NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 89, 9 January 1919, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY

Froji a perusal of the summary cabled to day it, may be judged that every line of the dispatch in which Sir Douglas Haig describes the part taken. by his armies in the final offensive of the war is of vivid interist. How great as well as glorious the part of the British armies was , is-very clearly demonstrated. It appears strikingly in the enormous captures pf men and material recorded, but' it is even better brought out'in Sir Douglas Haig's statement that the 59 divisions under his command' defeated 99 separate German divisions in three-months. The British armies from first to last attacked the enemy in his strongest and most vital positionsj a'nd it is .evident that these 99 divisions niust have constituted a very large proportion of what remaine'd to him in July of the 192 divisions ho had assembled in France and Flanders in March. The dispatch is not more conclusive as showing that the lion's share of the.Allied offensive was taken by tlie British armies than in regard.to the state to which the Germans were reduced when they, in effect, surrendered in November. Sir Douglas Haig makes it abundantly plain that the enemy had to choose between surrender and immediate and overwhelming disaster. Nothing in the Commande_r-in-Chief's dispatch will 'be read with greater pleasure, than his noble' tribute to .the British infantry, "still the backbone of-defence and the spearhead of attack." ,■ * * » » Not a glimmering of hope is yet held out to the str-andcd Australians and New \ Zealanders who _ are suffering loss and inconvenience through the shipping hold-up in Sydney. The correspondence which has passed between the Union Steam Ship Company and the Seamen's ■Union."officials suggests that the .union has', been. searching • round very 1 diligently for reasons to justify the refusal of- its members to man the boats' awaiting' dispatch to New Zealand. Some of the reasons advanced have no relevance whatever to the original grounds of action on the part of the men, and obviously have been dragged in to bolster up their demands and in the hope that they may gain some sympathy from the public. Whatever claims .employees of the company may have. for loss of effects on submarined boats—and, any mon who so suffered are entitled to consideration at the hands of someone—this claim has nothing to do with .the existing rates of pay, which, according to the correspondence published yesterday, were- increased, under an award as recently as three weeks ago. The point which concerns'and exasperates the , public is that communication by sea between New, South Wales and New Zealand is practically cut off; scores of people are debarred from returning to their homes and to their business, and loss and inconvenience is caused all round in.spite of the existence of-an award under which the parties i who arc causing the trouble agreed as to conditions of work and pay.' The shipping company appears willing to grant concessions beyond the terms of tho award, but apparently the union has made up its mind to causo trouble, and a long-suffering public has to grin and bear it. . .'■„; *, . ■« * * Both America and its President, might well feel flattered at the receptions which have been accorded Mr. "Wilson during the various stages of his tour , in Europe. Everywhere tho President has been proclaimed -as a missioner of peace, and the part America- played in the wary has been applauded in a spirit of generosity which .is a happy augury for future friendly relations. "Wβ pray that there will be no further wars" was the petition of a delogation of mourning mothers and widows in Italy. "We do not want anothftr war", were the words addressed_ to him in a memorial from Italian wounde'd soldiers. So it has been throughout. Every-where-he has met the same cry—an appeal.for future peace. He should go to the Peace Conference heartened and strengthened in .his expressed determination to use his utmost endeavours' to make the League of Nations an accomplished fact. |

Some few months ago, with the object of having investigations made concerning the idea of a bomb that would travel any distance from one mile or less up to 100 miles or more. Mr. W. Alloo, of the mechanical staff of the "Taranaki Daily News," communicated with Sir James Allen, requesting information as to -whether a 'bomb such as the inventor had been testing (in model form) hp.d ever been in use or received the consideration of the Defence authorities. Sir Tames Allen referred the mntter to Major .Smyth, of the Defence Department. Whilst the latter officer gave every consideration to details of the invention, he stated that he was not prepared to uive a final decision us to its practicability, and instructed Mr. Aljoo to submit his pfnns. etc., to ttw Military Inventions Board, London. This the New Plymouth Mechanic did. and he has now received ndvico from the secretary nf tlie Board of Research ami Invention that Mβ communications have been referred to the chairman of the Air Inventions Committee, whnre it will receive every consideration. Mr. Alloo-claime that his invention requires no aid to propulsion; that it can be directed to any particular spot; and that it will travel at ten times the of the fastest aeroplane.