THE WAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12325, 23 May 1918, Page 3

THE WAR.

■» OVERNIGHT GABLES. Protection of Russia. ' LONTX)N, May 21. ■ Great diplomatic efforts are proceeding with the object of securing Allied agreement for the protection of the Russians in view of Germany's ruthless enslavement. The position is that the British and < French most strongly desire American support before inaugurating substantial armed intervention, while-; President "Wilson requires a Russian invitation. All Allied sources of information confirm the report that tho Prussians' detestation of tho Germans is rising to fever heat as the depredations and cruel penetration proceed. It is believed that an Allied expedition would bring a rally against tho Germans, though a great Russian military revival is impossible. Germany would be compelled to withdraw troop's from the west. She has few troops in Russia, her penetration being largely conducted on bluff. '"The Times" "Washington correspondent forecasts that Mr Wilson will consent to an Allied expedition. Ho has always put tho defence of a liberated and orderly Russia in the forefront i of his programme. Counter-Attack Fails. LONDON, May 21. Sir Douglas Haig reports :—After a heavy bombardment the enemy coun-ter-attacked in considerable strength on a front of twelvo hundred yards against our new positions north-west of Merville. Despite tho intensity of his artillery preparations, the infantry only succeeded in reaching our positions at two points, where they were dealt with eifectively by our troops. Our whole line is intact..' The French repulsed two night raids north of Bailleul. We took a few . prisoners in a patrol encounter in the neighbourhood of Noyelles. The Belgian Sector. LONDON, May 21. ' A Belgian communique says:—The reciprocal artillery activity has been very, great during the past twenty-four hours. First Field Army Formod. WASHINGTON,"May 21. The United Press correspondents state that, owing to the speeding up in the transportation of United States troops to France, the number there, may 60on equal tlie British forces facing the Germans. The announcement is made that tho first American field army in Franco has been formed, comprising 200.000 divided into two corps of three divisions. The Coming Blow. LONDON. Mav 21. ( The "Pall Mall Gazette" says:— "In some quarters it is believed that thq German commanders have been waitiug for a favourable phase of the moon. The attack may, on that assumption, be regarded as imminent. It is certain that tho enemy's preparations have been complete for .some time, and that the initial attacks have been delayed longer than usual. Meanwhile British and French aviators have blinded the enemy as they have never before blinded him on the evo of a great battle. They have also greatly deranged the enemys' artillery movement. Signs exist that the enemy must not delay longer if he wishes to retain the advantage of his initiative." The German Concentration. 1 LONDON, May 21. Reuter's correspondent at the French Headquarters, writing rfn May 21. states:—Tho activity of the German aeroplanes and the exceptional violence of the artillery bombardment on the Avre and in the region of Albert are the only indications of the coming blow. The Germans have between Zonnebeke and Noyon nearly one-third of their whole strength in France, namely, sixty-four divisions out of a total of 210 divisions. They have carried out a- redistribution of their forces along the whole front. Von Hindenburg, LONDON, May 22. Mr Perry Bobinson writes:—Prisoners persistently assert that von Hindenburg is dead. Probablv this is untrue,, but a large part of the German army believes it.

Italian Successes. . 1 LONDON, Mav 21. An Italian official messago states:— We defeated tho enemy, who twice attacked, the southern slopes of Sas.-o Rosso. Our thrust in the direction of •tenor inflicted considerable loss. Wo carried out a successful coup do main on Mount Koninoneia, nlinost destrovin ' the garrison and the lines at Capo'silo:' Allied airmen downed nine aeroplanes. Turkish Unrest, ATHENS. May 21. Ay insurrection has.started at Aidin, in Asia Minor, and is extending to Menimen. Two thousand . Turkish troops were sent to Manita to quell the disturbance, bub deserted. Numerous desertions are also reported from tao coast. (Aidin is in the Smyrna province.) Zeebrugge and Ostend. AMSTERDAM, May' 21. A report from Berlin states that Zeebrugge and Ostend arp, so damaged that they will have to bo abandoned a3 submarine bases. Shipping Losses Decrease. WASHINGTON, May 21. The Navy Department, has announced that .the losses of British and Allied shipping in April from submarines were 2d per cent less than those for March. The Department expects a further decrease m May. Track of the Hun. . LAS~PALMAS, May 22. Ino Spanish sailer Joaquiua has been brought in. She was found a drifting derelict, close to the African coast incre are signs of gunshot damage bv a submarine. The fate of the crew is unknown. Cold-blooded Murder, LONDON. Mav 21. "The Times'' gives proiiiinenco to further authenticated reports of atrocities, systematic tortures and coldblooded minders of British prisoners in Germany, the sum total of the evidence of which is incredibly inhuman. The rrticle instances that a lfumber of seriously wounded men were brutally forced to work long hours. One, holding up his hand to prove his unfitness to work, was shot dead and his body was thrown into a dirty washhouse. 'At Schneilelmihl the British were without huts. They lived in holes they scooped in tlu giound. One man not obeying an order which ho failed to understand was stripped to tho. waist, tied to a barret and savagely beaten. An officer struck him with a sword and spai, on him and cidled him an "English swine." The man died as a result of this treatment. At Langenhalza three hundred wounded were herded in a large lr.it without bedding. Five died during a night and _tho lemainder were left in the broiling sun for three hours. Seven more died. Subsequently through calculated neglect and ill-treatment, fifty more succumbed. The details of tho conditions in this camp are too revolting for publication. The Polish Question. LONDON, Mav 22. Authoritative. Polish quarters affirm that thcCeutral Powers have concluded a reciprocal agreement for a new solution of the Polish question.