favourable terms as regards the differential rating of the newly-extended boroirgh. The arrangement, in the ease of Swansea cont.inues in operation for five years; in many k-ther towns where extensions have taken place the j periods have been much longer. f "Possibly smash the new bor- oegh of Swansea nevertheless, Councillor Owen would doubtless -be among those who appreciate the effect a steady and per- sistent clrip, drip has upon even a most endurable material substance or body," ruminates Ratepayer. j A Swansea, pilot was discussing an ac- quaintance at a public dinner recently with his next-door neighbour, and he spoke of him candidly from his point of view, sparing nothing. Then his neighbour volunteered the information that the gentleman being dis- cussed was his brother-in-lavv. No wonder the pilot's soup went cold..  two  Lin d on The two gentlemen at Lang land Bay on I Saturday even 'r-I who, standing in water up to their waists, hung on to their tent with might and main to prevent its being washed away, are to be congratulated on their pluck, I and also on saving the tent. Another gentle- man, although drenched from head to foot, was happy in the fact that he succeeded in saving his boat. We are always ready to grumble about our public services: Whiletravelllng east- ward by train the other day, a gentleman visitor, who appeared to know something of the matter, remarked that after spend- ing a wet week at the Mumbles he had formed the opinion that the gas was much better there than he got at home. With regar d to water, asked what he thought of the supply, he was rather a.busive; pro- ba-bly lie was thinking of the reoent cli- matic conditions. The late Miss Talbot inherited many of her father's business gifts, but frail health throughout the greater part of her long life prevented her taking a leading part in the development of her estates as she would have liked. Her relations with some of her older tenants were of the most kindly character, and many an old inhabitant of cottages in the Pyle and Margam district will tell of her visits to their homes, when she would chat with true womanlv sym- pathy with tlie.rn of the thousand and one little household problems which play so great a. part- in "the short and simple annals of the poor." Pickings from 11 Punch." 11 Prison officers are now demanding wage Increases. It is rumoured that several old lags now undergoing sentence have in the event of a strike offered to come out in sympathy. "The German people," said the Kaiser in his latest speech, is resolved to defend Lie t.rea.surea of Kultur acquired in tena- cious labour against the enemy onslaught- The German people may do the defending, but it's Little Willie who really got away with most. uf the stuff. Ca.n it be that the Government is losing its da. ? The police trouble in London has been practically settled, and the C-abinet has missed another exceptionally fine opportunity of setting up a SpeciaJ Committee. Imjna.ti ve Little Girl' "Fancy. mother, only yesterday I may havi been bathing vnt?, bl"r I" <