NOTES ON THE GABLES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17039, 25 June 1917, Page 5

NOTES ON THE GABLES.

By Shbapkel. GERMANY FAILS IN RUSSIA. The outlook in Russia is apparently improving. Fraternising with the enemy has ceased. For political reasons the Germans claim that they have taken the initiative in the termination of this practice. It is, howover, the restoration of discipline on the Russian front that has put a stop to it. With their usual lack of power to put themselves, as it were, in the place of others, the Germans have dropped notes from an aeroplane on the Northern Russian front, thanking the Russians for being foolish enough to enable them to transfer troops, to the west front to meet the Anglo-French offensive, and concluding with the statement that now that- the Russian weakness has served their purpose, they are going to fight, and will fire on all fraternisers. Before the Germans sent a message of that description, fraternising must have ceased for some time. The message is the outcome of their chagrin at the receding possibilities of a separate peace. An All-Russia Workmen and Soldiers' Congress has unanimously voted in favour of an immediato offensive. The Military Union of Women Volunteers ras issued an appeal to the people and the workers to straggle against the enemy whose enslaving tendencies are antagonistic to the revolutionary ideals of Russia. This -union has also appealed to the Allies not to condemn (Russia hastily, as she is over-absorbed with her domestic affairs. General Bnisiloff advises that during the past six weeks there has been a growing improvement in the discipline of the Russian armies .on the front, and he has signalised the improvement by attacking- afc various pointe, both on the northern and southern fronts. On the Routhern front, where General Brusiloff's influence has been most largely felt, the recovery appears to be more complete than in the north, and as a consequence there are greater signs of activity in Volhynia and Galicia than they are northwards of the Pripet Marshes. In Asia, in the so-called Middle East, there are other refreshing signs. The Russians are again taking i.he offensive there, a fact which may be said to indicate that reinforcements and supplies of munitions have reached General Baratoff's forces in Persia. Most of the large towns in Russia are gradually falling into line with the arrangements that are being made by the Provisional Government. The etrike on the railways between Moscow and Petrograd has ended satisfactorily. It is now necessary to suppress the agents of anarchy amongst the mujiks. These agents are in. many cases simply the paid emissaries of Germany. In other cases they are antagonistic to any form of law and order. Their conduct in Tomsk, in Siberia, led to such outrages that the authorities, with the help of the soldiers, had to put an end to their orgies of plunder and arson by killing somo and arresting over a thousand of theni. By dealing decisively with these disturbers of the peace, and by. threatening those who follow their advice with deprivation of the franchise and of any share in the division of peasant lands, the Provisional Govern ment will soon restore order throughout the country. When that is accomplished and reprpsentafcivogovernment is established, the military forces • of Russia should soon bo moving with irresistible force against their enemies. ANOTHER GERMAN TRICK, That Germany recognises the danger to herself is seen in the new lino she is taking. She is attempting, through Hei-r Schiedemann, the leader of the German Majority Socialists, to bring about a conference at Petrograd, her hope doubtless being that German Socialists would be able to get into touch with all the disaffected elements in the capital city and to create new troubles for the Provisional Government. With the -idea of ingratiating her agents with the Russian Socialists, Germany is sending five of her Minority Socialists to Stockholm. These delegates will, of course, be carefully chosen and as carefully primed as to what they are to propose. Their return to Germany will depend upon how they