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diff --git a/41479-8.txt b/41479-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index ae5b552..0000000 --- a/41479-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,14711 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's Current History, Vol. VIII, No. 3, June 1918, by Various - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Current History, Vol. VIII, No. 3, June 1918 - A Monthly Magazine of the New York Times - -Author: Various - -Release Date: November 25, 2012 [EBook #41479] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CURRENT HISTORY, JUNE 1918 *** - - - - -Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Wayne Hammond and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - -[Illustration: VISCOUNT MILNER - -The new British War Secretary in succession to Lord Derby. He had been a -member of the War Cabinet since its creation in December, 1916 - -(_Central News_)] - -[Illustration: GENERAL SIR W. R. MARSHALL - -Commander in Chief of the British forces in Mesopotamia - -(_Central News_)] - -[Illustration] - - CURRENT HISTORY - - _A Monthly Magazine of The New York Times_ - - Published by The New York Times Company, Times Square, New York, N. Y. - - Vol. VIII. - Part I. - - No. 3 - - June, 1918 - - 25 Cents a Copy - $3.00 a Year - -[Illustration] - -TABLE OF CONTENTS - - PAGE - - CURRENT HISTORY CHRONICLED 381 - - BATTLES IN PICARDY AND FLANDERS 389 - - THE GREATEST BATTLE OF THE WAR, By Philip Gibbs 398 - America's Sacrifice, By Harold Begbie 410 - - AMERICAN SOLDIERS IN BATTLE 411 - Overseas Forces More Than Half a Million 413 - American Troops in Central France, By Laurence Jerrold 415 - American Shipbuilders Break All Records 418 - - THIRD LIBERTY LOAN OVERSUBSCRIBED 419 - Former War Loans of the United States 421 - - AMERICAN LABOR MISSION IN EUROPE 424 - - PROGRESS OF THE WAR 426 - - GERMAN LOSSES ON ALL FRONTS 431 - - GREAT BRITAIN'S FINANCES 432 - - TRADE AFTER THE WAR 434 - - FINLAND UNDER GERMAN CONTROL 438 - Peace Treaty Between Finland and Germany 445 - - GERMAN AGGRESSION IN RUSSIA 449 - - MORE BOLSHEVIST LEGISLATION, By Abraham Yarmolinsky 455 - - LITHUANIA'S EFFORTS TOWARD AUTONOMY, By A. M. Martus 458 - - THE RAID ON ZEEBRUGGE AND OSTEND 460 - - GERMAN U-BOAT CLAIMS: Address by Admiral von Capelle 467 - The Admiral's Statements Attacked 469 - The Month's Submarine Record 470 - A Secret Chapter of U-Boat History 471 - - SEA-RAIDER WOLF AND ITS VICTIMS 473 - Career and Fate of the Raider Seeadler 476 - - TREATMENT OF BRITISH PRISONERS: Official Report 479 - American Prisoners Exploited 484 - - THE TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF RHEIMS, By G. H. Perris 485 - The Abomination of Desolation, By Dr. Norman Maclean 486 - - LLOYD GEORGE AND GENERAL MAURICE 488 - - THE NEW BRITISH SERVICE ACT 491 - British Aid to Italy: General Plumer's Report 492 - - EMPEROR CHARLES'S "DEAR SIXTUS" LETTER 494 - - THE ISSUES IN IRELAND: Report of the Irish Convention 496 - Greatest Gas Attack of the War 504 - - PLUCKY DUNKIRK By Anna Milo Upjohn 505 - - GERMANY'S ATTEMPT TO DIVIDE BELGIUM 511 - - STRIPPING BELGIAN INDUSTRIES: The Rathenau Plan 516 - Spoliation of Belgian Churches: Cardinal Mercier's Protest 523 - Belgium's Appeal to the Bolsheviki 525 - - SERBIA'S HOPES AND RUSSIA'S DEFECTION By Nicholas Pashitch 526 - - RUMANIA'S PEACE TREATY 529 - Summary of the Peace of Bucharest 531 - Bessarabia Voluntarily United to Rumania 535 - - THE WAR AND THE BAGDAD RAILWAY By Dr. Morris Jastrow 536 - - LICHNOWSKY'S MEMORANDUM 539 - Full Text of von Jagow's Reply 541 - German Comments on von Jagow's Views 545 - Germany's Long Plotting for Domination By H. Charles Woods 548 - - THE EUROPEAN WAR AS SEEN BY CARTOONISTS: 31 Cartoons 551 - - - - - ROTOGRAVURE ILLUSTRATIONS - - VISCOUNT MILNER _Frontis_ - - GENERAL SIR W. R. MARSHALL " - - CHARLES M. SCHWAB 394 - - JOHN D. RYAN 395 - - STAFF OFFICERS WITH PERSHING 410 - - LEADERS IN WAR ACTIVITIES 411 - - BARON STEPHAN BURIAN 426 - - LEADERS IN IRISH CONTROVERSY 427 - - BRITISH WAR LEADERS 458 - - FRENCH AND AMERICAN TANKS 459 - - AMERICAN REGIMENT IN FRANCE 474 - - FRENCH CHATEAU IN RUINS 475 - - MARCHING TO THE FRONT 506 - - HARVARD REGIMENT IN BOSTON 507 - - TRAFALGAR SQUARE IN WARTIME 522 - - TYPICAL SCENE IN FLANDERS 523 - - - - -CURRENT HISTORY CHRONICLED - -[PERIOD ENDED MAY 19, 1918.] - - -SUMMARY OF WAR ACTIVITIES - -Four weeks of comparative calm on the western front intervened after the -furious fighting that had continued throughout the preceding month. The -Germans made several desperate efforts to smash their way through the -British lines to the channel ports, but they failed. The British and -French lines stood firm as granite, and the enemy suffered frightful -losses. The battle lines remained practically unchanged. - -From the English Channel to the Adriatic there was complete union of the -British, French, American, and Italian forces under a single command; -these forces, including reserves, were estimated at 6,000,000 men. No -military event of importance occurred on the other fronts, though the -British made some further advances in Palestine and Mesopotamia. - -In political matters the month brought events of more importance, chief -of which was the renewal of an alliance between Germany and Austria; -this was accomplished at a meeting of the Emperors. - -The acceleration of troop movements from the United States to France was -a feature of the month, the estimate for the four weeks running as high -as 150,000; it was semi-officially stated that in April, 1918, more than -500,000 American soldiers were in France, and that by Jan. 1, 1919, -there would be 1,500,000 of our fighting men at the front, with 500,000 -more at transportation, supply, and civil work; the speeding up of -shipbuilding and other war work was significant. The Third Liberty Loan -aggregated more than $4,000,000,000, with 17,000,000 subscribers, -proving a brilliant success. The President by proclamation extended -enemy alien restrictions to women also. A bill was passed enabling the -President to consolidate and co-ordinate executive bureaus, thus giving -him extraordinary executive powers. The sedition law was strengthened. A -new commercial agreement was made with Norway. - -In Great Britain the chief event was the triumph of the Premier over a -military group that tried to overthrow his Ministry. There was a -recrudescence of the spirit of rebellion in Ireland. In France the -conviction of the Bonnet Rouge editors on a charge of treason deepened -confidence in the stability of the Government. The German penetration of -Russia continued, and all the evidence indicated that the country was -coming under Teutonic control, economically, industrially, and -financially. The humiliating peace forced on Rumania was ratified, and -the country passed practically under German and Austrian domination. - -The month's record of enemy U-boat losses strengthened faith that this -menace was being eliminated and that new allied tonnage would exceed -losses in increasing ratio from May 1, 1918. - -The chief naval event was the daring British raid on the German -submarine bases at Zeebrugge and Ostend; the channel at the first named -port was blocked, and the harbor entrance at Ostend, by means of a -second raid, was partially blocked, resulting in a serious hampering of -submarine operations. The Italians penetrated Pola Harbor, May 14, with -a small torpedo boat and sank a 20,000-ton Austrian dreadnought. - - -SINN FEIN PLOT FRUSTRATED - -During the night of May 18 the British authorities in Ireland suddenly -arrested at their homes about 500 of the leading Sinn Feiners on the -charge of having treasonable communication with the German enemy. Among -those arrested were the Sinn Fein members of Parliament, also the -conspicuous Irish agitators and irreconcilables, both men and women. A -proclamation was issued by the Lord Lieutenant declaring that a -conspiracy with Germany had been discovered, calling upon all loyal -Irishmen to assist in suppressing it, and urging voluntary enlistments. -It was believed that this prompt action had prevented a contemplated -uprising, which was being aided by German spies. Comparative calm -followed the arrests. - - -FOCH'S ARMY COMPRISES ALL RACES OF EARTH - -It seems certain that never in the world's history were so many -different races, peoples, and tongues united under the command of a -single man as are now gathered together in the army of Generalissimo -Foch. If we divide the human races into White, Yellow, Red, and Black, -all four are largely represented. Among the white races there are -Frenchmen, Italians, Portuguese, English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, -Canadians, Australians, South Africans, (of both British and Dutch -descent,) New Zealanders; in the American Army, probably every other -European nation is represented, with additional contingents from those -already named, so that every branch of the white race figures in the -ethnological total. There are representatives of many Asiatic races, -including not only the volunteers from the native States of India, but -elements from the French colony in Cochin China, with Annam, Cambodia, -Tonkin, Laos, and Kwang Chau Wan. England and France both contribute -many African tribes, including Arabs from Algeria and Tunis, Senegalese, -Saharans, and many of the South African races. The red races of North -America are represented in the armies of both Canada and the United -States, while the Maoris, Samoans, and other Polynesian races are -likewise represented. And as, in the American Army, there are men of -German, Austrian, and Hungarian descent, and, in all probability, -contingents also of Bulgarian and Turkish blood, it may be said that -Foch commands an army representing the whole human race, united in -defense of the ideals of the Allies. The presence, among Foch's -strategic reserves, of 250,000 Italian soldiers is peculiarly -interesting, as no Italian force at all comparable to this in numbers -seems ever to have operated on French soil, though French armies have -again and again fought in Italy. During the early wars of Napoleon this -was the case, and again in 1859, when the battles of Magenta and -Solferino gave names to two new shades of red. In 1870 also there were -French troops in Rome; their withdrawal, in the Summer of that year, -opened the way for the final union of Italy. - - -MEETING OF THE GERMAN AND AUSTRIAN EMPERORS - -The German and Austrian Emperors held a consultation at German Great -Headquarters on May 12 to discuss future relations between the two -empires. Emperor Karl was accompanied by Foreign Minister Burian, Field -Marshal von Arz, Chief of the General Staff, and Prince Hohenlohe, -Austrian Ambassador at Berlin. Germany was represented by Imperial -Chancellor von Hertling, Field Marshal von Hindenburg, General -Ludendorff, Foreign Secretary von Kuehlmann, and Count von Wedel, -Ambassador at Vienna. - -According to an official statement issued in Berlin, all the fundamental -political, economic, and military questions affecting present and future -relations were thoroughly discussed, and "there was complete accord on -all these questions, tending to deepen the existing alliance." In many -quarters the impression prevailed that the result of the meeting -was to define and recognize formally the subservient relations of -Austria-Hungary toward the German Empire. The State Department at -Washington made public a report based upon indications given by the -Berlin newspapers that the agreement made at the meeting concerned three -points: - - 1. The duration of the alliance was fixed for twenty-five years. - - 2. Germany and Austria-Hungary are to sign a military convention - imposing upon each much stricter military obligations than did the - preceding treaty. - - 3. The economic relations will be regulated so as to realize the - plan of Mitteleuropa. - -A solution of the Polish question was also arrived at, according to a -newspaper statement published in Berlin, on the lines of complete union -between Austria-Hungary and Poland. Another message said that the German -and Austrian Emperors had selected monarchs for Poland, Lithuania, -Courland, and Esthonia. It was officially stated that no actual treaty -was signed. - -One of the most interesting subsequent revelations was that King Ludwig -of Bavaria and King Frederick August of Saxony were also present at the -meeting at German Great Headquarters. Some of the reports represented -these two monarchs as having been present uninvited. - - -THE PRINCE SIXTUS LETTER - -Arthur J. Balfour, British Secretary of Foreign Affairs, replying to -inquiries in the House of Commons, May 16, stated that Emperor Karl's -peace letter to Prince Sixtus, which had been received while Mr. Balfour -was in America, was - - a private letter written by Emperor Charles to a relative (Prince - Sixtus of Bourbon) and conveyed by him to President Poincaré and the - French Premier under seal of the strictest secrecy, but with no - permission to communicate it to any one except the Sovereign and - Premier of this country, [Great Britain.] The letter was - communicated to the French and English Premiers under these pledges. - -He stated that he had no secrets from President Wilson, and added: -"Every thought I have on the war or on the diplomacy connected with the -war is as open to President Wilson as to any other human being." He -declared that he regarded the Sixtus letter as not a peace effort, but a -manoeuvre to divide the Allies. He declared that they were not fighting -for "a bigger Alsace-Lorraine than in 1870," and added: - - If any representative of any belligerent country desires seriously - to lay before us any proposals we are ready to listen to them. - - -Lord Robert Cecil, Minister of Blockade, in the same debate, after -indorsing the preceding statement of Mr. Balfour, added this reference -to Russia: - - We have no quarrel with Russia at all. On the contrary, with the - Russian people we have always desired to be on the closest possible - terms of friendship. We are anxious to do all we can to support and - assist the Russian people to preserve Russia as a great country, not - only now, but in the period after the war. - -Lord Robert denied that Great Britain had any quarrel with the -Bolsheviki over their domestic policy, saying: - - That is a matter for Russia, and Russia alone; we have no other - desire than to see Russia great, powerful, and non-German. - - -ATTACKS ON HOSPITAL SHIPS - -The British Admiralty issued an official announcement on May 1, stating -that it was considered proved conclusively that the British hospital -ship Guildford Castle was attacked by a German submarine in the Bristol -Channel, March 10, and narrowly escaped destruction. At the time the -Guilford Castle was carrying 438 wounded soldiers and flying a Red -Cross flag of the largest size with distinguishing marks distinctly -illuminated. The attack occurred at 5:35 P. M., in clear weather. Two -torpedoes were fired. In evidence of attacks on hospital ships the -British Admiralty quotes the following extracts from the German official -message, sent through the German wireless stations on April 24, 1918: - - With respect to the results of the submarine war for the month of - march, the Deutsche Tageszeitung says: "Lloyd George and Geddes - falsify the losses of ships plying in the military service (? - ignoring) so-called naval losses, auxiliary cruisers, guard ships, - _hospital ships_, and very probably also troop transports and - munition steamers, that is to say, precisely that shipping space - _which is particularly exposed to and attacked by the U-boats_. - - -TWO MORE LATIN-AMERICAN REPUBLICS ALIGNED AGAINST GERMANY - -On April 22, 1918, the National Assembly of Guatemala declared that that -republic occupied the same position toward the European belligerents as -did the United States. Guatemala had broken off diplomatic relations -with Germany in April, 1917. On May 7 Nicaragua declared war against -Germany and her allies. The declaration was in the form of a -recommendation of President Chamorro, which the Nicaraguan Congress -adopted with only four dissenting votes. A further declaration was -adopted of solidarity with the United States and the other American -republics at war with Germany and Austria-Hungary. Nicaragua was the -twentieth nation to declare war against Germany. Uruguay remains a -neutral at this writing. On April 12 the Government asked Berlin, -through Switzerland, whether Germany considered that a state of war -existed with Uruguay, as stated by the commander of a submarine who had -captured a Uruguayan military commission bound for France. The German -Government replied on May 16 that it did not consider that a state of -war existed. Chile refused to ask free passage of Spain for a commission -of Chileans who sought to reach Germany, thereby indicating partiality -to the Germans. Argentina in the President's message, delivered May 18, -1918, reaffirmed its neutrality. - - -FRANCE'S SECOND TREASON TRIAL. - -Duval, who was director of the suppressed Germanophile newspaper, Bonnet -Rouge, was condemned to death May 15 by court-martial for treason, and -six other defendants were sentenced to imprisonment: Marion, assistant -manager, for ten years; Landau, a reporter, eight years; Goldsky, a -reporter, eight years; Joucla, a reporter, five years; Vercasson, two -years and $1,000 fine; Leymarie, former director of the Ministry of the -Interior, two years' imprisonment and $200 fine. - -The Bonnet Rouge was an evening paper of decided pacifist tendency, -which lost no occasion of belittling the military and political leaders -and policy, not only of France, but also of England. The attention of -the Government was drawn to it early in 1917, and its editor, Almeyreda, -and its manager, Duval, were under lock and key by August, 1917. - -The police investigations showed that the Bonnet Rouge was to a great -extent dependent for its capital upon men whose ardor in the allied -cause had not been notable, and revealed the astonishing fact that M. -Malvy, as Minister of the Interior, had thought fit to subsidize the -paper to the extent of $1,200 a month and to encourage it in other ways. -It also became known to the public that Almeyreda before the war had -been in the closest contact with M. Caillaux and that he had received -from that politician, at the moment when Mme. Caillaux was being tried -for the murder of M. Calmette, the editor of the Figaro, the sum of -$8,000. - -Duval, whose journeys to Switzerland had aroused the misgivings of the -Government, was detained at the French frontier station, searched, and -found to be in possession of a check for $32,800 drawn to the order of a -Mannheim banking firm, the business relations of which will appear in -subsequent trials. This check was photographed and was handed back to -Duval by some one of the French military or civil secret service -officials. - -Almeyreda had hardly reached prison when he fell seriously ill and was -removed to the infirmary prison at Fresnes. There he died. The official -doctors first of all declared that he had been strangled, and then gave -it as their opinion that he had committed suicide. - -Louis J. Malvy, who was at the time Under Secretary of the Interior, and -was Minister of the Interior under Ribot, will be tried by a -parliamentary court on the charge of having been in personal relations -with Duval and of having delivered to the Germans the scheme of the -abruptly ended French offensive in the Champagne in April, 1917. - - -THE CITY OF AMIENS. - -Amiens, the old capital city of Picardy, goes far back into the military -history of Europe. Probably deriving its name from the Belgic tribe of -Ambiani, it was the centre of Julius Caesar's campaigns against those -warlike tribes. Several Roman Emperors had military headquarters there, -and it early gained importance as a bishopric. Evrard de Fouilloy, the -forty-fifth Bishop, began the great Gothic cathedral of Amiens, one of -the finest in the world, in the year 1220, the plans being made by René -de Luzarches, while the work was completed by Thomas de Cormont and his -son Renault in the year 1288, though the two great towers were not -finished until a century later. Because it is intersected by eleven -canals Louis XI. called Amiens "the little Venice." - -Only second to the great cathedral in fame is the Hôtel de Ville, built -between 1660 and 1760, in which, on May 25, 1802, was signed the famous -treaty of Amiens, Napoleon's brother, Joseph Bonaparte, being -plenipotentiary for France. The parties to the Peace of Amiens were -France, England, Holland, and Spain. To Holland were restored the Cape -of Good Hope, Guiana, and other colonies; France received Martinique and -Guadeloupe; Spain received Minorca; Malta went to the Knights of Saint -John of Jerusalem, while Egypt was restored to Turkey. England was -secured in the control of India, and received Ceylon, (which had been -first Portuguese and later Dutch,) and the island of Trinidad. But many -of these dispositions were greatly modified thirteen years later, at the -close of the Napoleonic wars. - -In Amiens there is a famous Napoleonic Museum, which has many fine -paintings by Puvis de Chavannes, including "War," "Peace," "Work," and -"Rest." When, on Nov. 28, 1876, Amiens was captured by the army of the -Prussians all religious monuments, including the cathedral, were -scrupulously guarded against any possible damage, and the rights of -private property were respected. Another of the titles of Amiens to fame -is the fact that Peter the Hermit, leader of the First Crusade, was born -there in 1050. - - -THE RUMANIAN NATION - -Of the Emperor Hadrian's colony of Roman veterans at the mouth of the -Danube there remain many architectural monuments, including parts of two -fine bridges across the great river, a language largely Latin in -substance, and the name Romania. The Roman colony spread through the -Carpathians along the Roman road into Transylvania. It was in part -submerged by Hun and Magyar waves of invasion, and the western part of -the Rumanian people, west of the Carpathians, is still under Magyar -rule, while a small number of Rumanians inhabit the Austrian crownland -of Bukowina, once Rumanian soil. The Turks, following in the track of -the Huns and Magyars, once more swept over Rumania and on toward Vienna -and Russia, completely submerging the Balkan Peninsula, with the -exception of the Black Mountain, Montenegro, held by Serbs. - -In the nineteenth century the Balkan nations began to extricate -themselves: Greece, with the aid of France, England, and Russia; Serbia, -with the aid of Russia; and the two principalities of Wallachia and -Moldavia, which were later to become Rumania. In the wars of Catherine -the Great and Suvoroff, which Byron has embodied in his comedy epic, -making Don Juan take part in the siege of Ismail, Russia took from -Turkey the Province of Bessarabia, named from an old Rumanian princely -house and largely populated by Rumanians. - -The western half of Bessarabia was taken back from Russia and restored -to Turkey after the Crimean War, immediately after which, in 1861, the -two principalities were united in the single principality of Rumania, -under Colonel Cuza, a Rumanian, as Hospodar, or Lord, Turkish suzerainty -being acknowledged. In this way the strip of Bessarabia which had been -Russian for half a century became not Turkish, but Rumanian. When Russia -declared war against Turkey in 1877 she announced to Rumania that she -sought the restoration of her strip of Bessarabian land; and, knowing -this, Rumania became Russia's ally in the war against Turkey, with -Prince Carol as commander of her forces, he being of the Roman Catholic -branch of the Hohenzollerns. In 1881 he took the title of King, to which -his nephew Ferdinand succeeded in 1914. - - -THE HETMAN OF THE UKRAINE - -Writing in 1818, Byron described Mazeppa as "the Ukraine Hetman, calm -and bold," and it is to the period of Mazeppa and even earlier that this -title and office goes back. The word Hetman is of uncertain origin, but -is probably derived from the Bohemian Heitman, a modification of -Hauptmann or Headman. When the Ukraine, the "borderland," was under -Polish suzerainty, in the period from 1592 to 1654, the epoch of "Fire -and Sword," "Pan Michael," and "The Deluge," the Hetman of the -Cossacks, (a Tartar word, kazak, meaning warrior,) was a -semi-independent viceroy. - -After the acceptance of Russian suzerainty by the Ukraine under the -great Hetman, Khmelnitski, in 1654, the title and authority of the -Hetman were at first continued, but his power and privileges were -gradually curtailed and finally abolished. It is not certain whether the -word Ataman is a modification of Hetman or a Tartar title; at any rate, -we find the title, "Ataman of all the Cossacks," coming into use as an -appanage of the Czarevitch, or heir apparent of Russia, somewhat as the -title of Prince of Wales is an appanage of the heir apparent of England. -The Czarevitch was represented by Hetmans by delegation, for each -division of the Cossacks, these divisions being military colonies -westward as far as the Caspian, like that described by Tolstoy in his -novel, "The Cossacks." - -Writing in 1799, W. Tooke, in his "View of the Russian Empire," -described the insignia of the Hetman as being the truncheon, the -national standard, the horsetail, kettledrums and signet, a group of -emblems strongly suggesting Tartar influence; the dress of the Cossacks -was, likewise, borrowed from that of the Caucasus Mohammedan tribes, and -in this Caucasian dress the new Hetman of the Ukraine, Skoropadski, took -office at Kiev. His name indicates that he is not a Ruthenian, (Little -Russian,) but a Pole. It has been a consistent element of Austrian -policy to favor the Poles at the expense of the Ruthenians, with the -result that many Poles are strongly pro-Austrian, and hold high office -under the Austrian crown. - - -PRECEDENTS FOR A SEPARATE ULSTER. - -When the Dominion of Canada was formed by the British North America act -of 1867, it included only four provinces, Upper and Lower Canada, -(Ontario and Quebec,) Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Provision was made -in the act for the voluntary admission of Prince Edward's Island, the -Northwest Territories and Newfoundland into the Dominion. While the -Northwest Territories took advantage of this provision, and are now -organized as the Provinces of Manitoba, British Columbia, Alberta, -Saskatchewan, Yukon and the Northwest Territories, Newfoundland, with -Labrador, the latter 120,000 square miles in area, preferred to remain -outside the Dominion of Canada, and has a wholly distinct Constitution -and administration, as independent of Canada as is that, for example, of -British Guiana. Compulsion was never suggested to bring Newfoundland and -Labrador within the Dominion of Canada, though Labrador is -geographically a part of the Canadian mainland. - -In Australia likewise the union of the colonies was entirely voluntary. -Five of these, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, -and Tasmania, by legislative enactments, approved by the direct vote of -the electors, declared their desire for a federal union, and the -Imperial Parliament gave effect to this by the act of July 9, 1900. This -act provided for the inclusion of Western Australia in the Australian -Commonwealth, if that colony so desired; and Western Australia shortly -expressed and carried out that desire. - -The population of Ulster in 1911 was 1,581,696, (that of Belfast being -386,947;) the population of Newfoundland with Labrador in 1914 was -251,726; the population of Western Australia when it exercised the -option of inclusion in the Commonwealth of Australia was 184,114; it has -since nearly doubled. A similar case of separate treatment, this time -within the United States, is that of West Virginia, which, in 1862, -determined to remain within the Union when the rest of Virginia seceded. -West Virginia became a State on Dec. 31, 1862, and was not re-integrated -in the Old Dominion at the close of the civil war. - - -COURT-MARTIAL IN ITALY. - -Four principal Directors of the Genoese Electrical Power Company, named -Königsheim, Ampt, Martelli, and Hess, early in April were sentenced to -death by court-martial at Milan by being "shot in the spine," and a -decoy girl was doomed to twenty years' imprisonment, while three -associates were relegated to the galleys for life. It was proved that -the condemned men received from Germany wireless messages, to be -forwarded to North and South America for the purposes of its underseas -campaign, and incriminating letters of their treasonable acts were -discovered. Ampt and his three co-Directors received a decoration from -the Imperial Government, but were so successful in deceiving the Italian -Government that they were subsequently decorated as Cavalieres of the -Crown of Italy. - - -AMERICAN TRADE PACT WITH NORWAY. - -The signing of a general commercial agreement between the United States -and Norway--the first agreement of the kind to be entered into by -America with one of the North European neutrals--was announced by the -War Trade Board on May 3, 1918. It was signed by Vance McCormick, -Chairman of the War Trade Board, and Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, the famous -explorer, who was sent to the United States at the head of a special -mission. - -Under the agreement Norway is assured of supplies to cover her estimated -needs so far as they can be furnished without detriment to the war needs -of the United States and its allies, and Norway, on her part, agrees to -permit the exportation to America and its allies of all Norwegian -products not needed for home consumption. It is provided that none of -the supplies imported from the United States or its allies or forwarded -with the aid of American bunker coal shall go directly or indirectly to -the Central Powers or be used to replace commodities exported to those -countries. This applies to anything produced by any auxiliaries to -production obtained under the agreement. In consequence of the agreement -the War Trade Board announced on May 9 that exports to Norway were about -to be resumed. - -Another result of the improved relations between the two countries was -the chartering by the United States Shipping Board of 400,000 tons of -Norwegian sailing ships, to be put in non-hazardous trades, thereby -releasing other ships for traffic in the danger zones. This was one of -the most substantial increases which the American-controlled merchant -fleet has received since its inception. - - -BRITISH SHIPPING LOSSES - -In the May issue of the Fortnightly Review of London appears the -following analysis of the gains and losses of the British merchant navy -since the outbreak of the war: - - 1914 (August to December.) - - Tons. Tons. - - Built 675,010? Total losses 468,728 - - Captured from - enemy 753,500 Total gains 1,429,110 - --------- --------- - Total gains. 1,429,110 Balance +960,382 - - 1915. - - Built 650,919 Total losses 1,103,379 - - Captured from Total gains 662,419 - enemy 11,500 --------- - ------- Balance in - Total gains. 662,419 1915 -440,000 - - Brought down - from 1914 +960,382 - --------- - Balance at - end of 1915 +519,422 - - 1916. - - Built 541,552 Total losses 1,497,848 - - Captured from Total gains 545,052 - enemy 3,500 --------- - ------- Balance in - Total gains. 545,052 1916 -952,796 - - Brought down - from 1915 +519,422 - --------- - Balance at - end of 1916 -433,374 - - 1917. - - Built 1,163,474 Total losses 4,000,537 - - Captured from Total gains 1,174,974 - enemy 11,500 --------- - - --------- Balance in - Total gains 1,174,974 1917 -2,834,563 - - Brought down - from 1916 -433,374 - --------- - Balance at - end of 1917 -3,267,937 - -During the first three months of 1918 the net losses were 367,296 tons; -320,280 tons were built and 687,576 were lost, bringing the adverse -balance on April 1, 1918, to 3,635,233 tons. - - -GREAT BRITAIN'S WAR EXPENSES - -The British Government has issued a White Paper estimating the cost of -the war for Great Britain in the year ending March 31, 1919, at -$12,750,000,000, of which $9,305,000,000 is allocated to navy, army, air -service, munition and ordnance factories, $205,000,000 to pensions, -$750,000 to National War Aims Committee; services not specified, -(presumed to include shipping,) $500,000,000; Treasury loans, -$1,750,000,000; Board of Trade, $265,000,000; wheat supplies, -$230,000,000, of which $200,000,000 is the estimated loss on the sale of -the 18-cent loaf of bread. Subsidies toward the sale of potatoes are -estimated at $25,000,000; purchases of wool and other raw materials are -put at $40,000,000, payment to railways at $175,000,000, and $25,000,000 -for timber. - - -HATRED BETWEEN ITALIANS AND AUSTRIANS - -THE implacable hatred which has developed between Italians and Austrians -is illustrated by the following Italian _communiqué_, issued in Rome on -Feb. 11, in reply to the Austrian Supreme Command's denial that the -Austro-Germans were first to bombard cities from airplanes. It points -out that the Austro-Germans first bombarded Udine, Treviso, Padua, -Verona, Venice, Ravenna, &c., massacring defenseless and innocent -populations and ruining valuable art treasures, and adds: - - The Italians went to Trieste not to bombard citizens and private - houses, but the hydroplane stations in which are sheltered the - assassins of Venice, and the two vessels of the Monarch type which - were kept by the Imperial and Royal Navy behind the dyke, in the - hope that the Italian elements of the city would help to protect - them and afterward enable them to set out on some heroic enterprise - against the defenseless localities on the Adriatic Coast. - Immediately the hydroplanes, yielding to the indignation of the - whole world, ceased bombarding Venice, and immediately the two - vessels of the Monarch type were removed from Trieste, our aerial - raids ceased, since an understanding was proposed. - - We wage war against the enemy's armed forces, and not against women, - children, monuments, and hospitals. In spite of the most solemn - denial issued by the Austrians of the acts which, after the first - bombardments of Padua, Treviso, and Vicenza at the end of December - and the beginning of January, they declared to be a question of - reprisals for bombardments, carried out by Franco-British aviators - on - - German towns, the Germans, in substance, gave to be understood what - the Austrians hypocritically wished to hide, that is, that the - pretext of reprisals enabled them to persevere with their nameless - atrocities, which had been imposed upon them by some of their - leaders having yielded to the impulses of a criminal mentality. Thus - it happened that the Austrian Catholic command, bowing to the orders - of the German Lutheran pastors, bombarded Catholic churches in the - Italian cities. And so we see the Austro-Hungarian Government--so - solicitous for peace and love between nations--sowing hatred which - nothing can quench. - - -THE ORIGIN OF THE IRISH - -Perhaps some light may be shed on the internal divisions which make the -solution of the Irish question so nearly impossible by a realization of -the fact that the population of Ireland consists of an unassimilated -congeries of races, every element of which except one represents foreign -invasion and conquest. - -The earliest race, short, round-headed, dark, appears to be akin to the -Ligurian race of the Mediterranean; this race hunted the huge Irish elks -with flint arrows and axes, and may claim to be the real indigenous -stock, still surviving in the west. The second race, tall, dark, -long-headed, was akin to the Iberians (Basques) of Spain, who also -invaded Western France, and who probably built the cromlechs and stone -circles, since these are also found in Iberian Spain and Western France, -as at Carnac in Brittany. The third race, tall, golden-haired, -blue-eyed, came from the Baltic, bringing amber beads, and building -chambered pyramids, such as are also found in Denmark. The fourth race -to arrive included the Gaels, tall, round-headed, with red hair and gray -eyes; they came from Central Europe, probably by way of France. - -Each new arrival was followed by wars of conquest, the Gaels finally -making themselves predominant, but not exterminating the older -races, examples of whom may still be found, with unchanged race -characteristics. In 1169 Norman French and Welsh came, as mercenaries in -the army of the King of Leinster. The Burkes are descended from the -Normans, the Fitzgeralds from the Welsh. - - - - -Battles in Picardy and Flanders - - -Military Review of All Fronts from April 17 to May 18, 1918. - - -In order to obtain a view of the situation of the German offensive on -April 17, which forms a background for the events to be related in this -review, it is necessary to point out a few controlling facts and -conditions--some long obvious, some recently revealed. - -Ludendorff's major plan, based on the assumed shortness of vision on the -part of the Allies, to separate the British from the French and, by -isolating the former in the north and driving the latter toward their -bases in the south, thereby reach the mouth of the Somme, had failed. It -had failed, just as did the plan of Napoleon at Charleroi in 1815 to -separate the English from the Prussians. It failed because the military -genius of the British General Carey and the French General Fayolle on -two separate occasions had closed up gaps in the line of the Allies, and -because the vast masses of German troops were incapable, on account of -their demoralization, of making the fractures permanent. - -It is now evident that the demoralization of General Gough's 5th Army, -which began on March 23, not only threatened his junction with Byng's 3d -Army, by forming an eight-mile gap between the two--into which, as has -already been related, Carey moved his hastily gathered nondescript -detachment--but as the 5th Army retreated another gap, gradually -lengthening to nearly thirty miles, was opened between its right wing -and the 6th French Army. Here General Fayolle, who had just appeared on -the field from Italy, did with organized divisions what Carey had done -with his scratch volunteers further north. - -From statements made before the Reichstag Main Committee, but more -especially from letters and diaries found on captured German officers, -it appears that both Carey and Fayolle stopped an armed mob, utterly -incapable of taking advantage of the situation it had created as a -disciplined force. Regiments thrown together, officers separated from -their commands, detachments without control, all due to the impetuous -rush forward, could not recover in time to prevent Carey and Fayolle -from completing their work. - -[Illustration: DIAGRAM SHOWING 8-MILE GAP, MARCH 23, WHICH WAS FILLED BY -CAREY'S "SCRATCH DIVISION," WHO HELD THE BREACH FOR SIX DAYS] - -But Ludendorff's major plan, having failed in the first month of his -offensive, could not be repeated in the second. Since April 30 there has -been no French, British, Belgian, Portuguese, or American front in -Flanders or Picardy--only the front of the Allies, with the troops of -their several nations used wherever needed by the supreme commander, -Foch. - -During the first month of the offensive two angles had been developed by -Ludendorff: The first, the great one, in the south, from a base of sixty -miles with a forty-mile perpendicular and its vertex near the Somme; the -second in the north, from a base of twenty miles with a fifteen-mile -perpendicular and its vertex on the edge of the Forest of Nieppe. -Between these two angles the original front of Lens, from Bailleul north -to Givenchy, still held, fifteen miles in length. There had been -voluntary or forced changes made by the Allies east of Ypres and east of -Arras. - -[Illustration: DIAGRAM OF CRITICAL SITUATION, MARCH 24, 1918, WHERE -GENERAL FAYOLLE SAVED THE DAY BY THROWING HIS DIVISIONS INTO THE -THIRTY-MILE GAP LEFT BY RETIREMENT OF BRITISH 5TH ARMY] - -The corollary in Flanders, unless it could be demonstrated, would be -as great a failure as the main proposition in Picardy. And the still -possible successful issue of the latter depended absolutely, as we shall -see, on a complete demonstration of the former. Both have been so far -handicapped by the augmenting mobility of the Allies, their growing -numbers, their centralized command, and their successful insistence to -control the air. - -Such was the situation in Flanders and Picardy which confronted -Ludendorff at the dawn of the second month of the German offensive. The -whole problem to be solved was just as apparent to the Allies as it was -to him--to gain the barriers which threatened his angles of penetration, -in order again to utilize his preponderant forces of men and guns on a -broad front. To attempt to extend the vertices without broadening the -sides would mean to court danger, even destruction, at their weakest -points. - -His frontal attacks upon Ypres and Arras, respectively from the -Passchendaele Ridge and against the Vimy Ridge, having failed, it became -necessary to attempt to flank the Allies by the occupation of their -defensive ridges. This explains his successful assaults upon Mont -Kemmel, 325 feet high, and his desire to envelop Mont Rouge, 423 feet -high, and his persistent attacks along the La Bassée Canal against the -heights of Béthune, 141 feet, all preceded by diversions between the -Somme and Avre, with concentrations at Villers-Bretonneux, Hangard, and -elsewhere. - -[Illustration: PERSPECTIVE MAP SHOWING LOCATION OF OPPOSING FORCES IN -PICARDY AND FLANDERS. THE BLACK ARROW LINE ON THE RIGHT SHOULD NOT BE -MISTAKEN FOR THE OLD BATTLELINE, WHICH IS NOT INDICATED AT ALL. GENERAL -SIXT VON ARNIM'S FORCE, EAST OF YPRES, WAS INADVERTENTLY OMITTED] - -On April 18 the French made a feint on both banks of the Avre River -south of Hangard, drove in a mile, and picked up some prisoners; -simultaneously the Germans, with a force of 137,000, made a heavy -assault upon the allied front lying across the La Bassée Canal, with a -diversion on the Lys River near St. Venant. Before the day was done -they had switched their attack to the Kemmel sector. In all three places -the Germans suffered repulse, with the loss of a few hundred prisoners. -Four days later the British advanced their lines on the Lys, just as the -French had on the Avre. Then on the 24th came the great enemy diversion -at Villers-Bretonneux, nine miles southeast of Amiens. Here the Germans -used tanks for the first time. The village, lost to the British on the -first day, was recovered on the second, when just to the south the -French and American troops were hotly contesting with the Germans the -possession of Hangard. The sharp salient at this place made it difficult -for the Allies to hold, while its retention, except as a site from which -losses could be inflicted on the Germans, was unnecessary. Consequently -it was evacuated, after the attacking detachment of the Prussian Guards -had been annihilated. - -[Illustration: SCENE OF THE MONTH'S HEAVIEST FIGHTING IN FLANDERS, -ESPECIALLY ABOUT MOUNT KEMMEL] - - -BATTLE FOR MONT KEMMEL - -Meanwhile the Germans had been preparing for a decisive assault against -Mont Kemmel with ever-augmenting artillery fire and with the -concentration of vast numbers of troops on the sidings of the railroad -between the villages of Messines and Wytschaete. These troops numbered -nine divisions, or about 120,000 men. From the 24th till the 27th they -incessantly swung around Mont Kemmel in massed front and flank attacks, -until the French and British were forced to give up the height, together -with the village of the same name and the village of Dranoutre, retiring -on La Clytte and Scherpenberg. - -The occupation of Mont Kemmel, however, did not, as Ludendorff had -anticipated, force the British out of the Ypres salient, for their -voluntary retirement from part of the Passchendaele Ridge on April 17-19 -had strengthened the salient, which could hold as long as the line of -hills west of Kemmel held--Mont Rouge, Mont Diviagne, Mont des Cats, &c. - -The Berlin publicity bureau advertised the fact that a direct thrust at -Ypres had brought the Germans to within three miles of the town--an -achievement of no particular military value--while it quite ignored the -capture of Mont Kemmel, for the simple reason that its value was now -discovered to repose in their ability to carry their occupation -throughout the entire range. - -[Illustration: REGION OF HANGARD AND VILLERS-BRETONNEUX, WHERE GERMANS -USED TANKS FOR THE FIRST TIME] - -This they have since been vainly, except for local advances, trying to -do, often employing great forces of men in mass for two or three days at -a time--striving vainly to broaden the salient in three places: between -Dickebusch and Voormezeele, due south from Ypres; by an envelopment of -Mont Rouge to the southwest; on the south by an advance in the direction -of Béthune. - - -VON ARNIM'S EFFORTS - -In the northern part of the salient the attacks reached their climax on -Monday, April 29, when General Sixt von Arnim's army was hurled in wave -after wave between Voormezeele and Scherpenberg and on the latter and -Mont Rouge, only to end in a repulse, which, on account of the number of -men believed to have been lost by the enemy, may be considered a -disastrous defeat. All this time a heavy bombardment had been going on -in the Béthune region in preparation for an infantry attack there; yet -on account of the defeat further north, it could not be delivered. - -Henceforth, until May 16, von Arnim was obviously placed on the -defensive, whereas the Allies were locally on the offensive, either -recovering lost strategic points or consolidating their lines. On May 5, -between Locre and Dranoutre, the Franco-British forces advanced on a -1,000-yard front to the depth of 500 yards. On the 8th the Germans made -a half-hearted attack on the sector south of Dickebusch Lake and -entered British trenches, only to be repulsed with heavy loss. A similar -attack the next day between La Clytte and Voormezeele not only met with -a similar repulse, but was followed up by a strong British counterattack -which won considerable ground. On the 12th the French captured Hill 44 -on the north flank of Kemmel, between La Clytte and Vierstraat. - -On May 13 renewed enemy artillery activity on the lines back of Béthune -seemed to presage that an infantry attack was intended there. Nothing of -this nature ensued, however. On the 15th the Germans made a sudden -attack against Hill 44 but were hurled back by the French. On the -16th-17th they maintained a concentrated fire north of Kemmel. - - -GERMAN ATTACKS ON THE LYS - -All these operations on the German northern salient, which is gradually -coming to be called the Lys salient, have shown no indication of being -intended to pave the way for a renewal of the general offensive in -Flanders. Their success might, and probably would, have forced the -evacuation of Ypres and affected the Picardy salient with its vertex -near Amiens, forcing the evacuation of Arras. But, as we have seen, the -operations on the Lys salient, meeting with an overwhelming obstruction -on April 29, did not achieve these results. Throughout the next three -weeks the manoeuvres of the enemy in Picardy afforded excellent -opportunities for counterattacks on the part of the Allies, whose object -here has been to punish the enemy as much as possible and to consolidate -every strategic position on a broad front in anticipation of a renewal -of Germany's original scheme to isolate the allied armies north of the -Somme by a dash to the mouth of that river via Amiens. - -In these circumstances, the enemy on April 30 launched heavy attacks on -the French lines in the region of Hangard and Noyon. These fell down, -and on May 2 the French made distinct gains in Hangard Wood and near -Mailly-Raineval. The next day the French advanced their lines between -Hailles and Castel, south of the Avre, and captured Hill 82. On the 6th -the British advanced their lines between the Somme and the Ancre, -southwest of Morlancourt, and in the neighborhood of Locon and the Lawe -River, taking prisoners in both places. On the 11th skirmishes southwest -of Mailly-Raineval, between Hangard and Montdidier, developed into a -pitched battle, in which the French at first lost ground and then -recovered it. On May 14 the Germans, after an intense local bombardment, -delivered a spirited attack on a mile front of the British southwest of -Morlancourt, gaining a footing in their first trenches. Instantly some -Australian troops counterattacked and completely re-established the -British positions. On the 16th and 17th the enemy showed impressive and -portentous artillery activity along the Avre and at Rollott, on the -Abbéville road, south of Montdidier, similar in character to that -observed north of Kemmel, on the Lys salient. - -There are now believed to be over half a million American rifles on the -western front, either at definite places or available as reserves. On -April 20 a battalion of Germans made a raid on our eight-mile sector -south of the Woeuvre, and succeeded in reaching the front-line trenches -and taking the village of Seicheprey. Our losses were between 200 and -300; 300 German dead were counted. A detachment of our army, principally -artillery, holds a sector of five miles with the French infantry east of -Montdidier, on the Picardy front, protecting the Beauvais-Amiens road. -Here their fire is principally employed in breaking up German -concentrations and transport in and around Montdidier. - - -THE ZEEBRUGGE RAID - -The German submarine bases at Zeebrugge and Ostend on the Belgian coast -have been repeatedly bombed from the sea and shelled by British monitors -with indifferent results. With the adding of super-U-boats to the German -submarine fleet and the increased transatlantic traffic of the Allies -the necessity for effectually sealing these bases has long been -apparent. Theoretically the nature of the entrance to the harbors of -both places, resembling the neck of a bottle, about 250 feet wide, made -such a task easy by the sinking of block ships. Practically it was most -difficult, on account of both sea obstructions and the shore batteries. - -On the night of April 22-23 British naval forces, commanded by Vice -Admiral Keyes, with the co-operation of French destroyers, and hidden by -a newly devised smoke-screen, invented and here employed by -Wing-Commander Brock, attempted to seal up the harbors. At Zeebrugge the -enterprise was entirely successful. The Intrepid and Iphigenia were sunk -well within and across the narrow channel, the Thetis at the entrance. -All three were loaded with cement, which became solid concrete after -contact with the water and can be removed only by submarine blasting. A -detachment of troops was also landed on the mole from the Vindictive and -engaged the crews of the German machine gun batteries stationed there. -An old submarine was placed under the bridge of the mole and detonated. -A