NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16203, 13 April 1916, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

ITALY AND THE ALLIES. Mb. Asquith's welcome in Italy ha 3 a parallel in the enthusiasm with which the | French Premier, M. Briand, was greeted a few weeks earlier. Speaking of common action, he said:— is absolutely necessary that the allies should concert their common action by a frequent exchange of views, both in the military and the diplomatic field. Germany has hitherto had the advantage of her central position in bejng able rapidly to convey large masses of troops from one front to another. The allies must counteract this advantage, which they may do by concerted action. On all their fronts they must take the offensive simultaneously, and make Germany feel the disadvantages of a besieged ' Power. If she takes away large numbers from one front to convey them to another she only weakens herself at one place, and exposes herself to defeat if the allies by rapid and simultaneous action attack her on all her fronts." Nothing was said during the visit about Italy officially declaring war against Germany. Tho secret of this attitude njust he well known to the allied and have their approval. A decree issued at Rome during M. Briand's visit declared illicit all trade with Germany as well as with the other enemies. Germany is thereby clearly put down as an enemy.

THE FALL OF EEZEROUM.

The feat of the Russians in capturing Erzeroum after five days' operations .s fully appreciated by all who know the Near East intimately. Erzeroiim is regarded by the Turks as vital to the interest of Turkey. Not only did all Turks regard the place as impregnable, but it is also the. key of the defences of the Asiatic dominions of the Ottoman Empire. The forts were no old Turkish relics, for since 1910 German officers have been constantly at work on them. ' Apart from armaments, it was one of the finest natural fortresses of the world. The town itself is 6&ooft above sea level, on the slopes of mountains ranging to 10,000 ft and 12,000 ft in height. The place where the Grand Duke's army effected an entry, known as the Camel Neck Pass, to the south-east of the town, is a long, winding pass. To those who know the place the achievement- is wonderful. For six months of the year Erzeroum is under snow, and in February there would be over 40deg, of frost. The march of the Russians through such impossible country, against blizzards of snow and sleet, with Arctic cold, and against ' Turco-German ' armaments and Joyces is described as "marvellous." • RHODES SCHOLARS. The annual report of the Rhodes Trust states that the war has «-or.' : u<v i a in-, terfere se;iou.'v v.'t'i r..m nor.-i .■> >'»-1 tion of the scholarship ayrU >'•. « « : - i\»» { with university life general!} troughs-:.! the Empire. Nearly all t\e colonial undergraduate scholars have entered the Imperial service for the period of the war. In all cases the trustees have granted leave of absence to .wh scholars, reserving to them the right to resume their scholarships when they ira sit free from military service. Only 13 colonial scholars continued in residence up to the er.d of last term. Of these five have ether •, obtained ■■ or applied for commisf'vnf, four are unable to serve for reasons of health or defective eyesight, and six, who are pursuing .a medical course ; aw. advised to continue this work at the uni. Versity. Permission to postpone entrance •it o~fcH V.s ulso be<?3 granted vo :"?lomal, scholar, elects for 19.X6, so a? Wej them free to respond to the calloor' r . >\ial duty. Up to t'..i> present, v'me 167 scholars .Hid es.-scholars are known to have I taken commissions or enlistee! in the Im-1

per:al Army and its colonial contingents. Of these, South Africa has contributed 53, Australia 43, Canada 42, Bermuda 8, Jamaica 8, Newfoundland 6, New Zealand 6, tho United States I. Six colonial scholars are known to' have lost their lives in -fighting for the Empire. Several have been wounded and some made prisoners. One has been awarded the Distinguished . Service Order and four the Military Cross. BERLIN'S BUTTER ALLOWANCE. The population of Greater Berlin is now restricted in the amount of butter it may ' buy to a quarter of a pound per week for ! each individual. Ostensibly this riet rationing is a police measure, and is not imposed on economic grounds. The official announcement states :—" The authorities of Berlin have decided to take this measure to meet an unbearable situation created by the crowds at. the butter I shops. Something must be done to prevent persons or groups of persons obtaining for themselves unreasonable amounts t.f butteij, and thereby doing injustice to poorer members of the community. Th itis the only object of the present regv i&- : tioni" There is much more in this tfc-n meets the eye. For a long time there his • been complaint from tho working claw* about the difficulty of women obtaining butter, owing partly to short supplies, partly to hoarding by wealthier folk, who have been putting butter into storage, in fear of the day when this essential will be as scarce as white bi%ad and other foodstuffs. From some quarters thero has been an insistent demand that the Government should regulate the distribution of I butter < \» r the vhuS nnmre, as is done 1 with fc•••(!•. An exp.Miatio-' »* t-< \*hj . this lias "ofc been done is ofisreJ by the Berlin r ur.icipality, which announces that "proper distribution of but,.-"*'supplies over the whole empire, ensuring i. certain quantity per head of the populationcould only be undertaken if these supplies were able to be foreseen with certainty. But this is not tho case. Officiary reported supplies of foreign and home butter show too many fluctuations From this it follows that the prohibition -rial i no more than a-quarer of a pound per person per week snail be sold can in no way be accompanied by the assurance that this amount vili always he at disposal." In other words, the Imperial Government cannot undertake the distribution of bu't-<. because they are not sure they will hav< it to distribute. NEW RUSSIAN PB?,MIER. The retirement recently ... i"-" •..• ••• '■ Premier, M. Goivnykin, • j.-- onnected with llv luestion of the reassembling of the Duma. Tho probability of a smooth session with M. Goremykin still in power was something more than remote. The new Premier, M. Sturmer, is generally believed to be v a faithful follower in the footsteps of his predecessor, whose full confidence ho enjoyed. Various Ministerial changes are _-< gain in the ;iV M. Sturmer is a man '■a the prime v. I life, and has a record of having, as tho Government nominee to an elective office at Tver, succeeded in establishing excellent ..relations with, the irreconcilables of those days, men who were afterwards exiled by the Government, and some of whom are now "prominent members -of the Ppposition in the Duma. M. Sturmer is described as in all respects a thorough Russian, and of the Pravoslavny faith.