ENDING THE WAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 3384, 22 January 1919, Page 23

ENDING THE WAR.

THE ARMISTICE EXTENDED. PROOFS OF BOCHE BARBARISM. (By Cable.) THE SITUATION REVIEWED. The Australian Press Association understands that the situation of Germany is very uncertain. The 18S0 class is being retained with the colours, numbering 500,000 men, apart from at least as many others already under arms. Hence it is essential that the Allies must agree with all Marshal Foch's requisitions for men. Thus far 8047 officers and 145,776 British prisoners from Germany have been repatriated. The situation in the Balkans continues difficult. The French and Rumanians are compelled to occupy Arad, in Central Hungary. There have been conflicts between Bulgars and Rumanians in the Dobrudja. The railway from Batum (on the Black Sea) to Baku (on the Caspian Sea), across Transcaucasia, is now in British hands; therefore it is easier to supply General Moleson via the Caspian, where a heavywinter has set in. The British force is the only stable factor in Transcaspia. It is essential to prevent Bolshevist penetration in Northern Persia. It is equally necessary to retain our present force in Northern Russia, though there is no intention to send large reinforcements or to attack Russia. The Bolshevists on the Ural front are advancing on Orenburg. The difficulties facing the Omsk (All-Russian) Government are largely due to the condition of the Trans-Siberian railway, which is capable of only one train daily. About 120,000 Bolshevists are operating on the Omsk (Western Siberia) front, including many German officers. There has been severe fighting between the Don and the Caucasus, where General Denikin is commanding all the antiBolshevist forces. General Denikin defeated the Bolshevists in severe fighting east of Stavropol; nevertheless' 140,000 Bolshevists are fighting well, owing to discipline harshly enforced by the death penalty and corporal punishment. The Allies are helping General Denikin with arms and' ammunition, but only a few French detachments have landed at Sebastopol and Odessa. THE ARMISTICE EXTENDED. The armistice has been extended for a month, Germany accepting Marshal Foch's conditions. Marshal Foch was present at a meeting of military technical experts of Allied armies, at which questions concerning the carrying out of the armistice were discussed, and the new conditions for its extension were examined. The delegates also considered the Polish question, and decided on the manner of sending reinforcements for the Polish, troops. They also discussed the question of German commercial shipping, which will be used by the Allies as compensation for the tonnage sunk by submarines. They ako considered the question of the German ports which it is contemplated to occupy as a guarantee for the carrying cut of the armistice and as punishment for obstructions hitherto raised by Germany. Other question discussed included the German gold reserve and the victualling of Germany. Marshal Foch will demand that _ those responsible for the murder tcaa mutilation of prisoners in Langosaiaa Osasip be shot. The new armistice conditions will insist On Germany giving up a number of submarines which have thus far been hidden. The Allied Naval Commission has also discovered that Germany has not given full details of her uncompleted submarines. DEMOBILISATION. Sir Eric Geddes states that demobilisation is proceeding in a most satisfactory manner. The Teleasings have risen from 8000 to 20,000 daily. It is hoped soon to release 27,000 overseas service men and 25,000 Home service men. The labour exchanges are working well, and are now handling 17,000 applications daily. General March has announced that 693,889 American soldiers have been demobilised, and the British have demobilised 3,525,691. The Americans in France and, Germany will be reduced to a minimum consistent with national obligations. An increase in homeward-bound troops is foreshadowed. The discharges already ordered for home from abroad exceed 1,000,000 men. The demobilisation of Australians and New Zealanders is proceeding with the utmost rapidity, governed by the steamers available. Italian demobilisation is proceeding rapidly, and 900,000 men have been, discharged from the army. THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION. In view of the prevalent misconceptions regarding the British army of occupation, newspapers publish a high authority's views. He says it is more important to secure the fruits of victory than to accelerate demobilisation. A good scheme would be to create a specialised army of occupation, highly trained and disciplined, choosing primarily those having a record of service. Sir Eric Geddes states that demobilisation must bo such as to leave a homogeneous army for any emergency. The army of occupation must be equal to all contingencies. There was no prospect of an early reduction to pre-war dimensions. The occupation force would not be a volunteer army, but would be selected under the existing conscription Acts. A WORD OF WARNING. Sir Eric Geddes, in a speech, referring to demobilisation difficulties, expressed the hope that public impatience would not

