GERMAN ATTACKS

Evening Star, Issue 15929, 8 October 1915, Page 6

GERMAN ATTACKS

IN ARTOIS AND CHAMPAGNE ALL HEAVILY REPULSED. PARIS, October 7. (Received October 8, at 8.4S a.m.) A communique states: Four German counter-attacks against the positions we recently captured in the woods westward of the Souchez-Angres road were completely repulsed. The Germans in the evening resumed a furious offensive against the positions they lost northward of Tabu rex' (Champagne). The attacks failed everywhere, with very heavy losses to the enemy. FRESH GERMAN DRAFTS. REINFORCED WEST FRONT. London ‘Times’ and Sydney ‘Sun’ Service*. LONDON, October 7. The Amsterdam paper ‘ De Courant ’ states that Germany is sending deaf mutes to the front. They form special companies and are commanded by signs. Most of the reinforcements to the "west came from the training camps, and not from the eastern theatre. MORE BARBARITY, London ‘Times’ and Sydney ‘Sun’ Service*. LONDON, October 8. A Kieff refugee affirms that the AustroGermans in Polesia (Pinsk district) branded many of the male inhabitants of military age on tho right arm in order to prevent their escape. DUTCH STEAMER SUNK. LONDON, October 7. (Received October 8, at 9.20 a.m.) The Dutch steamer Tekelstroom has been sunk. Twenty persons are known to have been saved. NATIONAL SERVICE. THE MINERS’ ATTITUDE. London 1 Times * and Sydney Sun * Service*. LONDON, October 7. At tho annual conference of the Miners’ Federation, at Nottingham, Air Smellio presided. In his opening address he opposed compulsory military service being used as a cover to bring in industrial compulsion. 3 MORAL SUASION. LOUD DERBY AT WORK. London ‘Times’ and Sydney ‘Sun’ Services. LONDON, October 7. The War Office has instructed recruiting committees to take whatever steps are considered must effective to induce the men not required for home services to enlist. The assistance of local authorities has been promised. Tho instruction reads: “Yon should see that no man shall be able to complain that he is not wanted because he has not been fetched. Yon should report those men refusing to enlist in the Armv, where they are so much needed.” CERMAN-AMERICANS SUBSCRIBE TO ALLIES’ LOAN. London ‘ Times ’ and Sydney ‘ Sun ’ Services. LONDON, October 7. Among the largest subscribers to the American loan are Sir Ernest Cassel, £1,000,000; Kuhn, Loeb, and Co. £5,000,000; tho Schwab and Dupont families, £7.000,0)0; John Rockefeller, £2,000,000; and Otto Kuhn, £1,000,000. AUSTRALIAN ENLISTMENTS. MELBOURNE, October 8. (Received October 8. at 9.30 a.m.) During October and November the Commonwealth promised to provide 20,000 men, or double the usual number of reinforcements. The enlistments since tho outbreak of war total nearly 150,000. RETURNING SOLDIERS. SYDNEY, October 8, (Received October 8, at 8.30 a.m.) Most of the New Zealand soldiers returning by the Aloerald are invalided, not wounded. OTAGO WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION. Work in connection with the leather waistcoats is still going on, daily, many willing hands sewing on buttons, etc. As this takes time, more workers will be welcome on Monday. To-morrow night the committee are entertaining the Otago members of the Ninth Reinforcements, who leave Dunedin next week. Donations of cakes, sweets, etc., may be left at the Early Settlers’ Hall on Saturday before 5 p.m. Tickets for the concert, which is to bo next Thursday, in the Garrison, Hall, may be obtained any day at tho Early Settlers’ Hall. As the proceeds are to be devoted to providing comforts for our soldiergj we hope every, ticket will bo sold.

