(PRESS ASSOCIATION.) THE CALL TO ARMS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 106, 6 May 1915, Page 7

(PRESS ASSOCIATION.) THE CALL TO ARMS

■ PROMPT AND UNSELFISH OBEDIENCE. MR. ASQUITH'S OPTIMISM. LONDON, sth May. The Prime Minister, _ the Right Hon. H. H. Asquith, addressing wholesale and retail traders, sta,ted that 260,000 out of 480,000 shop assistants of military age had, enlisted, also 170,000 shop-clerks and travellers out of 310,000. Personally, he dissented from the view that the gravity of the issues had not been fully recognised. The bulk of his countrymen were Britishers, and did not need to be flogged or goaded by rhetoric before they could be induced to obey the call of duty. "Never in our history lias the recognition been clearer, or the obedience more prompt , and unselfish. 1 should say to the nation: 'You have"' made a. magnificent beginning, and stemmed the tide of aggression. Proceed in the same temper. There are still unused, and, to the enemy unsuspected, resonrces which you must mobilise and organise to the full.' " Mr. Asquitli added : "I am not ashamed to call myself an optimist. It is not that I underrate the prowess of the enemy or the gravity of the struggle, but because I believe first and foremost ja the righteousness of flw caate, add

next because I am confident that we will leave nothing untried or undone to bring that cause to a decisive and glorious issue. There must not be a man or woman who, at the end of the struggle, shall not be able to say : T wasn't idle in the greatest task in the, storied annals of our country which has ever fallen to the lot of Britain to achieve.'" ADVANCE ON SERVIA AUSTRIAN ARMY JN THE FIELD. LONDON, sth May. The Berlin Tages Zeitung states that the Austrian army which is to aot against Servia is now in the field, and is expected shortly to advance. SUBMARINE DEVILS LAUGH AT THEIR VICTIMS' PLIGHT. NO GRACE ALLOWED. LONDON, sth May. A submarine attacked a trawler off Aberdeen. Four of the crew wero killed, and the rest escaped in the boats and landed at Aberdeen after being forty hours adrift without food or water. They did not receive a minute's grace. The vessel was shrapnell&d until it was sunk. Tli£ BecoEd_BhjQt.sHJunded the &&i.

i tain, and another killed him while ho | was crawling on the deck. The cook was killed while lowciing a boat. All the survivors were wounded with one exception. The submarine devils laughed at their eflorts to escape. DISGUISED AS A BRITISH DESTROYER. (Received May 6, 9 a.m.; • LONDON, sth May. A survivor of the Aberdeen trawler ' states that the submarine, disguised as a British destroyer, came up belching \ smoke from dummy funnels. TRAWLER'S MISSING CREW. LONDON, 4th May. j It is feared that the missing thirteen ] i men of the crew of the trawler Columbia I 1 (which was sunk by German torpedo boats in the vicinity of Galloper Sands last Saturday) have been drowned. \ TRAWLER DRAWS UP A j GERMAN MINE VESSEL SINKS; CREW SAVED. (Received May 6, 9 a.m.) LONDON, sth May. A Grimsby trawler drew up a German mine in hor net. The mine exploded and the vessel was sunk, but the crew were saved. SYSTEMATIC ATTACKS ON TRAWLERS A RESCUING VESSEL SUNK. (Received May 6, 9 a.m.) LONDON, sth May. German submarines of a new type continue systematic attacks on trawlers in the North Sea. One has sunk seven Hull trawlers. One trawler, the Bob White, was sunk by shell fire while attempting to pick up a- torpedoed trawler's crew. In some cases victims were turned adrift in , boats provided with black bread. ' BRITISH CASUALTIES i The High Commissioner reports : — LONDON, sth May, 0.35 a.m. Navy casualties in the Dardanelles: — ■Men : Killed 10 3 wounded 5, missing 6. THE CANADIAN LOSSES. (Received May 6, 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, sth May. Mr. Tennant, Under-Secretary for War, announced in the House of Corn- ! mons that the Canadian losses totalled 232 officers and 6024 men. ANOTHER BLUFF? GERMAN STEAMERS TO RESUME RUNNING. LONDON, sth May. ■ Curiosity has been aroused in New York by the North German Lloyd Company, which has informed its staff that j it is resuming sailings on Ist June, and to prepare for a busy summer. I This is thought in some quarters to I indicate an early termination of the war. | • GERMAN FINANCIAL V METHODS WILL PROVE FATAL IN THE LONG RUN. | (Received May 6, 9 a.m.) I i LONDON, sth May. Mr! Lloyd George, in his Budget speech, declared that Germany's methods of financinc the war by issuing paper and selling securities would prove fatal in the long run. I PAPER MONEY NOT IN FAVOUR IN ! ' HOLLAND AND DENMARK. ( (Received May 6, 9.5 a.m.) LONDON, sth May. The Evening Standard states that the German note circulation is only half covered by coin and bullion. Notes of the value of 100 marks have fallen to 85 marks, and even touched 78 in Holland, while many of the