Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, MONDAY, MAY 20, 1918. UNITED STATES' HELP.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14609, 20 May 1918, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, MONDAY, MAY 20, 1918. UNITED STATES' HELP.

The critical test of another great offensive is hourly expected in France, and it will bo understood from General Smuts' survey of the military situation published to-day, how important it is, in view of tho tenso nature of the struggle, to know that we liave at our back great bodies of men, coming across the Atlantic now at thc rate bf at least - one hundred thousand a month, to constitute the armies of movement and strategic reserve which the eminent South African general conceives to be neoessary to enable lis to win the war. Much interesting information is given to-day concerning, the magnitude of America's preparations, and the actual help she is able at tho present moment to afford. In addition to holding sections of the line at four or five places along the French front, American forces have arrived oil the British northern front, ready to take their part in withstanding the shock of the coming offensive. Behind' these' armies,- the people in the United! States aro orgiurisiug a gigantic war machine, designed, ns President Wilson has said, "to make the world safe for democracy,'' and that machine . is ' only just beginning to 7 gain momentum. There.' have, been registered for -national service four millions of young men between the ages of 21 and 31. ' About a third of them aro drilling, and the rest will drill also as the machine gathers speed. And each year vrill add a. million of youngsters coming on. Tliat army will average as high physically and mentally as any army in tho world, and the equipment which is

being prepared ful* it should make it a mighty engine of war and u deciding factor in the great campaign. There has beeu ;i, good deal of reproach, both within and without America, at the delay's iu getting the army forward. Senator Lodge recently took the Administration severely to task foi* its failure to get ships, guns and aircraft iu sufficient numbers to support and equip the army, it had sent over, and a Canadian paper remarks tliat a hasty comparison of the United l States preparation during tlie first year of war. with that of Great Britain or Canada of Australia might seem to justify the complaint of Mr Lodge and other critics. A year after waa* was declared Britain had a large civilian army Avhich had already seen months of hard fighting. Less than a year from the time Britain declared | i war Canadians had- left their fields and workshops, had completed tlieir training, reached Flanders and fought a notable series of battdes, winning imperishable glory. But tliese comparisons may' be misleading. In the first place the volunteer system is the quickest way to raise the first army at the beginning of the war. The first Canadian contingent was, in England before an enrolment could have been made preliminary to a draft. The draft system is the fairest way to raise an army and the only method by which troops can be maintained through a long war. But if Great Britain had begun that way the Germans might have been at Paris before the new army could have reached the front. The United States proceeded on the assumption that the Allies could hold the Germans off until an adequate American army, trained to a high degree of efficiency and furnished with the best equipment that human ingenuity could, devise and unlimited wealth could buy should be ready for action. Li the light --of experience it may now be con-. sidered that this ambition to excel all 'other belligerents in the number and quantity of ' airships, to liave the best guns, the best madliine guns, the best 'rifles, the best clothing aiid food, .the most thorough transportation, commissariat and) hospital service was carried 'too far when it meant so great an expenditure of time. Many montlis. consumed in devising and then constructing: the best poseible airship will probably' give a fine result, but in the meantime great service could nave been rendered by good machines like those now in use, while the Allies are waiting for the. repeatedly postponed delivery of the first twenty 'thousand. The loiuj delay, and disputation over guns' and. small arms has distressed the' President, and it does not appear to give much return for the time. After a like dispute between two eminent commissioners over the question of steel or wood ships/they were both retired by the President, who thought that they should have been building, both kinds. The United States officers, commissioners and superintendents, in their counsels of perfection have been* rtiaking a lavish use bf time, money and language, and of ; the matured thought of the best men, and have less, to show for ity than the- nation expected.; As an offset to this Secretary Baker! returned, recently froni France, astounded to find how quickly and thoroughly, and especially, how quietly the disciplined soldiers, sailors; artificers and engineers have