German destroyer and some small craft were sunk. Before the blockships -were placed a torpedo had been driven against the lock gates which lead -from the channel into the inner harbors. The expedition retired with the -loss of fifty officers and 538 men, of whom sixteen officers and 144 men -had been killed. - -At Ostend, the entrance to whose harbor is protected by no mole, the -block ships Sirius and Brilliant were not effectively placed. Against -this port the experiment was, therefore, repeated on the night of May -9-10. The Vindictive, with a cargo of concrete, was planted and sunk at -the entrance to the channel, but not entirely blocking it. - - -ITALIAN RAID AT POLA - -Another naval exploit of the month worthy of record was the sinking in -the Austrian Harbor of Pola of a dreadnought of the Viribus Unitis class -(20,000 tons) by Italian naval forces, in the morning of May 15. The -achievement was similar to that performed by the President of the -Anaconda Copper Company, who has been appointed Director of Aircraft -Production for the United States Army] Italians on the night of Dec. -9-10, when a destroyer sawed her way through the steel net protecting -the Harbor of Trieste and torpedoed the predreadnoughts Wien and -Monarch, (5,000 tons each,) sinking the former. The Harbor of Pola, -however, is much more difficult to penetrate. It is three miles deep and -entered by a two-mile channel, at certain places less than half a mile -wide, and protected along its entire course by strong defenses. A mole -covers its mouth, making the channel here less than 1,000 yards wide. -Forts Cristo and Musil guard the entrance. - -[Illustration: CHARLES M. SCHWAB - -Head of the Bethlehem Steel Works, who has been appointed Director -General of the Emergency Fleet Corporation to carry out the Government's -shipbuilding program - -(© _Harris & Ewing_)] - -[Illustration: JOHN D. RYAN - -TEUTONIZING THE BLACK SEA] - -Save for the reports which have come to hand denoting the steady -progress of the British forces in Palestine and Mesopotamia, little of -importance has occurred in the Near East. Still the Teutonizing of the -Black Sea goes steadily on. On May 2 it was announced that a German -force had occupied the great Russian fortress of Sebastopol, famous for -its protracted siege by the British and French in 1855, and until then -considered impregnable. On May 12 part of the Russian Black Sea fleet -was taken possession of by the Germans at that place, while the -remainder escaped to Novorossysk. Among the captured vessels only the -battleship Volga and the protected cruiser Pamiat Merkuria were in -serviceable condition. At Odessa a new dreadnought and two protected -cruisers had already been seized by the Germans as they lay in their -slips. - -In Macedonia the huge allied forces under the French General, -Guillaumat, are still waiting on events. The Greek Army is still in -process of reconstruction under the Venizelos Administration. The month, -however, has not been barren of engagements on this battleline. On April -28 the Serbians beat back attempts of the Bulgars to capture fortified -positions in the Vetrenik region; the French and British did the same in -regard to German attacks aimed at points west of Makovo and south of -Lake Doiran. So it has been all the month, the monotony only varied on -April 27, when there was intense artillery fire by the allied guns in -the neighborhood of Monastir, on the Cerna, and, in the Vetrenik region, -a Serbian assault annihilated a Bulgar section. - - -[Illustration: MAP OF PALESTINE AND MESOPOTAMIA, WHERE TWO BRITISH -ARMIES ARE AIMING AT BAGDAD RAILWAY] - -IN THE NEAR EAST - -There has been no serious attempt on the part of the Turks during the -month to oppose the expansion of General Allenby's front beyond -Jerusalem or the triumphant march of General Marshall up the Euphrates -and the Tigris--on the latter river now sixty miles below Mosul, -Marshall's obvious objective. The objective of Allenby is Aleppo, where -there is said to be a single division of German troops in addition to -the Turks, who have been forced north from Jerusalem. Allenby and -Marshall are advancing along parallel lines with a desert space of about -400 miles between. The Turks and their ally still have possession of the -caravan trail and the partly built and entirely surveyed Bagdad Railway, -which intersect the prospective parallel paths of Allenby and Marshall, -whose lines of communication already reach hundreds of miles to the -rear. But while Allenby has a lateral sea communication with Syrian -ports, no such advantage is enjoyed by Marshall, who must get all his -supplies from the head of the Persian Gulf, 450 miles to the south. -Whatever be the force at the disposition of the enemy, it is evident -that he will continue to possess a predominating tactical and strategic -advantage until he has been decisively defeated at both Aleppo and Mosul -or a junction has been established between Allenby and Marshall, or -both. - -[Illustration: SCENE OF LATEST ITALIAN FIGHTING IN THE ALPS] - -The former's line, which is a sixty-mile front, extending from Arsuf el -Haram on the Mediterranean east to the Jordan, took Es-Salt with -thirty-three German and 317 Turkish prisoners on May 1--twenty miles -north of Jerusalem--which was first occupied by Allenby early in -December. - -Marshall's advance has been much more rapid. In the week of May 1 his -cavalry, in pursuit of the fleeing Turks, advanced twenty miles and -captured 1,000 prisoners. On May 7 he was 80 miles from Mosul; on May 10 -he was within 60 miles. Allenby is 300 miles from Aleppo and 110 miles -from Damascus. - - -ON THE ITALIAN FRONT - -Without any large movements of troops taking place, several things have -occurred since April 18 to invite attention to the Italian front, and -much speculation by military men has been indulged in as to whether the -resumption of the Teutonic offensive would be from the Piave or south -from the Astico-Piave line lying across the Sette Comuni and the Brenta, -or from the west of the Adige and the Lago di Garda, in an attempt to -reach Brescia and the metallurgic centre of Italy. - -And most of the things in question which have occurred have served to -restore and augment the confidence of the Italians in their position. A -new 2d Army has taken the place of the old, annihilated in the -Capporetto campaign. All the lost guns have been replaced and new -heavies added. Revolution is, at any moment, expected to break out in -Austria-Hungary, while the Congress of Jugoslavs in Rome on April 9-11 -has secured the adhesion to the Allies of the subjects of the Hapsburgs -and enabled the Italian Government to make use of them as a fighting -force. There are now believed to be no German divisions on the Italian -front, where the entire enemy strength, not measurably increased since -the snows have disappeared in the north, consists of 800 -Austro-Hungarian battalions, or less than 1,000,000 men. - -But what has promoted most satisfaction in the Italian Government and -people was the decree issued by the Interallied Supreme Council of War -at Abbéville on May 3, giving General Foch authority to include the -Italian front under his supreme command, that front thereby becoming the -right wing of the allied battle line in Europe--now "one army, one -front, and one supreme command." - -That is the way Bonaparte fought his victorious battles in the days of -the First Republic, alternately on the Rhine and the Adige. Moreau could -not win without Bonaparte, nor Bonaparte without Moreau, while Carnot, -in the centre, was the vehicle of transit. - -Before the snows made manoeuvres impossible the Italians had closed two -gates which threatened the plains of Veneto from the north--one at the -junction of the front with the Piave, one at the angle of the Frenzela -Torrent and the Brenta River. - -Gunfire had been steadily augmenting on the front when, on May 10, they -closed another, and on May 15 still another. The first of these was the -capture of Monte Corno, which commanded the part up the Vallarsa, the -second was a partial recovery of Monte Asolone, between the Brenta and -the Piave, sufficient to cover the path up the Val San Lorenzo. Both -mountains are really plateaus of about two square miles area each, whose -irregular summits the enemy had strongly fortified in order to clear the -valleys below. In both places subsequent Austrian counterattacks were -broken up. - -Meanwhile, Italian aircraft dominate from above. On May 14 the enemy -lost eleven airplanes with no losses to the Italians and the British, -who were assisting them. - - - - -Premier Lloyd George on German Autocracy - - -Premier Lloyd George wrote the following preface for a volume containing -extracts from speeches he delivered during the war: - - I have never believed that the war would be a short war, or that in - some mysterious way, by negotiation or compromise, we would free - Europe from the malignant military autocracy which is endeavoring to - trample it into submission and moral death. I have always believed - that the machine which has established its despotic control over the - minds and the bodies of its victims and then organized and driven - them to slaughter in order to extend that control over the rest of - the world, would only be destroyed if the free peoples proved - themselves strong and steadfast enough to defeat its attempt in - arms. The events of the last few weeks must have made it plain to - every thinking man that there is no longer room for compromise - between the ideals for which we and our enemies stood. Democracy and - autocracy have come to death grips. One or the other will fasten its - hold on mankind. It is a clear realization of this issue which will - be our strength in the trials to come. I have no doubt that freedom - will triumph. But whether it will triumph soon or late, after a - final supreme effort in the next few months or a long-drawn agony, - depends on the vigor and self-sacrifice with which the children of - liberty, and especially those behind the lines, dedicate themselves - to the struggle. There is no time for ease or delay or debate. The - call is imperative. The choice is clear. It is for each free citizen - to do his part. - - - - -The Greatest Battle of the War - -Second Month of the Desperate Fighting in Flanders and Picardy - - By Philip Gibbs - - _Special Correspondent With the British Armies_ [Copyrighted in United - States of America] - - -_The May issue of Current History Magazine contained Philip Gibbs's -story of the great German offensive up to April 18, 1918. At that time -the Germans were seeking to break the British lines in front of Ypres, -as part of their drive for Amiens and the British Channel ports, -generally known as the battle of Picardy. The pages here presented are a -continuation of his eyewitness narrative of the most sanguinary battle -in history._ - -April 18.--The arrival of French troops on our northern front is the -most important act that has happened during the last three or four days, -and it was with deep satisfaction that we met these troops on the roads -and knew that at last our poor, tired men would get support and help -against their overwhelming odds. - -Beside the khaki army of the British has grown very quickly an army in -blue, the cornflower blue of the French poilus. They are splendid men, -hard and solid fellows, who have been war-worn and weather-worn during -these three and a half years past, and look the great fighting men who -have gone many times into battle and know all that war can teach them in -endurance and cunning and quick attack. - -As they came marching up the roads to the front they were like a -streaming river of blue--blue helmets and coats and blue carts and blue -lorries, all blending into one tone through these April mists as they -went winding over the countryside and through French market towns, where -their own people waved to them, and then through the villages on the -edge of the Flanders battlefields, where they waited to go into action -under shell-broken walls or under hedges above which British shellfire -traveled, or in fields where they made their bivouacs, and fragrant -steams arose to one's nostrils as cuistots lifted the lids of stewpans -and hungry men gathered around after a long march. - -The attack this morning from Robecq, below St. Venant, down to Givenchy, -is a serious effort to gain La Bassée Canal and form a strong defensive -flank for the enemy while he proceeds with his battles further north and -also to get more elbow room from the salient in which he is narrowly -wedged below Merville. - -For this purpose he brought up several more divisions, including the -239th, which was in the Somme fighting of March, but not heavily -engaged. This one attacked the British at Robecq and was repulsed with -heavy losses. It was at a place called La Bacquerolles Farm, near -Robecq, where after heavy shelling last night the enemy rushed one of -the outposts at 10 o'clock. In order to facilitate the attack this -morning of German divisions north and south at 4 o'clock the German guns -began a heavy bombardment of the British lines as far down as Givenchy -and maintained it for five hours, using large numbers of gas shells, on -account of the east wind, which was in their favor. - -His guns shelled the bridges across the canal in the hope of preventing -the British supports going up. Then his troops came forward in waves on -a wide front. They were in immense numbers as usual, with many mixed -battalions. One of the British units today took prisoners from ten -different regiments. There were some ten German divisions facing four -British ones north of Béthune, and all along the line the troops were -much outnumbered; nevertheless, the enemy was repulsed at all but a few -points of attack and beaten back bloodily. - - -THE GHASTLY LOSSES - -In this battle one regiment of the 42d German Division has lost over 50 -per cent. of its strength, and other losses are on a similar scale. -These ghastly casualties have been piling up along this line between -Merville and Béthune since the 13th of this month, when the Germans made -a series of small attacks as a prelude to today's battle, owing, it -seems, to battalion officers taking the initiative without orders from -the High Command, in order to push forward and break the British lines -if they could find weakness there. - -On the 13th and 14th some of the South Country troops were attacked by -strong forces repeatedly, and on the second day for five hours at a -stretch the enemy endeavored to come across from houses and inclosures -west of Merville toward St. Venant. For those five hours the South -Country lads fired with rifles, Lewis guns, and machine guns into solid -bodies of Germans, and their field guns tore gaps in the enemy's -formations and broke up their assemblies before the attacks could -proceed. One advance in five waves was mown down before it could make -any progress, and others were dealt with in the same way. - -_Mr. Gibbs describes the German repulse between Robecq and Givenchy as a -"black day for the enemy," and continues:_ - -April 19.--At the end of the day all the enemy's efforts ended in bloody -failure, in spite of the daring and courage of his troops, who -sacrificed themselves under the British fire, but were only able to gain -a few bits of trench work and one or two outposts below the fortified -works at Givenchy, which are quite useless to them for immediate or -future use. - -It was a big attack, for which they had prepared in a formidable way. -After the shock of their repulse by the Lancashire men of the 55th -Division they increased their strength of heavy artillery by three times -bringing up large numbers of howitzers, including eleven-inch monsters. -They were massed in divisions in front of us and determined to smash -through in the wake of a tremendous bombardment. - - -BRITISH UNDER FIRE - -For five hours, as I said, this storm went on with high explosives and -gas, and the devoted British had to suffer this infernal thing, the -worst ordeal human beings may be called upon to bear, this standing to -while all the earth upheaved and the air was thick with shell splinters. - -But when the bombardment had passed and the German infantry came forward -the British received them with blasts of machine-gun fire, incessant -volleys of rifle fire, and a trench mortar bombardment that burst with -the deadliest effect among the attacking troops. - -This trench mortar barrage of the British was one of the most awful -means of slaughter yesterday, especially when the enemy tried to cross -La Bassée Canal further north, and in that sector the infantry and -gunner officers say more Germans were killed yesterday along the canal -bank than on any other day since the fighting in this neighborhood. One -battery of trench mortars did most deadly execution until their pits -were surrounded, and only two of their crews were able to escape. - -The machine gunners fought out in the open after some of their positions -had been wiped out by gunfire, caught the enemy waves at fifty yards' -range, and mowed them down; but the enemy was not checked for a long -time, despite his losses, and when one body fell another came up to fill -its place and press on into any gap that had been made by their -artillery or their own machine-gun sections. - -There was one such momentary gap between a body of the Black Watch, who -had been weakened by shellfire, and some of their comrades further -north, and into this the enemy tried to force a way. Other Scottish -troops were in reserve, and when it became clear that a portion of the -line was endangered by this turning movement they came forward with grim -intent, and by a fierce counterattack swept through the gap and flung -back the enemy, so that the position was restored. - -Further north some Gloucesters were fighting the enemy both ways, as -once before in history, when they fought back to back, thereby winning -the honor of wearing their cap badge back and front, which they do to -this day. The Germans had worked behind them as well as in front of -them, and they were in a tight corner, but did not yield, and finally, -after hard fighting, cleared the ground about them. - -Meanwhile further south some Lancashire troops on the canal lost some -parts of their front line under an intense bombardment, but still fought -on in the open, repulsing every effort to drive them back and smashing -the enemy out of their positions, so that only remnants of the German -outposts clung on until late last night, up to which time there was -savage strife on both sides. - - -FIGHTING FOR THE CANAL - -Extraordinary scenes took place on the canal bank when the enemy tried -to cross. In the twilight of early dawn a party came out of a wood and -tried to get across the water, but was seen by the British machine -gunners and shot down. - -Then another body of men advanced and carried with them a floating -bridge, but when those who were not hit reached the water's edge they -found the bridge as fixed did not reach to the other side. Some of them -walked on it, expecting perhaps to jump the gap, but were shot off, and -other men on the bank also were caught under British fire. - -A Corporal went down to the canal edge and flung hand grenades at the -Germans still struggling to fix the bridge, and then a Lieutenant and a -few men rushed down and pulled the bridge on to their side of the bank. - -Later this young officer saw one of the British pontoons drifting down -and swam to it and made it fast beyond the enemy's reach, but in a -position so that some of his men ran across and caught the enemy under -their fire on his side of the canal. - -At 7 o'clock yesterday morning, while a handkerchief was hoisted by the -enemy, three hundred of them made signs of surrender. Some of them -changed their minds at the last moment and ran away, but 150 gave -themselves up, and some of them swam the canal in order to reach our -side for this purpose. They were shivering in their wet clothes and in -the northeast wind, which lashed over the battle lines yesterday, and -they were very miserable men. - - -THE BELGIAN VICTORY - -_Mr. Gibbs declares that had the Germans been able to pass Givenchy or -cross the canal north of Béthune on the 18th and 19th the result would -have proved disastrous. He gives credit for the repulse to the British -and French combined lines. He thus describes the achievement of the -Belgians on April 17_: - -The Germans on the 17th pressed the attack in force against the -Belgians. Besides three regiments of the 1st Landwehr Division usually -holding this sector, between the Ypres-Staden railway and Kippe, they -brought up from Dixmude--poor Dixmude, into whose flaming ruins I went -when it was first bombarded in October, 1914--two regiments of the 6th -Bavarian Division, and from the coast the 5th Matrosen Regiment of the -2d Naval Division, with a regiment of the 58th Saxons. It was a heavy -force, and they hoped to surprise and annihilate the Belgian resistance -by their weight and quickness of attack. - -The Belgians were waiting for them, standing, too, in those swampy -fields which they have held against the enemy for three and a half -years, always shelled, always paying daily a toll of life and limb, not -getting much glory or recognition because of the great battles -elsewhere, but patient and enduring as when I knew them on the Yser in -the first dreadful Winter of the war, and their little regular army -fought to a finish. - -Even before the battle the German marines, Saxon troops, and Landwehr -suffered misery and lost many men. They lay out in the flat, wet fields -two nights previously, and were very cold, and scared by the Belgian -gunfire which burst among them. They had no great artillery behind them, -and the Saxons and German sailors now prisoners of the Belgians curse -bitterly because they were expected to get through easily in spite of -this. - - -Germans Cut Off - -The enemy's intention was to take Bixschoote and advance across the Yser -Canal, driving south to Poperinghe. What they did by their massed -attacks was to penetrate to a point near Hoekske, southeast of Merckem, -the main weight of their pressure being directed along the Bixschoote -road. The Belgians delivered a quick counterattack, with wonderful -enthusiasm among officers and men. They had perfect knowledge of the -country, and used this fully by striking up from a place called Luyghem -in such a way that the enemy was driven toward the swamp, where any who -went in sank up to his neck in the ice-cold water. - -The Germans were cut off from their own lines and trapped. Seven hundred -of them surrendered, men of all the regiments I have mentioned, and they -seemed to think themselves lucky at getting off so cheaply, though they -quailed when they were brought back through the towns behind the lines, -and the Belgian women, remembering many things, raised a cry as these -men passed. It was not a pleasant sound. I heard it once in France when -a German officer passed through with an escort. It was a cry which made -my blood run cold. But there is gladness among the Belgian troops, for -they had long waited for their chance of striking, and made good. - - -Heroism of the Doctors - -As heroic a story as anything in all this history of the last four weeks -is that of the medical officers, nurses, orderlies, and ambulance men -belonging to these casualty clearing stations, who were not far behind -the fighting lines when the battle began on March 21. - -And then in a few hours they were on the very edge of the enemy's -advancing tide, so that they were almost caught by it and had to make -brave efforts to rescue the wounded, save their equipment, and get away -to a place where for a little while again they could go on with their -noble work until the red edge of war swept up with its fire again and -they had to retreat still further. - -I used to pass very often the outer ring of those casualty clearing -stations on the right of the British line beyond Bapaume, in the Cambrai -salient, and away toward St. Quentin. - -They were almost caught on that day of March 21 when the infernal -bombardment was flung over a wide belt of the British lines, and the -enemy stormed the defenses and the British fought back in heroic -rearguard actions. It became a question of only a few hours, sometimes -of the last quarter of an hour, when these brave medical officers with -the nurses and orderlies could get away. - -It is always the rule of patients first, and at Ham there were 1,200 -wounded, and many others in other places. The railways were choked with -military transport or destroyed by shellfire. On the roads refugees were -mixed up with the transport and guns and troops. It was a frightful -problem, but the medical staffs did not lose their nerve, and set about -the business of removal with fine skill and discipline. - - -Caring for the Wounded - -What wounded could walk were gathered together and sent on to the roads -to make their way back as far as their strength would carry them. The -badly wounded were packed into all the available ambulances and sent -away. The equipment had sometimes to be put on any train, regardless of -its destination. It was gathered in afterward from whatever place it -went to. - -A casualty clearing station of 1,000 beds needs 100 lorries to move it, -but nine lorries take a full kit for 200 beds, and always nine lorries -moved off first after the wounded to take up a new station further back -and carry on. The medical officers looked after the surgical instruments -and trundled them along the roads on wheeled stretchers. One officer -went twenty-five miles this way and another seventeen miles. The -sisters, after the wounded had left, were put on any vehicle going back -from the battleline. - -During these days I saw them squeezed between drivers and men on motor -lorries, sitting among the Tommies in transport wagons, one at least on -a gun limber, and others perched on top of forage, still merry and -bright in spite of all the tragedy about them, because that is their -training and their faith. - -In this retreat one poor sister was killed and another wounded. Many of -them, with the medical officers, lost their kits. At Achiet le Grand, on -March 21, a shell killed eight orderlies and blew out the back of the -operating theatre, and at another village on a second night, three -ambulances were smashed up by bombs. Two drivers, with some of their -patients, were killed, but all the wounded were brought away from the -outer ring of casualty clearing stations safely, and then from the -second ring through Roye and Marincourt, Dernacourt, and Aveluy. - -At Roye there was no time to spare, owing to the enemy's rapid advance, -and seventy patients remained with a medical officer and twelve -orderlies until they could be rescued, if there was any possible -chance. There seemed at first no chance, but on the way back to -Villers-Bretonneux the medical officer in command of the first convoy -met some motor ambulances and begged the drivers to go into Roye and -rescue those who had been left behind. They went bravely and brought -away all the wounded and the staff, and had no time to spare, because -the last ambulance came under the German rifle fire. - -It is a strange and wonderful thing that the patients do not seem to be -harmed in any way by this excitement and fatigue, and one of the chiefs -who made a tour of inspection of all his clearing stations at this time -tells us he found all the wounded in good condition and apparently no -worse for their experience. - - -Fall of Villers-Bretonneux - -_ On April 24 the Germans attacked the important village of -Villers-Bretonneux, near Amiens; it is on a hill above the Somme, and -was used as a corps headquarters and administrative office by the -British. The attack was in great force, including tanks, the first time -they had been used by the Germans._ - -_The initial assault was a success and the Germans took the village and -advanced nearly a mile beyond--but let Mr. Gibbs tell the rest:_ - -During the night they were driven out by Australian troops, who, by a -most skillful and daring piece of generalship, were sent forward in the -darkness without preliminary artillery preparation, and, relying -absolutely on the weapons they carried to regain this important portion, -which gave the enemy full observation of the British positions on both -sides of the Somme Valley beyond Amiens. - -The splendid courage of the Australian troops, the cunning of their -machine gunners, and the fine leadership of their officers achieved -success, and, in conjunction with English battalions, they spent the -night clearing out the enemy from the village, where he made a desperate -resistance, and brought back altogether something like 700 or 800 -prisoners. - -It was a complete reversal of fortune for the enemy, and in this -twenty-four hours of fighting he has lost great numbers of men, whose -bodies lie in heaps between Villers-Bretonneux and Warfusee and all -about the ruins and fields in that neighborhood. - - -First German Tanks - -The attack on Villers-Bretonneux was made by four divisions. They were -the 4th Guards, the 77th, quite new to this phase of the war, the 228th, -and the 243d. They were in the full strength of divisions, twelve -regiments in each, and a great weight of men on such a narrow front -against one British division, whose men had already been under frightful -fire and had been living in clouds of poison gas with masks on. - -An officer of the Middlesex was in a bit of a trench when the first -German tank attacked his men on the east side of the village, and it -went right over him as he lay crouched, and traveled on, accompanied by -bodies of troops. - -The Middlesex and West Yorks put up a great fight but had to give ground -to superior numbers. The East Lancashires, who were the garrison of -Villers-Bretonneux, were also attacked with great odds, and after a -brave resistance fell back with the general line, which took up a -position toward the end of this first phase of the battle west of -Villers-Bretonneux and in the edge of Bois Abbé to the left of it. Into -this wood in the course of the day a German patrol of one officer and -forty men made their way and stayed there out of touch with their own -men, and were taken prisoners last night. - - -The Night Battle - -The attack by the Australians was made after 10 o'clock at night. It was -difficult to attack suddenly like this. There was no artillery -preparation. There should have been a moon, but by bad luck it was -veiled in a thick, wet mist. - -It was decided by the Australian General that his men should go straight -into the attack with bayonet and machine gun, not waiting for artillery -protection which would tell the enemy what was coming. - -The plan of attack was to push forward in two bodies and to encircle -Villers-Bretonneux, while some Northamptons and others were in the -centre with the order to fight through the village from the north. This -manoeuvre was carried out owing to the magnificent courage of each -Australian soldier and the gallantry of the officers. - -The Germans fought desperately when they found themselves in danger of -being trapped. They had nests of machine guns along the railway -embankment below the village, and these fired fiercely, sweeping the -attackers who tried to advance upon them. - -Those who worked around north and east of the village also came under a -burst of machine-gun fire from weapons hidden among the ruins and -trenches, but they rounded up the enemy and fought him from one bit of -ruin to another in streets which used to be filled with civilian life -only a few weeks ago and crowded with staff officers and staff cars, but -now were littered with dead bodies and raked by bullets. - -The Australians captured two light field guns, which the enemy had -brought up in the morning, according to his present habit of advancing -guns behind his third wave of men, and several minenwerfer and many -machine guns. - - -Great Piles of Dead - -During the night they and the English troops seized over 500 men as -prisoners and sent them back, and several hundred seem to have been -routed out. Today, [the 25th,] judging from these I saw myself, the -living were not so many as the dead. - -It was fierce fighting in Villers-Bretonneux and around it last night -and this morning the enemy fought until put out by bayonet, rifle -bullet, or machine gun. The Australian officers say that they have never -seen such piles of dead, not even outside of Bullecourt or Lagnicourt -last year, as those who lie about this village of frightful strife. - -The German tanks, which were first seen in this battle, though heavier -than the British, with bigger guns, have now beaten a retreat, leaving -one of their type in No Man's Land. The tank has a high turret and thick -armor plates, and is steered and worked on a different system from the -British. One of them was "killed" by a tank of the old British class, -and then the British put in some of the newer, faster, and smaller -types, which can steer almost as easily as a motor car, as I know, -because I have traveled in one at great pace over rough ground. - -These set out to attack bodies of German infantry of the 77th Division -forming up near Cachy. It was a terrible encounter, and when they -returned this morning their flanks were red with blood. They slew -Germans not by dozens nor by scores, but by platoons and companies. They -got right among the masses of men and swept them with fire, and those -they did not kill with their guns they crushed beneath them, manoeuvring -about and trampling them down as they fell. It seems to have been as -bloody a slaughter as anything in this war. - - -Battle for Kemmel Hill - -_The furious battle for the possession of Kemmel Hill, an eminence of -strategic importance in the Ypres region, occurred April 25, 26, and 27, -and was as sanguinary as any in Flanders. Although the Germans won the -hill, their victory involved such colossal sacrifices that this deadly -thrust ended their serious offensive for the time. Mr. Gibbs's -description of this battle in part follows:_ - -After several attempts against Kemmel had been frustrated the enemy all -went out, April 25, to capture this position. Four divisions at least, -including the Alpine Corps, the 11th Bavarians, and the 5th, 6th, and -107th, were moved against Kemmel in the early morning fog after a -tremendous bombardment of the Franco-British positions. It was a -bombardment that begun before the first glimmer of dawn, like one of -those which the British used to arrange in the days of their great -Flanders battles last year. It came down swamping Kemmel Hill so that it -was like a volcano, and stretched away on to the British lines on the -left of the French by Maedelstede Farm and Grand Bois down to -Vierstraat. - -Then the German infantry attacked in depth, battalion behind battalion, -division behind division, and their mountain troops of Alpine Corps and -Jägers and Bavarians came on first in the assault of Kemmel Hill, which -was not much more than a hillock, though it looms large in Flanders, and -in this war. The French had suffered a terrible ordeal of fire, and the -main thrust of the German strength was against them. - - -Foe Strikes in Two Directions - -The enemy struck in two directions to encircle the hill and village of -Kemmel, one arrowhead striking to Dranoutre and the other at the point -of junction between the French and British northward. - -In each case they were favored by fog and the effect of their gunfire. -They were able to drive in a wedge which they pushed forward until they -had caused gaps. The French on Kemmel Hill became isolated and there was -a gulf between the British and the French and between the French left -and right. - -On the hill the French garrison fought with splendid heroism. These men, -when quite surrounded, would not yield, but served their machine guns -and rifles for many hours, determined to hold their positions at all -costs, and to the death. Small parties of them on the west of the hill -held out until midday or beyond, according to the reports of the airmen, -who flew low over them, but by 9 o'clock this morning, owing to the gaps -made by the enemy, the French main line was compelled to draw back from -Kemmel. - -They inflicted severe losses on the enemy as they fell back and thwarted -his efforts to break their line on the new defensive positions. -Meanwhile a body of Scottish troops were seriously involved. Some of -their officers whom I saw today tell me the fog was so thick, as on -March 21, that after a terrific bombardment the first thing known at -some points a little way behind the line was when the Germans were all -around them. - - -Germans Under Von Arnim - -The German army of assault upon Kemmel and the surrounding country was -under command of General Sixt von Arnim, who was the leading opponent of -the Allies in the long struggle of the first Somme battles, and whose -clear and ruthless intelligence was revealed in the famous document -summing up the first phase of that fighting, when he frankly confessed -to many failures of organization and supply, but with acute criticism -which was not that of a weak or indecisive man. - -Under his command as corps commanders were Generals Seiger and von -Eberhardt, and they had picked troops, including the Alpine Corps and -strong Bavarian and Prussian divisions specially trained for assault in -such country as that of Kemmel. Their plan of attack to strike at the -points of junction between the French and British east of Kemmel, and -also at the French troops south of it, near Dranoutre, proved for the -time successful, and by driving in wedges they were able to make the -Allies fall back on the flanks and encircle Kemmel Hill after furious -and heroic fighting by the French and British troops. - -The British now were in weak numbers compared with the strength brought -against them. Their withdrawal to the new lines of defense by Vierstraat -and the furious attacks across the Ypres-Comines Canal gave the enemy -some ground in the region of St. Eloi and the bluff and the spoil bank -of the canal itself. It is villainous ground there, foul with wreckage -of the old fighting. - -British troops and Canadian troops were put to the supreme test of -courage to take and hold these places. The glorious old 3d Division, -commanded in those days of 1915 and 1916 by General Haldane, fought from -St. Eloi to the bluff, month in and month out, and lost many gallant -officers and men there after acts of courage which belong to history. - -German storm troops made three violent attacks on Locre, which were -flung back by the French, with heavy casualties among the enemy, and it -was only at the fourth attempt with fresh reserves that they were able -to enter the ruins of the village, from which the French then fell back -in order to reorganize for a counterattack. This they launched today at -an early hour, and now Locre is in their hands after close fighting, in -which they slew numbers of the enemy. - -After their success on April 25, when they captured Kemmel, the Germans -have made little progress, and, though there was fierce fighting all day -yesterday, they failed to gain their objectives, and were raked by fire -hour after hour, so that large numbers of their dead lie on the field of -battle. At 4 in the afternoon they engaged in fresh assaults upon the -positions near Ridge Wood, to which the line had fallen back, but -English and Scottish troops repulsed them and scattered their waves. It -was a bad day for them because of their great losses. The British have -broken the fighting quality of some of the enemy's most renowned -regiments. - - -The Country Devastated - -All the roads and camps around Ypres are under a heavy, harassing fire -once more, Ypres itself being savagely bombarded by high-explosive and -gas shells, so that after some months of respite those poor ruins are -again under that black spell which makes them the most sinister place in -the world. Suicide Corner has come into its own again, and the old -unhealthy plague spots up by the canal are under fire. - -The enemy's guns are reaching out to fields and villages hitherto -untouched by fire, and these harassing shots, intended, perhaps, to -catch traffic on the roads or soldiers' camps, often serve the enemy no -more than by the death of innocent women and children. A day or two ago -a monstrous shell fell just outside a little Flemish cottage tucked away -in an angle of a road which I often pass. It scooped out a deep pit in -the garden without even scarring the cottage walls, but two children -were playing in the garden and were laid dead beside a flower bed. - -Yesterday a small boy I know went grubbing about this plot of earth and -brought back a great chunk of shell bigger than his head. Those are the -games children play in this merry century of ours. They are astoundingly -indifferent to the perils about them, and sleep o' nights to the thunder -of gunfire not very far away, or slip their heads under the bedclothes -when bombs fall near. - -But older folk find this gradual creeping up of the war a nervous strain -and a mental agony which keeps them on the rack. It is pitiful to watch -their doubts and perplexities and their clinging on to their homes and -property. Shells smash outlying cottages to dust with their people -inside them, but still the people in the village itself stay on, hoping -against hope that the Germans' guns have reached their furthest range. - -"I shall not go till the first shell falls in the middle of the square," -said a girl. - -Another woman said: - -"If I go I lose all I have in life, so I will risk another day." - -They take extraordinary risks, and our officers and men find some of -them on the very battlefields and in farmyards where they unlimber their -guns. - - -Heavy German Losses - -The enemy's losses in this continual fighting have been severe. We have -been able to get actual figures of some of their casualties, which are -typical of the more general effect of the British fire. Of one company -of the 7th German Division which fought at St. Eloi on Friday only 40 -men remained out of its full strength of 120. - -The 4th Ersatz Division lost most heavily, and a prisoner of the 279th -Pioneer Company, which relieved the 360th Regiment of that division, -says the average company strength was fifteen men. - -The entire regimental staff was killed by a direct hit of a British -shell on their headquarters dugout near Cantieux. The same thing -happened to the battalion headquarters of the 223d Regiment, which is -now in a state of low morale, having been fearfully cut up. - -The 1st Guards Reserve Regiment of the 1st Guards Division, which was -much weakened in the fighting on the Somme and afterward was sent to La -Bassée, lost thirty-six officers, including a regimental commander and -one battalion commander. These losses are affecting inevitably the -outlook of the German troops on the prospects of their continued -offensive. - -Prisoners from divisions which suffered most confess they have no -further enthusiasm for fighting, and that their regiments can only be -made to attack by stern discipline and the knowledge that they must -fight on or be shot for desertion. - -On the other hand, the best German troops, especially those now -attacking in Flanders, like the Alpine Corps and 11th Bavarian Division, -are elated and full of warlike spirit. - -Even their prisoners profess to believe they are winning the war and -will have a German peace before the year is out. - - -Desperate Fighting for Ypres - -_The Germans vainly launched desperate attacks of unexampled fury -against the British and French lines in the Ypres region on April 29. -Mr. Gibbs in his cable dispatch of that date thus refers to these -assaults:_ - -It becomes clearer every hour that the enemy suffered a disastrous -defeat today. Attack after attack was smashed up by the British -artillery and infantry, and he has not made a foot of ground on the -British front. - -The Border Regiment this morning repulsed four heavy assaults on the -Kemmel-La Clytte road, where there was extremely hard fighting, and -destroyed the enemy each time. - -One of the enemy's main thrusts was between Scherpenberg and Mont Rouge, -where they made a wedge for a time and captured the crossroads, and it -was here that a gallant French counterattack swept them back. - -The British had no more than a post or two in Voormezeele this morning, -and the enemy was there in greater strength, and sent his storm troops -through this place, but was never able to advance against the fire of -the British battalions. - -His losses began yesterday, when his troops were seen massing on the -road between Zillebeke and Ypres in a dense fog, through which he -attempted to make a surprise attack. This was observed by low-flying -planes, and his assembly was shattered by gunfire. After a fierce -shelling all night, so tremendous along the whole northern front that -the countryside was shaken by its tumult, German troops again assembled -in the early morning mist, but were caught once more in the British -bombardment. - -At 3 o'clock a tremendous barrage was flung down by the German gunners -from Ypres to Bailleul, and later they began the battle by launching -first an attack between Zillebeke Lake and Meteren. South of Ypres they -crossed the Yser Canal by Lock 8, near Voormezeele, which was their -direction of attack against the British, while they tried to drive up -past Locre against the French on the three hills. - -The successful defense has made the day most bloody for many German -regiments. - - -Enemy's Attacks Futile - -In order to turn them if frontal attacks failed against the French, -German storm troops--they are now called grosskampf, or great offensive -troops--were to break the British lines on the French left between Locre -and Voormezeele and on the French right near Merris and Meteren. That -obviously was the intention of the German High Command this morning, -judging from their direction of assault. - -So far they have failed utterly. They failed to break or bend the -British wings on the French centre, and they failed to capture the -hills, or any one of them, defended by the French divisions. - -They have attacked again and again since this morning's dawn, heavy -forces of German infantry being sent forward after their first waves -against Scherpenberg and Voormezeele, which lies to the east of -Dickebusch Lake, but these men have been slaughtered by the French and -British fire and made no important progress at any point. - -For a time the situation seemed critical at one or two points, and it -was reported that the Germans had been storming the slopes of Mont Rouge -and Mont Noir, but one of the British airmen flew over these hills at -200 feet above their crests, and could see no German infantry near them. - -Round about Voormezeele, North Country and other English battalions had -to sustain determined and furious efforts of Alpine and Bavarian troops -to drive through them by weight of numbers, after hours of intense -bombardment, but the men held their ground and inflicted severe -punishment upon the enemy. - -All through the day the German losses have been heavy under field-gun -and machine-gun fire, and the British batteries, alongside the French -seventy-fives, swept down the enemy's advancing waves and his masses -assembled in support at short range. - -There is no doubt that the French guarding the three hills have fought -with extreme valor and skill. For a brief period the Germans apparently -were able to draw near and take some of the ground near Locre, but an -immediate counterattack was organized by the French General, and the -line of French troops swung forward and swept the enemy back. Further -attacks by the Germans north of Ypres and on the Belgian front were -repulsed easily, and again the enemy lost many men. - - -French and British Valor - -_On April 30 Mr. Gibbs confirmed the details of the disastrous German -defeats on the two preceding days and gave these further particulars:_ - -It was the valor of Frenchmen as well as Englishmen which yesterday -inflicted defeat upon many German divisions, and the Allies fought side -by side, and their batteries fired from the same fields and their -wounded came back along the same roads, and the khaki and blue lay out -upon the same brown earth. - -I have already given an outline of yesterday's battle, how, after a -colossal bombardment, the German attack early in the morning from north -of Ypres to south of Voormezeele, where English battalions held the -lines, and from La Clytte past the three hills of Scherpenberg, Mont -Rouge, and Mont Noir, which French troops held to the north of Meteren, -where the English joined them; again, how the English Tommies held firm -against desperate assaults until late in the evening; how the enemy made -a great thrust against the French, driving in for a time between -Scherpenberg and Mont Noir until they were flung back by a French -counterattack. - -In the night the French, who had now regained all the ground that had -been temporarily in the enemy's hands, made a general counterattack and -succeeded in advancing their line to a depth of about fifteen hundred -yards beyond the line of the three hills, which thereby was made more -secure against future assaults. - - -Deadly Machine-Gun Work - -Meanwhile throughout the day the English battalions had been sustaining -heavy assaults, breaking the enemy against their front. The Leicesters, -especially, had fierce fighting about Voormezeele, where, as I told -yesterday, the enemy was in the centre of the village. German storm -troops advanced against our men here and along other parts of the line -with fixed bayonets, but in most places, except Voormezeele, where there -was close fighting, they were mowed down by Lewis-gun fire before they -could get near. Line after line of them came on, but lost heavily and -fell back. - -Over the ground east of Dickebusch Lake some Yorkshire troops saw these -groups of field gray men advancing upon them, and the glint of their -bayonets, wet in the morning mist, and swept them with bullets from the -Lewis guns and rifles until heaps of bodies were lying out there on the -mud flats in the old Ypres salient. The most determined assaults were -concentrated upon the 25th Division, but it held firm and would not -budge, though the men had been under fearful fire in the night -bombardment, and their machine gunners kept their triggers pressed, and -bullets played upon the advancing Germans like a stream from a garden -hose. - -The troops in the whole division yielded no yard of ground and they hold -that they killed as many Germans as any battalion in this battle. It was -a black day for Germany. More than ten German divisions, probably -thirteen, seem to have been engaged in this attempt to smash our lines -and encircle the three hills. They included some of the enemy's finest -divisions, so they lost quality as well as quantity in this futile -sacrifice of man-power--man-power which seems to mean nothing in flesh -and blood and heart and soul to men like Ludendorff, but is treated