ENDING THE WAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 3383, 15 January 1919, Page 15

ENDING THE WAR.

DEMOBILISATION TROUBLES. SEARCHING FOR PRISONERS OF WAR. ' (By Cable.) THE ARMISTICE. A German wireless states : Marshal Foch telegraphs that the Armistice Commission for the Allie 3 does not approve of the prolongation of the armistice agreement beyond the 17th of January. The Allied and German plenipotentiaries "will therefore meet on the 14th at Treves and come to a new agreement regarding the prolongation. BRITISH DEMOBOLISATION. It is officially pointed out that demobilisation greatly burdens the army transport, but every endeavour will be made to reduce the establishment with the decrease of the army. On the other hand, the men declare they have long served as infantry and were transferred to the transport service owingr to wounds and illness. Demobilisation is now proceeding more smoothly. Ten thousand were demobilised daily last week, and it is expected that the figure will soon become 20,000. The Prime Minister is interviewing the authorities personally with a view to evolving a simple procedure. The principle of present governing the release is the needs of an industry, not the length of service. The troops employed at the Essex aerodrome interviewed their colonels, who allowed them one day's leave, adding that those able to secure work would be domobilised forthwith. Six hundred men at the Kempton Park Army Service Depot proceeded to Whitehall and a deputation waited upon the War Office officials.

ARMY SERVICE MEN BREAK CAMP. Five thousand army service men broke camp at Brentford and commandeered motor lorries. Three hundred reached London and demonstrated good-naturedly at Whitehall, protesting against the delay in demobilisation. It is understood that the Government has decided that the army service corps shall be demobilised concurrently with other units. Several thousand soldiers made a similar demonstration ) at Brighton, but dispersed when the Mayor promised to communicate with the War Office.

The army service men at Brentford in the morning refused to take out the lorries. The officers advised the men to ledge a complaint, and they retorted that they would only be arrested. They then quitted camp. Eight hundred army service men at the Shortlands depot marched boldly and held a meeting at which they aired their grievances. Similar meetings were held at the Grove Park and Sydenham depots. A few hundred soldiers marched to the War Office, and the matter was arranged on the same terms as at Folkestone. Despite the general's advice, the disaffected soldiers at Shoreham on the 7th insisted upon telegraphing to the Prime Minister demanding to be sent home, pending the completion of demobilisation formalities. One hundred of the Bedfordshire Regiment at Bristol marched to the Town Hall and requested the Mayor to assist in hastening demobilisation. ORDERLY DEMONSTRATIONS. Four thousand members of the Army Service Corps marched from Park Royal to Whitehall to complain concerning demobilisation. ' General Sir W. Robertson received the deputation, and said that the general at Park Royal would investigate their complaints. At Park Royal, General Fielding said to the Army Service Corps men that if they would wait a little General Robertson would come and personally investigate their grievance. General Robertson motored to the scene and summoned deputations, who had a half-hour interview with him. The officers afterwards informed the men that the interview had been satisfactory. General Robertson promised to send a general to Park Royal to investigate complaints. Four thousand Army Service Corps men at Park Royal went in a deputation to General Fielding, as recommended them by Sir William Robertson, demanding their immediate demobilisation and an assurance that they would not be sent on active service to Russia. The general said that the men would be demobilised at the earliest possible moment. Those having work to go to would be demobilised in a day or two; but, regarding Russia, they must obey orders. The men were dissatisfied with the reply and refused duty. They marched in a body to Downing street. Staff officers mingled with the men, urging them to return to their depot. Eventually an official from the Prime Minister's rosidence asked the men to proceed to the Horse Guards, where they formed in a hollow square and promptly obeyed the order to stand to attention, yielding to several goncrals who met the men. Meanwhile the gates at the Horso Guards were closed and a strong force of •mounted police appeared, but the men were most orderly in their behaviour. Six hundred men at Wofltcrliam aerodrome demonstrated and conferred with their colonel. Later they nt-nt a deputation to Whitehall demanding that tlioy be sent home pending demobilisation. Their officer, addressing the Park Royal A.S.C. men, concluded : " I want you to form up and go to dinner." The men shouted: "What about terms? We are not going until they are known." The deputation told the men that General Robertson gave certain assurances aa

