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Free Lance, Volume XVII, Issue 929, 2 May 1918, Page 6

On Friday evening last the male members of . War Expenses Office, lirandou-street, entertained members of the staff, numbering . 25, who had been to the Front, among them bein°several Anzacs. The function, which took the form of an oyster supper was hela in the Charley's Aunt Club Rooms and proved a. most enjoyable affair Mr. A. G. Laurenson acted as chairman, and after the customary , loyal toast, the oysters were "shelled" vigorously, a considerable amount of gas ' being used in the assault. The first trench was captured with few casualties', but as the engagement proceeded a number of dead marines were m evidence. The attack was well conceived, and it was only when the "ammunition" gave out that a halt was called for the night. Mr, Norman Aitken's section took a prominent part in the engagement, and were decorated on the'field for conspicuous ability. * *. ■ » ..:, ■ c ' When Beach was rowino- Gaudaur- on the Thames, the struggle had utterly weakened both men. They were hardly capable of moving their oars as they crawled towards the winping, post. Beach suddenly crumpled up, and for a few.£seconds lay prostrate. "For God's sake Bill, keep going," yelled a friend on the towpath. "He's beat!" Beach pulled himself together. with rare grit and lasted just long enough to beat the Canadian. That is our position to-day, says Melbourne "Punch." Both sides are all out. The goal is in sight, but to our tired eyes, looks further away than it. i- Great Britain, through its irime .. .mister, has appealed to the Uversea Dominions for more men Our magnificent warriors in France are bearing the brunt of furious onslaughts without blenching. They join in the - cry "For God's sake, Australia, hang on! Fritz .is done." If we don't want* our Australian Armj- to wither to a phantom and open the gap through winch the German can rush to Calais and Paris, we must / emulate Beach iien must be sent. * • * ' * *. Uncle Sam has solved the problem of providing a supply of patented drugs and dyes of German origin which the outbreak of war cut off.' By means of a Federal Trade Commission, set up for the purpose, he found out- the formulae for making these patented articles. Sam's greatest trump in this field was the discovery of the wholesale process of making salversan, which is the drug that cures a malignant blood disease. In America it is now being turned out in adequate quantities, and it js being sold under the name of arsphenamine. The way to make salversan was very cunningly disguised in the patents taken out in the United Siates, and it took months to fathom the secret. But it has been done. Other drug and dye secrets have also been laid hare, and the German monopoly will never be restored.