as a -material force like guns and ammunition and used as cannon fodder. - - -Brilliant French Fighters - -_Referring to the French troops in this battle, Mr. Gibbs wrote:_ - -Today again I have been among the thousands of French soldiers. It is -splendid to see them because of their fine bearing. They are men in the -prime of life, not so young as some of the British and with a graver -look than one sees on British faces, when they have not yet reached the -zone of fire. They are men who have seen all that war means during these -years of agony and hope and boredom and death. They have no illusions. -They stare into the face of death unflinchingly and shrug their -shoulders at its worst menace and still have faith in victory. - -So I read them, if any man may read the thoughts that lie behind those -bronzed faces with the dark eyes and upturned mustaches under the blue -painted helmets or the black Tam o' Shanters. - -They are not gay or boisterous in their humor, and they do not sing like -the British as they march, but they seem to have been born to this war, -and its life is their life, and they are professionals. - -The Tricolor passes along the roads of France and Flanders, and French -trumpets ring out across the flat fields below Scherpenberg, and all the -spirit of the French fighting men, who have proved themselves great -soldiers in this war, as for thousands of years of history, is mingled -with our own battalions. Together yesterday they gave the German Army a -hard knock. - - -The British Guards - -_In his cable of May 1 Mr. Gibbs gave details of the extraordinary -heroism of the British Guards. He related incidents which had occurred -April 11 to 14, after the Germans had broken through the Portuguese in -their efforts to widen the gap between Armentières and Merville by -gaining the crossings of the Lys._ - -The Grenadier, Irish, and Coldstream Guards were sent forward along the -Hazebrouck-Estaires road when the situation was at its worst, when the -men of the 15th Division and other units had fought themselves out in -continual rearguard and holding actions, so that some of those still in -the line could hardly walk or stand, and when it was utterly necessary -to keep the Germans in check until a body of Australian troops had time -to arrive. The Guards were asked to hold back the enemy until those -Australians came and to fight at all costs for forty-eight hours against -the German tide of men and guns which was attempting to flow around the -other hard pressed men, and that is what the Guards did, fighting in -separate bodies with the enemy pressing in on both flanks. - -Greatly outnumbered, they beat back attack after attack, and gained -precious hours, vital hours, by the most noble self-sacrifice. A party -of Grenadiers were so closely surrounded that their officer sent back a -message saying: - -"My men are standing back to back and shooting on all sides." - -The Germans swung around them, circling them with machine guns and -rifles and pouring a fire into them until only eighteen men were left. -Those eighteen, standing among their wounded and their dead, did not -surrender. The army wanted forty-eight hours. They fixed bayonets and -went out against the enemy and drove through him. A wounded Corporal of -Grenadiers, who afterward got back to the British lines, lay in a ditch, -and the last he saw of his comrades was when fourteen men of them were -still fighting in a swarm of Germans. - - -Fought Back to Back - -The Coldstream Guards were surrounded in the same way and fought in the -same way. The army had asked for forty-eight hours until the Australians -could come, and many of the Coldstreamers eked out the time with their -lives. The enemy filtered in on their flanks, came crawling around them -with machine guns, sniped them from short range and raked them from -ditches and upheaved earth. - -The Coldstream Guards had to fall back, but they fought back in small -groups, facing all ways and making gaps in the enemy's ranks, not firing -wildly, but using every round of small-arms ammunition to keep a German -back and gain a little more time. - -Forty-eight hours is a long time in a war like this. For two days and -nights the Irish Guards, who had come up to support the Grenadiers and -Coldstreamers, tried to make a defensive flank, but the enemy worked -past their right and attacked them on two sides. The Irish Guards were -gaining time. They knew that was all they could do, just drag out the -hours by buying each minute with their blood. One man fell and then -another; but minutes were gained, and quarters of hours and hours. - -Small parties of them lowered their bayonets and went out among the gray -wolves swarming around them, and killed a number of them until they also -fell. First one party and then another of these Irish Guards made those -bayonet charges against men with machine guns and volleys of rifle fire. -They bought time at a high price, but they did not stint themselves nor -stop their bidding because of its costliness. - -The brigade of Guards here and near Vieux Berquin held out for those -forty-eight hours, and some of them were fighting still when the -Australians arrived, according to the timetable. - - -Carnage Near Locre - -_Mr. Gibbs, in a dispatch dated May 3, gave these vivid descriptions of -the fighting in the Locre-Dranoutre-Kemmel region:_ - -On April 24 the German bombardment was intensified and spread over a -deep area, destroying villages, tearing up roads, and making a black -vomit of the harrowed fields. Dranoutre, Locre, Westoutre, and other -small towns were violently bombarded. That night the French discovered -that the Germans were preparing an attack for the next morning, to be -preceded by a gas bombardment. The officers warned all their men, and -they stood on the alert with gas masks when at 3:30 in the morning -thousands of gas shells fell over them, mixed with high explosives of -all calibres up to the monster twelve-inch, which burst like volcanic -eruptions. - -In the intensity of bombardment several officers who fought at Fleury -said: "This is the most frightful thing we have seen. Verdun was nothing -to it." - -All the French troops jammed on gas masks, and on one day put them on -fifty times, only removing them when the wind, which was fairly strong, -blew away the poison fumes until other storms of shells came. For nearly -a week they wore them constantly, sleeping in them, officers giving -orders in them, and the men fighting and dying in them and charging with -the bayonet in them. It was worth the trouble and suffering, for this -French regiment between Locre and Dranoutre had only twelve gas -casualties. - -That morning the German attack fell first on Kemmel Hill, which they -turned from the north, and two hours later, the bombardment continuing -all along the line, they developed a strong attack against Dranoutre in -the south in order to take Locre and turn the French right. Until -evening the troops on Kemmel Hill, with a small body of British, still -held out with great devotion in isolated positions, but by 8 o'clock -that morning Kemmel Hill was entirely cut off. - - -Other British Units in Danger - -This was a severe menace to their comrades at Locre and southward, -because both their flanks were threatened. They did heroic things to -safeguard their right and left, which again and again the enemy tried to -pass. I have already told in a previous message how a gallant French -officer and a small company of men made a counterattack at Dranoutre and -held the post there against all odds. - -Up by Locre the commandant of the left battalion found machine-gun fire -sweeping his left flank, and his men had to face left to defend their -line. Small parties of Germans with machine guns kept filtering down -from the north and established themselves on the railway in order to -rake the French with an enfilade fire. - -One French company, led by devoted officers, counterattacked there five -times with the bayonet into the sweep of those bullets, and by this -sacrifice saved their flank. Another company advanced to hold the -hospice. There was desperate fighting day after day, so that its ruins, -if any bits of wall are left, will be as historic as the château at -Vermelles, or other famous houses of the battlefields. - -French and Germans took it turn and turn about, and although the enemy -sent great numbers of men to garrison this place they never were able to -hold it long, because always some young French Lieutenant and a handful -of men stormed it again and routed the enemy. When it was taken last on -April 29, the day of the enemy's severe defeat, the French captured 100 -prisoners in the cellars there, and they belonged to fourteen battalions -of four regiments of three divisions, showing the amazing way in which -the enemy's divisions have been flung into confusion by the French fire. - - -Under Constant Shellfire - -On the morning of April 26 French companies made six attacks, and in the -afternoon two more, and though their losses were heavy, that evening -both the village and hospice of Locre stayed in their hands. That night, -their men being exhausted for a time after so many hours under fire, -they withdrew their line a little to the Locre-Bailleul road by the -Château of Locre and west of Dranoutre in order to reorganize a stronger -defense. The German bombardment slackened on the morning of April 28 -owing to fog, and those few hours on that day and one other were the -only respite these French troops had from the incessant and infernal -gunfire when, owing to open warfare, "en rase campagne," as the French -call it, as in 1914, without a complete system of trenches or dugouts or -other artificial cover, they were much exposed. - -"There were ten big shells a second," one of these officers told me, -"and that lasted, with only two short pauses, for six days all through -the battle, and other shells were uncountable." - -The enemy had brought up light artillery and trench mortars almost to -his front lines in Dranoutre Wood and other places and attempted to take -the French in an enfilade fire from Kemmel, but by this time many French -guns were in position, reinforcing the British artillery, and on the -28th they opened up and killed great numbers of the enemy. - -Allied aviators saw long columns of Germans on the roads by Neuve Eglise -and in Dranoutre Wood, and signaled to the guns to range on these human -targets. The guns answered. Masses of Germans were smashed by the fire -and panicstricken groups were seen running out of Dranoutre Wood. - - -Night of Horror for Germans - -That night the Germans seemed to be relieving their troops, and again -the French and British guns flung shells into them, and for the enemy it -was a night of death and horror; but the next day, the 29th, the enemy -made reply by a prolonged bombardment, more intense even than before, -and then attacked with new troops all along the line. But the French -also had many fresh troops in line--not those I met yesterday--who at 2 -o'clock in the morning went forward into attack and took back the -village. This defeated the enemy's plan of turning the French left. - -All through that day the enemy's desperate efforts to break through -were shattered, and that night the French held exactly the same ground -as before and had caused enormous losses to the German divisions, at -least 40 per cent. of their strength, as it is reckoned on close -evidence. - -That night even the German guns stopped their drumfire, as though Sixt -von Arnim's army was in mourning for its dead. It was a night of strange -and uncanny silence after the stupendous tumult, but for those French -regiments who had been holding the line for nearly a week it had been a -day of supreme ordeal. - - -Preparing for Another Advance - -_There were no general engagements during the preceding five days nor up -to May 18, but incessant artillery fire was kept up and raids were -constantly made. On May 5 Mr. Gibbs described the difficulties -encountered by the Germans in preparing for a new advance:_ - -The enemy has many divisions, both up in the Flemish fields and on the -Somme, divisions in line and divisions in reserve--divisions crowded in -reserve--and there are few roads for them down which to march. There is -not much elbow room for such masses to assemble, and not much cover in -trenches or dugouts from high explosives or shrapnel. So we pound them -to death, many of them to death and many of them to stretcher cases, and -relief comes up, gets wildly mixed with the divisions coming down, and -at night there is mad confusion in the ranks of marching men and -transport columns, which gallop past dead horses and splintered wagons -and wrecks of transport columns, and among the regimental and divisional -staffs, trying to keep order in the German way when things are being -smashed into chaos, while the Red Cross convoys are over-loaded with -wounded and unable to cope with all the bodies that lie about. - -This is what is happening behind the German lines--I have not overdrawn -the picture, believe me--and it is upsetting somewhat the plans of the -high German officers who are arranging things from afar through -telephones, down which they shout their orders. - - -"The Drums of Death" - -_In his dispatch of May 9 the following was written to describe the -difficulties of the Germans in reorganizing their battered forces:_ - -From many points the British have complete observation of the enemy's -positions there, as he has of theirs from the other side of the way, -and, needless to say, they are making use of this direct view by -flinging over storms of shells whenever his transport is seen crawling -along the tracks of the old Somme battlefields or his troops are seen -massing among their shell craters. - -The town of Albert itself, where once until recent history the golden -Virgin used to lean downward with her babe outstretched above the ruins, -is now a death trap for the German garrisons there and for any German -gunners who try to hide their batteries among the red brick houses. By -day and night their positions are pounded with high explosives and -soaked in asphyxiating gas. - -I went within 2,000 yards of it yesterday, and saw the heaviest work of -the British upon it. It was a wonderful May day, as today is, and the -sun shone through a golden haze upon the town. As I looked into Albert -and saw the shells smashing through, and then away up the Albert-Bapaume -road, past the white rim of the great mine crater of La Boiselle to the -treeless slopes of Posières, and over all that ground of hills and -ditches to the high, wooded distant right, with its few dead stumps of -trees, it was hard to believe that all this was in the area of the -German Army, that the white, winding lines freshly marked upon this -bleak landscape were new German trenches, and that the enemy's outposts -were less than 2,000 yards from where I stood. - - -Fritz Having a "Thin Time" - -Some siege gunners were lying on their stomachs and observing the -enemy's lines for some monsters I had seen on my way up, monsters that -raised their snouts slowly, like elephants' trunks, before bellowing out -with an earthquake roar, annihilating all one's senses for a second. -Some of the men passed the remark to me that "Albert isn't the town it -was" and that "Fritz must be having a thin time there." They also -expressed the opinion that the Albert-Bapaume road was not a pleasant -walk for Germans on a sunny afternoon. - -I did not dispute these points with them, for they were beyond argument. -Big shells were smashing into Albert and its neighborhood from many -heavy batteries, raising volcanic explosions there, and shrapnel was -bursting over the tracks in white splashes. - -_In describing the artillery fire which broke up a threatened assault on -May 5, Mr. Gibbs wrote:_ - -A new German division, the 52d Reserve, and the 56th German Division -prepared an assault on Ridge Wood. All these men were crowded into -narrow assembly grounds and did not have quiet hours before the moment -of attack. They had hours of carnage in the darkness. British and French -guns were answering back the German bombardment with their heaviest -fire. French howitzers, long-muzzled fellows, which during recent weeks -I had seen crawling through Flanders with the cornflowers, as the French -soldiers call themselves, crowded about them on the gun limbers and -transport wagons and muddy horses, and which had traveled long -kilometers, were now in action from their emplacements between the -ruined villages of the Flemish war zone, and with their little -brothers, the soixante-quinzes, their blood-thirsty little brothers, -were savage in their destruction and harassing fire. - -I have seen the soixante-quinze at work and have heard the rafale des -tambours de la mort--the ruffle of the drums of death--as the sound of -their fire is described by all soldier writers of France. It was that -fire, that slashing and sweeping fire, which helped to break up any big -plan of attack against the French troops yesterday morning, and from -those assembly places a great part of the German infantry never moved -all day, but spent their time, it seems, in carrying back their wounded. - - -Tragic Desolation of Arras - -_Mr. Gibbs on May 11 described a visit to Arras, as follows:_ - -Since the beginning of these great battles in bleak, cold weather Spring -has come, and almost Summer, changing all the aspect of the old -battlefields and of the woods behind craterland and of the cities under -fire. - -I went into one of those cities the other day, Arras, which to me and to -many of us out here is a queerly enchanted place because of its beauty, -which survives even three years of bombardment, and because of the many -great memories which it holds in its old houses and streets and the -sense of romance which lurks in its courtyards and squares, reaching -back to ancient history before its death. For Arras is dead and but the -beautiful corpse of the city that was once very fair and noble. - -During the recent weeks the enemy has flung many big explosive shells -into it, so that its ruins have become more ruined and many houses -hardly touched before have now been destroyed. It was sad to see this -change, the fresh mangling of stones that had already been scarred, the -heaps of masonry that lay piled about these streets that were utterly -deserted. I walked down many of them and saw no living soul, only a few -lean cats which prowled about, slinking close to the walls and crouching -when a German shell came over with a rending noise. - -Bright sunlight shone down these streets, putting a lazy glamour upon -their broken frontages and flinging back shadows from high walls, except -where shell holes let in the light. The cathedral and the great Palace -of the Bishops were unroofed, with tall pillars broken off below the -vaulting and an avalanche of white masonry about them. They were -clear-cut and dazzling under the blue sky, and one was hushed by the -tragic grandeur of these ruins. - -One of the British airplanes flew low over the city, and its engine sang -loudly with a vibrant humming, and now and again the crash of a gun or a -shell loosened some stones or plaster below its wings. Other birds were -singing. Spring birds, who are not out for war but sweethearting in the -gardens of Arras. - - - - -America's Sacrifice - -By Harold Begbie - -[By arrangement with The London Chronicle.] - - -One of the finest moral actions in this war has been done by America. It -is action on a gigantic scale, and yet of a directly personal character. -Insufficient publicity, I think, has been given to this action. - -Is it realized by the people of this country that America has already -saved us from capitulating to the enemy? Either we should have been -forced into this surrender (with our armies unbroken and our munitions -of war unexhausted) or we should at this moment be struggling to live -and work and fight on one-third of our present rations. - -America is sending to these islands almost two-thirds of our food -supplies. Sixty-five per cent. of the essential foodstuffs eaten by the -British citizen comes to him from the American Continent. This in itself -is something which calls for our lively gratitude. But there is a -quality in the action of America which should intensify our gratitude. -For these American supplies, essential to our health and safety, -represent in very large measure the personal and voluntary -self-sacrifice of the individual American citizen. They are not crumbs -from the table of Dives. They are not the commandeered supplies of an -autocratic Government. They represent, rather, the kindly, difficult, -and entirely willing self-sacrifice of a whole nation, the vast majority -of whom are working people. - -There is only one altar for this act of sacrifice--it is the table of -the American working classes. And the rite is performed by men, women, -and children, at every meal of the day, day after day, week after week. - -This act of self-sacrifice, let us remember, is made in the midst of -plenty. Well might the American housewife ask why she should deprive her -children of food, why she should institute wheatless and meatless days, -when all about her there is a visible superabundance of these things. -Questions such as this are natural enough on the other side of the -Atlantic, and on the other side of the American continent, 5,000 miles -away from the battlefields of France. - -But the citizens of America do not ask such questions. With a -cheerfulness and a courage which are as vigorous as their industry, and -with a moral earnestness which is by far the greatest demonstration -America has yet given to the world of American character, these people -so far away from us on the other side of the Atlantic have willingly and -with no coercion by the State denied themselves for the sake of the -Entente. They are going short, they are going hungry, for our sakes. -They are practicing an intimate self-sacrifice in order that we may hold -our own till their sons come to fight at our side. All over America the -individual American citizen is making this self-sacrifice, and making it -without a murmur. He is feeding, by his personal self-sacrifice, not -only these islands, but France, Italy, and many of the neutrals. - -This great demonstration of character has had no other impetus than the -simple declaration of the facts by Herbert Hoover, the man who fed -Belgium. Hoover has told his countrymen how things stand. That is all. -The Winter of 1918, he declared to them, will prove to mankind whether -or not the American Nation "is capable of individual self-sacrifice to -save the world." His propaganda has never descended to unworthy levels. -He has appealed always to the conscience of his countrymen. He has -spoken of "a personal obligation upon every one of us toward some -individual abroad who will suffer privation to the extent of our own -individual negligence." - -America has answered this appeal in a manner which marks her out as one -of the greatest moral forces in the world. It should be known out there, -in the farmhouses and cottages of the American Continent, that the -people of this country are mindful of America's self-sacrifice, and are -grateful. - -GENERAL STAFF OFFICERS WITH PERSHING - -[Illustration: - - Brig. Gen. Benjamin Alvord, - _Adjutant_ - (© _Harris & Ewing_)] - -[Illustration: - - Brig. Gen. Andre W. Brewster, - _Inspector_ - (© _Harris & Ewing_)] - -[Illustration: - - Brig. Gen. Edgar Russell, - _Signal Officer_ - (_Underwood from Buck_)] - -[Illustration: - - Brig. Gen. Harry L. Rogers, - _Quartermaster_ - (© _Harris & Ewing_)] - - -PROMINENT IN WAR ACTIVITIES - -[Illustration: - - Brig. Gen. B. D. Foulois, - _Aviation Officer on Pershing's Staff_ - _(Press Illustrating Service)_] - -[Illustration: - - Dr. F. P. Keppel, - _Recently appointed Assistant Secretary - of War_ - _(© Harris & Ewing)_] - -[Illustration: - - W. C. Potter, - _Chief of Equipment Division of - Signal Corps_ - _(© Harris & Ewing)_] - -[Illustration: - - Brig. Gen. C. B. Wheeler, - Ordnance Officer on Pershing's Staff - _(© Harris & Ewing)_] - - - - -American Soldiers in Battle - -How They Repelled an Attack at Seicheprey and Fought in Picardy - -[MONTH ENDED MAY 20, 1918] - - -Seicheprey, in the Toul sector, was the scene on April 20, 1918, of the -most determined attack launched against the American forces in France up -to that time. A German regiment, reinforced by storm troops, a total of -1,500, was hurled against the American positions on a one-mile front -west of Remières Forest, northwest of Toul, after a severe bombardment -of gas and high explosive shells. The Germans succeeded in penetrating -the front-line trenches and taking the village of Seicheprey, but after -furious hand-to-hand fighting the American troops recaptured the village -and most of the ground lost in the early fighting. - -Next morning, after a brief bombardment, the Americans attacked and -drove the enemy out of the old outposts, which they had gained, and thus -broke down an offensive which, it was believed, was intended as the -beginning of a German plan to separate the Americans and the French. The -French lines also were attacked, but the Germans were repulsed and the -lines re-established. - -The losses were the heaviest sustained by Americans since they began -active warfare in France. In a dispatch to the War Department General -Pershing indicated that the losses among his men were between 200 and -300. According to the German official statement 183 Americans were taken -prisoner, so that the American casualties apparently came mostly under -the heading of captured. Official reports of the German losses, -according to a prisoner captured later, gave 600 killed, wounded, and -missing. - - -IN THE PICARDY BATTLE - -"Franco-American positions south of the Somme and on the Avre" were -officially mentioned for the first time in the French War Office report -of April 24, indicating that forces of the United States were there on -the battlefront resisting the great German offensive. The report stated -that an intense bombardment of the positions all along this front was -followed by an attack directed against Hangard-en-Santerre, the region -of Hailles, and Senecat Wood. The Germans were repulsed almost -everywhere. - -Formal announcement that American troops sent to reinforce the allied -armies had taken part in the fighting was made by the War Department in -its weekly review of the situation issued on April 29. "Our own forces," -the statement read, "have taken part in the battle. American units are -in the area east of Amiens. During the engagements which have raged in -this area they have acquitted themselves well." - - -UNDER INTENSE FIRE - -Another heavy attack was launched by the Germans against the Americans -in the vicinity of Villers-Bretonneux on April 30. It was repulsed with -heavy losses for the enemy. The German bombardment opened at 5 o'clock -in the afternoon and was directed especially against the Americans, who -were supported on the north and south by the French. The fire was -intense, and at the end of two hours the German commander sent forward -three battalions of infantry. There was hand-to-hand fighting all along -the line, as a result of which the enemy was thrust back, his dead and -wounded lying on the ground in all directions. The French troops were -full of praise for the manner in which the Americans conducted -themselves under trying circumstances, especially in view of the fact -that they are fighting at one of the most difficult points on the -battlefront. The American losses were rather severe. - -The gallantry of the 300 American engineers who were caught in the -opening of the German offensive on March 21 was the subject of a -dispatch from General Pershing made public by the War Department on -April 19. The engineers were among the forces hastily gathered by Major -Gen. Sanderson Carey, the British commander, who stopped the gap in the -line when General Gough's army was driven back. [See diagram on Page -389.] During the period of thirteen days covered by General Pershing's -report, the engineers were almost continuously in action. They were in -the very thick of the hardest days of the great German drive in Picardy. - -General Pershing embodied in his report a communication from General -Rawlinson, commander of the British 5th Army, in which the latter -declared that "it has been largely due to your assistance that the enemy -is checked." The report covered the fighting period from March 21 to -April 3. The former date marked the beginning of the Ludendorff -offensive along the whole front from La Fère to Croisilles. It showed -that while under shellfire the American engineers destroyed material -dumps at Chaulnes, that they fell back with the British forces to -Moreuil, where the commands laid out trench work, and were then assigned -to a sector of the defensive line at Demuin, and to a position near -Warfusee-Abancourt. - -During the period of thirteen days covered by the report the American -engineers had two officers killed and three wounded, while twenty men -were killed, fifty-two wounded, and forty-five reported missing. - - -STORY OF CAREY EPISODE - -A correspondent of The Associated Press at the front gave this account -of the part played by Americans in the historic episode under General -Carey: - - A disastrous-looking gap appeared In the 5th Army south of Hamel in - the later stages of the opening battle. The Germans had crossed the - Somme at Hamel and had a clear path for a sweep southwestward. - - No troops were available to throw into the opening. A certain - Brigadier General was commissioned by Major Gen. Gough, commander - of the 5th Army, to gather up every man he could find and to "hold - the gap at any cost." The General called upon the American and - Canadian engineers, cooks, chauffeurs, road workmen, anybody he - could find; gave them guns, pistols, any available weapon, and - rushed them into the gap in trucks, on horseback, or on mule-drawn - limbers. - - A large number of machine guns from a machine-gun school near by - were confiscated. Only a few men, however, knew how to operate the - weapons, and they had to be worked by amateurs with one "instructor" - for every ten or twelve guns. The Americans did especially well in - handling this arm. - - For two days the detachment held the mile and a half gap. At the end - of the second day the commander, having gone forty-eight hours - without sleep, collapsed. The situation of the detachment looked - desperate. - - While all were wondering what would happen next, a dusty automobile - came bounding along the road from the north. It contained Brig. Gen. - Carey, who had been home on leave and who was trying to find his - headquarters. - - The General was commandeered by the detachment and he was found to - be just the commander needed. He is an old South African soldier of - the daredevil type. He is famous among his men for the scrapes and - escapades of his school-boy life as well as for his daring exploits - in South Africa. - - Carey took the detachment in hand and led it in a series of attacks - and counterattacks which left no time for sleeping and little for - eating. He gave neither his men nor the enemy a rest, attacking - first on the north, then in the centre, then on the south--harassing - the enemy unceasingly with the idea of convincing the Germans that a - large force opposed them. - - Whenever the Germans tried to feel him out with an attack at one - point, Carey parried with a thrust somewhere else, even if it took - his last available man, and threw the Germans on the defensive. - - The spirit of Carey's troops was wonderful. The work they did was - almost super-natural. It would have been impossible with any body of - men not physical giants, but the Americans and Canadians gloried in - it. They crammed every hour of the day full of fighting. It was a - constantly changing battle, kaleidoscopic, free-for-all, - catch-as-catch-can. The Germans gained ground. Carey and his men - were back at them, hungry for more punishment. At the end of the - sixth day, dog-tired and battle-worn, but still full of fight, the - detachment was relieved by a fresh battalion which had come up from - the rear. - - -STAFF CHANGES - -Major Gen. James W. McAndrew, it was announced on May 3, was appointed -Chief of Staff of the American expeditionary force in succession to -Brig. Gen. James G. Harbord, who was assigned to a command in the field. -Other changes on General Pershing's staff included the appointment of -Lieut. Col. Robert C. Davis as Adjutant General, and Colonel Merritte W. -Ireland as Surgeon General. - -The General Staff of the American expeditionary forces in France, as the -result of several changes in personnel, consisted on May 14, 1918, of -the following: - - Commander: General John J. Pershing - Aid de Camp: Colonel James L. Collins - Aid de Camp: Colonel Carl Boyd - Aid de Camp: Colonel M. C. Shallenberger - Chief of Staff: Major Gen. J. W. McAndrew - Adjutant: Lieut. Col. Robert C. Davis - Inspector: Brig. Gen. Andre W. Brewster - Judge Advocate: Brig. Gen. Walter A. Bethel - Quartermaster: Brig. Gen. Harry L. Rogers - Surgeon: Colonel Merritte W. Ireland - Engineer: Brig. Gen. Harry Taylor - Ordnance Officer: Brig. Gen. C. B. Wheeler - Signal Officer: Brig. Gen. Edgar Russell - Aviation Officer: Brig. Gen. B. D. Foulois - -President Wilson on May 4 pardoned two soldiers of the American -expeditionary force who had been condemned to death by a military -court-martial in France for sleeping on sentry duty and commuted to -nominal prison terms the death sentences imposed on two others for -disobeying orders. - - -HEALTH OF THE SOLDIERS - -Major Hugh H. Young, director of the work of dealing with communicable -blood diseases in our army in France, made this striking statement on -May 12 regarding the freedom of the American expeditionary force from -such diseases: - - In making plans for this department of medical work in France it - had been calculated by the medical authorities in Washington to - have ten 1,000-bed hospitals, in which a million men could receive - treatment, but with 500,000 Americans in France there is not one of - the five allotted Americans in any of the hospitals now running, - and only 500 cases of this type of disease needing hospital - treatment, instead of the expected 5,000. - - In other words, instead of having 1 per cent. of our soldiers in - hospitals from social diseases, as had been expected, the actual - number is only one-tenth of 1 per cent. There is no reason to doubt - that this record will be maintained. The hospitals prepared for - this special treatment are to be used for other cases. - -This means that the American Army is the cleanest in the world. The -results, according to Major Young, have been achieved by preventive -steps taken by the American medical directors, coupled with the -co-operation of the men. - - - - -Overseas Forces More Than Half a Million - -Preparing for an Army of 3,000,000 - - -The overseas fighting forces of the United States have been increasing -at a much more rapid rate than the public was aware of. Early in May the -number of our men in France was in excess of 500,000. A great increase -in the ultimate size of the army was further indicated when the War -Department asked the House Military Affairs Committee for a new -appropriation of $15,000,000,000. - -Mr. Baker, Secretary of War, appeared before the committee on April 23 -and, after describing the results of his inspection of the army in -France, said that the size of the army that the United States would send -abroad was entirely dependent upon the shipping situation. Troops were -already moving to France at an accelerated rate. - -President Wilson, through Mr. Baker, presented the House Military -Affairs Committee on May 2 with proposals for increasing the army. The -President asked that all limits be removed on the number of men to be -drafted for service. Mr. Baker said that he declined to discuss the -numbers of the proposed army "for the double reason that any number -implies a limit, and the only possible limit is our ability to equip and -transport men, which is constantly on the increase." - -The Administration's plans were submitted in detail on May 3, when the -committee began the preparation of the army appropriation bill carrying -$15,000,000,000 to finance the army during the fiscal year ending June -30, 1919. Mr. Baker again refused to go into the question of figures, -but it became known at the Capitol that the estimates he submitted were -based on a force of not fewer than 3,000,000 men and 160,000 officers in -the field by July 1, 1919. The plan contemplated having 130,000 officers -and 2,168,000 men, or a total of 2,298,000, in the field and in camps by -July 1, 1918, and approximately an additional million in the field -before June 30, 1919. - -Mr. Baker said that all the army camps and cantonments were to be -materially enlarged, to take care of the training of the men to be -raised in the next twelve months. The General Staff had this question -under careful consideration, and the idea was to increase the size of -existing training camps rather than to establish new camps. These camps, -it was estimated, already had facilities for training close to a million -men at one time. - -The Secretary of War also made it clear that the total of -$15,000,000,000 involved in the estimates as revised for the new army -bill did not cover the whole cost of the army for the next fiscal year. -The $15,000,000,000, he explained, was in addition to the large sums -that would be carried in the Fortifications Appropriation bill, which -covers the cost of heavy ordnance both in the United States and -overseas. Nor did it include the Military Academy bill. It was -emphasized that, although estimates were submitted on the basis of an -army of a certain size, Congress was being asked for blanket authority -for the President to raise all the men needed, and the approximate -figures of $15,000,000,000 could be increased by deficiency -appropriations. - -It was brought out in the committee that the transportation service had -improved and that the War Department was able to send more men to France -each month. It was estimated that if transport facilities continued to -improve, close to 1,500,000 fighting men would be on the western front -by Dec. 31, 1918. The United States had now in camp and in the field, -it was explained to the committee, the following enlisted men and -officers: - - Enlisted men 1,765,000 - Officers 120,000 - - Total 1,885,000 - -Provost Marshal General Crowder announced on May 8 that 1,227,000 -Americans had been called to the colors under the Selective Draft act, -thereby indicating approximately the strength of the national army. -Additional calls during May for men to be in camp by June 2 affected -something like 366,600 registrants under the draft law. These men were -largely intended to fill up the camps at home, replacing the seasoned -personnel from the divisions previously training there. With the -increase of the number of divisions in France, the flow of replacement -troops was increasing proportionately. - -In regard to the number of men in France, Mr. Baker on May 8 made the -following important announcement: - - In January I told the Senate committee that there was strong - likelihood that early in the present year 500,000 American troops - would be dispatched to France. I cannot either now or perhaps later - discuss the number of American troops in France, but I am glad to be - able to say that the forecast I made in January has been surpassed. - -This was the first official utterance indicating even indirectly the -number of men sent abroad. The first force to go was never described -except as a division, although as a matter of fact it was constituted -into two divisions soon after its arrival in France. - -An Associated Press dispatch dated May 17 announced that troops of the -new American Army had arrived within the zone of the British forces in -Northern France and were completing their training in the area occupied -by the armies which were blocking the path of the Germans to the Channel -ports. The British officers who were training the Americans stated that -the men from overseas were of the finest material. The newcomers were -warmly greeted by the British troops and were reported to be full of -enthusiasm. - - - - -American Troops in Central France - -By Laurence Jerrold - -_This friendly British view of our soldiers in France is from the pen of -a noted war correspondent of The London Morning Post_ - - -I have recently visited the miniature America now installed in France, -and installed in the most French part of Central France. There is -nothing more French than these ancient towns with historic castles, -moats, dungeons, and torture chambers, these old villages, where farms -are sometimes still battlemented like small castles, and this -countryside where living is easy and pleasant. On to this heart of -France has descended a whole people from across the ocean, a people that -hails from New England and California, from Virginia and Illinois. The -American Army has taken over this heart of France, and is teaching it to -"go some". Townsfolk and villagers enjoy being taught. The arrival of -the American Army is a revelation to them. - -I was surprised at first to find how fresh a novelty an allied army was -in this part of France. Then I remembered that these little towns and -villages have in the last few months for the first time seen allies of -France. The ports where the American troops land have seen many other -allies; they saw, indeed, in August, 1914, some of the first British -troops land, whose reception remains in the recollection of the -inhabitants as a scene of such fervor and loving enthusiasm as had never -been known before and probably will not be known again. In fact, to put -it brutally, French ports are blasé. But this Central France for the -first time welcomes allied troops. It is true they had seen some -Russians, but the least said of them now the better. Some of the -Russians are still there, hewing wood for three francs a day per head, -and behaving quite peaceably. - -These old towns and villages look upon the American Army in their midst -as the greatest miracle they have ever known, and a greater one than -they ever could have dreamed of. One motors through scores of little -towns and villages where the American soldier, in his khaki, his soft -hat, (which I am told is soon to be abolished,) and his white gaiters, -swarms. The villagers put up bunting, calico signs, flags, and have -stocks of American "canned goods" to show in their shop windows. The -children, when bold, play with the American soldiers, and the children -that are more shy just venture to go up and touch an American soldier's -leg. Very old peasant ladies put on their Sunday black and go out -walking and in some mysterious way talking with American soldiers. The -village Mayor turns out and makes a speech utterly incomprehensible to -the American soldier, whenever a fresh contingent of the latter arrives. -The 1919 class, just called up, plays bugles and shouts "Good morning" -when an American car comes by. - -Vice versa, this Central France is perhaps even more of a miracle to the -American troops than the American troops are to it. To watch the -American trooper from Arkansas or Chicago being shown over a castle -which is not only older than the United States, but was in its prime -under Louis XII., and dates back to a Roman fortress now beneath it, is -a wonderful sight. Here the American soldier shows himself a charming -child. There is nothing of the "Innocents Abroad" about him. I heard -scarcely anything (except about telephones and railways) of any American -brag of modernism in this ancient part of France. On the contrary, the -soldier is learning with open eyes, and trying to learn with open ears, -all these wonders of the past among which he has been suddenly put. The -officer, too, even the educated officer, is beautifully astonished at -all this past, which he had read about, but which, quite possibly, he -didn't really believe to exist. The American officers who speak -French--and there are some of them, coming chiefly from the Southern -States--are, of course, heroes in every town, and sought after in cafés -at recreation hours by every French officer and man. Those who do not -know French are learning it, and I remember a picturesque sight, that of -a very elderly, prim French governess in black, teaching French to -American subalterns in a Y.M.C.A. canteen. - -A great French preacher the other day, in his sermon in a Paris church, -said that this coming to France of millions of English troops and future -millions of American troops may mean eventually one of the greatest -changes in Continental Europe the world has ever known. His words never -seemed to me so full of meaning as they did when I was among the -Americans in the heart of France. There, of course, the contrast is -infinitely greater than it can be in the France which our own troops are -occupying and defending. These young, fresh, hustling, keen Americans, -building up numerous works of all kinds to prepare for defending France, -have brought with them Chinese labor and negro labor; and Chinese and -negroes and German and Austrian prisoners all work in these American -camps under American officers' orders. Imagine what an experience, what -a miracle, indeed, this spectacle seems to the country-folk of this old -French soil, who have always lived very quietly, who never wanted to go -anywhere else, and who knew, indeed, that France had allies fighting and -working for her, but had never seen any of them until these Americans -came across three thousand miles of ocean. - -Something of a miracle, also, is what our new allies are accomplishing. -They are doing everything on a huge scale. I saw aviation camps, -training camps, aviation schools, vast tracts where barracks were being -put up, railways built, telegraphs and telephones installed by Chinese -labor, negro labor, German prisoners' labor, under the direction of -American skilled workmen, who are in France by the thousand. There are -Y.M.C.A. canteens, Red Cross canteens, clubs for officers and for men, -theatres and cinemas for the army, and a prodigious amount of food--all -come from America. The hams alone I saw strung up in one canteen would -astonish the boches. American canned goods, meat, fruit, condensed milk, -meal, &c., have arrived in France in stupendous quantities. No body of -American troops land in France until what is required for their -sustenance several weeks ahead is already stored in France. Only the -smallest necessaries are bought on the spot, and troops passing through -England on their way to France are strictly forbidden, both officers and -men, to buy any article of food whatsoever in England. As for the -quality, the American has nothing to complain of, so far as I could see. -All pastry, cakes, sweets are henceforth prohibited throughout civilian -France, but the American troops rightly have all these things in plenty. -I saw marvelous cakes and tarts, which would create a run on any Paris -or London teashop, and the lady who manages one American Red Cross -canteen (by the way, she is an Englishwoman, and is looked up to by the -American military authorities as one of the best organizers they have -met) explained to me wonderful recipes they have for making jam with -honey and preserved fruit. The bread, of course, they make themselves, -and, as is right, it is pure white flour bread, such as no civilian -knows nowadays. - -One motors through scores of villages and more, and every little old -French spot swarms with American Tommies billeted in cottages and -farmhouses. Many of them marched straight to their billets from their -landing port, and the experience is as wonderful for them, just spirited -over from the wilds of America, as it is for the villagers who welcome -these almost fabulous allies. But it is the engineering, building, and -machinery works the Americans are putting up which are the most -astonishing. Gangs of workers have come over in thousands. Many of these -young chaps are college men, Harvard or Princeton graduates. They dig -and toil as efficiently as any laborer, and perhaps with more zeal. One -American Major told me with glee how a party of these young workers -arrived straight from America at 3:30 P. M., and started digging at 5 -A. M. next morning. "And they liked it; it tickled them to death." Many -of these drafts, in fact, were sick and tired of inaction in ports -before their departure from America, and they welcomed work in France as -if it were some great game. - -Perhaps the biggest work of all the Americans are doing is a certain -aviation camp and school. In a few months it has neared completion, and -when it is finished it will, I believe, be the biggest of its kind in -the world. There pilots are trained, and trained in numbers which I may -not say, but which are comforting. The number of airplanes they use -merely for training, which also I must not state, is in itself -remarkable. "Training pilots is the one essential thing," I was told by -the C.O. These flying men--or boys--who have, of course, already been -broken in in America, do an additional course in France, and when they -leave the aviation camp I saw they are absolutely ready for air fighting -at the front. This is the finishing school. The aviators go through -eight distinct courses in this school. They are perfected in flying, in -observation, in bombing, in machine-gun firing. On even a cloudy and -windy day the air overhead buzzes with these young American fliers, all -getting into the pink of condition to do their stunts at the front. They -seemed to me as keen as our own flying men, and as well disciplined. -They live in the camp, and it requires moving heaven and earth for one -of them to get leave to go even to the nearest little quiet old town. - -The impression is the same of the American bases in France as of the -American front in France. I found there and here one distinctive -characteristic, the total absence of bluff. I was never once told that -we were going to be shown how to win the war. I was never once told that -America is going to win the war. I never heard that American men and -machines are better than ours, but I did hear almost apologies from -American soldiers because they had not come into the war sooner. They -are, I believe, spending now more money than we are--indeed, the pay of -their officers is about double that of ours. I said something about the -cost. "Yes, but you see we must make up for lost time," was all the -American General said. And he told me about the splendid training work -that is being done now in the States by British and French officers who -have gone out there knowing what war is, and who teach American officers -and men from first-hand experience. This particular General hoped that -by this means in a very short time American troops arriving in France -may be sent much more quickly to the front than is now the case. - -An impression of complete, businesslike determination is what one gets -when