act. The Kaiser and all his party have no love for the Minority Socialists, but now that the victory of the Allies is assured in the long run the war. lords are, in their extremity, prepared to make use of any and all means to obtain, i£ they possibly can, a Germa peace. German machinations are to be extender also to the Catholic world outside Germany. It is evidently overlooked that Catholics in other countries can be just as patriotic as those in Germany. As long as Germany can gain her ends for the time being, she does not care a straw what evil she may bring upon others. These ore tremendously democratic days, and in religion there are signs of great transitions. Men in all countries are keenly watching- the interaction of churches and States, and any interference with what democracies are 'aiming at is fraught with danger to any form of o'rganisedi clerical political power. German attempts to hend all parties in Spain to German purposes will, if. persisted in and aided by Spanish reactionaries and pro-Ger-mans, bring- about a result that may overthrow both the Government, as constituted, and the monarchy with it. It would bo interesting to know how far the German Centre Party assisted in preventing the outrageous acts that were perpetrated by the Germans against Polish Catholic children and their parents in Posen before Austria interfered and produced an amelioration oi the methods that were employed. The Kaiser has no sympathy with Catholicism, and the Empress has a blind hatred of it. All these peace propaganda by the Germans are being strenuously and ever frantically worked because Germany has failed to separate Russia from the Entente* and because she wishes to obtain victor when defeat is staring her in the fac< Above all, she wants to retain the powc and possibility of forming a Germano-Islamic Empire which would have the effect of giving her the control of Turkey and the gateways to the East. Two countries stand, in the way of her realisation of that ambition. These are Great Britain and Russia. Germany's political aim is to create a division of interests between Groat Britain and Russia, primarily by retaining her hold on Russia, and finally by creating enmity between Britain and Russia. ON THE BRITISH FRONT. Activity on the west front along the British lines consists of raids. and counter raids. / In all these small operations, according to the advices, the British are everywhere successful. The British pressure on the German lines must bo severely felt, as the Germans are not attacking on 'the British sectors with the same spirit as they ■are showing on the French sectors, north of the Aisne. Evidently the Germans are in some trepidation about their position in West Flanders if it is possible to rely on reports from Amsterdam that the Belgian civilians are being removed from the coastal regions. The inference is that the Germans fear that the British intend to drive a wedge into Belgium towards the estuary of the Scheldt, and that, if the Germans havo to retreat, they intend to cause the destruction of all towns and villages and to leave no one behind to tell tales that might be enlightening to tho Allies. It should not bo long now before Sir Douglas Haig makes another sudden attack, but it will be where the Germans least expect it not necessarily on the weakest part of the German line. THE AISNE FRONT. On- the Aisno front the Germans are fiercely counter-attacking. Their reason for doing so is that, while the French hold the positions they do north of the Aisne, they cannot meet a strong British offensive, since tho French are in a position to turn their flank if the attacks by tho British should call for their greatest effort. Possibly also these attacks are in pursuance of the German idea, expressed so brutally by Marshal von Hindenburg, "to leave France white and Belgium dead"; but, however satisfactory it may be to German eyes to see tho lands of- their enemies ravaged and depleted of their populations and the towns and villages laid in ruins it is not likely that strategy and tactics ore directed by such an inhuman desire. It is noticeable that the tactics of the Germans against tho French are the same as those that were employed at Verdun after the French had checked the first great onslaught against that town. The Crown Prince is trying to gain glory by the same methods as ho adopted after th° capture of Douaumont. It will be a decidedly good piece of work on bis part if he oan clear

