CONDENSED CABLE NEWS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1491, 22 November 1918, Page 3

CONDENSED CABLE NEWS.

ITEMS FROM MANY QUARTERS. Danish colours arc now flying throughout Sclilcswig. Seven German torpedo bonis arrived off the Dutch coast from Antwerp, and were interned. King Albert lias decided to form a new Government representing all the chief Belgian parties. Hundreds of prisoners of war of all the Allied, nationalities are streaming over the Dutch frontier. The British Government has chartered, Danish steamers to bring 50,000 prisoners from North German ports. The crews of the surrendered submarines were transferred to a transport and immediately sent back to Germany. It is officially announced that the conditions for the repatriation of war prisoners are working satisfactorily. A large number ■are arriving in Great Britain. The Government has declined to release conscientious objectors in England from their present employments, as it would confer an advantage over soldiers and sailors. In the House of Commons, the Bt. Hon. A. Bonar Law stated that it was impossible at present to decide the question of the return of Germans to parts of the British Empire whence they had been deported. The Ministry of Food in England announces that no food supplies will be permitted to be sent to Germany until the Allied Food Council has satisfied itself concerning the conditions in Germany. In the House of Commons, Mr .1. I. Macpherson stated that the 1914-15 star would be given to the local representatives or the next-of-kin of those who fell in Gallipoli, according as a soldier died intestate or not. Advices from Ticn-tsin state that Germany has started a trade war In China. Agents arc busy booking contracts at ridiculously low prices, and advising Chinese to cancel existing contracts and not buy from the Allies.

The "Daily Telegraph's" Vienna correspondent states tiiat the ex-Emperor Carl and bis family have taken refuge at Eckartson Castle. They were obliged to dismiss their servants. Being unable to obtain meat and flour, thev applied to the parish food authorities, who replied that they were unable to supply such- a large household. "Vorwaerts" publishes Prince Lichnowsky's appeal to Great Britain, and especially his many personal friends, naming Lord Lansdowiic, Earl Grey, and Mr Asquith, and urging the latter to use his far-reaching influence on behalf of the high ideals of humanity and justice with a view to securing the amelioration of the armistice terms. The German High Command, replying to Marshal Foch's protests against German acts of violence in Belgium, states that the German plenipotentiaries at the armistice discussions emphasised most strongly that the execution of the conditions was technically impossible, and the resultant excesses and blame rest exclusively with the Allied army command.

English doctors are furious with anger at the horrible marks of German brutalities on some of the returned war prisoners, but the majority show a hardy resistance, and arc recuperating rapidly. All agree that only the gifts of food received in the prison camps from London prevented utter starvation. In one camp, 350 Bussians who received no such help, all died. The Vienna journal, "Neues Wiener Zeitung," publishes a letter from Herr Ballin, written shortly before his death. Discussing forecasts of the armistice, he admits that they are unexpectedly moderate,- and says: "If we were victors we would have demanded the occupation of London and Paris, dictated peace at Buckingham Palace, and annexed the entire Continent between the Urals and the Bay of Biscay." Correspondents continue pitiful accounts of British prisoners arriving at Nancy. All were in a lamentable condition, their faces pinched, their tunics held together with string, some wearing horse cloths and women's garments, all terribly hungry. They had been treated like slaves. Several hundred British were lost in the woods near Chateau Salins. French soldiers searching discovered 300 dying from hunger and fatigue. The newspapers' angry protests against enemy barbarity are increasing daily. Mr J. Daniels (United States Secretary to the Navy), conferring with the Naval Committee of the House of Representatives, recommended continued* naval expansion, irrespective of the League of Nations or reduction of armaments. Immediate security must precede the future settlement of difficult questions. The United States must establish a large sea police force, with a view to assisting in maintaining the world's peace. The present programme calls for the construction of 10 super-dreadnoughts, six battle-cruisers, and 110 smaller craft. Speaking at the Empire Parliamentary Association, Mr Harcourt told a dramatic story of how the Empire learned it was at war. When the ultimatum time limit expired at midnight, he sent out war telegrams. Within seven minutes the whole Empire knew, and before morning he had received acknowledgments from every colonial protectorate, even the islets of the Pacific. So the grim machinery began revolving in perfect order. Previously a war book had been prepared, and at that moment was locked in each Governor's and

Commissioner's safe. They knew at once what to do.

The Sofia correspondent of "The Times" writes:—Bulgaria still is thoroughly impenitent and needs stern punishment. The people regard themselves as unconquered and act as though they actually had won. 'there have been repeated evasions oT the : armistice. The British authorities are patient, but a French general recently ensured obedience by threatening immediate bombardment. There are only 53,000 survivors of 100,000 Interned Serb, Greek, and Macedonian civilians. Prisoners are horribly maltreated. Hogged, and starved. Typhus patients locked in empty houses died by thousands. Two hundred and fifty British, captured at Doiran, were forced to march to Sofia without boots or food. Many died.

The Australasian Section of the Incorporated Meat Importers' Society has formulated a scheme for after-war trading for submission to the authorities. The main object is to encourage the Empire's meat output. It is suggested tlnn Australasian imports should he Deed from Government control simultaneously with foreign, at the latest in September, 1910. Refrigerated tonnage should firstly he allocated to Imperial products, but in order to ensure ample supplies from other sources a bonus of a farthing per lb should be granted the Empire's meat works and an eighth of a penny per lb foreign British-owned works, on condition that the former allocate 75 per cent, of their output and the latter 00 per cent, to the British' Association, embracing the entire British import trade. A bonus also is suggested to prevent foreigners dumping cheap meat. The Government should buy all such meat, reselling through the association. The scheme is all-British, including production, shipping, finance, and distribution.