regards oversea drafts, and that the interview was satisfactory. The men then cheered, formed up, and marched back to camp. LEAVE FROM FRANCE. The Army Council announces that no officer or soldier will be permitted to proceed to England on leave from France except on the distinct understanding that he returns to his unit at the expiration of his leave, and will not be demobilised during the period of leave. Experience has shown the necessity for this order, to ensure the maintenance of the army of occupation. All officers' and men now on leave from France will be demobilised if they are " pivotal " men assured of civil employment and belongs to industrial groups opened for demobilisation, if they can be spared from the army. The same privilege will be accorded to all ranks on leave from other expeditionary forces if similarly qualified. A WARNING FROM MR LLOYD GEORGE. The Prime Minister has been giving careful attention to the question of speeding up demobilisation. He considers that the first duty is to ensure that the fruits of victory, which have been won by the sacrifice of so many lives and by brave deeds, are not jeopardised by apparent weakness by Great Britain during critical moments of the peace negotiations; therefore it is imperative to maintain a strong army on the Rhine and the necessary services behind the front in France and at iaome. Although the fighting has stopped, the war is not over, and the German armies have not been demobilised. They are still very powerful. We cannot tell what the Germans will do or whether they will agree to the terms of peace and reparation we seek to impose upon them. NEW ZEALANDERS RETURNING. The Ruapehu embarked at Plymouth 300 New Zealanders, mostly convalescents. Crowds cheered the departing troops, who boarded the vessel in a storm. THE LEFT BANK OF THE RHINE OCCUPIED. The Australian Press Agency understands that the Allies' occupation of the left bank of the Rhine, with three bridges, has been accomplished without any untoward incident, but the Germans have fallen considerably short in complying with the armistice ■ terms regarding the handing over of material. Eight hundred and sixty-five heavy guns, 7000 machineguns, 1000 trench mortars, and 600 aeroplanes, with 4736 engines, 130,819 trucks, and 5000 motor lorries were deficient at the end of the first month. MARSHALL HAIG AND OFFICERS' GRIEVANCES'. The Daily News reasserts that Marshal Haig refuses to accept further honours until the Government redresses certain grievances under which discharged officers and slain officers' dependents suffer. The principal allegation is a failure to recognise hardships. The Evening Standard says: Admiral Beatty is in fullest sympathy with Marshal Haig in refusing to receive honours until his proposals for the treatment of disabled officers have been accepted.

BRITISH SUPERIORITY. Marshal Haig, in his despatch, referring to the battle of Amiens on August 8, states that 23 German divisions were heavily defeated by 13 British infantry and three cavalry divisions, supported by 400 tanks. THE GERMAN NAVY. The demobilisation of German warships at Kiel and Wilhelmshaven is now practically complete, but only after severe pressure upon the enemy, who kept on placing a variety of obstacles in the way of carrying out the terms of the armistice. The demobilisation is thorough, and includes the removal of all guns from the vessels. However, the ships were already virtually useless, owing to the deterioration from neglect. The new battleship Baden has arrived at Scapa Flow. Sixteen more submarines are to surrender next week. The Allied Naval Commissioners have visited Heligoland, but found nothing exceptional there. THE MINE-LAYING FLOTILLA. ' Sir Erio Geddes, in a speech to wounded soldiers at Oaklands Park, Surrey, described the men of the 20th Minelaying Flotilla as among the best and pluckiest in the navy. They proceeded nightly through German minefields for 30 miles off Heligoland to discover channels through which raiders could pass, and laid mines across these channels. Sir Eric Geddes added: "Upwards of 100 German boats in the first half-year of 1918 were caught in these trap mines. Six German outpost boat 3 leaving Heligoland Bight on one occasion noticed four of our minelaying flotilla entering. (W boats, by a subterfuge, got inside and laid mines, and on their way home they mopped up all the six German boats. The latter s crews were taken prisoners. Our barrage of mines across the English Channel below Ostend trapped 17 submarines in one month. MINE SWEEPERS GRIEVANCE. Discontent among the crews of the minesweepers reached a climax on Friday, when some refused to put to sea; declaring that their remuneration was utterly inadequate in view of the risks involved and the big profits made by the trawlers from which the crews were largely drawn. The authorities temporarily settled the dispute by offering a bonus of 40s weekly, but some of the crewa are still dissatisfied. A MINEFIELD ADRIFT. Stockholm reports state that an. entire minefield appears to b* adrift off th»