BEARDS IN THE TRENCHES. If there is a winter campaign, as it seems certain there will be, shall our soldiers, officers a,s well as men, bo allowed and encouraged (asks the ‘Weekly Scotsman’) to tv ear beards? The question is raised in several letters from the front, the writers, especially the most thoughtful and experienced officers, arguing forcibly that all who wish should be left free to allow their beards to grow. It is declared that observations made- in the trenches last winter left" it beyond doubt that soldiers suffered considerably as the result of leaving the throat unprotected. “Of course,” writes a. young subaltern of the Expeditionary Force, “ it would be something of a break from the traditions of the British Army if most of us were to wear the ‘ hirsute appendage,’ but appearance doesn’t matter a jot compared with health and fitness.’’ It may be added that evidence as to the practice in other armies, in the shape of pictures from the various fronts, is to the effect that with our Russian Allies the wearing of the beard is almost general, and that many, if not most, of the German officers and men appear to go unshaven in the winter. RECRUITING DEMONSTRATION. ihe chairman of the Recruiting Committee writes :—The public are reminded of, the, recruiting demonstration to be held to-night from the Town Hall steps at 8 o'clock. The Kaikorai Band have arranged to give an excellent programme of patriotic music, and some straight talk and strong speeches will be delivered by the Rev. C. Eaton and Mr T. Somerville. Remember that 14,000 men are required by the end of this year, and then a further 2,000 every month after that. It is recognised that this is a heavy demand and will require a- great effort on everybody’s part, but it "is a graat cause, and if we are to succeed great and yet greater sacrifices must be made. Day by day the situation in various parts becomes more and more complicated, and it is obvious to all now bow necessary it is for Britain and her Allies to be in a position to pour in huge forces at- any given point or points. The tangle among the Balkan States clearly shows the great advantages we should gain if our leaders are able to tarow largo forces into and against any one of them, and the men of New Zealand can best assist in this direction by offering their services in large numbers, and thus making it unnecessary to send further troops from England to the Dardanelles, leaving them free to be landed elsewhere. Now is the time and now is the hour to strike, and strike hard. If in doubt, come to the meeting to-night at the Town Hall. Should it be wet. the programme will be carried out in the Garrison Hall. MORNINGTON WOMEN WORKERS. A number of socks and cuffs were received this week at the Mornington Council Chambers for the reinforcements, and a quantity of all kinds of clothing for Belgian relief, also several parcels’ of old linen, bed socks, and face cloths for Rod Cross work. Two hundred and fifty housewives were cut and given out to he made for the soldiers. ’ Thanks are due to Mrs Litolff for a basket of children’s new clothing made from small pieces of material, and to Miss Mitchell for a large donation of towels for the hospital ship. Red Cross articles, pillowslips, slippers, pyjamas, towels, bandages, etc. arc always required. In making woollen garments for the soldiers allowance should always be made for shrinkage ; little precautions like this make a vast difference in the value of the work done. On Thursday next Misses Rattray and Geerin will be at- the Chambers from 2.30 o clock to receive donations of socks, balaclava caps, and tuffs for the reinforcements. Hundreds of pairs of socks are urgently needed. Gifts,for the " a by’s box ” and clothing for Belgian ™' e *' ''he gratefully received. Ino following have sent- donations For Lady Liverpool fund — Mrs I. W. untc L blisses Ni col son and Anderson, I*tiond, Anonymous ’ scut live pairs of socks. Belgian relief—Mesdames Anderson Wilson, Litolff. and Goughian, Miss Anderson. Red Cross-Mrs 11. E Williams and “ Helper.” Misses Nicolsoii and Mit-cheli. Money for leather waistcoats—A. C. Smith ss, Miss Power os. Money for the leather waistcoats is still urgently needed. Any small donation will bo gratefully revived. OVERSEAS CLUB. The ever-increasing interest in the noblo and self-sacrificing work being done hv the women workers of the Overseas Club was further exemplified by the large number of visitors who thronged the club rooms in the Octagon buildings yesterday. The principal attraction was] of course the goods which have been donated to the Belgian and British poor. Imt considerable interest was centred in the comforts for the boys at the front, which are being packed in billies enclosed m canvas wrappings. Among the packages are some addressed to “ lonely boys. who will not feel neglected, although they have no relatives in the world. Surely this is a happy thought, and one which the lonely ones will appreciate. To-day is the last day on which the clothing will bo exhibited, and the committee cordially invito all members and the public to'see the clothing of all kinds that has been donated and made up by the ladies. Donations for tho Belgian box and monetary donations to buy comforts for tho soldiers will bo gratefully received. The committee wisho to return thanks to all donors for their liberality. Mrs Wilson has received a cable from tier husband, Lieutenant Newman Wilson,_ who is now in London, stating that ho is convalescent and doing well.° On Thursday evening, at Messrs ocoullar and. Chisholm’s factory, Messrs John Bambery and W’m. Parkes* who are leaving for the front, wore taken formal leave of by their fellow-employees. Tho gathering was very enthusiastic, both men being most popular. Mr Sawell. on behalf of the employees, presented each with a purse containing a- small memento of the esteem in which they were held, and in doing so expressed the wish that they would come back safe and well and with honors gained on the field Of battle. Both recipients suitably replied. Cable advice has just been received that Sergeant E. S. Young, of Mosgiel. has been wounded and sent to St. Thomas’s Hospital, London, where it was found necessary to amputate his right arm. Sergeant Young is the son of Mr and Airs J. Young, of Mosgiel, and was in the employ of Messrs Turnbull and Jones, Ltd., Dunodin, where lie was highly esteemed for his uprightness and capabilities. He left to join tho First Expeditionary Force in tho sth (Otago Hussars) Squadron. Mr and Mrs Young also have three other sons at tho war.