visiting the Americans in France. A discipline even stricter than -that which applies in British and French troops is enforced. In towns, -officers, for instance, are not allowed out after 9 P. M. Some towns -where subalterns discovered the wine of the country have instantly been -put "out of bounds." No officer, on any pretext whatsoever, is allowed -to go to Paris, except on official business. From the camps they are not -even allowed to go to the neighboring towns. They have, to put it quite -frankly, a reputation of wild Americanism to live down, and they -sometimes surprise the French by their seriousness. It is a striking -sight to see American officers and men flocking into tiny little French -Protestant churches on Sundays in this Catholic heart of France. The -congregation is a handful of old French Huguenots, and the ancient, -rigid French pasteur never in his life preached to so many, and -certainly never to soldiers from so far. They come from so far, and from -such various parts, these Americans, and for France, as well as for -themselves, it is a wonderful experience. I was told that the postal -censors who read the letters of the American expeditionary force are -required to know forty-seven languages. Of these languages the two least -used are Chinese and German. - - - - -American Shipbuilders Break All Records - -Charles M. Schwab Speeds the Work - -[MONTH ENDED MAY 15, 1918] - - -All shipbuilding records have been broken by American builders in the -last month. On May 14 it was announced that the first million tons of -ships had been completed and delivered to the United States Government -under the direction of the Shipping Board. The actual figures on May 11 -showed the number of ships to be 159, aggregating 1,108,621 tons. More -than half of this tonnage was delivered since Jan. 1, 1918. Most of -these ships were requisitioned on the ways or in contract form when the -United States entered the war. This result had been anticipated in the -monthly records, which showed a steady increase in the tonnage launched: - - Number of - Ships Aggregate - Month. Launched. Tonnage. - - January 11 91,541 - February 16 123,100 - March 21 166,700 - -The rapidity with which ships are being produced was shown by the -breaking of the world's record on April 20 and in turn the breaking of -this record on May 5. On the former date the 8,800-ton steel steamship -West Lianga was launched at Seattle, Wash., fifty-five working days from -the date the keel was laid. This was then the world's record. But on May -5 at Camden, N. J., the steel freight steamship Tuckahoe, of 5,548 tons, -was launched twenty-seven days after the keel was laid. - -Ten days after this extraordinary achievement the Tuckahoe was finished -and furnished and ready for sea--another record feat. - -Charles M. Schwab, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bethlehem -Steel Corporation, was on April 16, 1918, appointed Director General of -the Emergency Fleet Corporation to speed up the Government's -shipbuilding program. He was invested with practically unlimited powers -over all construction work in shipyards producing vessels for the -Emergency Fleet Corporation. Charles Piez in consequence ceased to be -General Manager of the Corporation, remaining, however, as Vice -President to supervise administrative details of construction and -placing contracts. - -Mr. Schwab, who was the fifth man to be put in charge of the -shipbuilding program, was not desirous of accepting the position when -first approached because he considered his work in producing steel of -first importance in the carrying out of the nation's war program. But -after a conference with President Wilson, Edward N. Hurley, Chairman of -the Shipping Board; Bainbridge Colby, another member of the board, and -Charles Piez, he decided to accept the new position. - -Almost the first thing Mr. Schwab did was to move his headquarters to -Philadelphia as the centre of the steel-shipbuilding region, taking with -him all the division chiefs of the Fleet Corporation directly connected -with construction work and about 2,000 employes. The Shipping Board and -Mr. Piez retained their offices in Washington with 1,500 subordinates -and employes. As a further step toward decentralization it was arranged -to move the operating department, including agencies such as the -Interallied Ship Control Committee, headed by P. A. S. Franklin, to New -York City. - -The original "cost-plus" contract under which the Submarine Boat -Corporation of Newark was to build 160 ships of 5,000 tons for the -Government was canceled by Mr. Schwab as an experiment to determine -whether shipyards operating under lump-sum contracts and accepting all -responsibility for providing materials could make greater speed in -construction than those operating with Government money, such as the Hog -Island yards. The result was to increase the cost of each of the 160 -ships from $787,500 to $960,000. - -A request for an appropriation of $2,223,835,000 for the 1919 program -was presented by Mr. Hurley and Mr. Schwab to the House Appropriations -Committee on May 8. - -Of this total $1,386,100,000 was for construction of ships and -$652,000,000 for the purchasing and requisitioning of plants and -material in connection with the building program. - - - - -Third Liberty Loan Oversubscribed - -Approximately 17,000,000 Buyers - - -When the Third Liberty Loan, raised to finance America's war needs, -closed on May 4, 1918, the subscriptions were well over $4,000,000,000, -a billion in excess of the amount called for. The total was announced on -May 17 as $4,170,019,650. Secretary McAdoo stated that he would allot -bonds in full on all subscriptions. - -The loan was regarded as the most successful ever floated by any nation, -not so much because of the volume of sales, but because of the wide -distribution of the loan. Approximately 17,000,000 individuals -subscribed, that is, about one person in every six in the United States. -The number of buyers in the Third Loan exceeded those in the Second by -7,000,000 and those in the First by 12,500,000. - -The campaign throughout the country was conducted with all the -thoroughness of a great political struggle, with the difference that -there were no contending parties and all forces were marshaled to make -the loan a success. Nor was the campaign merely a display of efficient -organization and vigorous propaganda. It had many features of dramatic -and picturesque interest, not only in the large cities, but in almost -every smaller centre of the nation. A noonday rally of 50,000 men and -women in Wall Street, New York, on the closing day, was typical. An -eyewitness described it thus: - - The Police Department Band appeared and the band of the 15th Coast - Artillery from Fort Hamilton. Taking advantage of the occasion, - James Montgomery Flagg now appeared in his studio van on the - southern fringe of the Broad Street crowd. A girl with him played - something on the cornet. It was a good deal like a show on the - Midway at a Western county fair. But this was no faker--one of the - most famous artists in America, throwing in a signed sketch of - whoever bought Liberty bonds. Those near him began pushing and - crowding to take advantage of the offer. - - And now, suddenly, a tremendous racket up the street toward - Broadway. Who comes? - - Cheer on cheer, now. It is the "Anzacs." Twelve long, rangy fellows, - officers all, six or seven of them with the little brass "A" on the - shoulder, which signifies service at Gallipoli and in Flanders. They - are members of the contingent of 500 which arrived here yesterday on - its way to the battlefields of France. They run lightly up the - Sub-Treasury steps and take their stand in a group beside the - soldier band. - - And now they all come--all the actors in the drama of the day. - Governor Whitman, bareheaded, solemn-faced; Rabbi Stephen Wise, with - his rugged face and his shock of blue-black hair; Mme. - Schumann-Heink, panting a little with excitement; Auguste Bouilliz, - baritone of the Royal Opera of Brussels, who later is to thrill them - all with his singing of the "Marseillaise"; Cecil Arden, in a - shining helmet and draped in the Union Jack, come to sing "God Save - the King," while the sunburned Australian officers stand like - statues at salute; Oscar Straus, and then-- - - "Yee-ee-ee-eee." - - Oh, how they cheered! For the "Blue Devils" of France had poured out - of the door of the Sub-Treasury and, with the fitful sun shining - once more and gleaming on their bayonets, were running down the - steps in two lines, past the "Anzacs," past the soldier band, to - draw up in ranks at the bottom. - - Lieutenant de Moal speaks. What does he say? Who knows? But he is - widely cheered, just the same, as he gives way to Governor Whitman. - - "There are gatherings like this, though not so large, all over our - land today," cries the Governor. "In every town and city we - Americans are gathered together at this moment to demonstrate that - we are behind our army, behind our navy, behind our President." - - The cheers that acclaimed his mention of the President drowned his - voice for several moments. - - "Here are the Australians," he cries, pointing to the "Anzac" - officers. "They have brought us a message, but we are going to give - them a message, too." - - As the Governor stepped back to cheers that rocked the street, - Lieutenant de Moal barked a sharp order, and the "Blue Devils" - shouldered their guns with fixed bayonets, the six trumpeters - ta-ra-ta-raed, and the soldiers of France moved off up the sidewalk - lane to the side door of the Stock Exchange, where all business was - suspended during the fifteen minutes of their visit on the floor. - - Four of the "Anzacs" meanwhile were taken from their ranks on the - steps of the building up to the pedestal of the statue of - Washington, which was used as speaker's platform, and Captain Frank - McCallam made a brief address. - - "We haven't many men left," he said simply. "And it is up to you - people to help us out to the best of your ability." - - More cheers, and then Cecil Arden sang "God Save the King." The - American regular fired a blank volley over the heads of the crowd, - and the kids scrambled for the empty shells. - - Following Wise and Straus, Bouilliz, the Belgian baritone, sang the - "Marseillaise," and then, after the soldier band had played "Where - Do We Go from Here, Boys?" Mme. Schumann-Heink advanced and sang the - national anthem, following it up with an appeal that was the climax - to the play. - -Less exciting but more impressive was the parade on April 26, when -thousands of mothers who had sent their sons to the front marched in a -column of 35,000 men and women in the Liberty Day parade in New York -City. This day had been proclaimed as such by President Wilson for "the -people of the United States to assemble in their respective communities -and liberally pledge anew their financial support to sustain the -nation's cause, and to hold patriotic demonstrations in every city, -town, and hamlet throughout the land." - -The challenge of the mothers was inscribed on one of the banners they -carried: "We give our sons--they give their lives--what do you give?" - -Remarkable as was the appearance of these mothers with the little -service flags over their shoulders, many of them so old that they -marched with difficulty, the spectators who flanked the line of march -along Fifth Avenue from Washington Square to Fifty-ninth Street found it -even more thrilling to note that so very many of them, whether they were -mothers or young wives, or just young girls proud of the brothers that -had gone forth to service--so very many of them carried service flags -with three and four and five and even six stars, and occasionally a -glint of the sun would even carry the eye to a gold star, which meant, -whenever it appeared, a veil of mourning for a wooden cross somewhere in -France. - -Among the minor but ingenious forms of publicity was the Liberty Loan -ball which was rolled from Buffalo to New York, a distance of 470 miles, -and which ended its journey of three weeks on May 4 at the City Hall. -The ball was a large steel shell covered with canvas. - -Every community that reached or exceeded its quota to the loan was -entitled to raise a flag of honor specially designed for the purpose. At -least 32,000 communities gained the honor and raised the flag. - -To strengthen the financial basis of the nation's war industries and use -monetary resources to the best advantage the War Finance Corporation -bill was passed by Congress and approved by President Wilson on April 5, -1918. The two main purposes of the act are to provide credits for -industries and enterprises necessary or contributory to the prosecution -of the war and to supervise new issues of capital. The act creates the -War Finance Corporation, consisting of the Secretary and four additional -persons, with $500,000,000 capital stock, all subscribed by the United -States. Banks and trust companies financing war industries or -enterprises may receive advances from the corporation. - - - - -Former War Loans of the United States - -A Historical Retrospect - -_The United States Government asked for $2,000,000,000 on the First -Liberty Loan in the Spring of 1917, and $3,034,000,000 was subscribed by -over 4,000,000 subscribers. For the Second Loan, near the end of 1917, -$3,000,000,000 was sought, and $4,617,532,300 was subscribed by -9,420,000 subscribers._ - -_The Guaranty Trust Company of New York in a recent brochure reviewed -the history of the various war loans of the United States, beginning -with the Revolutionary loans, as follows:_ - - -When the patriots at Lexington "fired the shot heard 'round the world," -the thirteen Colonies found themselves suddenly in the midst of war, but -with practically no funds in their Treasuries. The Continental Congress -was without power to raise money by taxation, and had to depend upon -credit bills and requisitions drawn against the several Colonies. France -was the first foreign country to come to the aid of struggling America, -the King of France himself advancing us our first loan. All told, -France's loan was $6,352,500; Holland loaned us $1,304,000; and Spain -assisted us with $174,017. Our loan from France was repaid between 1791 -and 1795 to the Revolutionary Government of France; the Holland loan -during the same period in five annual installments, and the Spanish loan -in 1792-3. - -Our first domestic war loan of £6,000 was made in 1775, and the loan was -taken at par. A year and a half later found Congress laboring under -unusual difficulties. Boston and New York were held by the enemy, the -patriot forces were retreating, and the people were as little inclined -to submit to domestic taxation as they had formerly been to "taxation -without representation." To raise funds even a lottery was attempted. In -October, 1776, Congress authorized a second loan for $5,000,000. It was -not a pronounced success, only $3,787,000 being raised in twelve months. -In 1778 fourteen issues of paper money were authorized as the only way -to meet the expenses of the army. By the end of the year 1779 Congress -had issued $200,000,000 in paper money, while a like amount had been -issued by the several States. In 1781, as a result of this financing and -of the general situation, Continental bills of credit had fallen 99 per -cent. - -Then came Robert Morris, that genius of finance, who found ways to raise -the money which assured the triumph of the American cause. By straining -his personal credit, which was higher than that of the Government, he -borrowed upon his own individual security on every hand. On one occasion -he borrowed from the commander of the French fleet, securing the latter -with his personal obligation. If Morris and other patriotic citizens had -not rendered such assistance to the Government, some of the most -important campaigns of the Revolutionary War would have been impossible. -Following came the Bank of Pennsylvania, which issued its notes--in -effect, loans--to provide rations and equipment for Washington's army at -Valley Forge. These notes were secured by bills of exchange drawn -against our envoys abroad, but it was never seriously intended that they -should be presented for payment. The bank was a tremendous success in -securing the money necessary to carry out its patriotic purposes, and -was practically the first bank of issue in this country. - -With the actual establishment of the United States and the adoption of -the Constitution, Alexander Hamilton came forward with a funding scheme -by which the various debts owed to foreign countries, to private -creditors, and to the several States were combined. In 1791, on a specie -basis, our total debt was $75,000,000. The paper dollar was practically -valueless and the people were forced to give the Government adequate -powers to raise money and to impose taxes. Between that date and 1812 -thirteen tariff bills were passed to raise money to meet public -expenditures and pay off the national debt. - - -THE WAR OF 1812. - -For some time previous to the actual outbreak of the War of 1812 -hostilities had been predicted. In a measure, this enabled Congress to -prepare for it. And although the war did not begin until June of 1812, -as early as March of that year a loan of $11,000,000, bearing 6 per -cent. at par, to be paid off within 12 years from the beginning of 1813, -was authorized. Of this, however, only $2,150,000 was issued, and all -was redeemed by 1817. The next year a loan of $16,000,000 was authorized -and subscribed. This was followed, in August, by a loan of $7,500,000 -which sold at 88-1/4 per cent. - -At the end of the war the total loans negotiated by the Government -aggregated $88,000,000. The nation's public debt, as a result of this -war, was increased to $127,334,933 in 1816. By 1835, either by -redemptions or maturity, it was all paid. - - -MEXICAN WAR LOANS - -The Mexican War net debt incurred by the United States was approximately -$49,000,000 and was financed by loans in the form of Treasury notes and -Government stock. The Treasury notes, under the act of 1846, totaled -$7,687,800 and the stock $4,999,149. The latter paid 6 per cent. -interest. By act of 1847 Treasury notes to the amount of $26,122,100 -were issued, bearing interest in the discretion of the Secretary of the -Treasury, reimbursable one and two years after date, and convertible -into United States stock at 6 per cent. They were redeemable after Dec. -31, 1867. Economic developments following this war led to a period of -extraordinary industrial prosperity which lasted for several years. A -change in the fiscal policy of the Government, with overexpansion of -industry, however, resulted in a panic in 1857 and a Treasury deficit in -1858. The debt contracted in consequence of the Mexican War was redeemed -in full by 1874. - -The situation had not improved to any great extent when Lincoln took -office on March 4, 1861, and by mid-November of that year a panic was -in full swing. The outbreak of the civil war found the Treasury empty -and the financial machinery of the Government seriously disorganized. -Public credit was low, the public mind was disturbed, and raising money -was difficult. In 1862 the Legal Tender act was passed, authorizing an -issue of $150,000,000 of legal-tender notes, and an issue of bonds in -the amount of $500,000,000 was authorized. - -This proved to be a most popular loan. The bonds were subject to -redemption after five years and were payable in twenty years. They bore -interest at 6 per cent., payable semi-annually, and were issued in -denominations of $50, $100, $500, and $1,000. Through one agent, Jay -Cooke, a genius at distribution, who employed 2,850 sub-agents and -advertised extensively, this loan was placed directly with the people at -par in currency. Altogether the aggregate of this loan was $514,771,600. -Later in that year Congress authorized a second issue of Treasury notes -in the amount of $150,000,000 at par, with interest at 6 per cent.; in -January, 1863, a third issue of $100,000,000 was authorized, which was -increased in March to $150,000,000, at 5 per cent. interest. These -issues were referred to as the "one and two year issues of 1863." - - -DEFICIT IN 1862 - -In December, 1862, Congress had to face a deficit of $277,000,000 and -unpaid requisitions amounting to $47,000,000. By the close of 1863 -nearly $400,000,000 had been raised by bond sales. A further loan act, -passed March 3, 1864, provided for an issue of $200,000,000 of 5 per -cent. bonds known as "ten-fortys," but of this total only $73,337,000 -was disposed of. Subsequently, on June 30, 1864, a great public loan of -$200,000,000 was authorized. This was an issue of Treasury notes, -payable at any time not exceeding three years, and bearing interest at -7-3/10 per cent. Notes amounting to $828,800,000 were sold. The -aggregate of Government loans during the civil war footed up a total of -$2,600,700,000; and on Sept. 1, 1865, the public debt closely -approached $3,000,000,000, less than one-half of which was funded. - -Civil war loans, with one exception, which sold at 89-3/10, were all -placed at par in currency, subject to commissions ranging from an eighth -to one per cent. to distributing bankers. The average interest nominally -paid by the Government on its bonds during the war was slightly under 6 -per cent. Owing to payment being made in currency, however, the rate -was, in reality, much higher. With the conclusion of the war, the -reduction of the public debt was undertaken, and it has continued with -but two interruptions to date. - -Heavy tax receipts for several years after the close of the war -potentially enabled the Government to reduce its debt. Indeed, from 1866 -to 1891, each year's ordinary receipts exceeded disbursements, and -enabled the Government to lighten its financial burdens. In 1866 the -decrease in the net debt was $120,395,408; in 1867, $127,884,952; in -1868, $27,297,798; in 1869, $48,081,540; in 1870, $101,601,917; in 1871, -$84,175,888; in 1872, $97,213,538, and in 1873, $44,318,470. - -Through refunding operations--in addition to bonds and short-time -obligations redeemed with surplus revenues--the Government paid off, up -to 1879, $535,000,000 bonds bearing interest at from 5 to 6 per cent. In -this year the credit of the Government was on a 4 per cent. basis, and a -year later on a 3-1/4 per cent. basis, against a maximum basis of 15-1/2 -per cent. in 1864. - -Between 1881 and 1887 the Governzment paid off, either with surplus -revenues or by conversion, $618,000,000 of interest-bearing debt. In -1891 all bonds then redeemable were retired, and on July 1, 1893, the -public debt amounted to less than one-third of the maximum outstanding -in 1865. In 1900 the Government converted $445,900,000 bonds out of an -aggregate of $839,000,000 convertible under the refunding act passed by -Congress in that year. And further conversions in 1903, 1905, and 1907 -brought the grand total up to $647,250,150--a result which earned for -the Government a net annual saving in interest account of $16,551,037. - - -SPANISH WAR LOANS - -The United States is a debt-paying nation. Hence, America's credit, -despite occasional fluctuations, has steadily risen, and our national -debt has sold on a lower income basis than that of any other nation in -the world. - -Following the sinking of the Maine in Havana Harbor, in 1898, Congress -authorized an issue of $200,000,000 3 per cent. ten-twenty-year bonds. -Of this aggregate $198,792,660 were sold by the Government at par. So -popular was this loan, it was oversubscribed seven times. During the -year 1898, following the allotment to the public, this issue sold at a -premium, the price going to 107-3/4, and, during the next year, to -110-3/4. After the war ended, the Government, in accordance with its -unvarying custom, began to pay off this debt; but, despite the Secretary -of the Treasury's offer to buy these bonds, he succeeded in purchasing -only about $20,000,000 of them. - -[Illustration] - - - - -American Labor Mission in Europe - -War Aims of Organized Workers Conveyed to English and French Labor -Unions - - -An American Labor Mission visited England and France in April, 1918, to -present the views of American workingmen regarding the war. The -delegation numbered eighteen, headed by James Wilson, President of the -Patternmakers' League of North America. In his first address at London, -April 28, before the British and Foreign Press Association, Mr. Wilson -said: - - We recognize as a fundamental truth that there can be no democracy - with the triumph of the Imperial German Government. The principle of - democracy or the principle of Prussian military autocracy will - prevail as a result of the world war. There can be no middle course - nor compromise. The contest must be carried on to its finality. - - The Central Powers have staked everything on the result of this - struggle. Their defeat means the destruction of a machine which has - been built with remarkable efficiency and embodies the very life of - the German race. - - On the other hand, every free man instinctively appreciates that if - we are to maintain the standard of civilization as worked out by the - free men of the world, and if posterity is to be guaranteed - political and industrial freedom, the war must be won by the allied - countries. Peace now would be the fulfillment of the Prussian dream, - for they have within their grasp the very heart of Continental - Europe and resources which would make sure further conquest upon the - other nations of the world. - - The American labor movement, in whose behalf my colleagues and - myself have been authorized to speak, declare most emphatically that - they will not agree to a peace conference with the enemies of - civilization, irrespective of what cloak they wear, until Prussian - militarism has withdrawn within its own boundaries, and then not - until the Germans have, through proper representatives, proved to - our satisfaction that they recognize the right of peoples and - civilized nations to determine for themselves what shall be their - standard. - - Unless reconstruction shall soon come from the German workers within - that country, it is now plain that the opportunity to uproot the - agencies of force will only come when democracy has defeated - autocracy in the military field and wins the right to reconstruct - the relations between nations and men. - - German freedom is ultimately the problem of the German people, but - the defeat of Prussian autocracy in the field will bring the - opportunity for German liberty at home. - - -BRITISH SEAMEN'S ATTITUDE - -J. Havelock Wilson, President of the British Seamen's Union, conferred -with the American Mission at London, April 30, and informed it of the -decision of his union to transport no pacifists to any peace conference. -He made the following statement: - - On Sept. 21, 1917, we formed what we called a Merchant Seamen's - League, and declared that if German terrorism on the sea continued - we would enforce a boycott against Germany for two years after the - war, and that for every new crime from that time on we would add one - month to the length of the boycott. The length of the boycott now - stands at five years seven months. We have reliable information that - this action is making a very profound impression on German - manufacturers and shippers. - - The British seamen got their first intimation of German treachery - when the international transport strike was first proposed by German - delegates ostensibly to pledge support. But the British learned - later that the German delegates had in their pockets as they talked - contracts signed with employers. - - After that we watched the German Social Democrats in the Socialists' - international. But we never could get the Germans to face the issue. - Always they had excuses and evasions. We never had confidence in - them. When war came we felt it our duty to take care of the men on - our ships who could no longer sail, and also to set a good example. - - Here were Germans on our ships who had been in England so long that - they had forgotten their language. On Aug. 20, 1914--you see we - acted quickly--we bought an estate of thirty-nine acres and built - the model internment camp of Great Britain. We asked the Government - to give us charge of all interned German sailors, and, let it be - known to the credit of Great Britain, that was done. The Government - allowed us all 10s. per week per man for upkeep. The camp became a - great success. There were 1,000 German sailors interned in it. - - Until May, 1915, all went well. On May 1 the interned men celebrated - May Day, their international revolutionary holiday. They had their - banners, "Workers of the World, Unite," "World Brotherhood," and so - on. We had planned a great fête to be held later and I had secured - the consent of several well-known persons to attend and help make it - a success. On May 7 the Lusitania was sunk. I called the Germans in - camp together and told them the terrible thing that had happened. I - told them they were not to blame, but that the celebration could not - be held. And they made no protest to me. - - Now here were 1,000 Germans not under control of the Kaiser. Some of - them had been among us twenty or thirty years. As soon as I had got - out of the place they sang and cheered and rejoiced over the - Lusitania disaster. They kept this up for four hours. They made me - conclude that the camp must be handed over to the military as soon - as possible, and this was done. Six months after that came the - U-boat campaign, and, what made that worse, the fact that the - U-boats always turned their guns on open boats. - - I have got hundreds of cases of boys whose arms and legs have been - blown off by U-boat guns while trying to get away from sinking ships - in open boats. I wrote the Secretary of the International Transport - Workers' Union protesting against these crimes. His reply attempted - to justify every crime. That showed us that not only was the Kaiser - responsible, but that the organized trade union movement of Germany - was also responsible. - - On June 1, 1917, a Socialist congress was convened at Leeds. It was - advertised as the greatest conference ever held. We sent two men - there to tell our story. Our men found that small bodies of only a - handful of members had been delegated, who got the floor easily for - the pacifist cause. Our men could not secure anything like a fair - chance. - - In this conference MacDonald, Fairchild, and Jowett were elected - delegates to Stockholm. We at once resolved that no delegates should - leave this country. And none did. - - That is the history of the seamen's determination to bottle up such - British pacifists as may desire to go abroad spreading their - doctrine. Mingled with it is the grim, sad story of 12,000 members - of the Seamen's Union who have lost their lives on merchant ships - through Germany's criminal conduct on the seas. - - And while there is here and there one in England who resembles a - leader of labor who is a pacifist, the determination of the British - seamen to go through with the war to the finish is scarcely more - than a reflection of the rank-and-file spirit that is to be found - throughout the whole of British labor. - - -NO PARLEYS WITH ENEMY LABOR - -The American delegates met the representatives of labor in London and in -Paris. In England they found the sentiment almost unanimous in approval -of their decision to favor no conferences with German labor -representatives until a victory had been achieved. In France, however, -they encountered a group that favored contact with the German and -Austrian Socialists. On May 6 there was a conference in Paris between -the American labor delegates and the members of the Confederation -Générale de Travail, the great French revolutionary labor organization. -M. Jouhaux, General Secretary of the confederation, made the proposed -international conference practically the sole note of his speech. -France, he asserted, had no hatred for the German workers themselves, -and he pointed out that if the conference took place it could have only -one of two results. Either the workers in the enemy countries would -refuse to join in the efforts of the workers of the allied countries for -the liberation of the world's peoples, in which case the war must -continue, or they would accept the allied view of what was right and -would act with the allied peoples for the good of humanity. - -The American reply was in these definite words: - -"We don't hate the German workers any more than you do, but to give them -our hand now would be looked upon by them only as a sign of weakness." - -After reminding the congress of the hypocritical professions of the -German Socialist Party before the war, the delegation declared itself in -entire agreement with Samuel Gompers that American labor men would -refuse to meet the German delegates under any circumstances so long as -Germany was ruled by an Imperialistic Government. This declaration left -Albert Thomas, former Cabinet officer and leader of the group, -practically without a word to say. M. Thomas urged the same arguments -as Jouhaux, but all the satisfaction the French labor men got was a -promise from James Wilson, President of the American delegation, to -report the matter to the American workers when he returned home. - -Chairman Wilson reaffirmed at a luncheon given at the Foreign Office May -10 that American labor would not discuss the war with representatives of -German labor until victory was won, because German labor, which was -permitting the war, must do something itself in its own country toward -ending the conflict justly before it could debate with labor -representatives of the allied countries on what ought to be. - -The luncheon was given by Stephen Pichon, Foreign Minister, on behalf of -the French Government. With the exception of Premier Clemenceau, all the -members of the Cabinet were present as well as other men notable in -French public life. Ambassador Sharp was also in attendance. - -The mission visited the fighting front and returned to London May 11 to -hold mass meetings at English industrial centres. The members were -received by the King and dined by the London Chamber of Commerce May -15. - - - - -Progress of the War - -Recording Campaigns on All Fronts and Collateral Events From April 18, -1918, Up to and Including May 17, 1918 - - -UNITED STATES - -The campaign for the Third Liberty Loan of $3,000,000,000 ended on May -4. The total subscription was $4,170,019,650, as announced by the -Treasury Department on May 17. - -On April 20 President Wilson issued a proclamation extending to women -enemy aliens the restrictions imposed on men. - -The Overman bill, giving the President power to consolidate and -co-ordinate executive bureaus and agencies as a war emergency measure, -was passed by the Senate on April 28 and by the House on May 14. - -The War Trade Board announced on May 3 that a general commercial -agreement with Norway had been signed. On May 12 it announced that in -order to conserve materials and labor and to add tonnage to the fleet -carrying men and munitions to Europe, arrangements had been made to have -Great Britain, France, Italy, and Belgium pass upon the advisability of -releasing proposed exports before granting licenses to shippers. On May -14 an agreement was reached between the United States and the allied -nations providing that all imports to the United States should be -forbidden unless sanctioned by the War Trade Board. - -A conference report on the Sedition bill, giving the Government broad -new powers to punish disloyal acts and utterances, was adopted by the -Senate on May 4, and by the House of Representatives on May 7, and sent -to the President for his signature. - -As a result of charges of graft, inefficiency, and pro-German tendencies -directed against the military aircraft administration by Gutzon Borglum, -President Wilson, on May 15, asked Charles Evans Hughes to aid Attorney -General Gregory in making a thorough investigation. Mr. Hughes accepted -the invitation. The President also wrote a letter to Senator Martin -denouncing the Chamberlain resolution for an investigation of the -conduct of the war by the Committee on Military Affairs of the Senate, -and on the same day the Senate Committee on Audit and Expenses, to which -the resolution had been referred, ordered a favorable report on it, -modifying it so as to provide for a limited inquiry. - - -SUBMARINE BLOCKADE - -The American steamship Lake Moor was reported sunk on April 11. - -Forty-four Americans were killed when the Old Dominion liner Tyler was -sunk off the French coast on May 2. - -The British liner Oronsa was sunk on April 28. All on board except three -members of the crew were saved. The British sloop Cowslip was torpedoed -on April 25. Five officers and one man were missing. - -The British Admiralty announced on April 24 the cessation of the weekly -return of shipping losses and the substitution of a monthly report. - -In a statement made in the Chamber of Deputies on May 11, Georges -Leygues, the French Minister of Marine, declared that the total of -allied tonnage sunk by German submarines in five months was 1,648,622, -less than half the amount alleged by Germany to have been destroyed. He -announced that the number of submarines sunk by the Allies was greater -than Germany's output. - -[Illustration: BARON STEPHAN BURIAN - -Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister in succession to Czernin] - -LEADERS IN THE IRISH CONTROVERSY - -[Illustration: John Dillon, M. P., - -_Leader of the Nationalist Party_ - -(_Press Illustrating Service_)] - -[Illustration: Joseph Devlin, - -_Nationalist M. P. for West Belfast_ - -(_Press Illustrating Service_)] - -[Illustration: Sir Edward Carson, M. P., - -_Leader of the Ulster Unionists_ - -(_Central News_)] - -[Illustration: Sir Horace Plunkett, - -_Chairman of the Irish Convention_ - -(_Bain News Service_)] - - -Twelve German submarines were officially reported captured or sunk in -British waters by American or British destroyers during the month of -April, and two others were known to have been destroyed. - -Ten passengers were killed when the French steamship Atlantique was -torpedoed in the Mediterranean early in May. The ship managed to reach -port. - - -CAMPAIGN IN WESTERN EUROPE - -April 18--French advance on both banks of the Avre River between Thanne -and Mailly-Raineval; Germans deliver terrific assaults upon the British -front from Givenchy to the neighborhood of St. Venant. - -April 19--Italian troops reach France; British beat off assaults on Mont -Kemmel and recover ground west of Robecq; bombardment of Paris resumed. - -April 20--Germans hurl force against American and French troops at -Seicheprey and get a grip on the town, but are driven out; Belgians give -ground temporarily near the Passchendaele Canal, but regain it; British -re-establish their positions in Givenchy-Festubert region. - -April 21--British drive Germans from some of their advanced positions -near Robecq; Americans retake Seicheprey outposts. - -April 23--British gain ground east of Robecq and in the neighborhood of -Meteren. - -April 24--Germans take Villers-Bretonneux, but are repulsed at other -places south of the Somme; Franco-American positions at Hangard shelled. - -April 25--British recover Villers-Bretonneux; French and British lose -ground in the Lys salient before terrific German assaults from -Wytschaete to Bailleul, aiming at Mont Kemmel; Germans take Hangard. - -April 26--Germans take Mont Kemmel and the villages of Kemmel and -Dranoutre and push on to St. Eloi; French recover part of Hangard. - -April 27--British and French troops recover some of the ground lost in -the Bailleul-Wytschaete sector; Germans repulsed at Voormezeele after -hard fight. - -April 28--Germans take Voormezeele, but are driven out by counterattack; -Locre changes hands five times. - -April 29--Germans make heavy attacks upon the entire Franco-British -front from Zillebeke Lake to Meteren; British hold their line intact; -French yield some ground around Scherpenberg and Mont Rouge, but later -regain it; Belgians repulse attacks north of Ypres; Americans take over -a sector of the French line at the tip of the Somme salient. - -April 30--French recover ground on the slope of Scherpenberg and -advance their line astride the Dranoutre road; positions of the allied -forces push forward between La Clytte and Kemmel. - -May 1--Americans repulse attacks in the Villers-Bretonneux region; -Béthune region bombarded. - -May 3--French and British improve their positions along the Somme River -southward to below the Avre; French take Hill 82, near Castel, and the -wood near by. - -May 4--Germans repulsed at Locon; French make progress near Locre, and -British advance near Meteren; Americans in the Lorraine sector raid -German positions south of Halloville and penetrate to third line; French -shell disables last of German guns that have been bombarding Paris. - -May 5--Franco-British forces, in operation between Locre and Dranoutre, -advance their positions on a 1,000-yard front to an average depth of 500 -yards; Germans foiled in attempt to occupy former American trenches in -the Bois Brûlé. - -May 6--Germans launch heavy gas attacks against American troops on the -Picardy front. - -May 8--Germans gain a foothold at several points midway between La -Clytte and Voormezeele, but are repulsed at other points along the line; -Australians advance 500 yards near Sailly and 300 yards west of -Morlancourt. - -May 9--British re-establish their lines and drive Germans out of British -trenches between La Clytte and Voormezeele; Germans occupy British -advanced positions at Albert on a front of about 150 yards. - -May 10--British restore their line at Albert; German artillery fire -active in the Vimy and Robecq sectors of the British front, and south of -Dickebusch. - -May 11--Berlin reports heavy losses inflicted on American troops -southwest of Apremont; Germans gain small portion of territory southwest -of Mailly-Raineval, but are driven out by French; French gain ground in -Mareuil Wood. - -May 12--French troops north of Kemmel capture Hill 44 and an adjoining -farm; Germans bombard Albert, Loos, and Ypres sectors, and lines -southeast of Amiens, but are repulsed by the French near -Orvillers-Sorel. - -May 13--Americans blow up enemy ammunition dump and start fires in -Cantigny, with explosions; Germans resume firing north of Kemmel. - -May 14--Hill 44, north of Kemmel, changes hands several times; French -advance in Hangard region; British carry out successful raid near -Robecq. - -May 15--Germans repulsed by the British southwest of Morlancourt and by -the French north of Kemmel. May 16--Heavy gunfire in the Lys and Avre -areas. - -May 17--Official announcement that American troops have taken their -place in the British war zone in Northern France; German gunfire -increases in the Lys and Hailles region. - - -ITALIAN CAMPAIGN. - -May 3--Heavy fighting reported along the entire front between the -Adriatic and the Giudicaria Valley. - -May 5--Increase in artillery fire, notably in the Lagarina and Astico -Valleys. - -May 11--Italians penetrate advanced Austrian positions on Monte Carno. - -May 12--Italians wipe out a Coll dell' Orso garrison. - -May 14--Austrian attempts to renew attacks on Monte Carno and to -approach Italian lines at Dosso Casina and in the Balcino and Ornic -Valleys fail. - -May 16--Italians enter Austrian lines at two points on Monte Asolone; -British make successful raid at Canove. - - -CAMPAIGN IN ASIA MINOR. - -April 21--Armenians retake Van. - -April 27--British in Mesopotamia advance north of Bagdad and Kifra. - -April 28--British cavalry forces a passage of the Aqsu at a point -southwest of Tuzhurmatl. - -April 29--British take Tuzhurmatl. - -April 30--British advance as far as the Tauk River, and occupy Mezreh. - -May 1--Es-Salt taken by the British. - -May 7--British enter Kerkuk. - -May 12--Arabs of Hedjaz raid Jadi Jerdun station and a post on the -Hedjaz Railway, taking many prisoners and destroying tracks and bridges. - - -AERIAL RECORD. - -Trent, Trieste, and Pola were raided by Italian scouts on May 10. - -Carlshutte, Germany, was bombed by the British May 3. Saarbrucken was -bombed on May 16, and five German machines were brought down. - -British aviators raided the aviation grounds at Campo Maggiore on May 4 -and brought down fourteen Austrian planes. - -German airmen attacked Dutch fishing vessels in the North Sea May 5. - -Ostend, Westende, and Zeebrugge were attacked by British seaplanes on -May 6. - -Many notable air battles occurred on the western front in connection -with the fighting in Picardy and Flanders. In one day, May 15, -fifty-five German airplanes were brought down by British and French -aviators, and on May 16 forty-six German machines were brought down by -the British. - - -NAVAL RECORD. - -Early in the morning of April 23 British naval forces, in co-operation -with French destroyers, carried out a raid against Zeebrugge and -Ostend, with the object of bottling up German submarine bases. Five -obsolete British cruisers, which had been filled with concrete, were run -aground, blown up, and abandoned by their crews, and two old submarines -were loaded with explosives for the destruction of the Zeebrugge mole. A -German destroyer was sunk and other ships were shelled. Twenty yards of -the Zeebrugge mole were blown up, and the harbor was blocked completely. -On May 10 the obsolete cruiser Vindictive was sunk at the entrance to -Ostend Harbor, practically completing the work. - -An Austrian dreadnought of the Viribus Unitis type was torpedoed by -Italian naval forces in Pola Harbor on the morning of May 14. - - -RUSSIA. - -On April 20, Japan ordered reinforcements sent to Vladivostok, as the -Bolsheviki had directed the removal of munitions westward. On the same -day diplomatic representatives of the allied powers were formally -informed by the Siberian Provincial Duma of the formation--by -representatives of the Zemstvos and other public organizations--of the -Government of Autonomous Siberia. - -The Bolshevist Foreign Minister, George Tchitcherin, on April 26, -addressed representatives in Moscow of the United States, England, and -France, requesting the speedy recall of their Consuls from Vladivostok -and the investigation of their alleged participation in negotiations -said to have been conducted between their Peking embassies and the -Siberian Autonomous Government. He also asked them to explain their -attitude toward the Soviet Government and the alleged attempts of their -representatives to interfere with the internal life of Russia. Japan was -asked to explain the participation of Japanese officials in the -counter-revolutionary movement. An official report of the demand for the -removal of John K. Caldwell, the American Consul at Vladivostok, was -received by the American State Department on May 6, from Ambassador -Francis. The State Department announced that Mr. Caldwell had done -nothing wrong and that he would not be removed. On the same day a report -was received that the Russian authorities at Irkutsk had arrested the -Japanese Vice Consul and the President of the Japanese Association on -the charge of being military spies. - -At a meeting of several thousand peasants of the Ukraine, held on April -29, a resolution was passed calling for the overthrow of the Government, -the closing of the Central Rada, the cancellation of the Constituent -Assembly convoked for May 12, and the abandonment of land socialization. -General Skoropauski was proclaimed Hetman and was recognized by -Germany. - -The German advance into the Ukraine continued, military rule was -established in Kiev, and several members of the Government, including -the Minister of War, were removed on the ground that the Government had -proved too weak to maintain law and order. Vice Chancellor von Payer, -speaking before the Main Committee of the German Reichstag on May 4, -attempted to justify Germany's use of the iron hand by declaring that -grain had been withheld and that prominent Ukrainians, members of the -Committee of Safety, had been caught planning the assassination of -German officers. - -Rostov-on-the-Don was occupied by Germans on May 9, but was recaptured -by the Russians the next day. - -M. Tchitcherin, on May 12, sent a wireless message to Ambassador Joffe, -at Berlin, instructing him to try to obtain from Berlin cessation of -every kind of hostility, and declared that captures of Russian territory -violated the terms of the treaty of peace. He also gave assurances that -the Black Sea Fleet would not attack the port of Novorossysk, which the -Germans threatened to capture. In an evasive reply the Commander in -Chief of the German troops in the East said he could only agree to the -cessation of naval operations against the Black Sea Fleet, provided that -all ships returned to Sebastopol and were retained there, thus leaving -the port of Novorossysk free for navigation. - -A Swedish report of May 14 told of a German ultimatum to the Bolshevist -Government demanding the occupation of Moscow and other Russian cities, -the abolishment of armaments, and the effecting of certain financial -measures which would practically make Russia a German colony. - -Professor H. C. Emery, the American who was seized when the Germans -landed in the Aland Islands, was freed from prison, but was still -detained in Germany, according to a report received on May 5. - -The British Foreign Minister, A. J. Balfour, announced in Commons on May -5 that Great Britain was ready to grant temporary recognition to the -Esthonian National Council. - -Transcaucasia proclaimed its independence on April 26, and a -conservative Government was formed, headed by M. Chkemkeli. - -Ciscaucasia proclaimed itself an independent State on May 14. - -The Caucasus proposed peace negotiations with Turkey May 10. - -Russian Bolshevist troops crossed the Caspian Sea in gunboats and -recaptured Baku from the Mussulmans May 17. - -Emperor William issued a proclamation, May 14, recognizing the -independence of Lithuania, allied with the German Empire, and saying -that it was assumed that Lithuania would participate in the war burdens -of Germany. - - -FINLAND. - -Hostilities between the Finnish White Guards and the Germans and the Red -Guards continued. Germany protested to the Bolshevist Foreign Minister -on April 23 against the landing of allied troops at Murmansk, declaring -that such landing was a violation of the Brest-Litovsk treaty. Germany -also denied that Germans had participated in the raid of the Finnish -White Guards upon Kem. - -The White Guards, on April 26, demanded the surrender of a fort on the -Finnish coast ceded to Russia by the Finnish Bolshevist Government, -constituting part of the Kronstadt defenses. The Kronstadt Council of -Workmen's and Soldiers' Delegates refused to comply with the demand, and -organized resistance. - -Viborg was taken by the White Guards on April 30. On May 3, the Germans -in the southwest defeated the Red Guards after a five days' battle near -Lakhti and Tevastus. The Finnish flag was