south coast of Sweden. Twenty exploded off the Danish coast. Fishermen report that the North Sea is filled with an enormous number of small drifting mines of hitherto unknown construction. AIR RAID CASUALTIES. A return shows that during the vrax period 50 raids by airships over Britain killed 489 civilians and injured 1236, and killed 58 persons in service and wounded 112; that 51 air raids bv aeroplanes killed 619 civilians and injured 1650, and killed 238 persons in service and wounded 400; and that 12 warship bombardments killed 143 civilians and injured 604, and killed 14 persons in service and wounded 30.THE GALLIPOLI GARRISON. THE GRAVES OF ANZACS. Mr Peacock, a special correspondent, telegraphing from Fort Chanak (Gallipoli), j says : The influenza here is epidemical, j One hundred and ten New Zealanders are affected, and one officer and 10 men have . died. The outbreak has now subsided, and the weather has improved. Colonel Richardson has recovered. The Australian Red Cross equipment saved many lives. The digging up of graves was not extensive in the defined area, but there are many skeletons in the advanced lines and No-Man's Land, and shallow graves have been washed out. Some have been dug up, probably by road gangs of prowlers ! or animals. In many trenches there are bodies in small groups, and the graves have been molested. It is hopeless _ to j identify the majority who were buried ' after the great August slaughter. Colonel Findlay, of the Canterbury Mounted men, and his working party, with local know- : ledge, are camped at Anzac, tidying the j cemeteries, identifying and registering ' known scattered graves. The Imperial graves registration unit states that out of 50,000 records many are inaccurate, and 6000 registrations were buried at sea. Captain Bigg Withers, the New Zealand representative, interviewed, stated that the graves are not so bad as was thought. The unit was instructed to survey the whole peninsula, locate cemeteries and outlying graves, and then submit the results separately to London,. the Graves Commission, and the Australian and New Zealand authorities. Mr Peacock thinks the system is insufficiently definite for the Anzac graves, and j suggests that direct authority be given to ! Australasian officers on the spot to develop a national Anzac memorial echeme, and | bury under national monuments, bearing all the names of men killed. Some members of each Gallipoli unit should be sent to supply local knowledge of identification. The whole Anzac area "should be made sacred and inviolable, protected by a responsible body in the interests of national education and patriotism, and of future generations. ROUNDING UP THE TURKS. The isolated Turkish garrisons were persuaded to surrender in accord with the i armistice. _ I AH parts, except Medina, have now laid down their arms. Fakhri Pash£ is holding out at Medina, but the Allies informed Turkey that they would destroy the Dardanelles forts unless Medina complied with the armistice. A British force intervened in the Caucasus in order to compel the Turkish evacuation and to prevent fighting between the Georgians and the Armenians. _ In other parts comparative quiet now reigns. Turkish atrocities, pillaging, and other excesses have ceased. A British mission proceeded to the north of the Caucasus to assist the authorities in quelling civil disorders. BRITISH PRISONERS IN GERMANY. The British Government has begun a search for British prisoners in Germany. A commission has been despatched, consisting of 20 parties, equipped with motor ambulances and doctors, making for Berlin and other leading towns and headquarters. The prisoners will be centralised and afterwards entrained to France. The French Government is undertaking a similar scheme. General Mangin, commanding the French army of occupation at Mayence (Mainz), has heard of 300 released British prisoners some miles within Germany, travelling to the Rhine, broken down and exhausted. | General Mangin sent an ambulance with j a white flag, who found them in a deplor- j able condition, lying on the roads. They were demobilised like dumb animals, the ] German authorities and civilians giving them no help. Carey (cook) and Jones (seaman), of the Matunga, have reached London from Germany. CRUEL TREATMENT BY HUNS. At an inquest on Private Roberts, aged 19 years, a member of the Cheshire Regi- j merit, who died at Fulham Hospital after | repatriation from Germany, the doctors gave evidence that ho died from tuberculosis, due to starvation and privations. Roberts weighed only 661 b. He informed the doctors that he was employed carrying rails behind the German lines. He saw parties exhausted fall under the weight of the rails, which pinned them down,

