EMPIRE DAY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17325, 27 May 1918, Page 5

EMPIRE DAY.

CELEBRATIONS IN FRANCE AND THE EMPIRE BRITAIN'S PART IN THE WAR TWO GLOWING FRENCH TRIBUTES THE SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN MENACE NO LONGER FEARED UNITED STATES TRANSPORT SHIP SUNK AMERICAN DESTROYER SINKS A SUBMARINE

THE WEST OFFENSIVE ENEMY ARTILLERY ACTIVE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, May 24. Sir D. Haig reports: The enemy's artillery was active at night westward of Lens and in the neighbourhood of Givenchy and . Festubert. They gas-shelled our positions at Nieppe Forest. A Belgian communique states there is fairly violent reciprocal artillerying at Langemarck and Merkem. French communique: There is intermit- ' tent artillery activity at some points south of the Avre, but no infantry action. ALLIES STILL WAITING. TIME WELL, USED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, May 24. Mr Phillips ■writes: We are still awaiting the great German offensive; the respite was welcomed by the Allies. Troops and artillery have poured in steadily to the front areas within the British zone. Trains laden with timber were brought up, and the infantry had a much-needed test. The new drafts have had field training. WITH THE FRENCH. i SUCCESSFUL RAIDS CONDUCTED. ENEMY RAIDS BROKEN. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, May 24. (Received May 26, at 5.5 p.m.) A French communique states: Enemy raids south-east of Mesnil-St. Georges and west of Noyon broke down under our fire. We penetrated enemy lines south-east of Courcy, in Champagne, and the Vosges. There was intermittent artillery activity at various points of the front. . RAID ON. BRITISH LINES. LONDON, May 24. (Received May k6, at 5.5 p.m.) Sir D. Haig reports, at 10.40 p.m.: Under a heavy barrage the enemy raided in the neighbourhood of Bucquoy before the weather broke. MEDICAL DIRECTOR-GENERAL. LONDON, May 25. (Received May 26, at 5.5 p.m.) The Press Bureau states that Majorgeneral Burtchaell has been appointed Director-general of Medical Services for the British armies in France in succession to Lieutenant-general Sloggett. SUCCESSFUL BRITISH RAIDS. ENEMY ARTILLERY ACTIVITY. LONDON, May 25. (Received May 20, at 5.5 p.m.) Sir D. Haig reports: We raided trenches in the neighbourhood of Hamel. We also conducted a successful raid northward of Lens. There has been hostile gas-shelling eastward of Bethuno, and increased enemy artillery activity in the Strazeele sector. FRENCH CONDUCT RAIDS. AND REPEL ENEMY RAIDS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reutfcr. LONDON, May 25. (deceived May 26. at 11.15 p.m.) A French communique states: Enemy raids south of Hangard and in the Vosges ■were repelled. We successfully raided enemy lines west' of Noyon and Woevre. NOTHING TO REPORT. LONDON, May 26. (Received May 27, at 1.10 a.m.) A French communique states : There ii 3 nothing to report except intermittent 'artillery activity north and south of the Avre.

RUSSIA'S PROBLEHB AGED GENERAL'S MISERIES. SELF AND FAMILY STARVING. Auitralian and N.Z. Cable Association. . LONDON, May 24. The Daily Express publishes a pathetic letter from a famous Russian general who has been called the Lord Roberts of Russia. Though 75 years old, himself and his family are starving. He seeks work of any kind in order to buy bread. He 6ays that the class war has annulled religion, truth, and self-respect, exchanging these for mischief, rape, and robbery. POLISH LEGIONARIES FIGHTING. SEVERE STRUGGLE IN PROGRESS. Reuter's Telegrams. MOSCOW, May 24. A newspaper despatch from Kieff says : The Germans have sent an ultimatum demanding the disarming and disbanding within 24 hours of the Second Polish Army Corps, quartered in the vicinity of Kieff. Iho general commanding refused, whereupon the Germans attacked the Poles. It is reported that 15,000 are engaged on either side, and that the casualties are numerous. A despatch from Vienbotli states that Leopold of Bavaria ordered the disarming of the Polish legionaries at Minsk, and that the legionaries refused. FURTHER BOLSHEVIK ROBBERY. PROPERTY REVERTS TO STATE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. MOSCOW, May 25. (Received May 26, at 5.5 p.m.) A new decree annuls all testamentary bequests in Russia, making all property pass to the State after the owner's death. , . State w iH provide for necessitous relatives and dependents. ORGANISING FOR DEFENCE. ACTION IN UKRAINIA. MOSCOW, May 25. (Received May 26, at 5.5 p.m.) Kursk Council has resolved to order military mobilisation for defence, owing to the advancing German forces within 25 miles of Kurek. A conference of Ukrainian peasant delegates at Kieg decided to organise an army to defend the revolution and oppose Skoropandski's government and the Germans. THE BOLSHEVIK GOVERNMENT. NOT RECOGNISED BY BRITAIN. BECAUSE OF GERMAN INFLUENCE. The Times /O • . „ L °NDON, May 25. (Received May 26, at 5.5 p.m.) Lord Robert Cecil, in the course of an interview, stated tnat the Government had no intention of recognising the present Russian Government, as it was not satisfied that it was free from German influence, and could hardly be considered friendly to Great Britain, as its organs were full of' denunciations of Britain. FINNISH GOVERNMENT RESIGNS. GERMAN DICTATOR APPOINTED. ' Reuter's Telegrams STOCKHOLM, May 25. (Received May 26, at 5.5 p.m.) The Finnish Government has resigned in consequence of the appointment of° the Premier (M. Svinhufuna) as dictator. "HANDS-OFF" POLICY. NO ALLIED INTERVENTION AT PRESENT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. NEW YORK. May 25. _ (Received May 26, at 11.15 p.m.) The United States has agreed to adopt the "hands-off" policy in Russia, while simultaneously offering Russia supplies and any aid possible. There will not be intervention at present. Great Britain and the United States have informed Japan of this decision, which is not inspired by suspicion of Japan, but is merely a question of policy. |The cable news in tills ipsue accreditor! to The Times has appeared in that journal, but only where expressly stated is such news the editorial opinion of The Times.l