raised on the fortress of -Sveaborg on May 13. On May 15 the White Guards entered Helsingfors, and -on May 17 they seized Boris-Gleb on the Norwegian border from the -Russian troops, thus gaining access to the Arctic Ocean. - - -RUMANIA. - -A peace treaty between Rumania and the Central Powers was signed May 6, -and supplementary legal, economic, and political treaties were later -concluded. - -The Rumanian Parliament was dissolved on May 10 by royal decree and new -elections were ordered. - - -POLAND. - -The Lausanne Gazette announced on May 12 that Poland was handed over to -Germany economically, politically, and militarily, according to a secret -treaty arranged at Brest-Litovsk between a Russian delegation, headed by -Trotzky, and German representatives. At a conference between the -Emperors of Germany and Austria-Hungary, Germany agreed to the solution -of the Polish question desired by Austria, in return for certain -concessions from Austria. - - -MISCELLANEOUS. - -The Guatemalan Assembly, on April 22, declared the country to be in the -same position as the United States in the war, and the following day the -Guatemalan Minister at Washington announced that the declaration was -meant as a declaration of war against Germany and her allies. - -In response to a request from Uruguay for a definition of the relations -between the two countries, Germany replied, according to an -announcement made public May 16, that she did not consider that a state -of war existed. - -Nicaragua declared war on Germany and her allies on May 7. - -Royal assent to the British man-power bill, providing for conscription -in Ireland, was given on April 18. An Order in Council was issued on May -1 postponing the Conscription act. - -Lord Wimborne, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and Henry E. Duke, Chief -Secretary, resigned on April 24. Edward Shortt was appointed Chief -Secretary and Viscount French succeeded Lord Wimborne as Lord -Lieutenant. - -James Ian MacPherson announced in the House of Commons on May 9 that a -German submarine had recently landed an associate of Sir Roger Casement -on the Irish coast, where he was arrested by Government officials, and -that he was now in the Tower of London and would be tried by -court-martial. A dispatch dated May 15 revealed that two Germans -accompanied him, and that all three were imprisoned. - -All the Sinn Fein leaders, including De Valera and the Countess -Markievicz, were arrested in Belfast, Dublin, and other cities, on May -17, as the result of the discovery of treasonable relations with -Germany. Lord Lieutenant French issued a proclamation dealing with the -situation, calling on all loyalists to aid in blocking the German plans -and asking for volunteers to provide Ireland's share of the army. - -Sir Arthur Roberts, financial adviser to the British Air Minister, -resigned on April 24 as a result of a disagreement with Lord Rothermere. -The next day Lord Rothermere resigned. He was succeeded by Sir William -Weir. Baron Rhondda resigned as Food Controller and Lord Northcliffe -resigned as Chairman of London headquarters of the British Mission to -the United States and Director of Propaganda in Enemy Countries. - -Representatives of the allied nations met at Versailles on May 1 and May -2. - -On May 6 Major Gen. Frederick Barton Maurice, formerly Director General -of British Military Operations, addressed a letter to The London Daily -Chronicle challenging the statements made in the House of Commons by -Premier Lloyd George and Andrew Bonar Law with regard to the military -situation and demanding a Parliamentary investigation. On May 7 -ex-Premier Asquith moved for an inquiry in Commons. After a speech by -Lloyd George in Commons in his own defense, May 9, the House, by a vote -of 293 to 106, upheld him and the Government and rejected Mr. Asquith's -motion. - -The Austrian Premier was empowered by Emperor Charles, on May 4, to -adjourn Parliament and to inaugurate measures to render impossible the -resumption of its activities. - -A growing resentment against the domination of Austria-Hungary by -Germany was manifested by Austria's Slavic peoples. A dispatch from -Switzerland dated May 8 told of serious disturbances in the fleet, -caused by seamen of Slavic and Italian stock, which resulted in several -changes in the high command. A new Hungarian Cabinet, headed by Dr. -Wekerle, was formed on May 10. On May 13 Vienna papers published a -declaration by the Czech members of the Austrian House of Lords in which -an independent State was demanded. - -As a result of a conference between Emperor William and Emperor Charles -at German Headquarters on May 10, Austria-Hungary concluded a new -convention with Germany. - -M. Duval, manager of the Bonnet Rouge, and his associates, Leymarie and -Marion, directors of the paper; Goldsky and Landau, journalists, and two -minor men named Joucla and Vercasson, were placed on trial in Paris on -charges of treason and espionage, on April 29. On May 15, Duval was -sentenced to death for treason, and the six other defendants were -sentenced to imprisonment for terms ranging from two to ten years. - -The British Government replied to the note of the Netherlands Government -concerning the taking over of Dutch ships on May 1, and asserted the -full legality of the seizure. - -A London dispatch, dated April 24, announced that Germany had sent an -ultimatum to Holland demanding the right of transit for civilian -supplies and sand and gravel. Holland yielded to these demands on April -28, with the stipulation that the sand and gravel should not be used for -war purposes. On May 5, Foreign Minister Loudon announced in the Dutch -Chamber that Germany had promised to transport no troops or military -supplies and to limit the amount of sand and gravel. - -Persia informed Holland, on May 3, that it regarded as null and void all -treaties imposed upon Persia in recent years, and especially the -Russo-British treaty of 1907 regarding the spheres of influence. - -[Illustration] - - - - -German Losses On All Fronts - -One Estimate Reaches 5,600,000 - - -Karl Bleibtreu, the German military statistician, writing in Das Neue -Europa of April 22, gives the German losses from Aug. 2, 1914, to Jan. -31, 1918, as 4,456,961 men. His figures deal exclusively with those -killed in action or taken prisoner. They are official from Aug. 2, 1914, -till July 31, 1917, and are then estimated to Jan. 31, 1918. His figures -and comment read: - -WESTERN FRONT - - 1914 - - August 172,500 November 93,000 - September 214,500 December 50,200 - October 139,600 - -------- - Total 669,800 - - 1915 - - Jan. and Feb 66,000 August 105,400 - March (?)61 Sept. and Oct 119,450 - April 42,500 November 57,500 - May 112,500 December 57,750 - June and July 152,300 - -------- - Total 713,461 - - 1916 - - January 18,100 July 86,650 - February 17,800 August 148,000 - March 51,300 September 119,800 - April 72,650 October 125,000 - May 64,000 November 87,100 - June 54,850 December 56,000 - -------- - Total 901,250 - - 1917 - - January 48,000 April 59,000 - February 39,000 May, June and - March 39,600 July 134,850 - -------- - Total, (7 months) 320,450 - -These figures give, on the western front, -from Aug. 2, 1914, to July 31, 1917, an aggregate -of 2,604,961 casualties. - -EASTERN FRONT - - 1914 163,900 1916 359,800 - 1915 699,600 1917 261,200 - -This gives a total from Aug. 2, 1914, to July 31, 1917, of 1,484,550, -and for the two fronts combined of 4,089,511. - -From Aug. 1, 1917, to Jan. 31, 1918, Herr Bleibtreu estimates the total -losses on both fronts at 367,450, making in all 4,456,961 men. - -In adding those who died from illness or wounds, the losses resulting -from the colonial and maritime fighting, as well as in the noncombatant -and auxiliary services, not comprised in the preceding enumeration, the -grand total considerably exceeds 5,000,000. - -Estimates of German losses from Jan. 31, 1918, to May 20, 1918, range -from 400,000 to 600,000. If the above figures are correct, the total -German loss in the forty-six months of the war exceeds 5,600,000. The -London Telegraph, in analyzing these figures, said: - - With regard to the figures given by Herr Bleibtreu, it may be - remarked that they are enormously in excess over those compiled in - well-informed quarters from the official casualty lists published by - the German Government, and issued periodically. Down to July 31, - 1918, these lists had contained a grand total of 4,624,256 names, - but did not include naval or Colonial troop losses. Of the above - figure the following are the permanent losses: - - Killed and died of wounds 1,056,975 - Died of sickness 75,988 - Prisoners 335,269 - Missing 267,237 - --------- - Total 1,735,469 - -These statistics are merely the names published down to July 31, 1917, -and are not to be taken as the actual total casualties, as the lists are -always at least several weeks behindhand. But even allowing for this -fact, Bleibtreu's estimate for the killed in action and prisoners alone -is considerably more than double those officially acknowledged by -Berlin, and nearly equal to the total casualties admitted in the -official lists from all causes. Of this remarkable discrepancy there can -be only two possible explanations. Either the German Government has -throughout the war systematically falsified its casualty lists--and -there is good reason to believe that this is the case--or else Bleibtreu -has been put up by the German Staff to publish a set of statistics -intended deliberately to mislead the Allies. - - - - -Great Britain's Finances - -Heavy War Taxes Levied - - -The new British budget for 1918-19 was introduced in the House of -Commons April 23. It included some sweeping changes in taxes and gave -important data of expenses. The estimate for 1918 in round numbers is -$15,000,000,000; the estimated revenue is $4,200,000,000, leaving a -balance to be covered by loans of $10,800,000,000. The actual -expenditures in 1917-18 were $13,481,105,000; the revenue was -$3,536,175,000; the deficit met by loans was $9,944,930,000. - -Under the new budget the tax on incomes is increased from $1.25 in $5 to -$1.50 in $5. Under the new rate the increased tax begins at an income of -$2,500 a year. On an income that is wholly earned--such as a salary--the -tax is as follows: - - Income. Tax. - Income. Tax - $2,000 a year $157 - 2,500 a year 225 - 3,000 a year 375 - 4,000 a year 600 - 5,000 a year 750 - 10,000 a year 2,250 - -Where the income is wholly unearned the tax is as follows: - - TAXES ON UNEARNED INCOME - - Income. Tax - $2,000 a year $210 - 2,500 a year 300 - 3,000 a year 455 - 5,000 a year 947 - 10,000 a year 2,635 - -The super tax in the new law begins at an income of $13,750, and the -total taxes paid on the following incomes, including income tax and -super tax, are as follows: - - TOTAL INCOME AND SUPER TAX - - Income. Tax - $15,000 a year $4,802 - 20,000 a year 6,812 - 25,000 a year 8,937 - 30,000 a year 11,187 - 40,000 a year 15,937 - 50,000 a year 20,937 - 100,000 a year 47,187 - 500,000 a year 255,187 - -The tax on $500,000 incomes is a little over 50 per cent. In the case -of a tax-payer whose total income does not exceed $4,000 an allowance of -$125 is granted in respect of his wife and an allowance of a like amount -in respect of any dependent relatives whom he maintains; also an -allowance of $125 in respect of children under 16 years of age. - - -TAXES ON COMMODITIES - -Checks require a stamp of 4 cents, also promissory notes. The -excess-profit rate remains at 80 per cent. The tax on spirits is raised -to $7.50 a gallon; on beer to $12.50 a barrel; on tobacco to $2.04 a -pound, the effect of which will increase the price 4 cents an ounce, -while the cheapest cigarette, now 6 cents for ten, will be 7 cents for -ten. The tax on matches is increased so that they will be sold at 2 -cents a box instead of 1-1/2 cents. An additional duty of $3 a -hundredweight is levied on sugar, so that sugar heretofore selling at -11-1/2 cents a pound will now have to be sold at 14 cents a pound. - -A tax of 16-2/3 per cent, is levied on the sale of luxuries, including -jewelry, and of articles above a certain price when they become articles -of luxury; also on hotel and restaurant bills. This tax will be -collected by means of stamps. The new postage rate is raised to 3 cents -an ounce; on book packages exceeding one ounce an extra charge of 1 cent -will be levied. Letters to the United States will cost 3 cents instead -of 2 cents. Post-cards in England will be 2 cents instead of 1 cent, and -the parcel rate, under seven pounds, 18 cents, and between seven and -eleven pounds, 25 cents. - - -LUXURIES HEAVILY TAXED - -The tax on luxuries is a new tax in England, and is following the method -adopted in France Dec. 31, 1917. The tax on luxuries in France is levied -at the rate of 10 per cent. on the retail selling price of the scheduled -articles. All payments of less than 20 cents are exempted. The schedule -consists of two lists, one comprising articles taxed irrespective of -price at 10 per cent., and the other, articles taxed when the retail -price exceeds certain specified amounts, as follows: - - _Taxed Irrespective of Price._--Photographic appliances, gold or - platinum jewelry, billiard tables, silk hosiery and underwear, - artistic bronze and iron work, horses and ponies for pleasure - purposes, curiosities and antiques, sporting guns, books, servants' - liveries, gold watches, perfumery, soaps and dentifrices, paintings - and sculpture, pianos, (other than cottage pianos,) tapestry, - truffles, pleasure boats, and yachts. - - _Taxed Above Specified Prices, (approximately shown in U.S. - money.)_--Pet dogs, $8; other pets, $2; smokers' requisites, $2; - bicycles, $50; silver jewelry, $2; picture frames, $2; walking - sticks, $2; chinaware table service, $40; single pieces, 39c to $3; - men's headwear, $4; women's hats, $8; women's footwear, $8; men's - footwear, $10; chocolates, 75c per pound; corsets, $10; men's suits, - $35; women's costumes or mantles, $50; scissors, $2; lace and - embroidery machine made, 35c per yard; handmade, $1.83 per yard; - artificial flowers, $2; furs, $20; gloves, $1.58; furniture, $300 - per suite; mirrors, $4; motor cycles, $400; watches, $10; - handkerchiefs, $3.66 per dozen; umbrellas, $5; feathers, $5; clocks, - $20; photographs, $8 per dozen; cottage pianos, $240; curtains, $20; - carpets, $3.62 per yard; pajamas and dressing gowns, $16; horse - carriages, $200; bird cages, $2. - -Payments for goods bought before Jan. 1, 1918, are exempt from the tax. - - -AMERICA'S ASSISTANCE - -In presenting the budget the Chancellor of the Exchequer stated that the -expenditures in the past year exceeded the estimate by $2,030,000,000. -He referred to America's assistance as follows: - - The extent of the assistance of the United States and our advances - to the Allies last year amounted to $2,525,000,000. In addition to - this the United States have advanced to all the Allies no less a sum - during the year than $4,750,000,000. Of this sum approximately - $2,500,000,000 was advanced to us and $2,250,000,000 to the Allies. - - The House will see, therefore, that, whereas this year we advanced - to the Allies approximately the same amount as last year, - $2,525,000,000 as against $2,700,000,000, the United States advanced - in addition $2,250,000,000; that is to say, the total advances by us - and by the Government of the United States are $4,775,000,000, as - against $2,700,000,000 by us alone last year. - - The House would notice that our advances to the Allies are - approximately the same amount as the advances made to us by the - Government of the United States. This is satisfactory. It means that - it is only necessary for us to lean on the United States to the - extent that the other Allies lean upon us, or that, in other words, - after nearly four years of war we are self-supporting. - - But it is almost absurd that we should be borrowing with one hand - while we are lending with the other. The result is that our accounts - are inflated apparently, and in fact to that extent our credit is - weakened. I have therefore been in communication with Mr. McAdoo, - the Financial Minister of America, and Mr. Crossley, the head of the - United States Financial Mission, and I suggested as regards advances - to the Allies a course which, if adopted, will have the effect of - lessening to a considerable extent our burden, while in no way - increasing the total obligations of the United States. - - -THE TOTAL BRITISH DEBT - -In referring to the total debt the Chancellor of the Exchequer made the -following statement: - - The national debt, on the estimates which I have submitted to the - House, will at the end of the present year, (March 31, 1919,) amount - to $39,900,000,000. Previously, in counting our liabilities, I have - deducted altogether advances to Allies and Dominions. I do not - propose to adopt that course today. We cannot ignore what is - happening in Russia; though, even yet, I do not admit--I do not - believe--that we should regard the debt of Russia as a bad debt, - because, sooner or later, in spite of what is happening now, there - will be an ordered Government in that country. - - By the end of this year the total amount due by the Allies to us - will be $8,110,000,000, and I should hope that we should be able to - deduct Dominion and obligation debts, making a total of - $5,920,000,000. The amount of our national debt at the end of last - year was $29,250,000,000. The amount of our liability on the basis I - have stated is $34,280,000,000, and, taking 5 per cent. on this - amount as the rate of interest, the total comes to $1,900,000,000. - This, added to the normal expenditure, makes a total amount of - $3,400,000,000. - - Now, how is that to be met? Taking the Inland Revenue taxation - alone, it amounts to $2,700,000,000. The Inland Revenue officials - have assured me that they have made a very careful and a very - conservative estimate. Taking this estimate, there remains a - deficit on the full year of $550,000,000. - - To make good this $550,000,000 I shall impose new taxation which, on - the full year, will bring in $570,000,000. The Inland Revenue, in - their estimate of result of existing taxation, take no account - whatever of the excess profits duty, but that duty, as I have - pointed out, is expected to yield $1,500,000,000. - - Assuming--an assumption that may last for half an hour - [laughter]--that the income tax remains at 5s, that should reach - $375,000,000. Of course, that must be supplemented. It depends upon - the state of trade and credit, but I think I am quite safe in saying - that this amount, which they have left out of their reckoning, is - more than sufficient to counter-balance any error made with regard - to existing taxation. - - -GERMANY'S WAR DEBT - -He followed this with a statement contrasting the financial condition of -Great Britain with that of Germany, as follows: - - Up to June, 1916, according to the statement of the German Financial - Minister, the monthly German expenditure was $500,000,000; it is now - admitted to be $937,500,000, which means a daily expenditure of - $31,250,000, which is almost the same as ours. But it does not - include such matters as separation allowances. As to the war debt, - the German votes of credit up to July amounted to $31,000,000,000. - Up to 1916 they imposed no new taxation at all, and in that year - they proposed a war increment levy. Assuming that their estimates - were realized, the total amount of taxation levied by the German - Government was $1,825,000,000, as against our own amount. - - This amount is not enough to pay the interest of the war debt which - Germany has accumulated up to the end of the year. The German - balance sheet, reckoned on the same basis as ours, will, with - interest, sinking fund, pensions, and pre-war expenditures, be a - year hence $3,600,000,000; and with additional permanent imperial - revenue of $600,000,000 they will make their total additional - revenue $925,000,000 per annum, and this amount, added to the - pre-war revenue, makes a total of $1,675,000,000, showing a deficit - at the end of the year of $1,925,000,000. - - If that were our position I should say that bankruptcy was not far - from the British Nation. - - The German taxes have been almost exclusively indirect, imposed on - commodities paid for by the mass of the people and not upon the - wealthier classes, who control the Government and on whom the - Government is afraid to put extra taxation. - - - - -Trade After the War - -Important Report by a Commission of British Experts and Economists - - -Great Britain's policy with reference to future trade is outlined in the -final report of the Committee on Commercial and Industrial Policy After -the War, of which Lord Balfour of Burleigh was Chairman, and which -included in its membership Arthur Balfour, (ex-Master Cutler of -Sheffield,) also the heads of the various Boards of Trade, the textile -trades, with representatives of the shipping and shipbuilding -industries, finance, engineering, metal trades, coal, electrical, iron -and steel associations, national transport workers, and distinguished -economists. - -Shipping policy after the war is not dealt with in the report, but, in -view of the world shortage of tonnage, the committee express the -opinion that, while it may be desirable to impose for a limited period -some restriction on the use of British ports by enemy vessels, any -policy which might tend to check the use of English ports by foreign -shipping generally would be inexpedient. They, however, urge that, in -accordance with the Paris Conference resolutions, the exaction of -reparation in kind from enemy countries should, in the interests of the -reconstruction of industry and the mercantile marine, be carried out as -fully as may be practicable. - -In a general survey of the position of British industry and overseas -trade in 1913, prior to the war, the committee found that the United -Kingdom had taken only a limited share in the more modern branches of -industrial production, and that certain branches had come to be -entirely, or very largely, under German control, and in numerous -branches foreign manufacturers had secured a "strong, or even -predominant, position." They found that British merchants and -manufacturers had also been encountering successful competition in -overseas trade. They believe that the knowledge gained during the war -will be a valuable asset in the development of British industry. - -As to the measures which should be adopted during the transitional -period, the committee reaffirm the main recommendations of their interim -report, namely: - - Transition Period - - (a) The prohibition of the importation of goods from enemy origin - should be continued, subject to license in exceptional cases, for at - least twelve months after the conclusion of the war, and - subsequently for such further period as may be deemed expedient. - - (b) The Paris resolutions relating to the supply of the Allies for - the restoration of their industries can be carried into effect if a - policy of joint control of certain important commodities can be - agreed upon between the British Empire and the Allies. Any measures - should aim at securing to the British Empire and the allied - countries priority for their requirements, and should be applied - only to materials which are mainly derived from those countries and - will be required by them. This policy should be applied as regards - the United Kingdom by legislation empowering the Government to - prohibit the export, except under license, of such articles as may - be deemed expedient, and, as regards the British Empire and the - allied countries, the Government should, without delay, enter into - negotiations with the various Governments concerned, with a view to - the adoption of suitable joint measures in the case of selected - commodities of importance. - - The Government should consider, in consultation with the Allies, the - expediency of establishing after the war a joint organization on the - lines of Commission Internationale de Ravitaillement for dealing - with the orders of the allied Governments for reconstruction - purposes, and with such private orders as they may find it expedient - to centralize. - -It is pointed out that the prolongation of the war and the entry into it -of the United States have increased the importance of a considered -policy directed toward assuring to the British Empire and the Allies -adequate supplies of essential raw materials during the period -immediately following the conclusion of peace, and that the extent to -which the Paris resolutions which bear upon this vital question can be -carried into effect depends upon the co-operation of the Governments -concerned. - - -PROBLEM OF RAW MATERIALS - -The committee reports that it will be necessary to continue for a -considerable period after the war some portion of the control of home -and foreign trade in order to secure adequate supplies of foodstuffs and -raw material. It does not regard it as practical to attempt to make the -empire self-supporting in respect of numerous raw materials. It notes -that the Board of Trade already has set up a committee to investigate -the question of the supply of cotton and it recommends special inquiries -as regards each commodity. "The object to be kept in view should be -that the empire may be capable in an emergency of being independent in -respect of the supply of every essential commodity of any single -foreign country." - -The committee advises against the exclusion of foreign (other than -present enemy) capital from sharing in the development of the empire's -resources, but recommends: - - (a) Complete disclosure, as far as is practicable, of the extent of - foreign holdings in any particular case. - - (b) That mineral and other properties are not secured by foreign - concerns in order to prevent the development of those properties, - and to check competition in supply; and - - (c) That in the case of commodities of great imperial importance, - the local Government concerned should have some measure of control - over the working of the properties. - - These principles, if accepted, should be brought to the notice of - the Governments of other parts of the empire, with a view to the - adoption of a uniform policy. - - -ALIENS IN BUSINESS - -The committee expresses the opinion that it would not be desirable to -impose special restrictions against the participation of aliens in -commercial and industrial occupations. It recommends, however, that -such occupations as pilot and patent agent should be confined to -British-born subjects, and suggests that foreign commercial travelers -operating in the United Kingdom should be registered and hold licenses, -that the registration of title to property should be compulsory, and -that such registration should involve a declaration of the nationality -of the owner. - -The committee deems it unwise to restrain the establishment or the -continuance of agencies or branches of foreign banks or insurance -companies in the United Kingdom, but foreign insurance companies should -be required to make a deposit proportionate to the business done. -Foreign banks should be required to pay the income tax. - -The committee considers it necessary to impose special restrictions on -the subjects of enemy countries, and that this can best be done by means -of stringent permit and police regulations, but it does not believe that -attempts should be made to prevent enemy subjects from establishing -agencies or holding interests in commercial or industrial undertakings. - -A plan for the maintenance and development of industries essential to -national safety, called "Key Industries," is proposed, as follows: - - Synthetic dyes, spelter, tungsten, magnetos, optical and chemical - glass, hosiery needles, thorium nitrate, limit and screw gauges, and - certain drugs. - - -SPECIAL INDUSTRIES BOARD - -The committee recommends the creation of a permanent special industries -board, charged with the duty of watching the course of industrial -development and recommending plans for the promotion and assistance of -the industries enumerated above. With reference to industries generally -the committee thinks that the individualist methods hitherto adopted -should be supplemented by co-operation and co-ordination of effort in -respect of - - 1. The securing of supplies of materials. - - 2. Production, in which we include standardization and scientific - and industrial research; and - - 3. Marketing. - -The report recommends the formation of combinations of manufacturers, -strong, well organized associations and combinations, to secure supplies -of materials, especially the control of mineral deposits in foreign -countries. In order to facilitate increased production it recommends: - - That an authority should be set up which should have the right, - after inquiry, to grant compulsory powers for the acquisition of - land for industrial purposes and the diversion or abolition of roads - or footpaths. - - That there should be a judicial body with compulsory powers to deal - with the question of wayleaves required for the development of - mineral royalties and the economical working of collieries and - mines. - -The committee believes in the formation of organizations for marketing -the manufactured products of the country and deems it inexpedient for -the Government to enter into any policy aiming at positive control of -combinations (trusts) in the United Kingdom. It recommends that -combinations be legalized, so as to be enforceable between members. It -welcomes the establishment of the British Trade Corporation to -co-ordinate and supplement existing financial facilities for trading -purposes. As a general rule the members think it would be undesirable -that the State should attempt to provide capital for industrial -purposes, but as the re-establishment of industry on a peace basis will -be profoundly affected by taxation, currency, and foreign exchanges, -they recommend that these matters be taken up by the Treasury, in -consultation with the banking and commercial interests. - - -TARIFF REGULATIONS - -With reference to tariff the committee recommends a protective tariff -only on industries "which can show that, in spite of the adoption of the -most efficient technical methods and business organization, they cannot -maintain themselves against foreign competition, or that they are -hindered from adopting these methods by such competition." - -The general fiscal policy as finally adopted by the committee is as -follows: - - 1. The producers of this country are entitled to require from the - Government that they should be protected in their home market - against "dumping" and against the introduction of "sweated" goods, - by which term we understand goods produced by labor which is not - paid at trade union rates of wages, where such rates exist in the - country of origin of the goods, or the current rates of that country - where there are no trade union rates. We recommend that action be - taken in regard to "dumping" on the lines (though not necessarily in - the precise form) adopted in Canada. - - 2. Those industries which we have described as "key" or "pivotal" - should be maintained in this country at all hazards and at any - expense. - - 3. As regards other industries, protection by means of customs - duties or Government assistance in other forms should be afforded - only to carefully selected branches of industry, which must be - maintained either for reasons of national safety or on the general - ground that it is undesirable that any industry of real importance - to our economic strength and well-being should be allowed to be - weakened by foreign competition or brought to any serious extent - under alien domination or control. - - 4. Preferential treatment should be accorded to the British oversea - dominions and possessions in respect of any customs duties now or - hereafter to be imposed in the United Kingdom, and consideration - should be given to other forms of imperial preference. - - 5. As regards our commercial relations with our present allies and - neutrals, the denunciation of existing commercial treaties is - unnecessary and inexpedient, but the present opportunity should be - taken to endeavor to promote our trade with our allies, and - consideration should be given to the possibility of utilizing for - purposes of negotiation with them and present neutrals any duties - which may be imposed in accordance with the principles laid down - above. - - -LIMITING PROTECTIVE PRINCIPLES - -In view of the danger that the admission of the principle of protection, -even to a limited extent, may give rise to a widespread demand for -similar assistance from other industries, and consequently to an amount -of political pressure which it may be very difficult to resist, the -committee further recommends: - - That a strong and competent board, with an independent status, - should be established to examine into all applications from - industries for State assistance, to advise his Majesty's Government - upon such applications, and, where a case is made out, to frame - proposals as to the precise nature and extent of the assistance to - be given. - - Before recommending tariff protection for any particular industry it - should be the duty of the board to consider forms of State - assistance other than, or concurrent with, protective duties, such - as bounties on production, preferential treatment (subject to an - adequate standard of quality and security against price rings) in - respect of Government and other public authority contracts, State - financial assistance, and also whether the position of the industry - could not be improved by internal reorganization. - - The board should also have constantly in mind the safeguarding of - the interests of consumers and of labor, and should make - recommendations as to the conditions which for these purposes should - be attached to any form of Government assistance, whether by means - of a tariff or otherwise. - -The committee reports adversely on the changing of weights, measures, -and coinage to the metric system. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration: BANK OF FINLAND, AT HELSINGFORS, WHERE THE RED GUARDS, -ATTEMPTING TO BREAK INTO THE BUILDING, WERE REPULSED BY THE WHITE -GUARDS] - - - - -Finland Under German Control - -Events of the Period of Chaos and Foreign Invasion Preceding the Fall of -Viborg - - -Civil war, later complicated by the German invasion, has been the -central fact in the history of Finland since the declaration of its -independence in December, 1917. The internecine strife was precipitated -by the coup d'état which the Finnish Socialists effected in January, -1918. It so happened that the representatives of the propertied classes -had the majority in the Diet which severed the century-old connection -between Finland and Russia. As for the Government which this Diet has -set up to rule the independent republic, all its members belong to -middle-class parties. Headed by Mr. Svinhufud, a Young-Finn leader, it -includes one Svekoman, two Agrarians, three Old-Finns, and six -Young-Finns. - -The dissatisfaction of the Socialist elements, which are very strong in -Finland, with this régime soon grew so intense that they decided to -overthrow it by armed force. The Red Guard, that is, detachments of -armed workmen organized by the Finnish Labor Party, seized Helsingfors, -dissolved the "bourgeois" Government, and formed a Socialist Cabinet -under the leadership of Senator Kullervo Manner. The revolutionists did -not, however, succeed in capturing Mr. Svinhufud and his associates. -These fled north and established their headquarters at Vasa, -(Nikolaystadt,) on the Gulf of Bothnia. Since then the half-starved -country has been the arena of bloody clashes between the Red troops and -the forces supporting the Vasa Government, which consist largely of -middle-class elements and are known as the White Guards. - -It is an open secret that Russia rendered substantial assistance to the -Finnish revolutionists. Most of the weapons in their possession are from -Russian arsenals, and Russian soldiers who lingered on in Finland even -after the Bolsheviki had agreed to withdraw the Russian troops stationed -there have been fighting shoulder to shoulder with the Finnish Red -Guards. It is reported that on several occasions the Finnish Red Guards -were reinforced by Red Guards from Petrograd. Moreover, in its -organization the Finnish Socialist Workmen's Republic is a copy of the -Russian Soviet Republic. The Red Finns have the same hierarchy of -Soviets, and they affect the administrative terminology of the -Bolsheviki. - - -RED FINLAND - -The Finnish Socialists should not, however, be treated as identical with -the Russian Bolsheviki. The difference between them is probably due to a -difference of civilization, for culturally the dissimilarity between a -Russian and a Finn is as great as it is linguistically and ethnically. -It is noteworthy that unlike the Bolsheviki they regard their own rule -as a transitional, provisional régime. Speaking on Feb. 14, 1918, at the -first meeting of the Finnish Central Soviet, Kullervo Manner, President -of the Commissariat of the People of Finland, said among other things: - - One of the foremost aims of the great revolution of Finland's - workers is to build the proud edifice of a political democracy on - the ruins of the fallen power of the Junkers. * * * As soon as the - enemy of the people has been defeated throughout the country shall - the people of Finland be given an opportunity through referendum to - accept a new Constitution. The People's Commissariat intends shortly - to put before the Central Soviet a proposal for a fundamental law - through which will be laid the ground for a real representation by - the people and a firm foundation for the future of the working - class. - -Although the Finnish Socialists are united with Russia by co-operation -and common aspirations, they do not desire to join the Russian -Federation. Finnish socialism identifies itself with the cause of -Finnish nationalism. It was the Socialists that were the stanchest -advocates of Finland's secession from Russia, and it was they that, by -calling a general strike, forced the Diet to adopt immediately the -Independence bill in November, 1917. - -The notion of Finland's complete sovereignty forms the basis of the -peace concluded early in March, 1918, between the Russian Socialist -Federative Soviet Republic and the Finnish Socialist Workmen's -Republic, "in order to strengthen the friendship and fraternity between -the above-mentioned free republics." According to this pact, published -on March 10, Russia hands over to the Independent Finnish Socialist -Republic all its possessions in Finland, including real estate, -telegraphs, railways, fortresses, lighthouses, and also Finnish ships -which had been requisitioned by the Russian Government before or during -the war. Article IX. provides for "free and unimpeded access for the -merchant ships of the Russian and Finnish Socialist Republics to all -seas, lakes and rivers, harbors, anchoring places, and channels" within -their territories. The next article establishes uninterrupted -communication, without trans-shipment, between the Russian and Finnish -railways. Article XIII. contains the provision that "Finnish citizens in -Russia as well as Russian citizens in Finland shall enjoy the same -rights as the citizens of the respective countries." - -[Illustration: SKETCH MAP SHOWING FINLAND'S RELATION TO SWEDEN, NORWAY, -AND RUSSIA] - - -GERMAN HAND IN FINLAND - -If "Red" Finland has had the support of the Russian Bolsheviki, "White" -Finland has found a most enterprising ally in Germany. The Vasa -Government has been working in direct and now open contact with -Berlin. It is overwhelmingly pro-German. The relation between the two -Governments early assumed the character of vassalage on the part of the -Finns. This is evidenced by the peace agreement which official Finland -concluded with Germany on March 7. Its full text will be found elsewhere -in this issue. - -[Illustration: THE OLD CASTLE OF VIBORG, FINLAND, WHICH THE WHITE GUARDS -USED AS A FORT] - -Since the beginning of the war the Germans have been conducting in -Finland an active campaign of espionage and propaganda through a host of -agents and sympathizers. The propaganda found a favorable soil among the -propertied classes, and especially among the landed gentry of Swedish -extraction. On the other hand, the persecutions which the Czar's -bureaucracy inflicted upon the nation, and against which neither the -French nor the British press uttered any adequate protest, drove some of -the patriotic Finns into the arms of Russia's enemies. A number of -Finnish youths escaped to Germany and entered the ranks of the German -Army. The University of Helsingfors played a prominent part in this -movement. In 1915 an entire battalion made up exclusively of Finns -fought under the German colors, while no Finns served in the Russian -Army, exemption from military service being one of the ancient Finnish -privileges respected by the Imperial Russian Government. - -After the March revolution, and especially after the fall of Riga, the -efforts of the German agents, with whom Finland now fairly swarmed, were -directed toward fomenting Finnish separatism. In fact, the Swedish press -asserted that from the very beginning of the war the Germans had spent -large sums of money in trying to fan the Finns' smoldering discontent -with Russia. At the same time Germany endeavored to enlist the -sympathies of the White Guards, (skudshär,) which the middle classes -were hastily organizing, ostensibly for the purpose of assisting the -militia and protecting the population from robbers. Berlin was so -successful in its task that as early as October, 1917, the head of the -Russian Bureau of Counterespionage in Finland spoke of the skudskär as -"the vanguard of the German Army." The Finns who served in Wilhelm's -army and were thoroughly indoctrinated with German military science and -German ideals were returned to their native country, and it was they -that took upon themselves to officer the White Guards. Some of the -weapons and munitions used by the latter were secured from Sweden, but -most of them came from Germany and were probably a part of the Russian -booty. The above-mentioned Russian official declared, in an interview -published in a Petrograd daily in October, 1917, that German submarines -appeared regularly off the Finnish coast and delivered arms and -ammunition to Finnish vessels. - - -ATROCITIES ON BOTH SIDES - -The White Guards, commanded by General Mannerheim, fought the -revolutionists with varying success but without achieving a decisive -victory. Several towns in the south were the scene of prolonged battles -in which many lives were lost, notably Tammerfors, the important -industrial centre, where fierce fighting raged throughout the second -half of March. The factory districts in the north were also the scene of -stubborn fighting. A number of women were seen in the ranks of the Red -Guards. - -The two warring factions created a reign of "Red" and "White" terror in -the country. Both committed frightful atrocities. On April 17, Oskari -Tokoi, the Commissionary for Foreign Affairs in the Socialist Cabinet, -protested to all the powers against the manner in which General -Mannerheim treated his Red Guard prisoners. He pointed out that, while -the Red Guards regarded the captured White Guards as prisoners of war, -the Government troops, having taken a number of prisoners, shot all the -officers and every fifteenth man of the rank and file. On the other -hand, the corpses of many White Guards were found unspeakably mutilated. - -Immediately after the outbreak of the Socialist rebellion, the official -Government conceived the idea of appealing for foreign military aid -against the revolutionists. On Jan. 30 such an appeal was reported to -have been sent to Sweden. The cause of White Finland had many -sympathizers in that country. The Finnish White Guards had a recruiting -office in Stockholm, and a number of Swedish volunteers fought in their -ranks. A considerable portion (12 per cent.) of the Finnish population -are Swedes, mostly members of the higher classes. In addition, the two -countries have common historical memories, for Finland was a Swedish -province for six centuries, from the time of Erik VIII., King of Sweden, -till the Russian annexation in 1809. - -The Swedish Government did not, however, elect to intervene. It is not -certain whether Stockholm refused its assistance because Finland refused -to cede the Aland Islands to the Swedes as a compensation for their -services, or because, as Mr. Branting asserts, Sweden was to intervene -"as the creature and ally of Germany." The only step the Swedes took was -to send a military expedition to the Aland Islands, in response to -several appeals from their population, which is mostly Swedish. This -measure was decided upon by the Swedish Parliament on Feb. 16 and was -effected two or three days later. - -The Aland Archipelago, consisting of about ninety inhabited islets and -situated between Abo on the Finnish coast and Stockholm, belongs to -Finland. Its strategic importance for Sweden is aptly characterized by -an old phrase which describes it as "a revolver aimed at the heart of -Sweden." The mission of Sweden's troops was to clear the islands, by -moral suasion if possible, from the bands of Russian soldiers and -Finnish White and Red Guards which for some time had been terrorizing -the population. The Bolshevist garrison offered stubborn resistance to -the landing of the Swedish forces. - - -THE GERMAN INVASION - -At noon on March 2 a German detachment occupied the Aland Islands. The -next day the German Minister at Stockholm informed the Swedish -Government that Germany intended to use these islands as a halting place -for the German military expedition into Finland, undertaken at the -request of the Finnish Government for the purpose of suppressing the -revolution. He gave assurances that Germany sought no territorial gains -in effecting the occupation and would not hinder the humanitarian work -of the Swedish Supervision Corps in the islands. On March 22 the Main -Committee of the Reichstag rejected, by 12 votes against 10, the motion -of the Independent Social Democrats to evacuate the Aland Islands and -cease interfering with the internal affairs of Finland. - -[Illustration: VIEW OF ULEABORG, WHERE THE WHITE GUARDS FOUGHT A -SANGUINARY ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BOLSHEVIST RED GUARDS] - -Mr. Branting, the Swedish political leader, denounced the talk that -Finland, deserted by Sweden, turned to Germany in despair, as "gross -hypocrisy." He is convinced that a secret agreement existed between -Finland and Germany long before the outbreak of the civil war, and that -Finland wants to be a dependency under Germany rather than a member of a -Scandinavian federation of States. Some members of the Diplomatic Corps -in Washington were also reported to believe that the civil war was -merely a specious pretext for inviting Germany to restore order in the -country, and that the negotiations which brought about the German -intervention had been going on secretly for months. - -March passed in preparations for the expedition. On the morning of April -3 the Russian icebreaker Volinetz, which had been captured by the White -Guards, piloted a German naval squadron, consisting of thirty-six ships, -into the Finnish waters of Hangö, which is the extreme southwestern -point of the Finnish coast, within a few hours of Helsingfors. During -the afternoon the Germans landed on the peninsula of Hangö a force -which, according to an official German statement, comprised 40,000 men -under General Sasnitz, 300 guns, and 2,000 machine guns. The next day -the Berlin War Office issued the following statement: "Eastern -Theatre--In agreement with the Finnish Government, German troops have -landed on the Finnish mainland." Later more German detachments were -landed at Abo. - -According to one report, the Germans, upon their landing, opened -negotiations with the Finnish Socialists, but their overtures were -apparently rejected. The Russian Government immediately protested to -Germany against the landing in Finland. The German Government replied by -demanding that the Russian war vessels in Finnish territorial waters -should either leave for Russian ports or disarm, according to Article 5 -of the Brest-Litovsk treaty, on or before midday, April 12. The -Bolsheviki ordered the commander of the Baltic fleet to carry out this -demand. Four Russian submarines were fired upon and sunk by the Germans -at Hangö during the landing and several other Russian warships were -blown up by their own crews for fear of being captured by the Germans. - -[Illustration: VIEW OF FINNISH LAKE REGION NEAR FAVASTELLIUS] - -On April 13 the Finnish Official News Bureau gave out a statement to the -effect that all German troops landed in Finland had been dispatched at -the request of the Finnish Government. On April 17 the Germans landed -40,000 men at Helsingfors. Their naval squadron stationed in the harbor -of the Finnish capital consisted of twelve vessels. - - -FALL OF VIBORG - -The Red Guards offered a stubborn resistance to the invaders, but it -soon became apparent that their cause was lost. Upon the landing of the -Germans, the Socialist Government escaped from Helsingfors and -established itself at Viborg, seventy-five miles northwest of Petrograd. -On April 13 the German troops, aided by naval detachments, entered -Helsingfors, "after a vigorous encounter with armed bands," as the -German official announcements read. According to a Reuter dispatch, a -three days' battle preceded the capture of the Finnish capital. It was -taken by storm after fierce fighting in the streets. About the same time -the City of Abo was taken by the White Guards. The Germans then -proceeded to move on Viborg. On April 23 the Finnish Socialist -Government protested to the allied representatives, including the -American Ambassador to Russia, against the German interference. It -declared that the Finnish Socialists would continue for the cause of -freedom, with "a profound hatred and contempt for the executioners of -nations and of the labor movement." - -Viborg fell into the hands of the White Guards on April 30, after nearly -all its defenders, 6,000 in all, were slaughtered. Among the prisoners -taken was Kullerwo Manner, the President of the Socialist Government. On -May 4 Berlin was able to announce complete victory in Finland. The -official report follows: - - Finland has been cleared of the enemy. German troops, in - co-operation with Finnish battalions, attacked the enemy between - Lakhti and Tevasthus in an encircling movement, and in a five days' - battle, in spite of a bitter defense and desperate attempts to break - through, we have overwhelmingly defeated him. The Finnish forces cut - off his retreat in a northerly direction. The enemy is closed in on - every side, and, after the heaviest losses, is laying down his arms. - We took 20,000 prisoners. Thousands of vehicles and horses were - captured. - -A dispatch dated May 8 reported, however, that the country was far from -pacified, and that the Red Guards continued to offer resistance at many -points. - -Speaking before the Main Committee of the Reichstag, on May 8, Friedrich -von Payer, the German Imperial Vice Chancellor, defended Germany's -intervention in Finland. The fundamental aim of this step was "to -create in North Finland a final condition of peace, both military and -political." He stated that the entire staff of the 43d Russian Army -Corps was recently captured in Finland. He denied that Germany intended -further to interfere in the inner affairs of Finland, and added that -Germany had concluded economic and political treaties with Finland -whereby both parties would profit. - - -UNDER GERMAN DOMINATION - -While these military operations were being carried on, Finland was -becoming a German province. Late in March an American and an English -officer, visiting General Mannerheim at Vasa upon orders from their -legations, were threatened by Finnish White Guard officers with personal -violence and turned out of the dining room of the chief hotel. This -incident was described as characteristic of the feeling existing among -the majority of Finns. On April 1 Vasabladet, the chief Vasa newspaper, -wrote: "No military or other similar persons from any of the countries -at war with Germany ought to be allowed to stay within the borders of -our country so long as we, with the help of God and Germany, are -fighting our hard fight for liberty, order, and justice against the -barbarous ally of the western powers." It appears from a case reported -on April 26 that the viséing of foreign passports by Finnish officials -depends now upon the consent of the Berlin authorities. - -Finland was proclaimed a republic in December, 1917. It has always been -one of the most democratic countries in Europe. It is asserted, -nevertheless, that the experiences through which the former grand duchy -has passed in the last six months have converted many classes of the -population to monarchism. A Stockholm dispatch dated May 8 declared that -a monarchy would probably be proclaimed in Finland, and that Duke Adolph -Frederick of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, uncle of the Crown Princess of -Germany, would be appointed King. - - -GREATER FINLAND - -In the middle of April it became known that the Finnish statesmen had an -ambitious plan for the territorial aggrandizement and political -expansion of their country at the expense of Russia, and possibly also -of Norway. A Stockholm paper published a statement that Germany had -agreed to the establishment of a Greater Finland, to include the -territory of the Petrograd-Murman railway to the arctic. The newspaper -added that the Finnish railway system was to be enlarged with a view to -establishing direct connection from North Cape to Budapest and -Constantinople. Thus Finland would become the cornerstone of a -"Mitteleuropa" stretching from the arctic coast to Asia Minor and -beyond. A well-known Finnish painter stated in an interview that the -Finnish troops, co-operating with the Germans, would take Petrograd as -well as the south coast of the Gulf of Finland, which is ethnically -Finnish. An announcement was made on May 8, before the Main Committee of -the Reichstag, that no Germans were participating or would participate -in the advance of Finnish troops on Petrograd. - -A movement has been set afoot among Karelians, presumably by Finns, in -favor of the Finnish annexation of Russian Karelia, on the basis of the -principle of self-determination. Karelia includes parts of the -Governments of Petrograd, Olonetz, and Archangel; its aboriginal -population belongs to the Finnish race. - -[Illustration] - - - - -Peace Treaty Between Finland and Germany - -Full Text of the Document - - -The Imperial Government of Berlin announced on March 7, 1918, that a -treaty of peace between Germany and Finland had been signed. Two days -later the full text was transmitted from Berlin to London through the -wireless stations of the German Government. This treaty with Germany was -made by the element in the Republic of Finland represented in a military -way by the White Guards, who were pro-German and co-operated with the -German army sent immediately afterward to make war in Finland against -the Red Guards, who represented the Bolshevist element of the Finnish -population. During April an armed conflict between the Reds and the -Germans raged around Helsingfors, where the Bolshevist forces fought to -annul this treaty, though with steadily diminishing prospects of -success. - -The full text of the treaty follows: - - The Royal German Government and the Finnish Government, inspired by - the wish, after the declaration of the independence of Finland and - its recognition through Germany, to bring about a condition of peace - and friendship between both countries on a lasting basis, have - resolved to conclude a peace, and for this purpose they have - appointed the following plenipotentiaries: For the Royal German - Government, the Chancellor of the German Empire, Dr. Count von - Hertling; for the Finnish Government, Dr. Phil Edvard Immanuel - Hjelt, State Adviser, Vice Councilor of the University of - Helsingfors, and Rafael Waldemar Erich, LL.D., Professor of State - Law and of the Law of Nations at the University of Helsingfors, who, - after the mutual setting forth in good order and form of their - plenipotentiary powers, have come to an agreement on the following - provisions: - - _CHAPTER I.