and they were allowed to lie helpless until they died. A verdict was returned of manslaughter against the German officials. BREACHES OF THE LAWS OF WAR. A British committee, appointed two months ago to inquire into breaches of the laws of war, is making good progress. Various sub-committees are dealing with the laws relating to the of prisoners, offences at sea, and in liscriminate bombardment of towns. All the subcommittees still have a large mass_ of evidence to sift, and the final conclusiona probably will not be reached for months. The sub-committee on laws has already submitted a special report' conveying the unanimous conclusion that it is desirable to take proceedings against the ex-Kaiser. The British Committee have investigated 100,000 cases of ill-treatment, and have still to consider 150,C00 more. The sub-committee unanimously decided to recommend proceedings against the ex* Kaiser. THE SUFFERINGS OF THE VIENNESE. The New York World's Vienna correspondent says that the authorities there haye published a sensational report regard* ing the Viennese sufferings during the war. The report points out that a large number of people lost upwards of 881 b weight during the war. Even among the wealthy the average loss was 361 b. During one year 56,000 children were examined, and only 4637 were found to be healthy. The majority of the children had not grown during the war, with the result that Vienna's future mothers and fathers must consist of stunted adolescents, producing prematurely old children. The in* dustrial districts are now filled with undersized, old-looking youngsters, who have never been young. Their wizened looks are due largely to their all-night vigils outside the meat markets, where they waited in the worst weather and clad in insuffi* cient clothing. . THE BALKAN SITUATION. The situation in the Balkans is difficult owing to the serious food shortage along the whole Adriatic coast and in the interior of Austria. Food has already been sent to Vienna under an armed guard. The exact determination of the various spheres of occupation by the new nation* alities in the Balkans has caused some friction, which is now settling down. The Allies have successfully adopted the prin* ciple of occupying disputed localities with troops of disinterested nations. Measures are being taken to resume railway communications, in order to relieve the economic situation. A base for the Near Eastern army has been opened at Fiume. We are sending supplies to Belgrade by this route. The Allied troops are occupying the Dobrudja Valley pending the final dis*. per sal of the Bulgarian army. PREPARATION AGAINST INVASION. It is now permissible to mention that an elaborate system of defence had been, constructed near London, including. miles of trenches, while others were outlined; for rapid execution in case they were required. The work of dismantling the defences has begun, and troops are filling in the trenches where they obstruct cropraising. RUINED TOWNS IN FLANDERS. The Daily Express Brussels correspondent states that the Government Reconstruction Bill,. which proposes to preserve Ypres, Nieuport, and Dixmude in their present ruined state, is in danger of being defeated. The Mayor of Ypres is vigorously urging the complete demolition of the ruins, the rebuilding of the City Cloth Hall on the same site at a cost of 6,000,000,000 fr. The correspondent adds that the British, ' Australian, and New Zealand troops respect Ypres ruins as a sacred spot, which should be unmolested. THE GRAVES OF SOLDIERS. At a meeting of the Imperial War Graves Commission, at which Mr W. H. Long presided, all British and overseas representatives were present. The chairman stated that all overseas Governments had unreservedly agreed to bear a share of whatever expense was involved in worthily honouring the memory of the dead. The commission was therefore free to discharge its task in an ungrudging, unniggardly spirit. The commission adopted a recommendation that the most suitable method of honouring those whose graves were notf found or those whose graves were not identified would be to place a tablet appropriately inscribed in the cemetery near the spot where the men were believed to be killed. It is estimated that at least a thousand cemeteries are involved in the' scheme. The commission decided to ask the Indian Government to formulate proposals for the establishment of an agency in India for the care of British war graves there.

ORDER OP THE BRITISH EMPIRE. Hundreds of names of men and women on whom the Order of the British Empire has been bestowed for services rendered \n connection with the war are published - in a 32-page gazette. The recipients' activities embrace varied forms of war occupation. Only a few of the names are well known. The names of some overseas persons are included in the present list. Those made Knight Commander of the Order include Sir Rider' Haggard as a member of the Dominions Royal Commission. The commanders include the Salvationists Mary Booth and W. J. Haines, and the music-hall idol George Robey. Officers of the Order include Mr William Hibberdine, traffic manager of the Eastern Telegraph Company. NEW ZEALANDERS DECORATED. The French War Cross (Croix deGuerre) has been awarded to three New Zealand ers. The following awards have been made: Knight Commander of the Empire Order, Mr F. T. Boys, New Zealand, director, of meat supplies; Officer of the Order, James Sim, captain of the steamship Warilda. Mr Boys was manager of the J. G. Ward Company in Dnnedin a few years ago. He went Home during the course of the war., and was appointed to the Eosition of Director of Meat Supplies in ondon. NEW ZEALANDERS EITERTAINED. Sir Thomas Mackenzie entertained 250 repatriated New Zealanders at dinner. He assured them that the} 7 would get the warmest of welcomes upon their return home. He pointed out that two of New Zealand's shell-holed flags, which had originally been presented by New Zealand women, draped the columns in the diningroom.—(Cheers.) Colonel Myers deplored Turkish brutalities, and instanced New Zealanders, suffering from several fractures, being transported in a springless cart, while women en route thumped the injured parts. Many of our wounded were lodged in hospitals whose conditions were unfit to house *" animals. Our prisoners in Germany, with notable exceptions, had received fair treatment. • Colonel Fitzherbert said that the total number of New Zealanders taken prisoner was 497, of whom 25 were captured on Gallipoli and 12 in Egypt. -Ten prisoners had died in Turkey, 20 had been repatriated to Egypt, and 7 had arrived in England. In France there were nine officers and 457 others taken prisoner, Two officers and 37 men died during imprisonment, while 373 men had arrived in England.

