ARMISTICE DAY IN BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21320, 13 November 1934, Page 11

ARMISTICE DAY IN BRITAIN

KING AT CENOTAPH JONISTERS SPEAK OF MEED FOR PEACE ARCHBISHOP URGES TREATY REVISION h,«IZD PBBSK ASSOCIATirnC— PT ELF.CTBIO IELEUBAPH—COPTBIGHT.) (Received November 12, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 11. Standing with bowed head at the Cenotaph his Majesty embodied the jeverence of the peoples of the Empire at the Armistice Day commemoration service, which was as solemn and impressive as in previous years. The crowd included thousands of women mourning their sons and husbands. All day and far into the evening Londoners filed past the Cenotaph an d visited the Unknown Warrior's tomb and the Field of Remembrance. Sir James Parr (New Zealand High Commissioner) placed a wreath on the Cenotaph. Mr R. A. Eden (Lord Privy Seal), speaking at Stratford-on-Avon, urged the widest possible general disarmament by international convention, but deprecated an undue weakening of Great Britain's defences.

Sir John Simon (Foreign Secretary) broadcast a talk to America, emphasising the urgent need for peace and advocating Anglo-Ameri-can co-operation. The Archbishop of York denounced the Treaties of Versailles and Trianon as "a prolonged act of warfare." He said their revision was an indispensable preliminary to genuine peace. Christians must aid in the progress to international lav/ from the boasted • international anarchy in which the world now lived. "We must renounce our claim for absolute external sovereignty, and not demand in the last resort to judge our own case," he said. "We must bind ourselves to accept the judgment of an international authority equipped to settle international disputes. If international force were known to be sufficient it would probably never need to be used."

CEREMONY AT ALBERT HALL UNION JACK BURNED IN DUBLIN PEACE DEMONSTRATION IN OXFORD LONDON, November 11. A parly of Old Contemptibles, 50 ttrong —some grey-haired, some surprisingly youthful—joined the steady tramp of thousands of members of the British Legion to Albert Hall, where the Prince of Wales stood at attention in the Royal box with Lord Jellicoe and Sir Frederick Maurice, while former soldiers gave cheer after cheer.

They bore banners emblazoned with the names of Mons, Le Cateau, Armentieres, La Bassee, the Marne, and Ypres. Behind them came the

standards of the Chelsea Pensioners and women's services. The audience sang the National Anthem and cheered pictures of Lord Jellicoe and Lord Haig. The Prince of Wales spoke in darkness. Then followed Laurence Binyon's requiem for the fallen and a shower of more than 1,000,000 scarlet poppy petals, one in memory of each of the Empire's war dead, fluttered from the roof and rested on the bowed heads and shoulders of the survivors of the war. Drummers of the Irish Guards and trumpeters of Life Guards sounded "Reveille." The Rev. J. T. Rhys, at Berrnondwy, suggested an impressive deputation to his Majesty, imploring him to launch a world effort to abolish war. The Duke of Kent, marching with the British Legion procession, placed a wreath on the Stone of Remembrance in Edinburgh on behalf of the King. Another wreath was placed in commemoration of Lord Haig, whom the local clergy extolled. The only place where a discordJut note was sounded in the British Isles was at Dublin, where youths burned a Union Jack. Twelve were arrested. Republican returned soldiers frarhed in a protest against imperialistic displays. The largest undergraduate peace demonstration vet held occurred at Oxford, where* after the returned J wdiers' procession ended, 1000 stu-. dents marched. They were forbidden to bear banners, but trades \ Zionists carried flags inscribed, ; Scholarships, not Battleships."

STATE OF TENSION IN PARIS ,;' CLASHES AVOIDED ' Royalist demonstration LONDON, November It. Armistice Day observances, memorial services, and peace demonstrates were held in many countries fitting devotion. M. Albert President of France, reviewed the garrison of Paris. A rate of tension prevailed, but police SI i. tlle Mobile Guards prevented washes by keeping parties of differtt,;j P°Htical complexions in areas Wl oely apart. crowd greeted homewardtor M J^ ini sterial cars with cheers fti» **' ~ aston Doumergue and jeers \ M. Edouard Herriot. Bar? u rs of the Action Francaise la£ £■• earing a deathmask of the tinJr ng A 1 of Jugoslavia, nea the Jeunesse Patriot in a I* demonstration. I*«»nel Couthard, 75, Officer of "■ Mgion of Honour and holder of!

the Croix de Guerre, tearfully watched the Armistice Day ceremonies for the first time in his life He was disgraced in 1917 for desertion at Verdun in the face of the enemy. The Appeal Court last nighf. restored to him his rank and honours. The only hostile witness among many favourable was the tottering General Lebocq, who passed the original sentence. He still questioned Colonel Couthard's character and courage. The court obviously disbelieved him. Colonel Couthard left his post to report to headquarters on the results of a ghastly gas and liquid flame attack. He was cashiered from the army and imprisoned for five years. Crowds gathered in the evening and cheered M. Doumergue. who appeared on the balcony of his flat. Twelve Communists were arrested for interrupting ceremonies at Narbonne. Scuffles were suppressed at Lille.

CELEBRATIONS IN EUROPE MON3 REMEMBERS OLD CONTEMPTIBLES LONDON, November 11. At Gibraltar guns thundering salvoes from the Rock began and ended with two minutes' silence.

Signor Mussolini reviewed Italy's armed forces and young Fascists in Rome.

A parade of troops was held before Marshal Pilsudski in Warsaw in celebration of the anniversary of Poland's independence. A high tide at Venice flooded Saint Mark's Square two feet deep and confined the celebrations to churches.

The King and Queen of Belgium, Burgomaster Max and thousands of Allied former soldiers joined in the ceremonies at Brussels. British residents in Belgian towns attended special services. The citizens of Mons gave a civic reception to members of the Old Contemptibles Association. Serbian papers published lons eulogies of gratitude to British and American assistance in the war time.

DANGER OF WAR EMPHASISED LONDON, November 11. The newspapers take advantage of the Armistice Day celebrations to emphasise the danger of war. Mr Robert Blatchford, in an article in the "Sunday Chronicle," says he is convinced that Germany again means war, which she will prosecute with Satanic hatred and ferocity. Though her hatred is directed against France, sooner or later Great Britain will be forced to fight for her liberty and life.

MANY POPPIES SOLD ON SATURDAY (namsß official wieeles^.) RUGBY, November 10. Armistice Day is usually set aside as the occasion for the public sale of artificial poppies made by wounded ex-servicemen in aid of the funds of their organisation. Poppy Da/ took place to-day, and many thousands of voluntary workers were in the streets to sell the emblems. MR ROOSEVELT VISITS NATIONAL CEMETERY WASHINGTON, November 11. Mr Roosevelt made his annual visit to the National Cemetery at Arlington on Armistice Day and placed a wreath on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The legal holiday will be observed to-morrow, with veterans participating in the customary ceremonies throughout the nation.