Danish banks are refusing them altogether. AIRSHIP AND SUBMARINES GERMAN ADMIRALTY'S CLAIM. AMSTERDAM, sth May. The German Admiralty claims that an airship engaged several British submarines in the North Sea, and bombed and sank one of the submarines which bombarded the airship. The latter returned unharmed. GERMAN PRISONERS IN RUSSIA DIFFICULT TO ACCOMMODATE THE ENORMOUS NUMBER. (HUES AND SYDNhY SCN SERVICES.) LONDON, sth May. The Russian War Minister says that i there is some difficulty in accommodating the enormous number of prisoners. [ Hundreds of trainloads are slowly pro- [ ceeding from, thp frontier to Siberia, where there are already six hundred thousand. Many of the enemy are giving themselves up to avoid starvation. CPRES3 ASSOCIATION.) CANADIANS AT YPRES FOUGHT BITTERLY WHEN RETIRING. THEY HAVE WON IMMORTAL GLORY. I LONDON, sth May. ' A Canadian soldier who fought at Ypres states that all his comrades Were intensely strung up as the Geimans approached, and when the chance came they used their rifles anyhow, as clubs or bayonets. "The St. Julicn-road was a scene of confusion, with dead and dying horses. The Canadians fought bitterly as they retired along it. " Near by was a battery, believed to be that of the Tenth Montreal Regiment, firing into the advancing Germans at 150 yards. The shrapnel simply drove holes in the closely-formed ranks, hundreds of Germans going down at. every round." Tho Star declares that the Canadian recording officer is a new brand of " EyeWitness.,'" and regrets that the gallant British regiments were not blessed with such chroniclers in the days of Mons and Le Cateau. The story of this fiercer furnace not only breathes tho names of the regiments which fought and died, but proclaims the names of the colonels and majors who died as Ileroward did in a ring of foes. " When shall thcii* glory fade?" it asks. " Not ho long as a patch of British earth is trodden JMLBiiiifib-iefit The ' Canadians hftraj

won immortal glory. There is no soothing syrup in the Canadian story, no pap, piffle, or puerile optimism, no glossing over tho dark and desperate •agony in which Canadian courage stood like a rock of granite."' FOR WAR WORKERS CANTEENS BEING ORGANISED. (Received May 6. 9.7 a.m.) LONDON, sth May. Lady Lawrence is organising canteens for war workers at the yards throughout the country. SWEDISH DIPLOMACY IN PERSIA LIKELY TO ASSIST THE ALLIES. (TIMES tND SYDNEY SUN SERVICES.) (Received May 6, 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, sth May. Swedish diplomats in Persia have promised to support the new Government and continue neutrality. This decision is likely in an important degree to assist the Allies against Turco-Gennan intrigues. (PRESS ASSOCIATION. > ! CONTRACTS WITH THE ENEMY t I TO BE DECLARED NULL AND ! VOID. j (Received May 6, 9.25 a.m.) MELBOURNE, This Day. j In the House a Bill has been intro- j duced dealing with enemy contracts, declaring all made prior to the commencement of the war null and void, and affording parties protection against actions therefrom. GERMANY'S MAD MILITARISM ROUSING SPEECHES AT PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY (Received May 6, 9.25 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. • The Presbyterian Assembly carried a resolution exhorting all citizens to give the Christians' .answer of self-sacrifice to the call of arms. • Rousing speeches were made against Germany's mad militarism. SUBORDINATE EVERYTHING TO THE WAR SIR GERALD STRICKLAND'S SUGGESTION. (Received May 6, 9.25 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. In a speech afr the Premiers' Confer ence the Governor (Sir Gerald Strickland) suggested the subordinating of all activity, even of political reform, to the paramount objective — a speedy and complete victory in the war. Owing to his illness Mr. Scaddan (Premier of West Australia) .vas prevented from attending the conference. SHIPOWNERS AND EMPLOYEES RESULT OF A CONFERENCE. (Received May 6, 11 a.m.) j LONDON, sth May. j The conference of Clyde shipowners 'and employees at Glasgow decided that the men must report themselves daily, J and that the Admiralty shall have first claim to their services. COTTON FOR GERMANY DIMINUTION IN QUANTITY OF IMPORTATIONS. (Received May 6, 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, sth Mny. In the House of Commons, the Hon. Neil Primrose, Parliamentary Undersecretary to the Foreign Office, in reply to a question, said there was every reason to believe that the figures for April would show a great diminution in the importation of cotton by Germany. PROGRESS OF THE WAR m GERMANY EXAGGERATES ALTERING THE BRITISH FRONT. THE ENEMY'S SOLITARY SUCCESS. "Our friends the enemy" exaggerated the facts of what happened at Zonnebeke. The Germans claimed a great success in this region. They reported the occupation of the neighbourhood of the little