BRITAIN'S PART.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15454, 6 December 1915, Page 7

BRITAIN'S PART.

THE GOVERNMENT ATTACKED. THE NORTHCLIFFE PRESS CONTROVERSY. o SNIPING TACTICS ADOPTED. ("Times" and "Sydney Sun" S«mce«.) (Received December sth. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 4. Great interest is being shown in the suggested National Party in the House of Commons. The "Evening News" considers that there is need for a constructive body sitting in Opposition with tho single purpose of prosecuting the Avar wisely, and ruthlessly attacking the "Be-kinu-to-Gcrmany" gang. Mr T. Gibson Bowles,, in u letter to the Press, says tho present House is not much better than tho infamous Long Parliament of 1G54. It lias plunged lis into a war which its chosen leaders Ifavo not shown themselves competent. to conduct. There is n groat general; and growing discontent with tho present Government's conduct of the war. .

The "IMbrning Post" compares Sir ■ J. A. Simon with the man in the fabU who complained of toothacho on the Day of Judgment. Ho is, tho "Post" says, imputing faults to tho Northcliffo Press which are duo to tho Government itself. Lord Northcliffe stands for a robust and patriotic policy. The "Daily Mail" map did not conveyinformation to tho enemy. What really helped tho enemy was tho long scries of surrenders which tho British Government mado in Asiatic Turkey l>oforo tho war, and in the Balkans after tho war started. Tho "Morning Post" asks: "When will tho Government understand that it is not fighting a general election, but the most formidable Powers in tho world?" LONDON. December 3. Sir J. A. Simon, in his remarks, quoted the Zcitung" as his authority for the statement that tho criticisms of "The Times" were encouraging the Germans. "The.Times'' on Thursday published tho statement that a searching examination of tho German Press did not bear out in tho slightest degree Sir J. A. Simon's contention. Colonel Repington points out that Sir .T. A. Simon stated that the "Daily Mail" map was published whilo Bulgaria was hanging in tho balance, whereas tho fact "was that Bulgaria had declared war thrco days previously. In a letter, Mr Stephen Graham, the Russian correspondent of "Tho Times/' says, in regard to Sir J. A. SimonV charges:—"Nothing had heartened tho Germans moro than tho success of their _ arms and diplomacy. It is tho deliberate plan of the German Press, by its propaganda, to hearten us, and so induce slackness on our part. They have pretended at different times to bo starving, and to have insufficient copper ,aud a shortage of shells. Now their idea is to declare that the Germans are ready for peace. The majority of tho recent heartening canards came from a pro-German source. We wen* heartened by them as regards Bulgaria. Greece, and Roumanin. but tbe miserable truth was less helpful than iiapny. It should be thn function of the Press not to fight the Germans, but to tell us where, wa stand.'' THE RECRUITING CAMPAIGN. LORD DERBY'S APPEAL. LONDON, December 3. Derby's fresh appeal is:—"Wo shall know by December 11th whether the men between tho ages of 19 and 40 are prepared to give to tho army tho foiee required. "impartial tribunals will weigh th« arguments of recruits having difficulties, or who arn regarded as indispensable to industry. I appeal to eligible men to put their country's interests before their own, and .show tho world, our Allies, the neutral nations, and our enemies alike that hundreds of thousands of the citizens of Britain are ready to fight for her." FOR VALOUR. TEN VICTORIA CROSSES AWARDED. (Rece'ved December sih. 5.5 p.m.), LONDON, December 4.' 'I he who is still weak, docotv

fctcd ten soldiers, including four Australians. with the Victoria Cross, at Buckingham Palace. He warmly shook hands with the men, and eongratuIntcd them on winning the proud distinction. Ono «>ldier. describing his feelings, said :—"The King makes you feel that he has an interest in you, something like a father who is proud of Lis son."'

HEALTH OP MUNITION "WORKERS. '"WEEKLY BEST IMPERATIVE. (Received December Gth, ~>.~j p.m.) LONDON. December 4. .V committee appointed to enquire into the health of munition workers recommends the discontinuance of Sunday lal>ot:r. The report emphatically declares that if the maximum output is kept up for a lengthy period a weekly jest period is imperative. FINANCIAL AID FRO3I CEYLON. £1.000.000 IN TEN YEARS. (Received Decom!>cr otii. 0.0 p.m.) LONDON. December 1. The Ceylon Legislative Council decided to vote £100.'>00 annually for ten yer.rs towards the cost of the war. IN SOUTH AFRICA. CONTINGENT FOR GERMAN EAST AFRICA. TTAIt EXI'KNDITFRE. (Received "Deccmlwr sth, 5.5 p.m.) CAPE TOWN, December 4. The recruiting of the contingent for German iiist .Africa has been completed. General Botha's eon commands <t section.

1 h<> Hon. J. A. C. GraafF, in introducing tin* Loan Estimates in the fck'iinfo, pointed out that South Africa's total war expenditure, including the cost- of the rebellion, had been ——1,000,000. Considering the War Budgets of Australia and Canada, it could not be said that South Africa ivas doing too much. EMPLOYED AT THE VTAR OFFICE. LADY OF GERMAN BERTH. ' LONDON, December 3. There is a great newspaper outcry against Mr H. J. Tcnnants admission iu the House of Commons that .Mrs Sav*l?, who id of German birth, and the wife of a rector in an East Coast parish, in employed by the "War Office. Notice of further questions has been given. It is said that the lady is a cousin of General von Bothmor, the German commander on the Strypa, and it is reported that Admiral von Tirpitz's son was Mrs Savile'g guest prior tc the outbreak of "war. (Received December sth, 0.5 p.m.) I LONDON,'December 4. ' Mrs Savile states that she has not visited Germany for thirty years, and does not possess an atom of sympathy for Germany. She lias regarded her employment at tho War Office as some compensation for her removal from the East Coast. Admiral von Tirpitz's son never visited her, though, at tho instance of a, Somerset lady, negotiations were opened with her to take him as a paying guest. This idea fell through. THE ALBERT HALL DISTURBANCE. * LONDON, December 3. _In the Houso of Commons, Mr ,F. H. Jowett referred to the colonial soldiers breaking up the anti-conscrip-tion meeting at tho Albert Memorial Hall. Sir J. A. Simon said that the police -attended the meeting, but were not called upon to deal with any breach of the peaec. » Mr A.. A. l'onsonby asked if it was not contrary to the regulations for uniformed soldiers to incite to violence. , A. Simon: "That question should be addressed t 0 the "War Office I have no information that sold le rs "were callcd upon to lead a mob." A NEWSPAPER IN TROUBLE. LONDON. December 3. Vword V> ° ? las « ow " D «i'v .J.ocorcl and Mail and Mr \ndrew I'orbes, the publisher, pleaded guilty and were each fined £25. c n the charge of using a secret code for the trans mission of war news. s * P ATRIOTIC- RACEHORSE OWNER, 'rim LOXD ?*• December 3. saatftsss