completed their transportation systems, armories, hospitals, rest camps, and the whole machinery belonging to a military organisation. They -have established an astonishingly, elaborate system of steamship and railway terminals. The speed with which: all this preparation has been acconi-^ plished, without publicity has been the' pleasantest surprise. Colonel Repington, after a visit to the front, early in April wrote: "Those of us who have learned to appreciate the sterling qualities of: tho American troops in France and have seen something of the splendid efforts which America i$ making to take an. effective part in the *»var j both on sea and land 1 , resent very much all insinuations that our cousins over the way have not done, or are not doing, all that lies, in their power to' help the cause. The United States can be very proud of the men she has sent over and of the good and strenuous work which, thoy have done since they landed in Europe, to find themselves amid surroundings absolutely novel to them. The American army, from the highest to the lowest, so .far as 1 have been privileged to see. it in France, leaves only one impression upon us all, and this impression is of a wholly favorable kind'. I hope no one in .America believes the silly stores that we are disappointed with what America lias done. "VVe knew, wilh. - very precision from oiu* own experience, what could be expected from America in her first year of war; we knew 'it even better after the return from. America of the Balfour Mission, and their military forecast of what could be done has been almost exactly fulfilled! in the event. To "place any responsibility fbr events in France upon America's delay is to my mind utterly unjust. I am not, now-, thinking of the hundreds of thousands and even millions Of men 'who were talked of by, imaginative people. I am thinking only of the number of American divisions, trained, well equipped and provided with all the necessary material of war, which oould, in the deliberate opinion of those -qualified to express an authoritative) opinion, be placed in .any field in France month by month. The number of divisions expected has., been very closely adhered to, and such difference as there haa been, largely to be accounted for as it is by transport difficulties.: in the United States both on land' and sea, is not of a nature to alter, materially, the military position in France." Colonel Repington went on to say that .he thought, in the course, of the present summer, the transport question would be so assured that the monthly output' of American divisions in France would be doubled at least. The British military expert supports the estimate • give in Secretary Baker's official statement that Americ-j, will have 500,000 ' men .in JFrance. this, summer and 1,000,000 by the end of the year, but he reminds us tliat there is a difference between aggregate and combatant strengths. As a rough working rule it is best to halve the aggregate numbers to find the fighting strength, so large are the requirements of the rearward services of modern armies. Still we may safely assume tliat when thc expected crash comes Americans will be beside us or closely at our back with at leasjt a quarter of a million well-trained men of the combatant ' service. This is a material help, and if the Americans '*prove to be as good fighters as! the best British regiments, and as the Canadians and Australians have proved to be — we think they wjli — it may even turn out a ' determining factor. ; In any ; case America is" but whole-heartedly to see tlie' Mar through to a successful conclusion, and the Sammies in Franco well' express the national sentiment(when they sing' the'-re-f rain of their most popular song (equivalent to the Tommies! "Tipperary.") : "And wo won't go home Till it's ovor, over tliere!"

j .. ' > — i r - Members of the City Band are requested to parade at the band room in full uniform at 7 o'clock to-morrow evening, for the purpose of farewelling troops leaving for the front. -* ■>■" ■ The Defence authorities inform us that the list of appeals published in Wednesday's issita was erroneously given as being among the appeals to be heard on tho 21st inst. The date of hearing; of tho cases stated has not yet been fix.ad. The Special Medical Board, which arrives on the 28th, is ' being eagerly awaited by recently-balloted B class reservists audi volunteers. It is expected the board will be in Gisborne several ,days, as there are about 300 men to be examined. The Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald and his secretary (Mr. Chamberlain*) returned to Wellington by "the Arahura last night. While in Gishorne thev Minister had a busy time in receiving .deputations, and was .only able to pay, a brief visit to his -home at' Puha yesterday. Passengers are requested to note,; tliat' in order to carry out the overhaul of the Arahura without entirely withdrawing her from the service, tho steamer will not proceed to Napier on Tuesday, 28th inst, or the following Tuesday, Juno 4. She will instead go to Auckland via Tokomaru Bay on each Tuesday.