the French from the heights above: the;U Aisne and remove the threat to the Gennaa3s|f lino extending from the eea to Laon. Germane, as at Verdun, are gaining a ground by their attacks, but they arc ing dearly in every effort, fhey have hold; Kg up the French by assuming the but are making very little impression on.vfli' the French front. % ; S VOLUNTARY ENUSTMBNTSiJII The final lot of men offering under v tbe;t|j| voluntary method' of PTiljgfrrmrtf. were amined at Kensington Drill Hall on Friday-tS night, 23 being passed as fit out of the 49 *|| presenting themselves. The following were vKg passed as fit:— ;H?i Hugh Cecil David Eraser Aitkea, eleetri- -* cian, Dunedin. f Arthur Edward Burrell, bar aaantxnti'ZM Dunedin. : ■ :;S^p Andrew Oameron, labourer, Dunedin. "Sfi 1 John Verdon Carmody, olerk, Dunedin. N-Sjfj Henry Record Daniels, metal worker V:-^ Dunodin. • ■ ':.d.%s\ Eric Tewsley Dawson, medioal stodemi %| Dunedin. :y?is James Dickie, ehepherd, Deep Stream. '"•■%?ss Henry Fiddia, olerk, Dunedin. ?S| Malcolm Stuart Hendry, clerk, .MoegieL Jt| Andrew Taylor Laurie, clock, Dunedin. ■~'r/-'Si Jamea Gordon Graham M'Kendry, labourer, Lee Stream. ■'. -;- : kk Samuel Clyde Mewhinney, eoacbbuilder.V l^ Dunedin. .. . - Adam Robert laboteer, Dun-i^ edin. 7'5" : , Charles Millar, miner, Outram. :.-.■ Greorge William Morrison, barman, Daa-'-^" edin. -;- -^^ Arthur Michael Mojoiihan, farmer. Mckv!? mona. . ;. "Ssti Robert Anthony Paterson, fanner, W&qpKi Wt ata. -.■'■.■i'i'Si WlUiam Raynbird, fanner, North-aefctff Harbour. .; ; i : 53; James Joseph Smith, barman, Arthur Barnard Tracey, cutter, George Wilson, engineer, Dunedin. ' 'Wβ N.E. VALLEY. WOMEN'S -^Sl PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION. ■ This branch having entered on its year of work for our soldiers, the memberiPi are determined to surpass last year's effortesSS in providing comforts for those who ar»®J?S sacrificing go much for thorn. In this deavour they wfll welcome any new workariP#? eEot^ ot , as y et identified ■with tna launch. The committee gratefully SSJ acknowledges the following g? mnu <» Gift Fund: Mies Cakfer, Mrels| w' e s d " Arthur. denmlSf funds: Madame Von Look, "Calderr«t 4- ve »°e." Red Crose Fund: Madame Tor!?! Children's clothing: Mr H. lwenty-one tins of sugar for soldiers' P^ ,3 were also forwarded to th© hettlers' HalL • \[ r -;Si|- — i "//'^ph MTDDLBMAHOH PATEIOTK^β SOCIETY. ■■; . , . :^p On Thursday the executive of women s branchof the above /society packed for the Red Cross Society: 16 p iT , sases«5 ases « 25 sui *s Pyjamas. 35 30 bed[ Bockß, banda^Sif v i 2 dre eowns. TK>r.the-?t Early Settlers' Hall: 30* dominion bagi pairs day esocks, 10 shirts, 94 pairs scarves, 6 pairs mitfajns. 3 '5 balaclavas, 1 handkerchief. Included abovefS were thankfully received from the Sir's and school: 66, dominion shjrts, 27 day sooke, 94 pairs cuffe, 30 bod socks, 24 face cloths" 156. 4 scarves. 6 mittens, 3 housewife* pyjamas, 1 handkerchief. . ■ \ "wM\ * t PRIVATE GASEETT.ft^^ News has - -been received-that iirnest Garretfc has been wounded. He" tho youngesi; son of Mrs Francis Garrefctif ' S JI fi ld a). and brother of Mr John rett (of Gladstone road, Moegiel). Hβ born at Huidon and educated at the scUbolM there. He followed the occupation of a^ M 4. was at Roxburgh when* cnbsted for the 18th Reinforoemente. is 31 years of age. 'rv-^Wf BLACKS-OMAEAU ' -Si PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION. iSl| The Blaoks-Omakau Patriotic which has lately been formed, has getit itfW the following articles as its first tion;— 6 shirts, 6. tea-towels, 68 chiefs, 1 balaclava,. 1 pair sox, and a naip :s % mittens. . • .'. ;'*^:,?^ • j Mr ?r has received eabWff advice that his son, Second Lieutenant Hun-wSK ter has been slightly wounded and is at Brockenhurst Hospital doing welL'^M