--Friendship Between Germany and Finland and the Assuring - of the Independence of Finland_ - - Article 1. The contracting parties declare that between Germany and - Finland no state of war exists and that they are resolved henceforth - to live in peace and friendship with each other. Germany will do - what she can to bring about the recognition of the independence of - Finland by all the powers. On the other hand, Finland will not cede - any part of her possessions to any foreign power nor constitute a - charge on her sovereign territory to any such power before first - having come to an understanding with Germany on the matter. - - Article 2. Diplomatic and consular relations between the contracting - parties will be resumed immediately after the confirmation of the - peace treaty. The freest possible admission of Consuls on both sides - is to be provided for by arrangements in special treaties. - - Article 3. Each of the contracting parties will replace the damage - which has been caused in its own territory by the war, or which the - States or populations have brought about by actions contrary to - international law, or which has been caused by the consular - officials of the other party either to life, liberty, health, or - property. - - _CHAPTER II.--War Indemnities_ - - Article 4. The contracting parties renounce mutually the making good - of war costs; that is to say, State expenses for the carrying on of - the war as well as the payment of war indemnities; that is to say, - of those prejudices which have arisen for them and their subjects in - the war zones by reason of the military measures connected with all - the requisitions undertaken in enemy country. - - _CHAPTER III.--The Re-entry Into Force of State Treaties_ - - Article 5. The treaties which lapsed as a consequence of the war - between Germany and Russia shall be replaced as soon as possible by - new treaties for relations between the contracting parties, and they - shall be made to correspond to the new outlook and conditions which - have now arisen. Especially the contracting parties shall at once - enter into negotiations in order to draw up a treaty for the - settlement of trade and shipping relations between the two - countries, to be signed at the same time as the peace treaty. - - Article 6. Treaties in which, apart from Germany and Russia, also a - third power takes part, and in which Finland appears together with - Russia or in the place of the latter, come into force between the - contracting parties on the ratification of peace treaty or, in case - the entry takes place later, at that moment. In connection with - collective treaties of political contents, in which other - belligerent powers are also involved, the two parties reserve their - attitude until after the conclusion of a general peace. - - _CHAPTER IV.--Re-establishment of Private Rights_ - - Article 7. All stipulations existing in the territory of either of - the contracting parties, according to which, in view of the state of - war, subjects of the other party are subjected to any special - regulation whatever in the observation of their private rights, - cease to be of force on the confirmation of this treaty. Subjects of - either of the contracting parties are such legal persons and - societies as have their domicile in the respective territories. - Furthermore, subjects of either of the parties, legal persons and - societies which do not have their domicile in the territory, must be - regarded as on the same level in so far as in the territory of the - other party they were submitted to the stipulations applying to such - subjects. - - Article 8. With regard to the civil debt conditions which have been - influenced by war laws, the following has been agreed: - - 1. The debt conditions will be re-established in so far as the - stipulations in Articles 8 to 12 do not decide otherwise. - - 2. The stipulation in Paragraph 1 does not prejudice the question as - to what extent the conditions created by the war (especially the - impossibility of settlement of debt owing to the obstacles in - traffic or commercial prohibitions in the territory of either of the - contracting parties) shall be taken into account in the - determination of claims of subjects of either party in accordance - with the laws applying thereto in the respective territories. In - this connection subjects of the other party who have been prevented - by the measures of that party, are not to be dealt with more - unfavorably than the subjects of their own State, who have been - prevented by the measures of that State. - - A person who by the war has been prevented from carrying out in good - time a payment shall not be obliged to make good the damage which - has occurred owing thereto. - - 3. Demands of money, whose payment could be refused during the war - on the strength of war laws, need not be paid until after the - expiration of three months after the confirmation of the peace - treaty. In so far as nothing else has been stipulated in the - supplementary treaty, an interest of 5 per cent. per annum must be - paid on such debts from the original date on which they were due, - for the duration of the war and the further three months, regardless - of moratoriums. Up to the day on which they were originally due, the - interests agreed upon, if any, must be paid. In the case of bills or - checks submission for payment as well as protests against nonpayment - must take place within the fourth month after the confirmation of - this treaty. - - 4. For the settlement of outstanding affairs and other civil - obligations, officially recognized unions for the protection of - debtors and for the examination of claims of lay and legal persons - belonging to the union, as well as their plenipotentiaries, are to - be mutually recognized and permitted. - - Article 9. Each contracting party will immediately after the - confirmation of the peace treaty resume payment of its obligations, - especially the public debt duties to subjects of the other party. - The obligations which became due before the confirmation of the - treaty will be paid within three months after the confirmation. - - Article 10. Copyrights, trade protective rights, concessions and - privileges, as well as similar claims on public legal foundations, - which have been influenced by war laws, shall be re-established, in - so far as nothing else has been stipulated in Article 12. - - Each contracting party will grant subjects of the other party who on - account of the war have neglected the legal period in which to - undertake an action necessary for the establishment or maintenance - of a trade protective right, without prejudice to the justly - obtained rights of third parties, a period of at least one year in - which to recover the action. Trade protective rights of subjects of - one party which were in force on the outbreak of war, shall not - expire in the territory of the other party, owing to their - non-application, till after the termination of four years from the - confirmation of this treaty. If in the territory of one of the - contracting parties a trade protective right, which in accordance - with the war laws could not be applied for, is applied for by an - agent who during the war has taken protective measures in the - territory of the other party in accordance with the rules, such - right, if claimed within six months after the confirmation of the - treaty, shall, with the reservation of the rights of third parties, - have priority over all applications submitted in the meantime, and - cannot be made ineffective by facts which have arisen in the - meantime. - - Article 11. Periods for the superannuation of rights shall, in the - territory of each of the contracting parties, toward subjects of the - other party, expire at the earliest one year after the confirmation - of the peace treaty in so far as they had not expired at the time of - the outbreak of war. The same applies to periods for the submission - of dividend-warrants or warrants for shares in profit, as well as to - bills which have become redeemable or have become otherwise payable. - - Article 12. The activities of authorities who on the strength of war - laws have become occupied with the supervision, custody, - administration, or liquidation of property or with the receiving of - payments, are without prejudice to the stipulations of Article 13, - to be wound up in accordance with the following principles: - - 1. Properties under supervision, in custody or under administration, - are to be set free immediately on the demand of the parties entitled - to them. Until the moment of transfer to the entitled party care - must be taken for the safeguarding of his interests. - - 2. The provisions of Paragraph 1 shall not modify the properly - acquired right of a third party. Payments and other obligations of a - debtor which, as mentioned at the beginning of the article, have - been received or caused to be received at the places mentioned, - shall, in the territories of the contracting parties, have the same - effect as if the creditor himself had received them. - - Civil dispositions which have been made at the places mentioned at - the instigation of the parties or by them will have full effect and - are to be maintained by the parties. - - 3. Regarding the operations of the places mentioned at the beginning - of this article, especially those for receipts and payments, details - shall at once be given to the authorized parties immediately upon - demand. Claims which have been lodged to be dealt with at these - places can only be dealt with in accordance with the stipulations of - Article 14. - - Article 13. Land or rights in land or in mines as well as rights in - the use or exploitation of lands, or undertakings, or claims for - participation in an undertaking, especially those represented by - shares, which have been forcibly alienated from the persons entitled - to them by reason of war laws, shall be transferred to the former - owner within a period of one year after the confirmation of the - peace treaty, and there shall be returned to him any profits which - have accrued on such property during the alienation or deprivation, - and this shall be done free from all rights of third parties which - may have arisen in the meantime. - - _CHAPTER VI.--Indemnity for Civil Damages_ - - Article 14. Subjects of one of the contracting parties resident in - the territory of the other contracting party who, by reason of war - laws, have suffered damage either by the temporary or lasting - privation of concessions, privileges, and similar claims, or by the - supervision, trusteeship, administration or alienation of property, - are to be appropriately indemnified so far as the damage by the war - cannot be replaced by the actual re-establishment of their former - conditions. This also applies to shareholders who, on account of - their character as foreign enemies, are excluded from certain - rights. - - Article 15. Each of the contracting parties will indemnify the - civilian subjects of the other party for damages which have been - caused to them in its territory during the war by the State - officials or the population there through breaches of international - law and acts of violence against life, health, or property. - - Article 16. Each of the contracting parties will at once pay to the - subjects of the other party their just claims so far as this has not - already been done. - - Article 17. For the fixing of the damages, according to Articles 14 - and 15, there shall meet in Berlin a commission immediately after - the confirmation of this treaty which shall consist of one-third of - each of the contracting parties and one-third of neutrals. The - President of the Swiss Bundesrat shall be asked to nominate the - neutral members, from whom the Chairman shall be chosen. The - commission shall fix the principles, on which it is to work, and it - shall decide as to what procedure it shall follow. Its decisions - shall be carried out by sub-commissions, which shall consist of one - representative from each of the contracting parties and a neutral - umpire. The amounts fixed by the sub-commissions are to be paid - within one month of the decision being made. - - _CHAPTER VII.--The Exchange of Prisoners of War and Interned - Civilians_ - - Article 18. Finnish prisoners of war in Germany and German prisoners - of war in Finland shall, as soon as practicable, be exchanged within - the times fixed by a German-Finnish Commission, and subject to the - payment of the costs entailed in such exchange in so far as those - prisoners do not wish to stay in the country where they happen to - be, with its consent, or to go to another country. The commission - will also have to settle the further details of such exchange and to - supervise their execution. - - Article 19. The deported or interned civilians on both sides will be - sent home as soon as practicable free of charge so far as, subject - to the consent of the country on whose territory they are staying, - they do not wish to remain there or wish to go to another country. - The settlement of the details and the supervision of their execution - shall be carried out by the commission mentioned in Article 18. The - Finnish Government will endeavor to obtain from the Russian - Government the release of those Germans who were captured in Finnish - territory and who at the present time are outside Finnish on Russian - territory. - - Article 20. Subjects of one party who at the outbreak of war had - their domicile or commercial establishments in the territory of the - other party and who did not remain in that territory may return - there as soon as the other party is not in a state of war. Their - return can only be refused on the ground of the endangering of the - internal or foreign safety of the State. It would suffice that a - pass be made out by the authorities of the home Government in which - it is to be stated that the bearer is one of those persons as - stipulated in Item 1. No visé is to be necessary on these passes. - - Article 21. Each of the Contracting Parties undertakes to respect - and to tend the several burial places of subjects of the other party - who fell in the war as well as those who died during internment or - deportation and the persons intrusted by each party with care and - proper decoration of the burial places may attend to these duties in - accord with the authorities of each country. Questions connected - with the care of such burial places are reserved for further - agreements. - - _CHAPTER VIII.--Amnesty._ - - Article 22. Each of the contracting parties concedes amnesty from - penalties to the subjects of the other party who are prisoners of - war for all criminal acts committed by them and further to all - civilian interned or deported subjects of the other party for all - punishable acts committed by them during their internment or - deportation period, and lastly to all subjects of the other party - for crimes against all exceptional laws made to the disadvantage of - enemy foreigners. The amnesty will not apply to actions committed - after the confirmation of the peace treaty. - - Article 23. Each party concedes complete amnesty to all its own - subjects in view of the work which they have done in the territory - of the other party as prisoners of war, interned civilians, or - deported civilians. - - Article 24. The contracting parties reserve to themselves the right - to make further agreements according to which each party may grant - an amnesty of penalties decreed on account of actions committed to - its disadvantage. - - _CHAPTER IX.--The Treatment of Mercantile Vessels and Cargoes Which - Have Fallen Into the Hands of the Enemy._ - - Article 25. Mercantile ships of one contracting party which lay in - the ports of the other contracting party on the outbreak of the war, - as well as their cargoes, are to be given back to their owners, or - in so far as this is not possible they are to be paid for in money. - For the use of such embargoed vessels during the war the usual daily - freight is to be paid. - - Article 26. German mercantile ships and their cargoes which are in - the power of Finland, except in cases foreseen in Article 25 at the - signing of this treaty or which may arrive there later, are to be - given back if on the outbreak of war they were in an enemy port or - were interned in neutral waters by enemy forces. - - Article 27. The mercantile vessels of either of the contracting - parties captured as prizes in the zone of power of the other party - shall be regarded as definitely confiscated if they have been - legally condemned as prizes, and if they do not come under the - provisions of Articles 25 and 26. Otherwise they are to be given - back, or, in so far as they are no longer available, they are to be - paid for. The provisions of Paragraph 1 are to apply also to ships' - cargoes taken as prizes belonging to subjects of the contracting - parties, but goods belonging to subjects of one of the contracting - parties on board ships flying enemy flags which have fallen into the - hands of the other contracting party are in all cases to be handed - over to their rightful owners, or, so far as this is not possible, - they are to be paid for. - - Article 28. The carrying out of the provisions contained in Articles - 25 to 27, especially the fixing of the damages to be paid, shall be - decided by a mixed commission, which shall consist of one - representative from each of the contracting parties with a neutral - umpire, and shall sit in Stettin within three months after the date - of confirmation of the peace treaty. The President of the Swiss - Bundesrat shall be requested to nominate the umpire. - - Article 29. The contracting parties will do all in their power to - facilitate the free return of the mercantile ships and their cargoes - to their homes as set forth in Articles 25 to 27. The contracting - parties will also give their support to each other in the - re-establishment of the mutual commercial intercourse, after the - assuring of safe shipping routes, which had been disturbed by the - war. - - _CHAPTER X.--Adjustment of the Aland Question._ - - Article 30. The contracting parties are agreed that the Forts put - upon the Aland Islands are to be removed as soon as possible, and - that the lasting non-fortified character of these Islands and also - their treatment in a military and technical sense for purposes of - shipping, shall be settled by agreement between Germany, Finland, - Russia and Sweden; and to these agreements, at the wish of Germany, - the other States lying in the Baltic Sea shall be invited to assent. - - _CHAPTER XI.--Final Provisions._ - - Article 31. The Peace Treaty shall be confirmed. The confirmatory - documents shall be exchanged as soon as practicable in Berlin. - - Article 32. The Peace Treaty, so far as is not otherwise stipulated, - shall come into force with its confirmation. For the making of - supplementary additions to the Treaty the representatives of the - contracting parties shall meet in Berlin within four months of its - confirmation. - - - - -German Aggression in Russia - -Record of Events Placing Finland and the Ukraine More Fully Under -Teutonic Control - - -During the month ended May 15, 1918, the German advance in the territory -of the former Russian Empire continued uninterruptedly. While minor -military operations were conducted in the Province of Kursk, in Russia -proper, the main body of the invading army occupied the Crimea and -penetrated into the Donetz coal basin. On April 24 the German troops, -under General Kosch, reached the City of Simferopol, in the Crimea. A -week later they occupied Sebastopol, the great military and commercial -seaport, famous in Russian history. A portion of the Russian Black Sea -fleet fell into the hands of the Germans. On May 3 the invaders seized -Taganrog, on the Sea of Azov. On May 9 they took Rostov, at the mouth of -the River Don, but two days later the city was again in Russian hands. -The Germans are apparently intent on occupying the seacoast from -Bessarabia, on the west, to the Caucasus, on the east. - -The Bolshevist régime gave signs of undergoing a process of -reorganization. It sought to enlist the services of officials who had -served under the Provisional Government and of Generals of the old army. -A new War Department was formed. Trotzky, the Minister of War and -Marine, advocated universal conscription of labor. The Central Executive -Committee, at his suggestion, decreed compulsory military service. -Workmen and peasants from 18 to 40 years old were to be trained for -eight consecutive weeks, for a weekly minimum of eight hours. Women were -accepted into the army as volunteers. - -The Bolshevist authorities made several attempts to suppress rioting and -street looting. Early in May the Red Guards fought a pitched battle with -the Moscow anarchists, who refused to surrender their munitions, and -stamped out their organization. The Soviets passed resolutions and took -measures against the anti-Jewish massacres which occurred in numerous -cities. Disorder and mob rule, however, continued to prevail in Russia, -while hunger and unemployment were daily increasing. - - -INDUSTRY CRIPPLED - -On April 16 M. Gukovsky, the Commissary for Finance, reported to the -Central Executive Committee of the Soviets on Russia's financial and -industrial condition. He said that the semi-yearly expenditure would -amount to 4,000,000,000 rubles, while the income expected was only -3,300,000,000 rubles. The railroads had lost 70 per cent. of their -freight capacity, and the cost of operation had increased ten times, -(120,000 against 11,600 rubles per versta.) The Central Government, he -stated, derived no revenue from taxes, as the local Soviets used the -sums they collected for their own purposes. To illustrate the industrial -conditions the Commissary cited the example of the Sormov locomotive -works, whose daily output is two locomotives, instead of eighteen as -formerly. M. Gukovsky recommended strict economy in expenditures and -urged the necessity of securing the services of financial and industrial -experts for the purpose of organizing an efficient State machinery. - -Among the recent legislative measures of the Moscow Government must be -mentioned the nationalization of foreign trade, which is a part of the -general Bolshevist scheme of Socialist reforms. A special board has been -created to regulate the prices of all exports and imports. - -In the middle of April hostilities were reopened between the newly -collected troops of General Korniloff, former Russian Commander in -Chief, and the Bolshevist forces. It was reported that the Bolsheviki -heavily defeated the anti-Soviet troops, capturing Novocherkask and -wounding the Cossack General. It was also stated that General Dutoff, -another anti-Bolshevist leader, was captured by the Soviet troops, and -that General Semyonov, the leader of the Cossack movement against the -Bolsheviki in Siberia, was killed. - -The incident of the Japanese landing at Vladivostok was near closing, -when further interest in the Far Eastern situation was aroused in Russia -by a number of documents seized on the person of a member of the -anti-Soviet "Siberian Government." According to a note addressed on -April 26 by M. Chicherin to diplomatic representatives in Moscow, these -documents proved that the Consuls of Great Britain, France, and -America--and the diplomatic representatives of these powers in -Peking--sought to interfere in the internal affairs of Russia by -participating in the counter-revolutionary movement for an autonomous -Government in Siberia. A similar charge was laid to the Japanese -officials. The Russian Government, therefore, demanded the recall of the -allied Consular officers at Vladivostok, also asking the Allies to -define their attitude toward the Soviet Government. Neither Ambassador -Francis nor the French Ambassador, M. Noulens, made any official reply -to the Russian charges. M. Noulens had previously drawn upon himself the -wrath of the Bolsheviki by declaring that the armed intervention of the -Allies in Russia would be an act of friendly assistance. Mr. Francis -informally notified the Moscow Government that, in his opinion, the -documents failed to involve the American officials. On May 9 Secretary -Lansing instructed him to present informally to the Russian Foreign -Office a denial of its charge against the American Consul at -Vladivostok. - - -ENEMY PROPAGANDA - -In a speech on April 27 Baron Shimpei Goto, the new Japanese Foreign -Minister, referred to the malevolent propaganda which is being conducted -in Russia with a view to creating an estrangement between Japan and -Russia. He expressed the view that "Russia is a power endeavoring to -reorganize a machine temporarily out of order," adding: "Japan must -give encouragement, assistance, and support to the work of -reorganization in Russia. We trust the sound sense of the Russian people -will not be misled by reports calculated to keep the two neighbors -apart." - -Shortly after the capture of Sebastopol the Russian Government protested -to Germany against the seizure of the Black Sea fleet and the invasion -of the Crimea. The Russian note pointed out that these acts were in -contravention of the Brest treaty and that they might endanger the -peaceful relations between the two countries. The Germans did not seem -to be concerned to maintain these relations. They treated the population -of the occupied territories with harshness. Starving refugees were not -admitted into the regions under their domination. It was reported that -in the Government of Minsk able-bodied persons were seized in the -streets and sent to Germany in locked cars. Constant food requisitioning -was another feature of the German rule in Russia. - - -RUSSIA'S PROTEST - -On April 15 M. Chicherin, Russian Commissary for Foreign Affairs, -protested to Berlin against the outrages committed by the German troops -in Russia. The text of the note follows: - - The Central Soviet institutions receive many complaints with regard - to German troops burning Russian villages and using violence against - Russian inhabitants. An eyewitness well known to us and absolutely - trustworthy states that at Lepel, northwest of Mogileff, German - soldiers killed a whole family, not sparing women and children, on - the plea that one of the family belonged to a partisan detachment. - The local military authorities state that at the village of - Novoselki, Mogileff, on April 5, there appeared an officer and - soldiers of the 346th Regiment and took oats from the inhabitants by - force. The officer was killed by the peasants, and the soldiers - fled. After this the village was surrounded by the soldiers, fired - on by machine guns, and burned. - - The following day the German commander sent a notice to the Russian - military authorities at Orsha saying that the inhabitants of - Novoselki had been ejected, and the village burned owing to a German - officer's being killed. - -[Illustration: MAP OF THE UKRAINE AND OTHER REGIONS OF RUSSIA NOW UNDER -GERMAN DOMINATION] - -Observers of Russian life agree that feelings of resentment and -animosity on the part of the Russian population for the German oppressor -are steadily growing throughout the country. At the same time good -feeling between the Russians and the Allies, especially the Americans, -is on the increase. British and French troops are co-operating with -Bolshevist forces in defending against Finns and Germans the Murman -seacoast and the railway from the interior of Russia to the arctic ports -of Alexandrovsk and Archangel, where large supplies of valuable war -materials are stored up. The War Council attached to the Murman local -Soviet consists of one Russian, one Englishman, and one Frenchman. The -landing of the allied troops at Alexandrovsk the Germans regarded as a -violation of the Brest treaty, which provides for peace with Finland, -and protested to the Moscow Government against the act. - -The constant exchange of protests between Berlin and Moscow is partly -caused by the ambiguous wording of the Brest treaty. On April 24 Adolf -Joffe, the Bolshevist Ambassador in Berlin, telegraphed to Moscow that -the Russian translation of the treaty was considered by the German -authorities incorrect, and that the publication of the final draft of -the document was postponed until the receipt of an authentic version. - - -DISMEMBERING RUSSIA - -It appears that Germany has been making further attempts to encourage -the separatist tendency in Russia, in contravention of the Brest -treaty. The German Government is reported to have inquired of the local -Crimean authorities concerning the nationalization of their flag. The -Bolsheviki interpreted this step as indicative of the German desire to -separate the Taurida Republic from the Russian Federation. - -According to a communication issued by the Rumanian Chargé d'Affaires, -the National Assembly of Bessarabia voted, on April 9, the union of the -province to Rumania by 86 against 3. Thereupon, the Rumanian Premier, -amid enthusiastic acclamation, proclaimed the union to be "definitive -and indissoluble," and a delegation was sent to Jassy to present the -homage of the people of Bessarabia to the King. Rumania seems to have -acted at the suggestion of Germany. It is known that the latter proposed -to Rumania to annex a part of Bessarabia and thus compensate herself for -Rumanian territory taken by Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria. It is also -known that (on March 22?) Russia signed a treaty with Rumania regarding -Bessarabia. The province was to be evacuated by the Rumanian troops, -which had occupied it at the request of the population, and the guarding -of Bessarabia was to pass into the hands of local militia, while all -evacuated places were to be immediately occupied by Russian troops. -Russia undertook to leave Rumania the surplus of Bessarabian grain -remaining after the local population and Russian troops had been -provided for. The Ukrainian Government refused to recognize the step -taken by Bessarabia. - -According to the terms of the Brest treaty the Baltic Provinces Esthonia -and Livonia were to remain under Russian sovereignty, but three weeks -later Germany began intriguing for a union of these countries with the -Kingdom of Russia. The falsity of the assertion that the people of -Esthonia favored a Baltic monarchy was exposed by the following protest -of the Esthonian Provisional Government, published April 22: - - Regarding the communication from Berlin that the joint Landtag of - Esthonia, Livonia, Riga, and Oesel has decided upon the separation - of Baltic provinces from Russia and the creation of a Baltic - monarchy in personal union with Prussia, I declare, as - representative of the Esthonian Republic, that this resolution does - not constitute an expression of opinion of the Esthonian people, but - only that of a German nobility minority and its adherents. - -On May 5 the British Government informally recognized the Esthonian -Provisional Government and, in the words of Mr. Balfour's communication, -"reaffirmed their readiness to grant provisional recognition to the -Esthonian National Council as a de facto independent body until the -peace conference, when the future status of Esthonia ought to be settled -as far as possible in accordance with the wishes of the population." - -On April 26 Transcaucasia declared its independence under a conservative -Government, headed by M. Chkhemkeli. - -Count von Mirbach, the Royal German Ambassador to Russia, accompanied by -a Turkish representative, arrived in Moscow on April 23. He was welcomed -by the Chairman of the Central Executive Committee as "a representative -of a power with which a peace treaty has been concluded at -Brest-Litovsk, as a result of which peace, so needed by the people, was -established between the two States." Pravda, the official Bolshevist -daily, greeted the Royal German Ambassador as "the plenipotentiary of an -armed band which with limitless audacity oppresses and robs wherever it -is able to thrust in with a bloody imperialistic bayonet." - - -ULTIMATUM ON PRISONERS - -Germany has shown eagerness to obtain the release and the use of the -able-bodied German prisoners who are now in Russia. It is believed that -there are at present upward of 1,000,000 German prisoners of war in -European Russia and Siberia. It was reported on April 27 that a special -German commission had arrived in Moscow to take charge of the exchange -of prisoners with Russia, and that exchanges of invalids had already -begun. The number of Russians in German hands is estimated at 3,000,000. -An earlier official German communication explained the delay in -repatriating Russians by the lack of transportation facilities. On -April 29 the State Department at Washington gave out the following -statement: - - The Department of State has learned that there will shortly leave - for Russia a German commission, consisting of 115 members, which - will take up the question of the exchange of Russian and German - prisoners. It is reported that it is the purpose of the commission - merely to present to the Russian authorities an ultimatum from - Germany requiring, first, the immediate release of all German - prisoners who are in good health; second, that those who are ill - will remain in Russia under the care of neutral physicians, and, - third, that the Germans on their side will release only those - Russian prisoners in Germany who are invalids or who are - incapacitated. In the event of a refusal on the part of Russia, - Germany will order that Petrograd be taken. - -Upon the heels of this ultimatum came another one, served on the Council -of the People's Commissaries by the German Ambassador, Count von -Mirbach. According to a dispatch, the new ultimatum, too, dated May 10, -had a bearing on the prisoner question, but in addition demanded -complete cessation of arming troops and the disbandment of units already -formed. This demand produced an unusual stir in Russia. The Commissaries -held an extraordinary session at which the situation created by the -ultimatum was discussed. The Bolsheviki showed no intention of complying -with the German ultimatum. - -On May 12 Foreign Minister Chicherin instructed the Russian Ambassador, -M. Joffe, at Berlin to "try to obtain from Berlin cessation of every -kind of hostility." The Germans had announced their intention to capture -Novorossiysk, on the Caucasian coast of the Black Sea, under the pretext -that the Russian warships, which had escaped seizure at Sebastopol and -which are stationed at Novorossiysk, constituted a danger for the German -vessels. The instruction added that the German invasion of Russian -territory was causing much unrest in the country. - - -COUP IN THE UKRAINE - -On April 18 the State Department at Washington announced that, according -to an authentic report, the Teutons intended to dissolve the Ukrainian -Rada and set up a Government of their own. On April 24 a Ukrainian -financier prominent in aiding the Germans was arrested in the name of -"the Committee of Ukrainian Safety." The German Vice Chancellor, -Friedrich von Payer, in his speech before the Main Committee of the -Reichstag, said that this secret organization aimed at driving the -Germans out of the country and was even planning the assassination of -all German officers. It included a number of prominent Ukrainians, -several Ministers of State among them, and held its meetings at the -house of the Minister of War. An investigation was demanded by the -German Ambassador, but the Rada took no action. - -Two days later General von Eichhorn, Commander of the German Army in the -Ukraine, proclaimed "a state of enhanced protection," making all -offenders of order subject to the jurisdiction of German court-martial. -He had previously issued a field-sowing decree, necessitated, as the -Germans explained, by the fact that the Rada had taken no measures -concerning the field sowing, without which the country could not meet -its treaty obligations relative to the delivery of grain to Germany. On -April 28, while the Rada was in session, German troops entered the hall -and arrested a number of its members, the Minister of War among them. -The next day a number of landowners and rich peasants who were holding a -convention in Kiev declared its sessions permanent, voted the -dissolution of the Rada as well as the cancellation of the order -convoking the Constituent Assembly on May 12, and proclaimed General -Skoropadsky Hetman (Supreme Military Chief) of the Ukraine. - -The Rada ceased to exist. It had but scant support in the country. A -creature of the Teutons, it was supported by their armed forces. It -proved unable to secure the delivery of the promised foodstuffs to the -Central Powers. Owing to the resistance of the population only 3,000,000 -poods (pood, 36 pounds) were delivered to the Teutons, instead of -30,000,000 poods, which the Rada undertook to supply. The Germans then -withdrew their support. According to various reports, the German agents -took an active part in the overthrowing of the Rada. - -Speaking of the fall of the Rada, the German Vice Chancellor said that -"stubborn adherence to communistic theories that have gained no sympathy -among the peasant population, which is attached to the soil, seems to -have been principally responsible for bringing about its end." One of -the first acts of the new Government was the restoration of private -ownership of land. The new régime has many features of an autocratic -rule. The following information regarding the extent of the Hetman's -powers is furnished by the German Service of Propaganda: - - The Government power in its entire capacity belongs to the Hetman - for all the territory of the State. The Hetman ratifies the laws, he - appoints the President of the Council of Ministers, he is chief - director of the relations of foreign affairs of the Ukrainian State, - he is Generalissimo of the army and of the navy, he declares war, - proclaims martial law and exceptional laws. In the administration of - justice he has the right of pardon and commutation of sentence. - -It has been pointed out that, while the reconstructed Ukrainian -Government is emphatically and avowedly pro-German, some of its leading -spirits are Russian patriots and advocates of a union with Russia. Grand -Duke Dmitry Pavlovich is said to have taken an active part in the coup -d'état. A dispatch, dated May 10, announced the beginning of peace -negotiations between Russia and the Ukraine. - - -GERMAN PENETRATION - -United States Minister Morris at Stockholm cabled to the State -Department on May 14: - - Swedish press reports from Moscow state that Count von Mirbach - recently transmitted to the Commissariat of the People a note - formulated as an ultimatum and demanding the immediate effecting of - certain financial measures which would practically make Russia a - German colony. The chief points of the note were the immediate - solution of the question regarding the exchange of prisoners, the - complete abolishment of armaments, and the dissolution of units - formed recently; also the occupation of Moscow and some other large - Russian cities. - -On the same date it was reported from Moscow that the Germans had -captured Rostov-on-Don, thus gaining control of the Caucasus, the grain -districts in the Donnetz Basin, and the coal, iron, and oil fields. -Northern Russia was thus cut off from the Caucasus, excepting for a -single railroad running through Tsaritsin, in the southern part of the -Government of Saratov, which the Germans were threatening. - -The dispatch continued as follows: - - The Governmental power in its entire Government, with which it had - made peace, is regarded by North Russia as a step toward its - occupation. Within a few weeks the future of Petrograd and Moscow - probably will be determined, as it is considered that the Soviet - Government either must submit to German domination or retreat - eastward and prepare for a defense against the invaders. Effective - resistance will be difficult without outside assistance, because of - the lack of technical experts and supplies. The bitter feeling - against Germany is intensified by the ruthless seizures in Ukraine, - and a growing disposition to accept allied aid if the Entente Allies - will recognize the Bolshevist Government is evident. - - -RUSSIA'S LOSSES - -The Commissariat of Commerce on April 10 gave the following summary of -what Russia lost by the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk: - - Inhabitants 56,000,000 - (About one-third total European Russia.) - Territory 300,000 square miles - (About one-sixth total European area.) - Railways 13,000 miles - (About one-third total mileage.) - Coal 89 per cent. - Iron 73 " - Machinery 1,073 factories. - Textiles 918 " - Paper 615 " - Chemicals 244 " - Tobacco 133 " - Spirits 1,685 distilleries. - Beer 574 breweries. - Sugar 268 refineries. - -The lost territories used to yield an annual revenue of nearly -$425,000,000 and boasted 1,800 savings banks. - - - - -More Bolshevist Legislation - -By Abraham Yarmolinsky - - -Speaking on Dec. 5, 1917, before the Central Executive Committee of the -Soviets on the subject of the right of constituents to recall their -representatives, Nikolai Lenine, the head of the proletarian Government -of Russia, made the following remark: "The State is an institution for -coercion. Formerly it was a handful of money-bags that outraged the -whole nation. We, on the contrary, wish to transform the State into an -institution of coercion which must do the will of the people. We desire -to organize violence in the name of the interests of the toilers." The -April issue of CURRENT HISTORY MAGAZINE contained a general outline of -the manner in which the makers of the social revolution applied this -principle of Statehood to the solution of various problems of home -government. The present article will deal more in detail with some of -the acts of the Bolshevist legislators. There is no better way of -gaining an insight into the views and intentions of the present rulers -of Russia than to study the abundant output of their legislative -machinery. - - -CONTROLLING PRODUCTION - -Lenine's Government has worked out an elaborate scheme of State control -over national production and distribution as a preliminary step toward -the complete socialization of the country's industry and commerce. The -semi-legislative, semi-executive organs created for that purpose form an -intricate hierarchy of affiliated elective bodies and corporations of a -large and ill-defined jurisdiction. - -In the first place, there have been instituted so-called Soviets of -Workmen's Control, (decree of Nov. 27, 1917.) These are made up of -representatives of trade unions, factory committees, and productive -co-operatives, and aim at regulating the economic life of industrial -plants using hired labor, the control in each enterprise being effected -through the elective bodies of the workmen, together with the -representatives of the salaried employes. The executive organs of the -Soviets of Workmen's Control have the right to fix the minimum output -of a given firm, to determine the cost of the articles produced, to -inspect the books and accounts, and, in general, to supervise the -production and the various business transactions. Commercial secrecy, -like diplomatic secrecy, is abolished. The owners and controlling -agencies are responsible to the State for the safety of the property and -for the strictest order and discipline within the precincts of the -establishments. The local Soviets are subordinated to provincial Soviets -of Workmen's Control, which issue local regulations, take up the -complaints of the owners against the controlling agencies, and settle -the conflicts between the latter. - -The Central All-Russian Soviet of Workmen's Control issues general -instructions and co-ordinates the activities of this controlling system -with the efforts of the other administrative organs regulating the -economic life of the country. - -The members of this central institution of control, together with -representatives from each Commissariat (Ministry of State) and also -expert advisers, form the Supreme Soviet (Council) of National Economy, -instituted by the decree of Dec. 18, 1917. This body directs and unifies -the work of regulating the national economy and the State finances. It -is empowered to confiscate, requisition, sequestrate, and syndicate -various establishments in the field of production, distribution, and -State finances. The Supreme Council is divided into several sections, -each of which deals with a separate economic phase. Among other tasks -devolving upon these sections is the drafting of the law projects for -the respective Commissariats. Bills affecting national economy in its -entirety are brought before the Council of the People's Commissaries -through the Supreme Council of National Economy. - - -ECONOMIC REGULATION - -On Jan. 5, 1918, the Institute of Local Soviets of National Economy was -created, "for the purpose of organizing and regulating the economic life -of each industrial section in accordance with the national and local -interests." Affiliated with the local Soviets of Workmen's and Soldiers' -Delegates, they are subject to the authority of the Supreme Council of -National Economy. They are made up of representatives from trade unions, -factory committees, workmen's co-operatives, land committees, and the -technical personnel of industrial and commercial establishments. The -inner organization of these bodies is elaborate. There are sections, -divisions, (of organization, supply