! The Fisk Jubiled Singers brought ■■«" successful Gisborno season lo tl close or. Saturday evening. Mr. J. Peach, secretary to Messrs. Adair Bros., Ltd., left for south by the Arahnia on Sunday evening, and will join the local draft for the 42in Reinforcements at Pahnerston oh Wednesday. The '2nd Wellington Military Service Appeal Board arrive by' ihe Arahura to-morrow, to conduct a sitting at the courthouse at 10 a.m. The board consists of Messrs. Bamber, Curtis, Poynton, Thompson (secretary) and Captain Beale, military representative. The takings at the Red Cross shop on Saturday amounted to £169 8s lOd, of which £92 : 9s 6d. iWas donated, and further amounts are yet- to come in. Mr C. P." Davies today cabled Home £350 for the Red Cross fund, making a total of £11,850 cabled since June, 1916. The following men were advised as having loft Wellington on Saturday, and are expected to arrive in Gisborne by the Arahura to-morrow morning: — For Gisborne, Cpl. Curtis, Ptes. Gallop, Me j Innis, Ratclifjje, "Wilson, and Po'hatu; for Tokomaru Bay, Pte. McTntrye; for Manutuke, Poe Wickens; for Rangibukia, Pte. Warihana. "It was just an accident," said an accused person in the Court this morning, when charged with riding a bicycle without a light. "I forgot to notice the darkness coming on." The" Magistrate : "There are a good many accidents of that kind happening, and one Beldom sees a cycle at night-time with a light." Accused was fined 275. Particulars relating to the entrance examination of the Royal Military College of Australia can be obtained' by' parents -,of any. prospective staff cadets,; or prospective cadets themselves,, at thei group office, Gisborne. . The syllabus has been . altered, and the taking of a' language is now compulsory. ■ A^ pre-^ vious data relating to the examination^ is now obsolete. '■■'»• A representative of the Board of Trade is expected to visit Gisborne this, week to enquire into the fixing of the' price of bread and flour. ' Subesquent to the deputation from local mastetr bakers that waited upon him on Saturday, the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald said that in view of the high prices of flour mentioned by the deputation he. had decided to wire to the Board, of Trade, requesting that a member of the Board should visit Gisborne. For the programme of her final recital in Trinity Hall on Thursday evening, Miss Vera -MoOre : has chosen a niim;ber of most beautiful compositions. The Bach Suite, with which the recital opens, comprises a Prelude/: Gavotte and Musette, and Gigue, and is remarkable , as snowing with 'what consummate ease Bach combines a light and vivacious fancy with deep erudition. The "Butterfly" study and Rachmaninoff's wonderful Prelude are included in the programme. * •"'"■■ Before Mr. W. A.- Barton, S.M., this morning, Thomas McKeown, alias Adam McKeown, and T. Wells were charged that on Mjay 3, at:. Waipukurau, they did) obtain clothing to the value of £5 7s 6d and £5 16s 6d respectively,, from the H.B. Farmers' Co-operative Association under false pretence, inasmuch as there was an arrangement between the company and George Jows to supply goods to employees on his .aocount.. -On the application of Detective McLeod tliey were remanded to ap- ' ;pear at Waipukurau on Wednesday next. The sequel to a policeman standing on the Peel street bridge oiie evening recently was heard in the Magistrate's Court this morning, when he was re- *" sponsible for the following. persons being ■ charged with riding bicycles across the; . Peel street bridge without lights, 'and . being fined £1, with 7s costs each : Victor Franks, Alan Copley, James Swain,/ George Robert. Buscke, -Stark Lawriej Samuel Thacker,. and. Harry Jacobs/] . .'Dugaldi Ferguson 'pleaded' 'not guilty, as' he did not "go on to the bridge. His Worship amended the oharge to riding in Peel street, and 1 to this accused pleaded guilty. He was lined £1, costs 7s. Andrew McCullough was fined £2, with 7s costs, for driving over the bridge at an excessive speed in a motor car. Wm. Arthur /Was fined £1, with 7s costs^ for- driving