The 48 still in Germany would be shortly repatriated. No other division had put up a better record. There was no instance of a man surrendering without a fight. The New Zealand prisoners represented only 0.7 per cent of the New Zealand casualties. WOMEN TO EMIGRATE. The authorities of the Women's Land Army have approached Sir T. Mackenzie with regard to land conditions in New Zealand. Some 5000 women do not desire ~to return to pre-war occupations, and a large number are anxious to work on' the land overseas if conditions are favourable. , UNITED SERBIA. ~ A Government representative of all Jugo-Slavia has been formed at Belgrade. It has notified the Allies that the Serbian Kingdom is now united in a Serbian, ' Croatian, and Slavonian Kingdom. THE JUGO-SLAVS. The New York Globe's Paris correspondent states that the Jugo-Slavs are preparing to issue a Red Book, which will charge the Italians with violating the terms of the armistice by occupying purely Jugoslav territories and pulling down Jugoslav flag 3. The Montenegrin Consul here states that the Montenegrins started an insurrection on January 3, expelling the Jugo-Slavs. VARIOUS ITEMS. The total American forces in Russia are 12,000, and in Serbia 7000. An attempt to shoot Dr Masaryk, the Czecho-Slovak Premier, failed. The Turkish Government is exiling all deputies belonging to the Young Turks Party. The Admiralty states that Vice-admiral Browning will represent Admiral Wemyss at the meeting for the renewal of the armistice. The Admiralty awarded the officers and crew of the Great Western Railway Company's steamer Ibex £SOO for sinking a submarine in the Channel. Sir Thomas Mackenzie is forwarding to New Zealand the silken flags presented to the battle-cruiser New Zealand, marking her various engagements, as war memorials. At Chicago five Socialist leaders, including Congressmen Berger and Germer (secretary of the Nationalist Socialist Party) have been found guilty of conspiring to violate the espionage law in Germany's interest. Le Matin states that Turmel, who died

in prison last week, left a death-bed confession admitting his relations with 8010 Pasha, who received funds from Erzberger. Tunnel's confession states that 8010 declared that M. Caillaux controlled the funds received from Germany. It is officially announced that during December 630 interned alien enemies were repatriated. They were either invalids or over age. The military authorities have now decided that it is no longer necessary to retain enemy civilians, therefore the deportations began on January 6, when 750 sailed, for Germany. The Government is offering for sale three large munition factories at Watford, Trafford Park (Manchester), and Dudley (Worcestershire). It is understood that other factories will shortly be offered.

Many large firms are keenly anxious to buy such established factories, as the cost of labour and the scarcity of material make the building of others very uncertain for some years to come. Holland has not only agreed to allow the use of the Scheldt for transports engaged in provisioning the British army in Germany, but has decided to allow British troops to return via the Scheldt preparatory to demobilisation, provided they do not carry arms or ammunitin. | This permission, however, must not be ' accepted as a precedent. The transports | are to fly the commercial flag and not the navy ensign. I RETURNED AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS. Two hundred returned soldiers marched to the office of the Acting Prime Minister (Mr Watt) and urged the displacement of all eligibles in the public service, re-, placing them with returned soldiers. Mr ! Watt agreed that returned men should have the preference. All temporary or [ exempt classes of the public service who were eligibles" had been discharged, but ! eligible permanent officers could not be discharged till Parliament altered the ■ Public Service Act. I The deputation visited other Ministers and the Chamber of Manufacturers, and J demanded preference for returned soldiers, declaring that unless the State Governj ment and manufacturers fell into line the soldiers would be forced to declare them i "black" and even picket the manufacturers' premises. In all cases promises were made to do all possible to assist the returned men. The secretary of the Chamber of Manufacturers po'.nted out that the manufacturers had declared for absolute preference for returned soldiers. Replying to a deputation of returned soldiers, Senator Millen stated that put of 70,000 men returned and discharged only 3 per cent, are unemployed.