force the authorities to demobolise in a wrong way. It would be better to have an employed army than a great deal of civil unemployment. There was no foundation for the belief that the Government were going to utilise national factories in order to embark on industrial ventures. The Government would not manufacture any article requiring a sales organisation. THE SURRENDER OF MEDINA. Official: The holy city of Medina has capitulated to King Hussien (of the Hedjaz Arabs) under terms of the armistice with Turkey. The delay in bringing the garrison into compliance was due to its long isolation, necessitating permission to interchange special communications with Constantinople. The sacred character of the city rendered it incumbent to secure capitulation by arrangement and not by assault: moreover, the Turks used _ the oreat Mosque as the chief ammunition dump, and not a single shell could be thrown into the position without risking the destruction of the Prophet's tomb. The Emir Abdalla-, representing the King of the Hedjaz Arabs, entered Medina on January 13, and was welcomed with enthusiasm. BRITISH "K" CRUISERS. Details have been revealed of the British cruisers called "K" boats, which are propelled bv steam. They have two funnels, are of 2000 tons, are 340 feet long, with a 26£ft beam, and have a surface speed of 24 knots an hour, and, submerged, 10 knots. Their range is 30CO miles, and they carry eight or 10 torpedo tubes, while their guns are big enough to match anything except Dreadnoughts or battle cruiser. The part they played in defeating Germany cannot yet be disclosed, but they proved one of the most valuable arms of the navy. The Daily Express states that anothei class of "mystery" submersibles was the M class of submarines, carrying a 12in gun. THE HUSH SUPER-DREADNOUGHTS. Some details have been disclosed of the Admiralty's surprise class of three superdreadnoughts, of which the Hood has already been launched and is nearing completion, and the Rodney and Howe are well advanced. They will be the world's largest battleships, being only 7ft shorter than the Cunard liner Aquitania (868f't). They will each carry eight 15in guns. Each ship will be practically torpedo-proof, being fitted with a blister cushion against which torpedoes and mines will explode, harmlessly. Their speed will be about 30 knots. Each ship will cost about £3 500,000. A battle cruiser of smaller type, but faster, is now building, and two others are on the slips. WHY AIR RAIDS CEASED. Mr F> G. Kelleway states that the reason for the cessation of German air raids was the Ministry of _ Munition's secret, but it was due to a scientific victory over tlie Bosche. The secret was too important to be revealed even now, but thanks to the ingenuity of Britishers we gave our airmen a weapon so terrific that the'German airmen could not face it. PRISONERS OF WAR. Marshal Foch, at the Supreme War Council at Versailles, reported that 28,000 Allied prisoners are still due, and that Germany has delivered up only 1967 locomotives out of the 5000 stipulated. The Council of Ministers decided that after March 20 there should be 200,000 war prisoners employed on reconstruction work in the devastated region. MISSING CANADIANS TURN UP. Fifteen hundred Canadian soldiers reported missing and presumably dead were discovered alive in Germany since the armistice. Many of the men have been missing since the second battle of Ypres. They were in German prisons and were not allowed to communicate with their friends. In . a number of cases the wives, have remarried. It is anticipated that legislation will be shortly introduced to settle the status of these connubial tangles. THE OCCUPATION OF BELGIUM. . PROOF OF HUN ATROCITIES. The Manchester Guardian's correspondent in Berlin states that, owing to the energy and initiative of Herr Leopold, a member of the Berlin Soviet Committee, early in the revolution the archives covering the German occupation of Belgium and France during the forced evacuation were saved. Many wagon loads were hurried off and were in danger of being spirited away, many having an interest in suppressing them, but Herr Leopold inaugurated a systematic search of the archives, despite the opposition of von Drelancken, Chief of the German Political Department. The Brussels documents show that the atrocities were far worse than the Entente Particularly revolting details are supplied of the Cavell case, in which General Sauberrzwei behaved as a brute and a ruffian. The documents further show that the Germans carried off the mattresses of all Belgians under 70. It is expected that the documents will prove that German high officials concerned with the American relief enriched themselves at the expense of the starving Belgians. General von Bissing's archives have been discovered hidden in a cart which was being driven off towards Germany. These contained a plan for splitting up Belgium and a list of the sums of money stolen during the German occupation. THE SURRENDER OF ANTWERP. The Belgian newspapers are demanding a parliamentary inquiry regarding the civil authorities' surrender of Antwerp, especi-