town, and the retreat of the British under fire ; and that was probably quite a correct statement. But it was not a great success. Sir John French, who does not fear to state the ugly side of things, explains that his forces were retired to the west of Zonnebeke because it was necessary to ndju&t the line as a result of the changed positions brought about by tho German advance to. the Y&er Canal north of Ypres. The German gain of Zonnebeke is a small supplementary gain made by the enemy as, part of their recent advance, and was allowed because the retirement gives' the British a stronger and better alignment. As was pointed out yesterday, Zonnebeke is the most advanced point of the somewhat sharp salient held by the British en'st of Ypres ; .and the recent retirement completely abolishes that sharp angle. It creates another to the east of St. Julien ; but in this case the angle rests upon a small ridge, which may be a strong enough position to be held. The whole of the new ground gained by the enemy in this region is to be credited to X the adoption of poisonous gases as a weapon ; and the power thus gained is beyond doubt. So, indeed, was the power the Germans possessed earlier in the war owing to their complete preparation and their enormous artillery. In these respects, the Allies have now caught up; and there need be no fear that any fresh advantage seized by > the breach of the customs of war will be of long avail. At present the account stands thnt tho Germans have gained a substantial area of ground just noith of Ypres, with a short footing along the canal south of the flooded area which ends at Bixschoote and a small tenure on the west bank of thecanal at one point, Steenstraate ; while the British salient about Ypres is somewhat reduced in size and made somewhat narrower in shape, and therefore perhaps a little more dangerous, though not necessarily more difficult, to hold. On the other hand, the Germans can point to no other gains in Belgium ,or Franco ; and have to contemplate numerous steady .progressions by the Allies. Recent messages have reported the gaining of ground in the Champagne and other places ; and also the advance of the British, during some period not stated, about Armentieres. This town, about a dozen miles south of Ypres, ami beven or eight north-west of Lille, lias long been in British hands ; but they have lately 1-a.ken its eastern suburb, .Houuliuei. and have advanced come dk>,

tance bejond in tlie open country. In addition, Paris has reported that important operations are in progress between La Bassee and Arras. The British section of the line ends a little to the south of La Bassee. and links up ! with the French aimies. To the nature i of these operations, or their exact location on the eighteen miles stretch, there is as yet no clue. THE GALICIAN CAMPAIGN. The new battles on the Dukla-Biala-Donajec line, between the Carpathians and the Polish frontier, have not yet shown any very dangerous development, and the later messages show the first German claims of having smashed the Russian lines to have been gross exaggerations. The fighting in its most severe phase is located at Tuchof (in one message the name has been mutilated in transmission to Tunesow) and Bieez. These are on the old Russian line south-eastward of Tarnow. The enemy crossed to the right of the Donajec (between Tarnow and the Vistula), but could not advance further ; and that is at present the extent of its gains. In tho Carpathians, the news is more lively than of late. In particulai- it contains an important message from Tlngvar (in Hungary), which is probably the main base for tho Auetrians defending tho Uszok part of the front. This states that the Russians have captured several pomtß of the utmost strategical importance south of Wyskof. This is tho same action as is referred to in the Russian reports as at tho eource of the River Svitze. Wyekof is practically on tho Hungarian frontier, duo south of Stryj ; and the enemy's idea was to swing an army of ,50,000 Germans (this is the number given in the Hungarian message) upon the Russian left. The plan is an extension of the abortive enveloping movement in the upper valleys of the u'iver Stryj, centring near Koziova. But tho manoeuvre fail' ed ; for the Russians had a large force available— Ungvar says 80,000 were being moved in the neighbourhood— and completely, defeated the Germans, capturing 2500 of them, and driving tho rest back in disorder. The incident suggests that the Russians have a considerable mobile reserve with which to meet contingencies of this nature. It suggests also that they had strength enough to have dealt much more severely with the flanking movement down the Stryj, but, ; conscious of their ability to hold a longer front than the enemy, preferred mark* ing time there and making sure that an attack still further cast could be