and distribution, labor, and -statistics,) and business offices. - -Here are some of the functions of these Soviets. They must: - - 1. Manage the private enterprises confiscated by the State and given - over to the workmen, such as, for instance, a number of factories in - the Ural mining district. - - 2. Determine the amount of fuel, raw materials, machinery, means of - transportation, labor, &c., needed by the given industrial section, - and the amount available in it. - - 3. Provide for the economic needs of the section. - - 4. Distribute the orders for goods among the individual enterprises - and work out the basis for the distribution of labor, raw material, - machinery, &c. - - 5. Regulate transportation in the section. - - 6. See to it that all the productive forces should be fully utilized - both in industry and agriculture. - - 7. Improve the sanitary conditions of labor. - - -LAND COMMITTEES - -The activity of the Soviets of National Economy is restricted to the -field of industry. Their counterpart in agriculture are the so-called -land committees. - -The decree relating to agrarian socialization, voted by the Bolsheviki -at 2 A. M., Nov. 8, 1917, recommends the use of a certain _nakaz_, -(mandate,) based on 242 resolutions passed by village communities, as a -guide in putting the land reform into practice. Article 8 of this -_nakaz_, which is a paraphrase of the agrarian program of the Social -Revolutionists, reads thus: "All the land, upon confiscation, forms a -national agrarian fund. The distribution of the land among the toilers -is taken care of by local and central self-governing bodies. * * * The -land is periodically redistributed, with the growth of population and -the rise of the productivity of agricultural labor." - -For the purpose of putting this program into operation and regulating -the economic life of the village generally there have been instituted -land committees, (decree of Nov. 16,) one for each volost, (rural -district including several villages.) They are to be elected by the -population of the district and exist as separate institutions, or -function as an organ of the volost zemstvo, wherever this is found. The -duties of a land committee are many and complex. It takes inventory of -all the land in the district and allots to each village its share of -plow land, meadows, and pastures, seeing to it that the land should be -equitably distributed among the individual toilers and correctly tilled. -It grants lease of lands and waters, not subject to distribution, -receives the rent and turns it over to the national fund. It regulates -the supply and demand of agricultural labor, takes charge of the -forests, fixes prices of timber, receives and fills orders for fuel from -the State, and takes the necessary measures to preserve the large, -scientifically conducted agricultural establishments. - -The delegates of a number of volost land committees, together with -representatives of the local zemstvo and the Soviet of Workmen's and -Soldier's Delegates, form a county committee. The latter, in its turn, -sends a delegate to the Provincial Land Committee. The Main Land -Committee, which heads the whole system, is an independent institution -on a par with the central State organizations. It is a large group of -people, consisting of the Commissariat of Agriculture, together with -representatives from the following bodies: The Commissariats of Finance, -Justice, and Internal Affairs, the provincial Land Committees, the -All-Russian Soviet of Peasants' Deputies, the All-Russian Soviet of -Workmen's and Soldiers' Delegates, and the political parties. - - -NO MORE LANDLORDS - -The Bolsheviki have been careful to extend the abolition of private land -ownership to city real estate. By a special decree they abrogated the -property rights in city land and in those of the city buildings whose -value, together with that of the ground they occupy, exceeds a certain -minimum, fixed in each municipality by the local authorities, or which -are regularly let for rent, although their value does not exceed the -minimum. The land and the buildings are declared public property. The -dispossessed owners retain the right to use the apartment they occupy in -their former property, provided the apartment is worth no more than 800 -rubles of rent per annum. In case the value of the apartment exceeds -this maximum the former owner pays the difference to the local Soviet of -Workmen's and Soldiers' Delegates. All the rent which formerly went to -the landlord is now paid to that institution or to the Municipal -Council. Not more than one-third of the sum thus collected is to be used -to meet the various needs of the community; 10 per cent. of it goes to -the national housing fund; the rest forms the local housing fund for -erecting new buildings, laying out streets, and making other -improvements. - - -COMPULSORY INSURANCE - -Municipal socialization of land values, while manifestly intended to -benefit the poorer classes, directly affects all the elements of the -city population. Other measures enacted by the Bolsheviki are restricted -to the proletariat, and properly belong to the field of specific labor -legislation. Thus, a law has been passed limiting the working day in -both industrial and commercial establishments to eight hours, and -further regulating the work of women and children. Furthermore, a -minimum wage of the hired workers has been fixed in each section of the -country. But by far the most radical and characteristic innovations -launched by the Bolshevist Government in this line of legislation are -those relating to compulsory insurance of workmen. - -On Dec. 29 there was created the Institute of Insurance Soviets, with an -executive organ in the form of a Chamber of Insurance. It is the -intention of the Government to introduce compulsory insurance for -laborers against sickness, unemployment, invalidism, and accidents. The -regulations published so far relate only to the first two forms of -insurance. The respective decrees rule that throughout the territory of -the Russian Republic all hired workers, without distinction of sex, age, -religion, nationality, race, and allegiance, are to be insured against -sickness and unemployment, irrespective of the character and duration of -their work. Salaried employes and members of liberal professions are not -subject to this regulation. - -At the moment the workman is hired by the employer he automatically -becomes a member of two fraternities. In the event of his illness, one -furnishes him free medical aid and a weekly allowance equal to his -wages; the other assures him the equivalent of his wages if he loses his -employment and becomes an unemployed workman. The latter term the law -defines as "any able-bodied person depending for subsistence chiefly -upon the wages of his (or her) labor, who is unable to find work at the -normal rate of remuneration fixed by the proper trade union, and who is -registered in a local labor exchange or trade union." The workmen -contribute no dues to the fraternities. The income of the latter -consists mainly of the payments made by the employers. The owner of an -establishment using hired labor must contribute each week to the health -insurance fraternity 10 per cent. of the sum he pays out as wages, and -at least 3 per cent. of the same sum to the unemployment insurance -fraternity. The administrative machinery of this novel form of insurance -is worked out with much detail. - -It is natural to ask how the various institutions described above are -working, if they are functioning at all. It is clear that the smooth -working of a great number of cumbersome and wholly novel administrative -agencies in a body politic torn by an unprecedented social upheaval amid -the horrors of a twofold war would be little short of a miracle. -Moreover, it appears that the Bolsheviki have already grown disappointed -in some of their political dogmas, notably in the unrestrained and -ubiquitous application of the elective principle. Nevertheless, the -query, in its entirety, can hardly be adequately answered at present. -The time is not far off, however, when it will be possible to say -whether the measures decreed in the name of the dictatorial will of the -Russian proletariat have taken root or--and this alternative is more -probable--whether they have remained merely codified day-dreams. - - - - -Lithuania's Efforts Toward Autonomy - -By A. M. Martus - - -In the press of the United States on May 4, 1918, there appeared a -notice that President Wilson had given audience to the Lithuanian -delegation, recognizing the Lithuanians as a distinctively separate race -having rights of self-determination. - -At the time of the upheavals in Russia, during the Russo-Japanese war in -1905, Lithuanians, irrespective of political affiliations, held a -convention in their capital, Vilna, over 2,000 delegates participating, -where they unanimously asserted their right of self-government; also -expressing a strong desire to form one political body with their -half-brothers, the Letts. - -Again in October, 1917, a convention was held in Vilna with about 250 -delegates from those parts of Lithuania occupied by German forces, to -press their claim of independence for Lithuania. In January, 1918, -representative Lithuanians assembled in the same city proclaimed -independent Lithuania. Another convention of Lithuanian representatives -from Russia and from Lithuanian communities in the United States, -England, and Argentina, held in the same month in Stockholm, Sweden, -approved the act of their countrymen under German domination. On March -13 and 14 American Lithuanians held a convention in New York City, -giving their unanimous approval to the proclaiming of an Independent -Lithuanian Republic; here a unanimous resolution was passed protesting -against any Polish aspirations or claims to Lithuania, and demanding -the inclusion of the Lithuanian part of East Prussia, with the old -Lithuanian city of Karaliauchus (Königsberg,) in the Lithuanian -Republic. - -Lithuanians claim those parts of the neighboring provinces where their -language is spoken and where the inhabitants consider themselves -Lithuanians. They claim the eastern part of East Prussia--about 13,500 -square miles, with 700,000 or 800,000 inhabitants--and parts of the -provinces of Minsk and Vitebsk; thus the Lithuanian-Lettish Republic -would stretch over 131,000 square miles and have a population of over -11,500,000, inhabiting five centres--Karaliauchus, (Königsberg,) -Klaipeda, (Memel,) Libau, Windau, and Riga. - -The country is very rich for agriculture, though it contains much -undeveloped land, with many rivers, lakes, and large forests. Along the -River Nieman in Druskeniki, Government of Goodns, and in Birchtany, -Government of Vilna, there are salt springs of high healing qualities, -but on account of a corrupt Russian Government they remain undeveloped -and unexploited. The seabeach around Palanga, a little distance above -Germany's border on the Baltic, could be turned into another Atlantic -City, according to the opinion of experts, but the place remains -neglected. Lithuania's soil is very rich in aluminium and in material -for manufacturing glass. During my last visit to Lithuania, in 1914, the -discovery of radium was reported in the vicinity of the mineral springs -at Birchtany, but the war came on very soon and nothing further was -heard of it. - - - - -BRITISH LEADERS ON LAND AND SEA - - -[Illustration: Gen. F. B. Maurice - -_Formerly Director of Operations at the British War Office, now holding -a high position abroad_ - -(_Press Illustrating Service_)] - - -[Illustration: Maj. Gen. S. C. Mewburn, - -_Canadian Minister of Militia and Defense_ - -(_Press Illustrating Service_)] - - -[Illustration: Vice Admiral Roger Keyes - -_Who directed the British attack on Zeebrugge_ - -(_Central News_)] - - -[Illustration: Brig. Gen. Sandeman Carey, - -_Who stopped the gap in the British line before Amiens_ (© -_Underwood_)] - -[Illustration: A new type of tank made for the French Army - -(© _Underwood_)] - - -[Illustration: First American tank just completed at Boston - -(_Paul Thompson_)] - -In March, 1918, Lithuanians demanded that Germany recognize their -Provisional Government. The Tevyne of New York, official organ of the -Lithuanian Alliance of America, received the following from its -correspondent in Russia, relayed from Yokohama, March 26: - - In Lithuania there has been formed a Provisional Government - consisting of the following: A. Smetona, Premier; P. Dovydailis, - Minister of Education; J. Shaulys, Minister of Foreign Affairs; M. - Smilgevichus, Minister of Finances; M. Birzhishka, Minister of - Justice; J. Vileishis, Minister of Public Works; D. Malinauskas, - Minister of Public Safety. Dr. J. Shlupas, well known among American - Lithuanians, has been appointed Envoy Plenipotentiary to the United - States; J. Aukshtuolis, President of the Lithuanian Committee in - Stockholm, is made Ambassador to the Scandinavian countries; M. - Ychas, member of the last Russian Duma, Ambassador to England and - France; J. Gabrys, manager of the Lithuanian Information Bureau in - Switzerland, Ambassador to the Central Powers. A national army is - being organized. Lithuania's absolute neutrality was proclaimed. - Drafted a political and economic treaty with Sweden. - -Lithuanians fought in the Russian Army against the Germans, and now -large numbers of them are joining the military and naval forces of the -United States to fight the common foe; some are already in the English -Army. Lithuania has suffered not for her own faults, but because she was -situated between two belligerents. In the Government of Suvalki the -German and Russian Armies chased each other nine times backward and -forward; one may imagine how much is left there. Nothing but -excavations, trenches, heaps of ruins, crumbling chimneys indicate where -previously were large and prosperous villages. The world is yet to hear -more about German requisitions, German devastations, and German rapine -in Lithuania. Not only forests were denuded, but even fruit trees on the -farms were cut down and shipped to Germany. The remaining inhabitants -are forced to raise crops for the invaders, and for their various -products they must accept, under penalty, specially printed money for -local use--money that Germans themselves would not accept. - -Notwithstanding reports to the contrary, the Lithuanians were with the -Allies all the time, and will stand by them to the end. They have faith -that the Allies, when the proper time comes, will recognize their just -claims. - - - - -Germany to Impose "War Burdens" on Lithuania - - -Emperor William on May 12, 1918, issued the following proclamation -regarding Lithuania: - - We, Wilhelm, by God's grace German Emperor, King of Prussia, &c., - hereby make known that, whereas the Lithuanian Landsrat, as the - recognized representative of the Lithuanian people, on Dec. 12 - announced the restoration of Lithuania as an independent State - allied to the German Empire by an eternal, steadfast alliance, and - by conventions chiefly regarding military matters, traffic, customs, - and coinage, and solicited the help of the German Empire; and, - - Whereas, further, Previous political connections in Lithuania are - dissolved, we command our Imperial Chancellor to declare Lithuania - on the basis of the aforementioned declarations of the Lithuanian - Landsrat, in the name of the German Empire, as a free and - independent State, and we are prepared to accord the Lithuanian - State the solicited help and assistance in its restoration. - - We assume that the conventions to be concluded will take the - interests of the German Empire into account equally with those of - Lithuania, and that Lithuania will participate in the war burdens of - Germany, which secured her liberation. - -The Lithuanian National Council, with headquarters at Washington, -replied to the foregoing proclamation on May 14 as follows: - - The assumption that Lithuania "will participate in the war burdens - of Germany" means a contribution of three things: Money, munitions, - and men. The first we have not, as Germany has already impoverished - us; the second, we have no means of supplying, because we lack the - first. Therefore, Germany can have reference only to men. Men from a - self-declared democracy to fight in the ranks of autocracy? - Unthinkable. Lithuania would not consent. Are her citizens to be - dragooned into the ranks of the Kaiser? This would be an abridgment - of the sovereignty which Germany has already recognized, for - Chancellor von Hertling's reply stated, "We hereby recognize - Lithuania as free and independent." - - Germany knows that ultimate defeat is unavoidable, but she would - compensate losses in the west with gains in the east, among which - Lithuania is gambled on as an asset. No recognition of Lithuanian - independence can be sincere when coupled with the von Hertling - terms, but if this sop will add to Prussian man power it may - postpone somewhat the inevitable day of reckoning and give her more - time to Germanize in the east with a view of confederating the new - republics under Junker rule. - -[Illustration: THE BRITISH CRUISER VINDICTIVE AS IT LOOKED AFTER THE -FIGHT AT ZEEBRUGGE; LATER IT WAS SUNK IN THE HARBOR AT OSTEND TO BLOCK -THE CHANNEL] - - - - -The Raid on Zeebrugge and Ostend - -British Naval Exploit That Damaged Two German U-Boat Bases on the North -Sea Coast - - -The little Belgian port of Zeebrugge fell into German hands in the -Autumn of 1914, and, with the neighboring port of Ostend, became a thorn -in the side of the Entente by reason of its increasing use as a base for -enemy destroyers, submarines, and aircraft. The Germans, having seized -the shipbuilding plants at Antwerp, began building submarines and small -war craft, which could be sent by way of Bruges down the canals that -connect the latter city with Zeebrugge and Ostend. Especially useful to -them was the maritime canal whose mouth at Zeebrugge was protected by a -crescent-shaped mole, thirty feet high, inclosing the harbor. - -On the night of April 22-23, 1918, a British naval expedition under Vice -Admiral Sir Roger Keyes, commanding at Dover, aided by French -destroyers, undertook to wreck the stone mole at Zeebrugge and to block -the entrances to the canals both at Zeebrugge and at Ostend by sinking -the hulks of old ships in the channels. The episode, marked as it was by -heroic fighting, proved to be one of the most thrilling and picturesque -in the naval operations of the war. To Americans it recalled Hobson's -exploit with the Merrimac at Santiago, while to Englishmen it brought -back memories of Sir Francis Drake and his fireships in the Harbor of -Cadiz. - -Though the fighting at Zeebrugge lasted only an hour, the British lost -588 men, officially reported as follows: Officers--Killed, 16; died of -wounds, 3; missing, 2; wounded, 29. Men--Killed, 144; died of wounds, -25; missing, 14; wounded, 355. - -Six obsolete British cruisers took part in the attack. They were the -Brilliant, Iphigenia, Sirius, Intrepid, Thetis, and Vindictive. The -first five of these were filled with concrete and were to be sunk in the -entrances of the two ports. The Vindictive, working with the two Mersey -ferryboats Daffodil and Iris, carried storming and demolition parties to -the Zeebrugge mole. The object was to attack the enemy forces and guns -on the mole, along with the destroyer and submarine depots and the large -seaplane base upon it, and thus to divert the enemy's attention from the -work of the block ships. As the attack on the mole accomplished this, -the main object of the operation was successful. - -The attacking forces were composed of bluejackets and Royal Marines -picked from the Grand Fleet and from naval and marine depots. Sir Eric -Geddes stated in Parliament the next morning that light forces belonging -to the Dover command and Harwich forces under Admiral Tyrwhitte covered -the operation from the south. A large force of monitors, together with -many motor launches and small, fast craft took part. One of the -essentials of success was the creation of a heavy veil of artificial fog -or smoke. The officer who developed this phase of the attack was killed -in action. The general plan was to attack the guns and works on the -Zeebrugge mole with storming parties, while the concrete-laden cruisers -were being sunk in the channel. Two old and valueless submarines filled -with explosives were to be blown up against the viaduct connecting the -mole with the shore. - - -STORY OF THE FIGHTING - -A detailed narrative of the affair was issued by the British Admiralty -on the 25th, the essential passages of which are as follows: - - The night was overcast and there was a drifting haze. Down the coast - a great searchlight swung its beam to and fro in the small wind and - short sea. From the Vindictive's bridge, as she headed in toward - the mole, with the faithful ferryboats at her heels, there was - scarcely a glimmer of light to be seen shoreward. Ahead, as she - drove through the water, rolled the smoke screen, her cloak of - invisibility, wrapped about her by small craft. This was the device - of Wing Commander Brock, without which, acknowledges the Admiral in - command, the operation could not have been conducted. - - A northeast wind moved the volume of it shoreward ahead of the - ships. Beyond it was the distant town, its defenders unsuspicious. - It was not until the Vindictive, with bluejackets and marines - standing ready for landing, was close upon the mole that the wind - lulled and came away again from the southeast, sweeping back the - smoke screen and laying her bare to eyes that looked seaward. - - There was a moment immediately afterward when it seemed to those on - the ships as if the dim, coast-hidden harbor exploded into light. A - star shell soared aloft, then a score of star shells. The wavering - beams of the searchlights swung around and settled into a glare. A - wild fire of gun flashes leaped against the sky, strings of luminous - green beads shot aloft, hung and sank. The darkness of the night was - supplemented by a nightmare daylight of battle-fired guns and - machine guns along the mole. The batteries ashore awoke to life. - - - Landing on the Mole - - It was in a gale of shelling that the Vindictive laid her nose - against the thirty-foot high concrete side of the mole, let go her - anchor and signaled to the Daffodil to shove her stern in. - - The Iris went ahead and endeavored to get alongside likewise. The - fire was intense, while the ships plunged and rolled beside the mole - in the seas, the Vindictive with her greater draught jarring against - the foundations of the mole with every lunge. They were swept - diagonally by machine-gun fire from both ends of the mole and by the - heavy batteries on shore. - - Commander (now Captain) Carpenter conned the Vindictive from the - open bridge until her stern was laid in, when he took up his - position in the flame thrower hut on the port side. It is marvelous - that any occupant should have survived a minute in this hut, so - riddled and shattered is it. - - The officers of the Iris, which was in trouble ahead of the - Vindictive, describe Captain Carpenter as handling her like a picket - boat. The Vindictive was fitted along her port side with a high - false deck, from which ran eighteen brows or gangways by which the - storming and demolition parties were to land. - -[Illustration: MAP SHOWING RELATION OF ZEEBRUGGE AND OSTEND TO THE -ENGLISH COAST] - - The men gathered in readiness on the main lower decks, while - Colonel Elliott, who was to lead the marines, waited on the false - deck just abaft the bridge. Captain Halahan, who commanded the - bluejackets, was amidships. The gangways were lowered, and they - scraped and rebounded upon the high parapet of the mole as the - Vindictive rolled in the sea-way. - - The word for the assault had not yet been given when both leaders - were killed, Colonel Elliott by a shell and Captain Halahan by - machine-gun fire which swept the decks. The same shell that killed - Colonel Elliott also did fearful execution in the forward Stokes - mortar battery. The men were magnificent; every officer bears the - same testimony. - - The mere landing on the mole was a perilous business. It involved a - passage across the crashing and splintering gangways, a drop over - the parapet into the field of fire of the German machine guns which - swept its length, and a further drop of some sixteen feet to the - surface of the mole itself. Many were killed and more wounded as - they crowded up the gangways, but nothing hindered the orderly and - speedy landing by every gangway. - - Lieutenant H. T. C. Walker had his arm shot away by shell on the - upper deck, and lay in darkness while the storming parties trod him - under. He was recognized and dragged aside by the commander. He - raised his remaining arm in greetings. "Good luck to you," he called - as the rest of the stormers hastened by. "Good luck." - - The lower deck was a shambles as the commander made the rounds of - the ship, yet those wounded and dying raised themselves to cheer as - he made his tour. * * * - - - Heroic Work on the Iris - - The Iris had troubles of her own. Her first attempts to make fast to - the mole ahead of the Vindictive failed, as her grapnels were not - large enough to span the parapet. Two officers, Lieut. Commander - Bradford and Lieutenant Hawkins, climbed ashore and sat astride the - parapet trying to make the grapnels fast till each was killed and - fell down between the ship and the wall. Commander Valentine Gibbs - had both legs shot away and died next morning. Lieutenant Spencer, - though wounded, took command and refused to be relieved. - - The Iris was obliged at last to change her position and fall in - astern of the Vindictive, and suffered very heavily from fire. A - single big shell plunged through the upper deck and burst below at a - point where fifty-six marines were waiting for the order to go to - the gangways. Forty-nine were killed. The remaining seven were - wounded. Another shell in the ward-room, which was serving as a sick - bay, killed four officers and twenty-six men. Her total casualties - were eight officers and sixty-nine men killed and three officers and - 103 men wounded. - - Storming and demolition parties upon the mole met with no resistance - from the Germans other than intense and unremitting fire. One after - another buildings burst into flame or split and crumbled as dynamite - went off. A bombing party working up toward the mole extension in - search of the enemy destroyed several machine-gun emplacements, but - not a single prisoner rewarded them. It appears that upon the - approach of the ships and with the opening of fire the enemy simply - retired and contented themselves with bringing machine guns to the - short end of the mole. - - -BLOCKING THE CANAL - -Describing operations of the three -block ships, the official narrative says: - - The Thetis came first, steaming into a tornado of shells from great - batteries ashore. All her crew, save a remnant who remained to - steam her in and sink her, already had been taken off her by a - ubiquitous motor launch, but the remnant spared hands enough to keep - her four guns going. It was hers to show the road to the Intrepid - and the Iphigenia, which followed. She cleared a string of armed - barges which defends the channel from the tip of the mole, but had - the ill-fortune to foul one of her propellers upon a net defense - which flanks it on the shore side. - -[Illustration: PLAN ILLUSTRATING THE FIGHT AT THE ZEEBRUGGE MOLE, THE -BLOCKING OF THE BRUGES CANAL, AND THE LOCATION OF SUNKEN SHIPS] - - The propeller gathered in the net, and it rendered her practically - unmanageable. Shore batteries found her and pounded her - unremittingly. She bumped into the bank, edged off, and found - herself in the channel again still some hundreds of yards from the - mouth of the canal in practically a sinking condition. As she lay - she signaled invaluable directions to others, and her commander, R. - S. Sneyd, also accordingly blew charges and sank her. Motor launches - under Lieutenant H. Littleton raced alongside and took off her crew. - Her losses were five killed and five wounded. - - The Intrepid, smoking like a volcano and with all her guns blazing, - followed. Her motor launch had failed to get alongside outside the - harbor, and she had men enough for anything. Straight into the canal - she steered, her smoke blowing back from her into the Iphigenia's - eyes, so that the latter was blinded, and, going a little wild, - rammed a dredger, with her barge moored beside it, which lay at the - western arm of the canal. She was not clear, though, and entered the - canal pushing the barge before her. It was then that a shell hit the - steam connections of her whistle, and the escape of steam which - followed drove off some of the smoke and let her see what she was - doing. - -[Illustration: PERSPECTIVE MAP OF OSTEND HARBOR, WITH ZEEBRUGGE IN THE -DISTANCE] - - - Main Object Attained - - Lieutenant Stuart Bonham Carter, commanding the Intrepid, placed the - nose of his ship neatly on the mud of the western bank, ordered his - crew away, and blew up his ship by switches in the chart room. Four - dull bumps were all that could be heard, and immediately afterward - there arrived on deck the engineer, who had been in the engine room - during the explosion, and reported that all was as it should be. - - Lieutenant E. W. Bullyard Leake, commanding the Iphigenia, beached - her according to arrangement on the eastern side, blew her up, saw - her drop nicely across the canal, and left her with her engines - still going, to hold her in position till she should have bedded - well down on the bottom. According to the latest reports from air - observation, two old ships, with their holds full of concrete, are - lying across the canal in a V position, and it is probable that the - work they set out to do has been accomplished and that the canal is - effectively blocked. A motor launch, under Lieutenant P. T. Deane, - had followed them in to bring away the crews and waited further up - the canal toward the mouth against the western bank. - - Lieutenant Bonham Carter, having sent away his boats, was reduced to - a Carley float, an apparatus like an exaggerated lifebuoy with the - floor of a grating. Upon contact with the water it ignited a calcium - flare and he was adrift in the uncanny illumination with a German - machine gun a few hundred yards away giving him its undivided - attention. What saved him was possibly the fact that the defunct - Intrepid still was emitting huge clouds of smoke which it had been - worth nobody's while to turn. He managed to catch a rope, as the - motor launch started, and was towed for awhile till he was observed - and taken on board. - - -THE VINDICTIVE'S STORY - -Commander Alfred F. B. Carpenter, who commanded the Vindictive and who -was made Captain for his successful work, gave an Associated Press -correspondent an interesting description of the episode. During the -attack he was at the end of the bridge in a small steel box or cabin -which had been specially constructed to house a flame thrower. The -Captain, with his arm in a sling, standing on the shell-battered deck of -the Vindictive, said: - - Exactly according to plan we ran alongside the mole, approached it - on the port side, where we were equipped with specially built - buffers of wood two feet wide. As there was nothing for us to tie up - to, we merely dropped anchor there, while the Daffodil kept us - against the mole with her nose against the opposite side of our - ship. In the fairly heavy sea two of our three gangways were - smashed, but the third held, and 500 men swarmed up this on to the - mole. This gangway was two feet wide and thirty feet long. The men - who went up it included 300 marines and 150 storming seamen from the - Vindictive, and fifty or so from the Daffodil. They swarmed up the - steel gangway, carrying hand grenades and Lewis guns. No Germans - succeeded in approaching the gangway, but a hard hand-to-hand fight - took place about 200 yards up the mole toward the shore. - - The Vindictive's bow was pointed toward the shore, so the bridge got - the full effect of enemy fire from the shore batteries. One shell - exploded against the pilot house, killing nearly all its ten - occupants. Another burst in the fighting top, killing a Lieutenant - and eight men, who were doing excellent work with two pompoms and - four machine guns. - - The battery of eleven-inch guns at the end of the mole was only 300 - yards away, and it kept trying to reach us. The shore batteries also - were diligent. Only a few German shells hit our hull, because it was - well protected by the wall of the mole, but the upper structure, - mast, stacks, and ventilators showed above the wall and were - riddled. A considerable proportion of our casualties were caused by - splinters from these upper works. - - Meanwhile the Daffodil continued to push us against the wall as if - no battle was on, and if she had failed to do this none of the - members of the landing party would have been able to return to the - ship. - - Twenty-five minutes after the Vindictive had reached the wall the - first block ship passed in and headed for the canal. Two others - followed in leisurely fashion while we kept up the fight on the - mole. One of the block ships stranded outside of the canal, but the - two others got two or three hundred yards inside, where they were - successfully sunk across the entrance. - - Fifteen minutes after the Vindictive arrived alongside the mole our - submarine exploded under the viaduct connecting the mole with the - mainland. The Germans had sent a considerable force to this viaduct - as soon as the submarine arrived, and these men were gathered on the - viaduct, attacking our submersible with machine guns. When the - explosion occurred the viaduct and Germans were blown up together. - The crew of the submarine, consisting of six men, escaped on board a - dinghy to a motor launch. - - Early in the fighting a German shell knocked out our howitzer, which - had been getting in some good shots on a big German seaplane station - on the mole half a mile away. This is the largest seaplane station - in Belgium. Unfortunately, our other guns could not be brought to - bear effectively upon it. The shell which disabled the howitzer - killed all the members of the gun crew. Many men were also killed by - a German shell which hit the mole close to our ship and scattered - fragments of steel and stone among the marines assembling on the - deck around the gangway. - - Half an hour after the block ships went in, we received the signal - to withdraw. The Vindictive's siren was blown, and the men returned - from all parts of the mole and thronged down the gangway. We put off - after having lain alongside just about an hour. The Germans made no - effort to interfere with our getaway other than to continue their - heavy firing. - - -RESCUE FROM BLOCK SHIPS - -One of the most thrilling incidents was the rescue by two American-built -motor launches of nearly 200 members of the crews of two block ships -sunk at the entrance to the Bruges Canal. The feat was accomplished -under a heavy fire and the actual transfer was made in less than five -minutes. One launch delivered ninety-nine men to the destroyer. - -The dead and wounded could not all be brought away, but the loss of -personnel in this way was declared to be remarkably small. - -Stoker Bendall of the submarine which blew up the Zeebrugge mole said: - - It was silent and heavy business. We were going full tilt when we - hit the viaduct. It was a good jolt, and we ran right into the - middle of the viaduct and stuck there, as we intended to do. I don't - think anybody said anything except, "Well, we are here all right." - - We lowered a skiff and stood by while the commander touched off the - fuse and then tumbled into the skiff and pushed off. By bad luck the - propeller fouled the exhaust pipe and left us with only two oars and - two minutes to get away. The enemy lights were on us, and the - machine guns were firing from the shore. - - Before we made 200 yards the submarine went up, and there was a - tremendous flash and roar, and lots of concrete from the mole fell - around us. Luckily, we were not struck. - -Photographs taken from an airplane a few days later showed that the -effort to block the canal entrance had been successful. The Intrepid and -Iphigenia had reached the precise positions in which they were intended -to be sunk, while the exploded submarine had blown a gap of sixty to a -hundred feet in the shore end of the mole. The Frankfurter Zeitung, in -commenting on the affair, said: "It would be foolish to deny that the -British fleet scored a great success through a fantastically audacious -stroke in penetrating into one of the most important strongholds over -which the German flag floats." - - -ATTACKS AT OSTEND - -At Ostend the operations on the same night were unsuccessful, largely -owing to a shift of wind. Small craft with smoke apparatus ran in -according to program, set up a screen, and lit two large flares to mark -the entrance to the harbor for the two concrete-laden cruisers that were -to be sunk in the channel. Before the cruisers could arrive, however, -the wind shifted and blew away the smoke screen, after which the German -gunfire quickly destroyed the flares. The cruisers tried to proceed by -guesswork under heavy fire, but their efforts were in vain. One of the -block ships was sunk, but not in a position to obstruct the channel. - -A second attempt to close the Ostend harbor was made on the night of -May 9-10, when the battered old Vindictive, which had borne the brunt of -the shellfire at the Zeebrugge mole, was sunk in the channel with her -inside full of concrete. A member of the expedition gave this account: - - As the Vindictive neared Ostend it became apparent that the Germans - had got wind of our presence, for suddenly there was a regular - pyrotechnic display of star shells. The effect was brilliant, but - quite undesirable from our point of view. Immediately guns of all - sizes opened fire on us, and there was a terrific din. - - The Vindictive and one or two other vessels received hits, and a few - casualties were caused by this gunfire. The firing was heavily - returned by our ships. Most of the crew of the Vindictive were taken - off when the ship was at a little distance from the Ostend piers, - only a few officers and men being left to navigate her between the - piers and sink her there. A motor launch which was assisting in - picking up the crew was hit several times by shellfire, and was in a - sinking condition when it came alongside the Admiral's vessel, the - destroyer Warwick, to which they were transferred. The motor launch - had extensive damage in the fore part, and by order of the Admiral - was sunk, as it was apparent that it could not get back to Dover. - There was a heavy explosion when the Vindictive sank between the - piers. - -The casualties in the second Ostend raid were forty-seven, of whom -eighteen were killed or missing, the rest wounded. - - * * * * * - -The British Admiralty, in its official report of the second Ostend -action, issued May 14, stated that the Vindictive was "lying at an angle -of about 40 degrees to the pier, and seemed to be hard fast." Commander -Godsal, who was on deck during the critical moments, was missing and was -believed to have been killed; Lieutenant Crutchley blew up the auxiliary -charges in the forward 6-inch magazine from the conning tower. Lieut. -Commander William A. Bury, who blew up the main charges by a switch -installed aft, was severely wounded. The Admiralty reported that the -sunken ship would make the harbor impracticable for any but small craft -and difficult for dredging operations. - - - - -German U-Boat Claims - -Address by Admiral von Capelle - -_German Naval Secretary_ - - -Admiral Von Capelle, the German Secretary of the Navy, delivered an -address before the Reichstag, April 17, 1918, in which he asserted that -the submarine warfare of Germany was a success. In the course of his -speech he said: - -"The main question is, What do the western powers need for the carrying -on of the war and the supply of their homelands, and what amount of -tonnage is still at their disposal for that purpose? All statistical -calculations regarding tonnage are today almost superfluous, as the -visible successes of the U-boat war speak clearly enough. The robbery of -Dutch tonnage, by which the Anglo-Saxons have incurred odium of the -worst kind for decades to come, is the best proof of how far the -shipping shortage has already been felt by our opponents. In addition to -the sinkings there must be added a great amount of wear and tear of -ships and an enormous increase of marine accidents, which Sir J. -Ellerman, speaking in the Chamber of Shipping recently, calculated at -three times the peace losses. Will the position of the western powers -improve or deteriorate? That depends upon their military achievements -and the replacing of sunken ships by new construction." - -Dealing briefly with Sir Eric Geddes's recent speech on the occasion of -the debate on the naval estimates, Admiral von Capelle declared: - -"The assertion of the First Lord of the Admiralty that an unwillingness -to put to sea prevailed among the German U-boat crews is a base -calumny." - - -LOSSES AND CONSTRUCTION - -As regards the assertions of British statesmen concerning the -extraordinarily great losses of U-boats, Admiral von Capelle said: - -"The statements in the foreign press are very greatly exaggerated. Now, -as before, our new construction surpasses our losses. The number of -U-boats, both from the point of view of quality and quantity, is -constantly rising. We can also continue absolutely to reckon on our -military achievements hitherto attained. Whether Lloyd George can -continue the naval war with prospects of success depends, not upon his -will but upon the position of the U-boats as against shipbuilding. -According to Lloyd's Register, something over 22,000,000 gross register -tons were built in the last ten years before the war in the whole -world--that is, inclusive of the construction of ourselves, our allies, -and foreign countries. The entire output today can in no case be more, -for difficulties of all kinds and the shortage of workmen and material -have grown during the war. In the last ten years--that is, in peace -time--800,000 gross register tons of the world's shipping was destroyed -annually by natural causes. Now in wartime the losses, as already -mentioned, are considerably greater. Thus, 1,400,000 gross register tons -was the annual net increase for the entire world. That gives, at any -rate, a standard for the present position. America's and Japan's new -construction is to a certain extent destined for the necessities of -these countries. - -"In the main, therefore, only the figures of British shipbuilding come -into question. About the middle of 1917 there was talk of 3,000,000 tons -in official quarters in Great Britain. Then Lloyd George dropped to -2,000,000, and now, according to Bonar Law's statement, the output is -1,160,000 tons. As against, therefore, about 100,000 tons monthly put -into service there are sinkings amounting to 600,000 tons, or six times -as much. In brief, if the figures given are regarded as too favorable -and new construction at the rate of 150,000 tons monthly--that is, 50 -per cent. higher--be assumed, and the sinkings be reduced to 450,000 -tons, then the sinkings are still three times as large as the amount of -new construction. - - -THE COMING MONTHS - -"One other thing must especially be taken into consideration for the -coming months. Today every ship sunk strikes at the vital nerve of our -opponents. Today, when only the absolutely necessary cargoes of -foodstuffs and war necessities can still be transported, the sinking of -even one small ship has quite a different significance as compared with -the beginning of the U-boat war. Moreover, the loss of one ship means a -falling out of four to five cargoes. In these circumstances even the -greatest pessimist must say that the position of our opponents is -deteriorating in a considerably increasing extent and with rapid -strides, and that any doubt regarding the final success of the U-boat -war is unjustified." - -Replying to a question of the reporter, Admiral von Capelle said: - -"Our opponents have been busily endeavoring to strengthen their -anti-submarine measures by all the means at their disposal, and, -naturally, they have attained a certain success. But they have at no -time had any decisive influence on the U-boat war, and, according to -human reckoning, they will not do so in the future. The American -submarine destroyers which have been so much talked about have failed. -The convoy system, which, it is true, offers ships a certain measure of -protection, has, on the other hand, also the great disadvantage of -reducing their transport capabilities. The statements oscillate from 25 -to 60 per cent. - -"For the rest, our commanders are specially trained for attacks on -convoys, and no day goes by when one or more ships are not struck out of -convoys. Experienced commanders manage to sink three to four ships in -succession belonging to the same convoy." - - -THE STEEL QUESTION - -Admiral von Capelle then dealt with the steel question as regards -shipbuilding, which, he said, "is practically the determinative factor -for shipbuilding." He continued: - -"Great Britain's steel imports in 1916 amounted to 763,000 tons, and in -1917 only amounted to 497,000 tons. That means that already a reduction -of 37 per cent. has been effected, a reduction which will presumably be -further considerably increased during 1918. Restriction of imports of -ore from other countries, such as America, caused by the U-boat war will -also have a hampering effect on shipbuilding in Great Britain. It is -true that Sir Eric Geddes denied that there was a lack of material, but -expert circles in England give the scarcity of steel as the main reason -for the small shipbuilding output. - -"American help in men and airplanes and American participation in the -war are comparatively small. If later on America wants to maintain -500,000 troops in France, shipping to the amount of about 2,000,000 tons -would be permanently needed. This shipping would have to be withdrawn -from the supply service of the Allies. - -"Moreover, according to statements made in the United States and Great -Britain, the intervention in the present campaign of such a big army no -longer comes into consideration. After America's entry into the war -material help for the Entente has not only not increased, but has even -decreased considerably. President Wilson's gigantic armament program has -brought about such economic difficulties that America, the export -country, must now begin to ration instead of, as it was hoped, -increasingly to help the Entente. To sum up, it can be stated that the -economic difficulties of our enemies have been increased by America's -entry into the war." - - -"ENGLAND'S DANGER POINT" - -Later in the debate Admiral von Capelle said: "The salient point of the -discussion is the economic internal and political results of the U-boat -war during the coming months. The danger point for England has already -been reached, and the situation of the western powers grows worse from -day to day." - -Admiral von Capelle then briefly dealt with that calculation of the -world tonnage made by a Deputy which received some attention in the -Summer of last year. "This calculation," he said, "shows a difference of -9,000,000 tons from the calculation of the Admiralty Staff. In my -opinion, the calculation of the Admiralty Staff is correct. Whence -otherwise comes the Entente's lack of tonnage, which, in view of the -facts, cannot be argued away? The Admiralty Staff in its calculation -adapted itself to the fluctuating situation of the world shipping. At -first each of the enemy States looked after itself. Later, under Great -Britain's leadership, common control of tonnage was established." - -Admiral von Capelle quoted the calculation of the American Shipping -Department, according to which the world tonnage in the Autumn of 1917 -amounted to 32,000,000, of which 21,000,000 were given as transoceanic. -He insisted, however, that so much attention must not be paid to all -these calculations, but exhorted the people rather to dwell on the -joyful fact that the danger point for the western powers had been -reached. - -At the close of the sitting Admiral von Capelle stated that all orders -for the construction of U-boats had been given independently by the -Naval Department and that the Naval Administration had never been -instructed to give orders for more U-boats by the Chancellor or the -Supreme Army Command. Every possible means, he said, for the development -of U-boat warfare had been done by the Naval Department. - -Admiral von Capelle in a supplemental statement before the Reichstag, -May 11, in discussing the naval estimates, said: - - The reports for April are favorable. Naturally, losses occur, but - the main thing is that the increase in submarines exceeds the - losses. Our naval offensive is stronger today than at the beginning - of unrestricted submarine warfare. That gives us an assured prospect - of final success. - - The submarine war is developing more and more into a struggle - between U-boat action and new construction of ships. Thus far the - monthly figures of destruction have continued to be several times as - large as those of new construction. Even the British Ministry and - the entire British press admit that. - - The latest appeal to British shipyard workers appears to be - especially significant. For the present the appeal does not appear - to have had great success. According to the latest statements - British shipbuilding fell from 192,000 tons in March to 112,000 in - April; or, reckoned in ships, from 32 to 22. That means a decline of - 80,000 tons, or about 40 per cent. [The British Admiralty stated - that the April new tonnage was reduced on account of the vast amount - of repairing to merchantmen.