ally as to the conduct of M. Franck (now Belgian Minister of the Colonies). | Marshals Foch and Haig are arranging | for the withdrawal of British and French troops from Belgium, for the purpose of : relieving the economic crisis and the high cost of living. The explosion of a truckload of benzine at Athes railway station, in Belgium, killed six British soldiers and injured many British and French soldiers. The Belgian Government is expelling all German and Austrian subjects. FINANCIAL RISKS. The Ministry of Reconstruction publishes a report of the Committee on Financial Risks, which was appointed owing to manufacturers and traders fearing that the losses due to the fall in prices of raw material bought at war-time prices might hinder the full scale of production. The committee recommends alternatively a reduction of the excess profits duty to 65 per cent, for 1918 or the deferring of payment of part of that duty for five years. j ENEMY ALIENS. The Home Office has issued a memorandum showing the grounds on which enemy aliens may be exempted from internment and repatriation. These include long residence in the United Kingdom and having a British-born wife and children. Aliens will also be exempt if a son or grandson is serving in the British army. Women are exempted by reason of long residence in Britain on producing proof of their having had no connections with Germany, or incapacity owing to old age or illhealth. • TROUBLESOME AUSTRALIANS. Four Australian soldiers, including a negro, entered a cafe near Monireuil (a suburb of Paris) -and called for drinks. The negro conversed with the landlord, and then covered him with a revolver while his companions - cleared the till. Gendarmes and police agents were soon on their tracks. The soldiers turned their revolvers against their pursuers, and a fierce shooting bout ensued. One Australian received a shot through the lung, and another fell shot in the arm. The other j two bolted, but were finally captured and handed over to the British military autho- j rities. . The Commonwealth Defence Department ia sending a staff-provost with a corps of police troops to Colombo, as Australian soldiers on two occasions caused consider- ! able excitement there. Senator Russell states that troops returning in the Nestor and Leicestershire were refused shore leave at Colombo owing to influenza. They, however, broke.ship, and in the course of rioting ashore caused considerable damage. A further message received by the Governor-general from the Governor of Ceylon states that further troops arriving after the Australians' departure caused heavy damage. GERMANY'S GOLD RESERVE. - \ The Allies have taken steps to secure Germany's gold reserve, estimated at £100,000,000. The gold has been transferred to Frankfort. THE BALKAN STATES. An official Rumanian Gazette publishes a decree attaching Transylvania to Rumania. Official: There have been grave disorders at Agram. Croats attacked Serbians, and many were killed and wounded. Similar outbreaks have occurred in Serbia and Bosnia-. The 'Montenegrin Legation has announced that 20,000 Montenegrin soldiers revolted and drove out the Serbian troops occupying Montenegrin towns. The Montenegrin revolters will send a delegation to Paris asking that American troops be sent to preserve ordef in Montenegro. An attempt to murder Dr Dramarsh, the Czecho-Slovak Premier, failed because the shot lodged in a pocket-book in the Premier's breast pocket. His assailant is named Eetiashmy, a youthful anarchist, who was arrested. The attempt apparently was due to food difficulties and the Government ignoring the Socialists' demands to nationalise mines and factories and to confiscate landed estates. VARIOUS ITEMS. Le Matin states that Enver Pasha and ' Djemal Pasha have both been sentenced at Constantinople to degradation and one year's imprisonment for desertion. His Majesty King George has approved of a parade by the City oi London troops in the summer. He will inspect them at Buckingham Palace. The Italian Government contemplates imposing a tax on capital accumulated during the war, also a tax on the dividends paid by commercial and industrial firms. The French Government has requested Danish banks to cease payments to Germany, and the Stock Exchange immediately stopped relations with German clients. There was a crowded attendance when her Majesty the Queen was present at the Maori soldiers' display in aid of St. Dunstan's House for the Blind. The performance included war dances and representations of Native life. j Thousands of discharged women munition workers are refusing to return to domestic service, laundries, and other occupations. They prefer to be idle on the Government's unemployment allow- j ance of 25s weekly. j Tlie Evening News says the Admiralty j intends to sell 200 obsolete warships, in- ; eluding dreadnoughts, battle-cruisers, de- I stroyers, and submarines: also airships j and 400 motor, launches. Dominion Gov- j ernments will be given priority in purchas- ! ing the motor launches, which are suit- J able for coastal purposes. ! There were 115,000 hands employed at j Krupps' during the war, but their number

has now been reduced to 14,000, and these are turnrig out steel and repairing railway rolling stock. The workers at Krupps' declare that they will never allow the works to be used for war purposes.