a car without a tail light in Palmerston rbadj,, . A disgraceful condition of affairs Avas 'narrated before Mr. W. A. Barton, S.M., in the Police Court, this morning, when Molly Gilhnan, alias Molly Walters, was charged with drunkenness and; .pleaded guilty. She was fined £l i( with 4s costs, .in ' default four days' imprisonment. She was also charged with vagrancy,- in she • had < insufficient visible lawful nutans of support. To this charge accused entered a plea of not guilty. After hearing evidence, his Worship said he was satisfied the woman was a danger to young men of the town, and was a disgrace to her sex and should be put out of the way- for a time. Accused admitted a lengthy list of. convictions, and was sentenced to three months' imprisonment with hard latbor/7 James Stanley, who was found, on the premises, was charged with drunkenness, and' was fined s's, with 2s costs, in default 24 hours' imprisonment. A deputation -asking for a reduction on the postage of parcels .to members of tho N.Z. , Expeditionary Force waited upon the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald on Saturday afternoon. Tho representations were made' by "Mesdames Baty and Preston (Manutuke), Messrs'. Stevens,, Fromm, and Wheeler. Theactiiig-Post-master-Geneial explained that' there was a loss on every parcel even at present rates, and it was rio.t a' matter that affected the New Zealand ' Government alone, as the 'Qoverinnehts of other countries shared 'in Hlieir proportion Of the postage. A tally tliat ; had been taken showed that newspapers alono posted from New Zealand to the "boys": in six months amoimted to no less than 2700 tons. The shortage ,ot shipping space was also another reason that pre-; eluded consideration." of any further concessions. The' Minister read a message from tho Secretary of the General Post Office, Wellington, 'stating that it' was! only with the sympathy y pi other Governments concerned o such a low rate had beeii obtained, < '.and that the rates On parcels to soldiers in Egypt and' other places (except United Kingdom), represented a great, reduction compared to the rates on ordinary parcels. _ 'Tt is a bit risky ''always, ah'd sometimes life, is very cheap," writes . Captain J. Paumea Ferris, . soil of, Mr. Chas. Ferns, .of Wainui', in a letter to his parents. Referring to his brother, Kani, the writer said ho had a lot to be grateful foi*, asi the shell that "wounded him killed seven others .and woundod nineteen. Touching on his own experiences the writer said he had nearly "gone Up in 'smoke," but a miss was as good as a mile. His company wa.s. in the. .fielo^ ai?d • two ' other' officers were Vithnim. Thb German'tunuers spotted them and opened up, ' their f'rango improving every miiiuto until it became so closo that he decided to withdraw and take 'cover. He was on the. side of -the trench when a shell burst, and the* concussion knocked- him ■■ over* -When lie got up he was on.* the < edgo of the crater, witlhoufc *i scratch, oqly . his mouth, full of mud and slush all over his clothes. Tlie next day. two of his men were killed about the same place— Hui Pera, from To Karaka, and Sam Grace, a Ngatiporou boy: Capt. "Ferris expressed regret for * the bei*eaWd people, adding -.that he had lost two fine soldiers. Gr^fee,' he added, was as fine a soldier, as one oould meet, thbijgh only a boy in years.. Ho met his death at his post, .faithful, to his -■ country's duty. ... , , . : Messrs Hansen' and Whitbread announce that they have hi connection with their tent and cover business opened a. saddlery and harness department, which the firm .finds theV can roadily run in corijiuictioi.i7-wj.th iheii* buyiness. The. department will be in -charge of a thoroughly capable. .sa'ddler, the service* of Mr anian, : ,>vho hai been foreman ,of a locail busiaiess for some years; having been secured, and patrons will hav© t'he choice of a well-selected «tock of sad- j dlery and harness from which, to select thei* requirements.* ? | To get Glasses that really suit and fit, ' see T. R. Gordon, opposite Bank N.Z., for accurate work.*