ECHOES OF THE WAR.

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 December 1912, Page 8

ECHOES OF THE WAR.

A COSRHESPONDBNT'S DASH

AUSTRALIANS AT THE FRONT

LONDON, October 25. . Of the war in the Balkans Me is known. For the first time in the history of nations, an effective censorship has b^n esta,blkied by the five nations who a?e engaged in a struggle of exter""^ei^morning and every evening the TtS not for want of .adventurers and BuTFraiice, Russia, Austria, Gemnaay, the United States, and even Japan has each sent a legion of enterprising copymakerl In Sofia alone there were 300 mont of the "Daily Telegraph, 5 fretE& &•£#*&&£ spent a dangerous 30 hours climihing mountains and skom--s&^^S^£wthlS which nobody eke had seen, but which were of little value to fern or anyona else, and there he came to a dead halt He was going further. He could heai the sound of tno guns in the distance, and the desire to get a " scoop' upon the assembled press of the world was irresistible, -but when he went downstair*; to take his seat at the -wheel he found a little guard of six determined' men with loaded guns and fixed bayonets who politely assured him Wan there was only one road, upon -which ne could travel, and that was the road over which he had just come. He pleaded he expostulated, and he1 olbeyed. Back to Sofia he had to go, and1 all that he could make <rf his plucky enterprise was a, long story of the hairbreadth motor race through a country at war upon which there rested the undisturbed renose of peace. A-N AUSTRALIAN'S SCOOP.

In Constantinople a young member of the Correspondents' Corps jmade a rather unfortunate mistake. The Reeervadts- wore marching to the staiio-n to entrain. He was in a hurry to cross the road, and attempted, to pass through their ranks while they were marching. He required medidal attendance when the angry Reservists had finished resenting his intrusion. A regular force might Kood-humoiredily have permitted him to go through; but an irregular force of volunteers, fired wath the sense of their own tremendous importance, were bitterly annoyed by hi« indiscretion and made him pay a pretlty heavy price for it. The life of a correspondent is nob therefore &■ bed of roses. Necessarily, Australia is represented at the front. Mr. M. H. Donohoe, who was on the "Evening News" an Sydney some years ago, is there for the "'Daily Telegraph." Mr. Donohoe made his big coup during the Portuguese Revolution. All the lines through to Madrid were cut. The correspondents had a story full of purple patches, "but they could not get it away. Mr. Donohoe went to the telegraph department, asked thorn how long it would (be before the lines were ready, and was assured that they could not be repaired in less than 36 hours, and' possibly 48 hours. He raced back to ftho wharf, chartered a small steamer, and started for the nearest telegraph station on the coast, 40 miles distant. He took the risk of the Madrid lineis !bein,g_ aill right before ho reached his clostitiation. Luck was on his side. The whole story of the revolution was printed in his paper in LonrJr- •■1.n.0 the less ambitious corrcsponirlents were still cooling their heels in Madrid.

But to return. Mr. Frank Fox, foranberly of tho "Bulletin" a.nd of the "liana Hand," who 1-i->« lately been appointed news editor of the "Morning Post," was informedl by the (proprietors on Tuesday morning that they desired him to go to tho scene of the war on their behalf. Tire following day he set out for Piaris, and is presumably now receiving his baptism of fire. Of course, "Smiler" Hales, whoso quaint egotism filled the world, has disappeared from the scene. He has written, himself out, or off; whichever it is, he fe no longer numbered amongst the >war corrcspondentts. RED GROSS WORK. Australia also takes a hand in the arrangements for succoring the wounded. Tho war had not been thr^o days old before it became eviident that no reasionaMy adequate pravnsion had l>een made for those sent to the roar booausQ of injuries received in 'batitle. It has devolved inpon the rest of Europe, from a scnee of hunnandty, which dloes it credit, to repair and retrieve the callousness and the carelessness of the ibelilieerent nations. Amongst others, Sir Erac,!*t -Cassel, the great financier, who was a n-en'i.on.'n.l fin end of the late King Edward, has undertaken to hear the ■exspense of t-hres units of the Red Cross organisation far at feast six months. This covers the exnense of eqnrnipang and desjuaitohing nine doctors and fortytwo dretesetrs and orderlierc. The doictors ar© paid £1 a day and all expenses, while the dire^se-rs and orderlies receive :£2.!per wooik and expenses. Walking tho London ho«nittals was Dr. Mark Giardiner, one of MoTboiirme's bes/t----kriown athletes. He am-pliied far one of the nine vacancies, and was sufficiently fortunate to bo selw+fid. To-morrow ho goes off to Constaniinonle. -and all regular routes bei7i:2 closed, the party will havo to entrain for 'Manseill^s nnd take a steatner ihp^r, for the f^+- of Mosques. The ox,na:liitfon will oo^'t Sir Ernest On^el .it lonnt £5000. a.nd possibly £10.000. Ho 'has very Anw 'business iintereste w'"% Turko-y. He floatedl her last loan. He is nersonh grata wnth the Sultan, and mi^ip tho money will not Ibe fipent in vn:n. "Be that as it may. there arc not Tr.any cnnnti-iVs in whifh wenH+hy men are moved to deeds of dharnty by tho horrors of a. war in Traces fair .removed from them.