WESTERN FRONT.

Evening Star, Issue 15928, 7 October 1915, Page 3

WESTERN FRONT.

VOSGES ATTACKS REPULSED. The High Commissioner reports, under date London, October 6 (1 a.m.): There has been a general bombardment along the whole front. The allied artillery: are responding very energetically on the German tranches. On_ Monday evening the enemy made a surprise attack on onr posts in the Vosges. They were completely repulsed. THE PLAN OF CAMPAIGN. INFORMING THE' WORLD. Loudon ‘Times’ and Sydney Sun' Services. LONDON, October 5. Colonel Repington says that it may ba stated generally 'that the first objective of the British in the north and the French in Artois s,nd' the Champagne has been attained. The accounts from . the Champagne suggest that only a small part of the French armies attacked. The second phase will begin when the offensive is continued. In the interval gains will be secured and time will be allowed for the German reserves to become exhausted in the customary counter-attacks. Great sacrifices arc necessary to gain great ends, and particularly necessary when Germany is displaying lassitude and gloom owing to the prolonged and terrible losses. We must demonstrate emphatically our power not only to maintain the strength of our troops, bub continually to place new' forces in the field until the arms of our vile enemy drop out of their hands. LOOS BATTLEFIELD. GERMAN FOREBODINGS. LONDON, October 5. Continuing his picture of Loos battlefield, Mr Philip Gibbs writes in the ‘ Daily Chronicle’:—Vast convoys of transports choked the roads, with trains of motor ambulances packed with wounded men and infantry plodding through slush and slime. The heroes of the battle passed and repassed in deuse masses and small battalions. Legions of tail lads, who a few months ago marched in smart trim down English lanes, trudged under a burden of heavy packs, their smartness soiled by war, but splendid because of theri hardiness and endurance. It is a long walk through tile narrow trenches towards Loos redoubt, and the smell of death is in the narrow- winding ways. Soldiers killed at the entrance way knelt with head bent as though in prayer. The booty included a big bronze bell used in the German trenches .to signal a British attack. But, best of all, apart from tho captured guns, is an enormous mass of documents taken in Loos and the trenches. They reveal Die mentality of tho German army, and are very curious. An instructive letter was one by a German girl waiting to her sweetheart and Complaining that all the young manhood of “the country had pone. The 1916 recruits had-been called to the colors, and tire 1917 and 1918 classes registered: so every boy in the Fatherland is on the roll call. A sense- of depression fills most of the documents, and shows that half the German army is filled with foreboding. KIPLING’S SON KILLED. LONDON, October 6. Lord CTichton-Stuart, Unionist M.P. for Cardiff, and Mr Rudyard Kipling’s only son, John, aged 17, who was delicate but persuaded Lord Roberts to nominate him for the Irish Guards, have both been killed in action. A NEW APPOINTMENT. LONDON, October 6. Major-general Sir Archibald James Murray (Inspector of Infantry) has been appointed Chief- of tlie Imperial General Staff. VOLUNTARYISM OR COMPULSION? LONDON, October 5. Lord Derby, at a recruiting meeting at Rossendale, said that he had. accepted the directorship of recruiting because of his personal loyalty and friendship to Lord Kitchener. Personally, he advocated national service, but he would do his best to make the voluntary system a success. The action of the Trades Union Congress would have the effect of piffling every man on Hs mettle to prove that tho voluntary system was adequate. If ultimately he considered that the recruiting was not successful, he would not hesitate to resign, unless other methods were adopted. COMMON SENSE. LONDON, October 6. The Socialists’ manifesto supporting recruiting says that the right to strike is a priceless weapon in the hands of Labor bub has its limitations. To strike now would be a blow levelled at their brothers in the trendies, and a corollary might bo a strike by the soldiers themselves. Then God help the civilians! PRISONERS’ TREATMENT. ROME, October 5. Tho Pope has submitted a new proposal concerning prisoners. All the belligerents have accepted it, but the terms are kept secret. THE ARABIC CASE. WASHINGTON, Octoljer 5. Mr Lansing has announced that Count Berns.torff has disavowed tho sinking of the Arabic, and promised compensation for the American lives lost. LIEGE EXECUTIONS. GERMAN SOLDIERS RELUCTANT OYER SHOOTING WOMEN. PARIS, October 6. Details are to hand of the execution of Belgians at Liege on June 8. A woman denounced 25 others tor giving information to tho Allies. One woman was persuaded to confess on a promise that the culprits would be treated leniently; nevertheless 11 were sentenced to death. Volunteers were called to form firin'* squads, but none was forthcoming. Men were then chosen under threats. The condemned arrived in waggons at daybreak, accompanied by priests, and were placed with their backs to a wall. Posts were driven in the ground, and to those they were tied if their courage failed. Louise Frenajr was ordered to be shot first. The soldiers hesitated. They had been unaware that they had, to shoot a woman, and when ordered to fire some aimed to the -side and some low. The result was that the woman was wounded ia the legs. An' officer ordered the men to reload, but the men flatly refused. The officer then called up a non-commissioned officer, who shot the woman with his revolver. Tho rest of the sentences were rapidly carried out. ANOTHER MENINGITIS CASE. [Per United Phess Association.) WANGANUI, October 6. Trooper J. H. Cribb, who was to have left New Zealand with the next reinforcements, came to Wanganui from Taulierenikau to say farewell to his father and friends. He wae feeling unwell, and on Monday was ordered to the hospital, where tho case has now been diagnosed as one of _ cerobro-spinal meningitis. Trooper Gribb is 23 years, of age.

QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT. [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.}

WELLINGTON, October 7. llio question of the manufacture of hand grenades in New Zealand was raised in tho . House of Representatives yesterday afternoon by Mr Parr, who mentioned that bomb-throwing was an important feature of .warfare at Gallipoli, where our men were being trained m tho art of throwing such bombs. It was understood that the hand grenades which had been manufactured in. Auckland had been proved to have been effective at a recent test. It appeared practicable to manufacture a large supply of hand grenades in New Zealand.—Tho Hon. A. M. Myers, Minister of Munitions and Supplies, said he believed that the recent tests had been considered: satisfactory. Communications on the subject of supply were now passing between the Imperial authorities and tho New Zealand Government, but until a final reply was received from the Army Council it was impossible for him to make a definite statement. The Minister of Defence was asked by Mr Poland to consider favorably the advisability of sending an officer to Egvpt in order to do everything possible °fu the matter of distributing tho Christmas and New Year presents which would be «ent to our men at the front.—The Hon. J. Allen replied that he was willing to go into the whole question. It was very difficult _to follow all the boys to thendestination. They went to Malta, Trigland, Alexandria, Helles Cape, and other places. The present organisation was as complete as the department wan able to make. Mr Poland : AA’eli, it is no good. Allen: It is all very well to sav that.” He knew of cases where parcels had been taken into the trenches. Parcels had gone astray, but this could hardly be helped, between the landing and the first camp. Some £2,000 or £3,000 worth of goods had been stolen. The guards seemed to have been insufficient. Everything possible was now being done to secure the goods reaching tinmen. The hon. gentleman’s suggestion was a good one, and he would thoroughly go into the question. Mr E. Newman (Ranglti'Hi) asked whether the Government could nob make provision to legalise wills made by soidieis under the age of 21. He suggested that a clause bo inserted in the forthcoming Defence Bill.—The Hon. J. Allen said that he would consult the Attoruev- ■ General on the point. He thought that provision should be made.

Air Payne asked the Minister of Defence if be bad noticed the remarks of the Ilev. Mr Bennett, said to liave been made at Pahiatua, in which he practically opposed recruiting among the . Maoris.—The Minister said lie had seen the remarks referred to, but had not thought they called for serious attention. He considered the Natives would not thank anybody who desired to exclude them from the privilege. He believed the Natives looked upon it as a privilege to light alongside them pakeha brothers.—Mr Parata said that so far- as be knew there was no wish on the part ■of the Maoris to restrict recruiting. If the last Maori was wanted he would go. Wo long as the Empire under whose beneficent bows they lived was covered, by the cloud of war the Maori race was only too anxious to take part in the conflict.

The Hon. A T. Alaginuity, in the Legislative Council, asked a question in reference to erroneous information being forwarded as to tire fatal wounding of Captain Houlker, of Nelson.—The Hon. Sir Francis Bell said that Captain Houlker died on August 10, and notification was given on the 11th, which was correct. Afterwards information was given that the officer had only been wounded, and on Ist October the news came that he had died on 10th August. The speaker said the late Captain Houlker was placed on a hospital ship that was not under control of the New Zealand authorities, and it was quite impossible to avoid lapses of the kind referred to. He could assure the Council that everything possible was being done for the wounded, but it was not easy to obtain early accurate information of deaths on hospital ships. Other instances of a similar nature had been reported, and instructions had been given that information as to wounded soldiers should be forwarded with the utmost despatch. RECRUITING [Per United Phess Association.] AUCKLAND, October 6. The present system of recruiting was referred to by Colonel Hume, officer commanding the district, iu a speech at the Town Hall. “ lb has struck me on many occasions,” he said, “to ask whether or not the present methods adopted as to enlistment are altogether as sound as they might be. It is likely that some men have enlisted— I feel myself that they have—who in tho best interests of the country should have stayed at home and worked. Now, I often see men who I consider should undoubtedly go, and I sometimes see men who, brimful of patriotism and most desirous to go, but who, I consider myself, ought nob to be called to go until 'more suitable men are absorbed. AA'e, under the methods we have adopted, are taking married men with families, and thereby placing great liabilities on the State, while there is stiff available an enormous number of unmarried men without family ties. It is to these latter men whom 1 wish to appeal. I ask those men to go and register their names as soon as possible.” (Applause.) LETTER FROM CAPTAIN COLQUHOUN. HOW PRIVATE FRED, SMITH DIED. Writing to Air and Airs P. Al’Cann, of Tapanui, from the Dardanelles, under date August 1, Captain Colquhoun says: “ 1 reached hero on Alay 8, and am now familiar with the country over which our boys o]>erated during the landing and earlier stages of the operations. Our men are deserving of all the honor we can show them for their magnificent work during the landing and subsquent days. It was not until this last week that i could find out particulars of your nephew’s (Private Fred, Smith) death. I had to wait until some of Iris mates returned from hospital. •Ten men, including F. Smith, were holding part of a shallow trench" apart from the battalion a little. The battalion retired, but the order did not reach these men. They held their trench for about two days, and kept, an overwhelming number of the enemy at bay. It was when they decided to get back" to the battalion that your nephew received the wounds from which ho died. His comrades speak very highly of his pluck and cheerfulness, which is a very groat factor in helpin'* men. You will have the satisfaction of knowing that Private F, Smith has done his dutv and done it well, and was not afraid to make the supreme sacrifice for his oountrv. Since 1 earing Tapanui I have had a husv time" We had an interesting stav in Egypt. It is an eye-opener to' a New Zealander. I ho place, here is a maze of trenches and saps, and perhaps before vou receive this you may hear of making another move.” We Have received from Messrs Sargood, Son, and Ewen’s boot factorv employees the sum of £3 14s, bein'" the 31st weekly contribution to the Bel of an fund. °