met without hesitation or delay. The official message from Petrograd j reports that the Germans are making their first appearance in the Carpathians. This reads strangely, after the repeated reports that the Austrians were strongly reinforced by their allies on this front. If the Russian victory at Vyskow was their introduction to activities in these mountains, they made a singularly unhappy debut. I A MYSTERIOUS INVASION. j There is no news of outstanding interest regarding tho operations in Central or Northern Poland. German reports continue to refer to the advance in the Riga district. The latest states that the enemy has isolated Libau, and that the capture of Riga is expected j to bo effected without much resistance. The only reference made by tho Russian despatches to this* new German activity, which has extended about 100 , miles inland from the coast between Memel and Libau and northwards nearly to the Gulf of Riga, was a statement that it was only "a foraging expedition. If so, it is remarkably extensive and long lived. The Russian silence regarding the invasion is remarkable. Libau is one of Russia's chief ■ naval stations, and is the only one— »in fact, the only Russian port-— which is ice-free in the winter. months ago the Germans claimed to have closed the port by sinking vessels at the entrance ; but that it should be left-, to its own resources is inconceivable. There is much yet to be told about these peculiar bperations. HESITATING STILL. Italy has this in common with Bulgaria, Rumania, and ' Greece — that she is prepared for war ; that no one can say just what she will do, or when it will he done. One day intervention seems to bo in the immediate future ; next, quite indefinitely remote; and the fact that the people of a country are eager for the fray does not cornpei its statesmen to commit the ponderous act of declaring^ war. To-day it i& reported that, while Austria has no longer any part in the negotintions, Italy is still treating ~ with Germany, and the determination to open Parliament considerably earlier than was expected may be an indication that the people are in need of some sedative influence wl 'V the conversations proceed. Italy is, after all. under iio considerable obligation to the Entente Powers to intervene on their side. She is merely bargaining at what ip to her thp most favourable opportunity; and if she can get what she wants by treaty with the Ger mans, it would be unwise to' sacrifice enormous sums of money and hosts of men to get it by war. Hence her intentions "remain shrouded in mystery." Rumania's friendliness to the Allies' cause % well known; but her intentions a'i;p likewise indefinite; and to-day it is reported* that she will strike when Italy dops, and that douends on Germany. The recent boasting reports of German successes are put down by English critics to a- desire to' influence Jtaly> hut no fear need be entertained that such devices, if they are correctly interpreted by the critics, will succeed. The Italian critics who translate for the public the meaning of theso reports will look with a cold eye upon flagrant exaggerations; and the record of the »nemy in this war is such that even the most ignorant reader has probably learned something of the necessary discount. NATIONAL RESERVE , , «r» SPECIAL PATRIOTIC EFFORTS. At the regular meeting of the executive of tho Wellington Military District, held last night,, the following resolution was unanimously passed :— "ln the opinion of this executive committee of tho Wellington Military District, the approaching crisis in the war phase demands from all loyal men special patriotic efforts to do their duty in obtaining a righteous victory, and still more strongly securing the freedom of all subjects of tho Empire under the time-honoured Union Jack. In order to support ac- j tively and practically the Defence Department at this juncture, it is suggested that tho National Reserve throughout the Dominion offer to raise -at least 2000 soldier** under the badge of the Reserve, each of the military 'districts of Auckland, Wellington, ' Chrifitchurcb, and Otago contributing its quota of 500 from its enrolled strength or by special enlistment of others of the regulation age, 20 to 40, as Nationals. The President is hereby empowored and authorised to carry into effect this resolution " Lieutenant A. p. Dawson, whoso name appears in tho killed in the New South Wales, list, is tho only son of Mr. A. E. Dawstm. manager of Stewart DaWson Co.. Auckland. Young Daw6on was in Australia at file time when recruits, were required, and joined the Australian Contingent. He was educated at the Auckland Grammar School. Previous to going a\vay ho was studying for solicitor's:, examinations. Young Dawson was very prominent in the college football and swimming clubs. His parents ve«ido at 45, Shelly Beach-road, Po&Eagby, Auckland.. '