--Editor.] - - America thus far has built little, and has fallen far below - expectations. Even if an increase is to be reckoned with in the - future, it will be used up completely by America herself. - - In addition to the sinkings by U-boats, there is a large decline in - cargo space owing to marine losses and to ships becoming - unserviceable. One of the best-known big British ship owners - declared at a meeting of shipping men that the losses of the British - merchant fleet through marine accidents, owing to conditions created - by the war, were three times as large as in peace. - - - - -The Admiral's Statements Attacked - - -The British authorities asserted that Admiral von Capelle's figures were -misleading and untrue. The losses published in the White Paper include -marine risk and all losses by enemy action. They include all losses, and -not merely the losses of food ships, as suggested in the German wireless -message dated April 16. Even in the figures of the world's output of -shipbuilding von Capelle seems to have been misled. He states that -"something over 2,000,000 gross tons were built annually in the last ten -years, including allied and enemy countries." The actual figures are -2,530,351 gross tons. He further states that the entire output today can -in no case be more, owing to difficulties in regard to labor and -material. The actual world's output, as shown in the Parliamentary White -Paper, excluding enemy countries, amounted to 2,703,000 gross tons, and -the output is rapidly rising. Von Capelle tried to raise confusion with -regard to the figures 3,000,000 and 2,000,000 tons and the actual output -for 1917. The Admiralty says no forecast was ever given that 3,000,000 -tons, or even 2,000,000 tons, would be completed in that year. Three -million tons is the ultimate rate of production, which, as the First -Lord stated in the House of Commons, is well within the present and -prospective capacity of United Kingdom shipyards and marine engineering -works. The exaggerated figures of losses are still relied on by the -enemy. The average loss per month of British ships during 1917, -including marine risk, was 333,000 gross tons, whereas Secretary von -Capelle in his statement bases his argument on an average loss from -submarine attacks alone of 600,000 tons per month. The figures for the -quarter ended March 31, 1918, showed British losses to be 687,576 tons, -and for the month of March 216,003 tons, the lowest during any month, -with one exception, since January, 1917. With regard to steel, the First -Lord has already assured the House of Commons that arrangements have -been made for the supply of steel to give the output aimed at, and at -the present time the shipyards are in every case fully supplied with the -material. - -The American production of new tonnage reached its stride in May, and -the estimate of over 4,000,000 tons per annum was regarded as -conservative. It was estimated that the total British and American new -tonnage in the year ending May, 1919, would exceed 6,000,000, as against -total U-boat sinkings, based on the record of the first quarter of 1918, -of 4,500,000. - - -OFFICIAL RETURNS OF LOSSES - -The following was the official report of losses of British, allied, and -neutral merchant tonnage due to enemy action and marine risk: - - Allied - Period. British. and Neutral. Total. - 1917. Month. Month. Month. - January 193,045 216,787 409,832 - February 343,486 231,370 574,856 - March 375,309 259,376 634,685 - -------- -------- ---------- - Quarter 911,840 707,533 1,619,373 - - April 555,056 338,821 893,877 - May 374,419 255,917 630,336 - June 432,395 280,326 712,721 - -------- -------- ---------- - Quarter 1,361,870 875,064 2,236,934 - - July 383,430 192,519 575,949 - August 360,296 189,067 519,363 - September 209,212 159,949 369,161 - -------- -------- --------- - Quarter 952,938 541,535 1,494,473 - - October 289,973 197,364 487,337 - November 196,560 136,883 333,443 - December 296,356 155,707 452,063 - -------- -------- --------- - Quarter 782,889 489,954 1,272,843 - - 1918. - January 217,270 136,187 353,457 - February 254,303 134,119 388,422 - March 216,003 165,628 381,631 - -------- -------- --------- - Quarter 687,576 435,934 1,123,510 - - The Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping stated that the tonnage of - steamships of 500 gross tons and over entering and clearing United - Kingdom ports from and to ports overseas was as under: - - Period. Period. - 1917. Gross Tons. 1918. Gross Tons. - October 6,908,189 January 6,336,663 - November 6,818,564 February 6,326,965 - December 6,665,413 March 7,295,620 - - This statement embraces all United Kingdom seaborne traffic other - than coastwise and cross Channel. - - - - -The Month's Submarine Record - - -The British Admiralty, in April, 1918, discontinued its weekly report of -merchant ships destroyed by submarines or mines, and announced that it -would publish a monthly report in terms of tonnage. These figures are -shown in the table above. The last weekly report was for the period -ended April 14, and showed that eleven merchantmen over 1,600 tons, four -under 1,600 tons, and one fishing vessel had been sunk. - -In regard to the sinkings in April, French official figures showed that -the total losses of allied and neutral ships, including those from -accidents at sea during the month, aggregated 381,631 tons. - -Norway's losses from the beginning of the war to the end of April, 1918, -amounted to 755 vessels, aggregating 1,115,519 tons, and the lives of -1,006 seamen, in addition to about 700 men on fifty-three vessels -missing, two-thirds of which were declared to be war losses. - -The American steamship Lake Moor, manned by naval reserves, was sunk by -a German submarine in European waters about midnight on April 11, with a -loss of five officers and thirty-nine men. Five officers and twelve -enlisted men were landed at an English port. Eleven men, including five -navy gunners, were lost when the Old Dominion liner Tyler was sunk off -the French coast on May 3. The Canadian Pacific Company's steamer Medora -also was sunk off the French coast. The Florence H. was wrecked in a -French port by an internal explosion on the night of April 17. Out of -the crew of fifty-six men, twenty-nine were listed as dead or missing, -twelve were sent to hospital badly burned, two were slightly injured, -and only thirteen escaped injury. Of the twenty-three men of the naval -guard only six were reported as survivors. - -Six officers and thirteen men were reported missing as the result of two -naval disasters reported on May 1 by the British Admiralty. They formed -part of the crews of the sloop Cowslip, which was torpedoed and sunk on -April 25, and of Torpedo Boat 90, which foundered. - -According to Archibald Hurd, a British authority on naval matters, the -area in the North Sea which was proclaimed by the British Government as -dangerous to shipping and therefore prohibited after May 15 is the -greatest mine field ever laid for the special purpose of foiling -submarines. It embraces 121,782 square miles, the base forming a line -between Norway and Scotland, and the peak extending northward into the -Arctic Circle. - - - - -A Secret Chapter of U-Boat History - -How Ruthless Policy Was Adopted - -_The causes that led to Germany's adoption of the policy of unrestricted -submarine warfare on Feb. 1, 1917, were revealed a year later by the -Handelsblad, an Amsterdam newspaper, whose correspondent had secured -secret access to "a number of highly interesting and important -documents" long enough to read them and make notes of their contents. -The Dutch paper vouched for the accuracy of the following information:_ - - -At the close of the year 1915 the German Admiralty Staff prepared a -semi-official memorandum to prove that an unrestricted submarine -campaign would compel Great Britain to sue for peace "in six months at -the most." The character of the argument conveys the impression that the -chiefs of the German Admiralty Staff had already made up their minds to -adopt the most drastic measures in regard to submarine warfare, but that -they wished to convince the Kaiser, the Imperial Chancellor, and the -German diplomatists of the certainty of good results on economic and -general, rather than merely military, grounds. To this end the -memorandum based its arguments on statistics of food prices, freight, -and insurance rates in Great Britain. It pointed out that the effects on -the prices of essential commodities, on the balance of trade, and, -above all, on the morale of the chief enemy, had been such, even with -the restricted submarine campaign of 1915, that, if an unrestricted -submarine war were decided upon, England could not possibly hold out for -more than a short period. - -The memorandum was submitted to the Imperial Chancellor, who passed it -on to Dr. Helfferich, the Secretary of State for Finance. He, however, -rejected the document on the ground that, in the absence of authentic -estimates of stocks, it was impossible to set a time-limit to England's -staying power, and also that he was exceedingly doubtful as to what line -would be taken by neutrals, especially the United States. Dr. Helfferich -maintained that so desperate a remedy should only be employed as a last -resource. The authors of the memorandum then sent a reply, in which they -developed their former arguments, and pointed to the gravity of the -internal situation in Germany. They emphasized the importance of using -the nearest and sharpest weapons of offense if a national collapse was -to be avoided. They reinforced their argument by adducing the evidence -of ten experts, representing finance, commerce, the mining industry, and -agriculture. They were Herr Waldemar Müller, the President of the -Dresdner Bank; Dr. Salomonsohn of the Disconto Gesellschaft; Dr. Paul -Reusch of Oberhausen, Royal Prussian Councilor of Commerce; Dr. -Springorum of Dortmund, Chancellor of Commerce, member of the Prussian -Upper House, (Herren Haus,) General Director of Railways and Tramways at -Hoesch, an ironmaster, and a great expert in railways; Herr Max Schinkel -of Hamburg, President of the Norddeutsche Bank in Hamburg and of the -Disconto Gesellschaft in Berlin; Herr Zuckschwerdt of Madgeburg, -Councilor of Commerce, late member of the Prussian Upper House; Herr -Wilhelm von Finck of Munich, Privy Councilor, chief of the banking house -of Merck, Finck & Co., Munich; Councilor of Economics R. Schmidt of -Platzhof, member of the Württemberg Upper Chamber and of the German -Agricultural Council; Herr Engelhard of Mannheim, Councilor of Commerce, -President of the Chamber of Commerce and member of the Baden Upper -Chamber. - -These experts were invited to send answers in writing to the three -following questions: (1) What would be the effect on England of -unrestricted submarine warfare? (2) What would be its effect on -Germany's relations with the United States and other neutrals? (3) To -what extent does the internal situation in Germany demand the use of -this drastic weapon? - -The reader will do well to remember that the replies were written in -February, 1916--nearly two years ago. All agreed on the first point--the -effect on Great Britain. The effect of unrestricted submarine warfare on -England would be that she would have to sue for peace in six months at -the most. Herr Müller, who seemed to be in a position to confirm the -statistics given in the memorandum, pointed out that the supply of -indispensable foodstuffs was, at the time of writing, less than the -normal supply in peace time. He held that the submarine war, if -relentlessly and vigorously pursued, would accomplish its purpose in -less time than calculated in the memorandum--in fact, three months -should do it. Dr. Salomonsohn also thought that six months was an -excessive estimate, and that less time would suffice. - -On the question of the effect on neutrals the experts were divided. Dr. -Reusch suggested that the neutrals despised the restricted submarine -warfare of 1915, and held that every ship in British waters, whether -enemy or neutral, should be torpedoed without warning. According to him, -the world only respects those who, in a great crisis, know how to make -the most unscrupulous use of their power. - -Herr Müller predicted that ruthless submarine war would cause a -wholesale flight of neutrals from the war zone. Their newspapers might -abuse Germany at first, but they would soon get tired. The danger was -from the United States, but that would become less in proportion as -Germany operated more decisively and ruthlessly. Dr. Salomonsohn adopted -the same attitude. He recognized the possibility of war with the United -States, but was loath to throw away so desirable a weapon on that -account. - -As to the third point, all the experts agreed that the internal -situation in Germany demanded that the most drastic methods of submarine -warfare should be employed. Herr Zuckschwerdt urged the advisability of -the most drastic measures owing to the feeling of the nation. The nation -would stand by the Government, but not if it yielded to threats from -America. Such weakness would lead to serious consequences. Herr Schmidt -admitted the possibility of Germany not being able to hold out, and -emphasized the importance of taking drastic steps before disorder and -unrest arose in the agricultural districts. - - - - -Sea-Raider Wolf and Its Victims - -Story of Its Operations - -_A third chapter of sea-raider history similar to those of the Möwe and -Seeadler was revealed when the Spanish steamship Igotz Mendi, navigated -by a German prize crew, ran aground on the Danish coast, Feb. 24, 1918, -while trying to reach the Kiel Canal with a cargo of prisoners and -booty. The next day the German Government announced that the sea-raider -Wolf, which had captured the Igotz Mendi and ten other merchant vessels, -with 400 prisoners, had successfully returned after fifteen months in -the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. The story of the Wolf's -operations, as gleaned by Danish and English correspondents from the -narratives of released prisoners, is told below. Some of the most -interesting passages were furnished by Australian medical officers who -had been captured on the British steamer Matunga:_ - - -The Wolf, a vessel of about 6,000 gross tonnage, armed with several guns -and torpedo tubes, carried a seaplane, known as the Wolfchen, which was -frequently used in the operations of the sea raider. On some days the -seaplane made as many as three flights. The Wolf, apparently, proceeded -from Germany to the Indian Ocean, laying minefields off the Cape, -Bombay, and Colombo. Early in February, 1917, she captured the British -steamship Turritella, taking off all the officers and putting on board a -prize crew which worked the vessel with her own men. In every case of -capture, when the vessel was not sunk at once, this procedure was -adopted. - -The Wolf transferred a number of mines to the Turritella, with -instructions that they should be laid off Aden. A few days later the -Turritella encountered a British warship, whereupon the prize crew, -numbering twenty-seven, sank the Turritella, and were themselves taken -prisoner. - -Three weeks later the Wolf overhauled the British steamer Jumna. The -Wolf thought that the British vessel was about to ram her, and the port -after-gun was fired before it was properly trained, killing five of the -raider's crew and wounding about twenty-three others. The Jumna remained -with the Wolf for several days, after which her coal and stores were -transferred to the raider, and she was sunk with bombs. The next vessels -to be captured and sunk were the British steamships Wordsworth and Dee. - -Early in June the Wolf, while at anchor under the lee of an island in -the Pacific, sighted the British steamship Wairuna, bound from Auckland, -N. Z., to San Francisco with coal, Kauri gum, pelts, and copra. The Wolf -sent over the seaplane which, flying low, dropped a canvas bag on the -Wairuna's deck, containing the message, "Stop immediately; take orders -from German cruiser. Do not use your wireless or I will bomb you." The -Wairuna eased down, but did not stop until the seaplane dropped a bomb -just ahead of her. By this time the Wolf had weighed anchor and -proceeded to head off the Wairuna. A prize crew was put on board with -orders to bring the ship under the lee of the island and anchor. All the -officers, except the master, were sent on board the Wolf. The following -day possibly a thousand tons of cargo were transferred. - - -CAPTURE OF THE MATUNGA - -While the two vessels were anchored, the chief officer and second -engineer of the Turritella let themselves over the side of the Wolf with -the intention of swimming ashore. Later, the Wairuna was taken out and -sunk by gunfire, the bombs which had been placed on board having failed -to accomplish their purpose. The next captures were the American -vessels, Winslow, Beluga, and Encore, which were either burned or sunk. - -For nearly a week following this the Wolf hove to, sending the seaplane -up several times each day for scouting purposes. Apparently she had -picked up some information by her wireless apparatus and was on the -lookout for a vessel. On the third day the Wolfchen went up three times, -and, on returning from its last flight, dropped lights. Early the next -morning none of the prisoners was allowed on deck. A gun was fired by -the Wolf, and it was afterward found that it was to stop the British -steamer Matunga, with general cargo and passengers, including a number -of military officers and men. - - -BETRAYED BY WIRELESS - -It was on the morning of Aug. 5, when the Matunga was nearing the coast -of the territory formerly known as German New Guinea, that she fell in -with the Wolf, which was mistaken for an ordinary tramp steamer, as the -two vessels ran parallel to each other for about two miles. Then the -Wolf suddenly revealed her true character by running up the German flag, -dropping a portion of her forward bulwarks, exposing the muzzles of her -guns, and firing a shot across the bows of the Matunga. At the same time -the Wolf sent a seaplane to circle over the Matunga at a low altitude -for the obvious purpose of ascertaining whether the latter was armed. -Apparently satisfied with the seaplane's report, the German Captain sent -a prize crew, armed with bayonets and pistols, to take possession of the -British ship. Before their arrival, however, all the Matunga's code -books, log books, and other papers were thrown overboard. During the -time the prize crew, all of whom spoke English well, were overhauling -the Matunga, it was learned that the Germans had been lying in wait for -her for five days, as they had somehow learned that she was carrying 500 -tons of coal, which they needed badly, and that the German wireless -operator had been following her course from the time of her departure -from Sydney toward the end of July. - -The two ships, now both under German command, proceeded together to a -very secluded natural harbor on the north coast of Dutch New Guinea, the -entrance to which was watched by two German guard boats, while a -wireless plant was set up on a neighboring hill and the Wolf's seaplane -patrolled the sea around for about 100 miles on the lookout for any -threatened danger. The two ships remained in the Dutch harbor for nearly -a fortnight, during which time the Wolf was careened and her hull -scraped of barnacles and weeds in the most thorough and methodical -manner, after which the coal was transferred from the Matunga's bunkers. -The latter vessel was then taken ten miles out to sea, where everything -lying loose was thrown into the hold and the hatches battened down to -obviate the possibility of any floating wreckage remaining after she was -sunk. Bombs were then placed on board and exploded, and the Matunga went -down in five or six minutes without leaving a trace. - -Before the Matunga was sunk all her crew and passengers were transferred -to the Wolf, which then pursued a zigzag course across the Pacific Ocean -and through the China Sea to the vicinity of Singapore, where she sowed -her last remaining mines. According to stories told by the crew, they -had sown most of their mines off Cape Town, Bombay, Colombo, the -Australian coast, and in the Tasman Sea, between Australia and New -Zealand. They also boasted that on one occasion, when off the coast of -New South Wales, their seaplane made an early morning expedition over -Sydney Harbor (the headquarters of the British Navy in the Pacific) and -noted the disposition of the shipping in that port. They also claimed -that the seaplane was the means of saving the Wolf from capture off the -Australian coast on one occasion, when she was successful in sighting a -warship in sufficient time to enable the Wolf to make good her escape. - -A week or more was spent by the Wolf in the China Sea and off Singapore, -whence she worked her way to the Indian Ocean for the supposed purpose -of picking up wireless instructions from Berlin and Constantinople. - -[Illustration: An American regiment marching through a French village - -(_American Official Photograph_)] - -[Illustration: American troops, with full equipment, on parade in London - -(© _Western Newspaper Union_)] - -[Illustration: A French château shelled by the Germans after they had -been driven from the village by Canadians - -(© _Western Newspaper Union_)] - -On Sept. 26, while still dodging about in the Indian Ocean, the Wolf -met and captured a Japanese ship, the Hitachi-maru, with thirty -passengers, a crew of about 100, and a valuable cargo of silk, copper, -rubber, and other goods, for Colombo. During the previous day the -Germans had been boasting that they were about to take a big prize, and -it afterward transpired that they based their anticipations on the terms -of a wireless message which they had intercepted on that day. When first -called upon by signal to stop, the Japanese commander took no notice of -the order, and held on his way even after a shot had been fired across -his ship's bow. Thereupon the Wolf deliberately shelled her, destroying -the wireless apparatus, which had been sending out S O S signals, and -killing several members of the crew. While the shelling was going on, a -rush was made by the Japanese to lower the boats, and a number of both -crew and passengers jumped into the sea to escape the gunfire. The -Germans afterward admitted to the slaughter of fifteen, but the Matunga -people assert that the death roll must have been much heavier. The -steamer's funnels were shot away, the poop was riddled with shot, and -the decks were like a shambles. All this time the Wolf's seaplane -hovered over the Japanese ship ready to drop bombs upon her and sink her -in the event of any hostile ship coming in sight. - -After transferring the passengers and crew and as much of the cargo as -they could conveniently remove from the Hitachi-maru to the Wolf, her -decks were cleared of the wreckage their gunfire had caused, and a prize -crew was put in charge of her with a view of taking her to Germany. Some -weeks later, however, that intention was abandoned for reasons known -only to the Germans themselves, and on Nov. 5 the Hitachi-maru was sunk. - - -IGOTZ MENDI TAKEN - -The Wolf then proceeded on her voyage, and on Nov. 10 captured the -Spanish steamship Igotz Mendi, with a cargo of 5,500 tons of coal, of -which the Wolf was in sore need. The raider returned with this steamer -to the island off which the Hitachi-maru had been sunk, and one evening -all the married people, a few neutrals and others, and some sick men -were transferred from the Wolf to the Igotz Mendi. The raider took -aboard a large quantity of coal, and, after the Spanish vessel had been -painted gray, the two vessels parted company. The Wolf reappeared on -several occasions and reported that she had captured and sunk the -American sailing vessel John H. Kirby and the French sailing vessel -Maréchal Davout. On Boxing Day the Wolf attempted to coal from the Igotz -Mendi in mid-Atlantic, but, owing to a heavy swell, the vessels bumped -badly. It was afterward stated that the Wolf had been so badly damaged -that she was making water. - -A few days later two large steamships were sighted, and both the Wolf -and the Igotz Mendi hastily made preparations to escape. The officers -and crew changed their clothes to ordinary seamen's attire, packed up -their kitbags, and sent all the prisoners below. - -Among the latter was the first officer of the Spanish ship, who saw a -German lay a number of bombs between the decks of the Igotz Mendi ready -to be exploded if it became necessary to sink that ship with all her -prisoners while the Wolf looked after her own safety. These bombs were -temporarily left in the charge of the German wireless operator to whom -the Spanish officer found an opportunity of communicating a message to -the effect that he was wanted immediately on the bridge. The ruse was -successful, for the operator promptly obeyed the instruction, and in his -temporary absence all the bombs were thrown overboard. The German -commander, Lieutenant Rose, was furious. He held an investigation next -day and asked each prisoner if he knew anything about the bombs. When -the Spanish Chief Officer's turn came he answered: - -"Yes; I threw them overboard. I'll tell you why. It was not for me, -Captain Rose, but for the women and little children. I am not afraid of -you. You can shoot me if you want to, but you can't drown the little -children." - -Rose confined him to his room, and the next time the Igotz Mendi met the -Wolf, Commander Nerger sentenced him to three years in a German military -prison. - -Coaling having finished, the vessels proceeded north in company. During -the first week of January the Wolf sank the Norwegian bark Storkbror, on -the ground that the vessel had been British-owned before the war. This -was the Wolf's last prize. The last time the two raiders were together -was on Feb. 6, when the Wolf was supplied with coal and other -requirements from the Igotz Mendi. Thereafter, each pursued her own -course to Germany. - - -RAIDER MEETS DISASTER - -About Feb. 7 the Igotz Mendi crossed the Arctic Circle, and, -encountering much ice, was forced back. Two attempts were made at the -Northern Passage, but as the ship was bumping badly against the ice -floes a course was shaped between Iceland and the Faroes for the -Norwegian coast. On the night of the 18th a wireless from Berlin -announced that the Wolf had arrived safely. At 3:30 P. M. on Feb. 24 the -Igotz Mendi ran aground near the Skaw, having mistaken the lighthouse -for the lightship in the foggy weather. Three hours later a boat came -off from the shore. The Igotz Mendi was boarded at 8 o'clock by the -commander of a Danish gunboat, who discovered the true character of the -ship, which the Germans were endeavoring to conceal. - -Next day twenty-two persons, including nine women, two children, and two -Americans, were landed in lifeboats and were cared for by the British -Consul. Many of them had suffered from inadequate nourishment in the -last five weeks. There had been an epidemic of beri-beri and scurvy on -board the vessel. - -The Danish authorities interned the German commander of the Igotz Mendi. -The German prize crew refused to leave the ship. - -The Berlin authorities on Feb. 25, 1918, issued an official announcement -containing these statements: - - The auxiliary cruiser Wolf has returned home after fifteen months in - the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. The Kaiser has telegraphed - his welcome to the commander and conferred the Order Pour le Mérite, - together with a number of iron crosses, on the officers and crew. - The Wolf was commanded by Frigate Captain Nerger and inflicted the - greatest damage on the enemy's shipping by the destruction of cargo - space and cargo. She brought home more than four hundred members of - crews of sunken ships of various nationalities, especially numerous - colored and white British soldiers, besides several guns captured - from armed steamers and great quantities of valuable raw materials, - including rubber, copper, brass, zinc, cocoa beans, copra, &c., to - the value of many million marks. - - - - -Career and Fate of the Raider Seeadler - -A German Adventure in the Pacific - -_Fitted out as a motor schooner under command of Count von Luckner, with -a crew of sixty-eight men, half of whom spoke Norwegian, the German -commerce raider Seeadler (Sea Eagle) slipped out from Bremerhaven in -December, 1916, encountered a British cruiser, passed inspection, and -later proceeded, with the aid of two four-inch guns that had been hidden -under a cargo of lumber, to capture and destroy thirteen merchant -vessels in the Atlantic before rounding the Horn into the Pacific and -there sinking three American schooners before meeting a picturesque fate -in the South Sea Islands. The narrative of the Seeadler's career as here -told by CURRENT HISTORY MAGAZINE is believed to be the most complete yet -published._ - - -On Christmas Day, 1916, the British patrol vessel Highland Scot met and -hailed a sailing vessel which declared itself without ceremony to be the -three-masted Norwegian schooner Irma, bound from Christiania to Sydney -with a cargo of lumber. As nothing was more natural, the vessel was -allowed to pass, and soon disappeared on the horizon. - -A few days later, in the Atlantic, running before a northerly gale, this -neat-looking, long-distance freighter threw its deck load of planks -and beams into the ocean, brought from their hiding places two four-inch -guns, six machine guns, two gasoline launches, and a motor powerful -enough to propel the vessel without the use of sails on occasion. Then a -wireless dispatch sent in cipher from aerials concealed in the rigging -announced that the German raider Seeadler was ready for business. On the -bow the legend, "Irma, Christiania," and at the masthead the flag of -Norway remained to lure the raider's victims to destruction. - -The Seeadler had formerly been the American ship Pass of Balmaha, 2,800 -tons, belonging to the Boston Lumber Company. In August, 1915, while on -its way from New York to Archangel, it was captured by a German's -submarine and sent to Bremen, where it was fitted out as a raider. Under -the name of the Seeadler it left Bremerhaven on Dec. 21, 1916, in -company with the Möwe, ran the British blockade by the ruse indicated -above, and began its career of destruction on two oceans. While the Möwe -waylaid its twenty-two victims along the African coast, the Seeadler -turned southwest and preyed on South American trade. - -One by one the Seeadler sent to the bottom the British ships Gladis -Royle, Lady Island, British Yeoman, Pinmore, Perse, Horngarth; the -French vessels Dupleix, Antonin, La Rochefoucauld, Charles Gounod, and -the Italian ship Buenos Aires. On March 7, 1917, it encountered the -French bark Cambronne two-thirds of the way between Rio de Janeiro and -the African coast and forced it to take on board 277 men from the crews -of the eleven vessels previously captured. The Cambronne was compelled -to carry these to Rio de Janeiro, where it landed them on March 20, thus -first revealing the work of the Seeadler to the world. On March 22 the -German Government announced the safe completion of the second voyage of -the Möwe. (See CURRENT HISTORY MAGAZINE for May, 1917, p. 298.) - -Having thus ended its operations in the Atlantic, the Seeadler rounded -Cape Horn with the intention of scouring the Pacific. In June it -sank two American schooners in that ocean, the A. B. Johnson and R. C. -Slade, adding another, the Manila, on July 8, and making prisoners of -all the crews. Captain Smith of the Slade afterward told the story of -his experiences. His ship had been attacked on June 17, and he had at -first tried to escape by outsailing the raider; but after the ninth -shell dropped near his ship he surrendered. He continued: - - They took all our men aboard the raider except the cook. Next - morning I went back on board with all my men and packed up. We left - the ship with our belongings June 18. We were put on board the - raider again. Shortly after I saw from the raider that they cut - holes in the masts and placed dynamite bombs in each mast, and put - fire to both ends of the ship and left her. I saw the masts go over - the side and the ship was burning from end to end, and the raider - steamed away. - -After six months of hard life at sea the raider was in need of repairs -and the crew longed for a rest on solid land. Casting about for an -island sufficiently isolated for his purpose, the Captain, Count von -Luckner, decided upon the French atoll of Mopeha, 265 miles west of -Tahiti; he believed the little island to be uninhabited. The Seeadler -dropped anchor near its jagged coral reefs July 31, 1917. On Aug. 1 -Captain von Luckner took possession of the islet and raised the German -flag over what he called the Kaiser's last colony. But the next day, -during a picnic which he had organized "to entertain his crew and -prisoners," leaving only a few men on board the Seeadler, a heavy swell -dropped the ship across an uncharted blade of the reef, breaking the -vessel's back. The Germans were prisoners themselves on their own -conquered islet! - -Von Luckner had been incorrect in believing the island entirely -uninhabited. Three Tahitians lived there to make copra (dried cocoanut) -and to raise pigs and chickens for the firm of Grand, Miller & Co. of -Papeete; this firm was shortly to send a vessel to take away its -employes, a fact which the Germans learned with mixed emotions. - -They brought ashore everything they could from their wrecked ship, -including planks and beams, of which they constructed barracks; also -provisions, machine guns, and wireless apparatus. The heavy guns were -put out of commission--likewise the ship's motor. The wireless plant, a -very powerful one, was set up between two cocoanut trees. It was -equipped with sending and receiving apparatus, and without difficulty -its operator could hear Pago-Pago, Tahiti, and Honolulu. - -On Aug. 23 Count von Luckner and five men set out in an armed motor -sloop for the Cook Islands, which they reached in seven days. There they -succeeded in deceiving the local authorities, but a few days later they -and their boat were captured in the Fiji Islands by the local -constabulary and handed over to the British authorities. Thus ended the -Captain's hope of seizing an American ship and returning to Mopeha for -his crew. - -On Sept. 5 the French schooner Lutece from Papeete arrived at Mopeha to -get the three Tahitians and their crops. First Lieutenant Kling took a -motor boat and a machine gun and captured the schooner, which had a -large cargo of flour, salmon, and beef, with a supply of fresh water. -Kling and the rest of the Germans, after dismantling the wireless, left -the island that night, abandoning forty-eight prisoners, including the -Americans, the crew of the Lutece, and four natives. Before going they -destroyed what they could not take with them, cut down many trees to get -the cocoanuts more easily, and left to the prisoners very scant -provisions, and bad at that. The few cocoanuts that remained were -largely destroyed by the great number of rats on the island. There was -plenty of fish and turtles. - -After the flight of the Germans the French flag was hoisted on the -island and the twentieth-century Robinson Crusoes organized themselves -under Captain Southard of the Manila and M. Fain, one of the owners of -the Lutece. The camp was rebuilt, the supplies rationed out, the -catching of fish and turtles arranged, and the question of going in -search of help discussed. On Sept. 8 Pedro Miller, one of the owners of -the Lutece, set sail in an open boat with Captains Southard and Porutu, -a mate, Captain Williams, and three sailors, hoping to reach the Island -of Maupiti, eighty-five miles to the east; but after struggling eight -days against head winds and a high sea he returned to Mopeha with his -exhausted companions. Two days later, Sept. 19, Captain Smith of the -Slade, with two mates and a sailor, left the island in a leaky whaleboat -dubbed the Deliverer of Mopeha and shaped their course toward the west; -in ten days they covered 1,080 miles and landed at Tutuila, one of the -Samoan Islands, where the American authorities informed Tahiti by -wireless of the serious plight of the men marooned on Mopeha. The -British Governor at Apia--Robert Louis Stevenson's last home--also -offered to send a relief ship; but the Governor of the French -Establishments of Oceania, declining this offer with thanks, dispatched -the French schooner Tiare-Taporo from Papeete on Oct. 4. - -Two days later the relief expedition sighted Mopeha by means of a column -of smoke that rose from the island, for the Robinson Crusoes had -organized a permanent signal system to attract the attention of passing -vessels. The arrival of the rescuers was greeted with frantic -acclamations. By evening the last boatload of refugees was aboard the -Tiare-Taporo, and on the morning of Oct. 10 the schooner reached -Papeete, where the prisoners at last were free. - -The fate of the Lutece with the main body of the Seeadler's crew was -indicated, though not fully explained, by a cable dispatch from -Valparaiso, Chile, March 5, 1918, stating that the Chilean schooner -Falcon had arrived there from the Easter Islands with fifty-eight -sailors formerly belonging to the crew of the Seeadler. The sailors were -interned by the Chilean Government. Count Felix von Luckner, commander -of the Seeadler, who, with five of his men, had been captured by the -local constabulary of the Fiji Islands, was interned by the British in a -camp near Auckland, New Zealand. In December he and other interned -Germans escaped to sea in an open boat and traveled nearly 500 miles, -suffering from lack of food and water, but were recaptured after a two -weeks' chase. - - - - -Treatment of British Prisoners - -Shocking Brutalities in German War Prisons Revealed in an Official -Report - - -A report issued by an official British Investigating Committee, known as -the Justice Younger Committee, appointed to investigate the treatment of -British soldiers by their German captors, made public in April, 1918, -presents a shocking record of barbarities. The commission reported as -follows: - - There is now no doubt in the minds of the committee that as early, - at the latest, as the month of August, 1916, the German Command were - systematically employing their British as well as other prisoners in - forced labor close behind the western firing line, thereby - deliberately exposing them to the fire of the guns of their own and - allied armies. This fact has never been acknowledged by the German - Government. On the contrary, it has always been studiously - concealed. But that the Germans are chargeable, even from that early - date, with inflicting the physical cruelty and the mental torture - inherent in such a practice can no longer be doubted. - - Characteristically the excuse put forward was that this treatment, - not apparently suggested to be otherwise defensible, was forced upon - the German Command as a reprisal for what was asserted to be the - fact, namely, that German prisoners in British hands had at some - time or other been kept less than thirty kilometers (how much less - does not appear) behind the British firing line in France. This - statement was quite unfounded. - - Furthermore, at the end of April, 1917, an agreement was definitely - concluded between the British and German Governments that prisoners - of war should not on either side be employed within thirty - kilometers of the firing line. Nevertheless, the German Command - continued without intermission so to employ their British prisoners, - under the inhuman conditions stated in the report. And that - certainly until the end of 1917--it may be even until now--although - it has never even been suggested by the German authorities, so far - as the committee are aware, that the thirty kilometers limit agreed - upon has not been scrupulously observed by the British Command in - the letter as well as in the spirit. - - - "Prisoners of Respite" - - The German excuse is embodied in different official documents, some - of which enter into detailed descriptions of the reprisals alleged - to be in contemplation because of it. These descriptions are in - substantial accord with treatment which the committee, from the - information in their possession, now know to have been in regular - operation for months before either the threat or the so-called - excuse for it, and to have continued in regular operation after the - solemn promise of April that it should cease. These documents - definitely commit the German Command to at least a threatened - course of conduct for which the committee would have been slow to - fix them with conscious responsibility. Incidentally they - corroborate in advance the accuracy, in its incidents, of the - information, appalling as it is, which has independently reached - the committee from so many sides. - - As a typical example, the committee set forth a transcript in - German-English of one of these pronouncements, of which extensive - use was made. It is a notice, entitled, "Conditions of Respite to - German Prisoners." As here given, it was handed to a British - noncommissioned officer to read out, and it was read out to his - fellow-prisoners at Lille on April 15, 1917: - - Upon the German request to withdraw the German prisoners of war to - a distance of not less than thirty kilometers from the front line, - the British Government has not replied; therefore it has been - decided that all prisoners of war who are captured in future will - be kept as prisoners of respite. Very short of food, bad lighting, - bad lodgings, no beds, and hard work beside the German guns, under - heavy shellfire. No pay, no soap for washing or shaving, no towels - or boots, &c. The English prisoners of respite are all to write to - their relations or persons of influence in England how badly they - are treated, and that no alteration in the ill-treatment will occur - until the English Government has consented to the German request; - it is therefore in the interest of all English prisoners of respite - to do their best to enable the German Government to remove all - English prisoners of respite to camps in Germany, where they will - be properly treated, with good food, good clothing, and you will - succeed by writing as mentioned above, and then surely the English - Government will consent to Germany's request, for the sake of their - own countrymen. You will be supplied with postcard, note paper, and - envelope, and all this correspondence in which you will explain - your hardships will be sent as express mail to England. - - - Starved to Death - - It seems that the prisoners, from as early as August, 1916, were - kept in large numbers at certain places in the west--Cambrai and - Lille are frequently referred to in the evidence--but in smaller - numbers they were placed all along the line. Their normal work was - making roads, repairing railways, constructing light railways, - digging trenches, erecting wire entanglements, making gun-pits, - loading ammunition, filling munition wagons, carrying trench - mortars, and doing general fatigue work, which under the pain of - death the noncommissioned officers were compelled to supervise. - - This work was not only forbidden by the laws of war, it was also - excessively hard. In many cases it lasted from eight to nine hours a - day, with long walks to and fro, sometimes of ten kilometers in each - direction, and for long periods was carried on within range of the - shellfire of the allied armies. One witness was for nine months kept - at work within the range of British guns; another for many months; - others for shorter periods. Many were killed by these guns; more - were wounded; deaths from starvation and overwork were constant. One - instance of the allied shellfire may be given. In May, 1917, a - British or French shell burst among a number of British and French - prisoners working behind the lines in Belgium. Seven were killed; - four were wounded. - - But there is much more to tell. The men were half starved. Two - instances are given in the evidence of men who weighed 180 pounds - when captured. One was sent back from the firing line too weak to - walk, weighing only 112 pounds; the other escaped to the British - lines weighing no more. Another man lost twenty-eight pounds in six - weeks. Parcels did not reach these prisoners. In consequence they - were famished. Such was their hunger, indeed, that we hear of them - picking up for food potato peelings that had been trampled under - foot. One instance is given of an Australian private who, starving, - had fallen out to pick up a piece of bread left on the roadside by - Belgian women for the prisoners. He was shot and killed by the guard - for so doing. - - - Some Merciful Guards - - It was considered, so it would seem, to be no less than a stroke of - luck for prisoners to chance upon guards who were more merciful. For - instance, one of them speaking of food at Cambrai says: - - If it had not been for the French civilians giving us food as we - went along the roads to and from work we should most certainly have - starved. If the sentries saw us make a movement out of the ranks to - get food they would immediately make a jab at us with their rifles, - but conditions here were not so bad as at Moretz, where if a man - stepped out of the ranks he was immediately shot. I heard about - this from men who had themselves been working at Moretz, and had - with their own eyes seen comrades of theirs shot for moving from - the ranks. - - At Ervillers in February, 1917, a prisoner's allowance for the day - consisted of a quarter of a loaf of German black bread, (about a - quarter of a pound,) with coffee in the morning; then soup at - midday, and at 4:30 coffee again, without sugar or milk. On this a - man had to carry on heavy work for over nine hours. The ration of - the German soldier at the same time and place consisted of a whole - loaf of bread per day, good, thick soup, with beans and meat in it, - coffee, jam, and sugar; two cigars and three cigarettes. The food - conditions at Marquion a little later are thus described: - - We used to beg the sentries to allow us to pick stinging nettles - and dandelions to eat, we were so hungry; in fact, we were always - hungry, and I should say we were semi-starved all the time. While - we were here our Sergeants put in for more rations, but the answer - they got was that we were prisoners of war now "and had no rights - of any kind; that the Germans could work us right up behind their - front lines if they liked, and put us on half the rations we were - then getting." - - - Flogged with Dog Whip - - The ration was coffee and a slice of bread at 4:45 A. M., soup of - barley and horseflesh at 2 P. M., eight pounds of barley and ten - pounds of meat between 240 men. And they were compelled to work hard - for eight or nine hours a day on this diet. The frequent cruelty of - the guards generally is a matter constantly referred to: - - The German Sergeant in charge at Ervillers (says one prisoner) was - very harsh. Twice I saw him (this prisoner was there for a month - only) using a dog whip, and heard of him doing so on another - occasion. He used it mostly on men who were slow in getting out to - work owing to weakness. - - The description by a body of these men on their arrival at a camp in - Germany, after being withdrawn from the front, may be taken as - another example of this: - - We were forced to work; we were given hardly any food, and when we - fell down from sheer exhaustion we were kicked until we got up - again, and it was not until we absolutely could not get about that - we were sent back. - - To add to their miseries, the accommodation provided for these - prisoners was in many cases pathetically inadequate. The witnesses - recur to this again and again. One sleeping place, for instance, for - a large party was a barn with no roof. The rain poured in upon the - men. They had to sleep in their wet clothes and work in the same - clothes. They had no change of any kind. And some of these - prisoners, if they survived so long, were kept behind these enemy - lines for over a year. Their quarters at Cambrai are thus described - by two of the men: - - our uniforms, without either greatcoats or blankets. There was no - fire, and it was very cold. We lay on loose straw, which was full - of vermin, and we consequently became verminous. We could only - wash in a bucket of cold water, without either soap or towels. - - The Germans did not supply us with any clothing, and as we had to - work in all weathers, conditions were very hard. Our clothes used - to get drenched through, but still we had to go back to barracks - and sleep in them. It was terribly cold also, especially without - our fur coats. We asked for clothing, but never got any. - - No Parcels or Letters - - But, added to all these hardships, it was the total absence of - parcels and the fact that letters or communications from their - friends rarely reached them that placed these prisoners, for misery, - in a class apart. Instances are on record where the very existence - of some of them was undisclosed by their captors for many months. In - March, 1917, for example, a body of these prisoners who had been - captured as long before as August, 1916, and had been kept at work - by the Germans behind their lines ever since, were returned to a - parent camp in Germany weak and emaciated. On arrival there they - found a number of their own names in the lists of missing men that - had been sent from our War Office through Switzerland and posted in - the camp. * * * - - It seems almost incredible, but the committee do not doubt it to be - the fact, that as late as November, 1917, there were at - Limburg-am-Lahn undelivered between 18,000 and 20,000 parcels for - British prisoners on the German western front. In July, 1917, the - German delegates at The Hague plainly recognized that no distinction - in respect of the receipt of parcels could be properly made between - prisoners of war in occupied territories and others. The agreement - then concluded contains provisions on that subject. Having regard to - the condition of things at Limburg as late as November, 1917, the - committee can only regret that the effect of that agreement was - certainly at that date not so manifest as it ought to have been. The - matter, they add, is of tragic importance to the prisoners - concerned. It made and makes just the difference between starvation - and existence to the unfortunate sufferers. - - - Extracts from Evidence - - The committee extract from the great mass of evidence now in their - possession statements as to the impression produced upon those who - actually saw our men upon their escape to the British lines or after - their transfer to camps in Germany. These statements, they believe, - must convince every impartial mind that it is impossible in terms of - exaggeration to describe the sufferings these prisoners had - undergone. - - In April, 1917, three of them escaped over "No Man's Land." They - were received by a British General Staff officer, a Major in the 1st - Anzac Corps. This is what he says of them, under date April 18, - 1917: - - Three men escaped from behind the German lines to us the other day. - They had been prisoners three months, and were literally nearly dead - with ill-treatment and starvation. One of them could hardly walk, - and was just a skeleton. He had gone down from 182 pounds to less - than 112 pounds in three months. I fetched him back from the line, - and it almost made me cry. All that awful January and February out - all day in the wet and cold; no overcoat, and at night no blanket, - in a shelter where the clothes froze stiff on him; no change of - underclothing in three months, and he was one mass of vermin, no - chance of washing. The bodies of all of them were covered with - sores. "Beaten and starved," one of them said, "sooner than go - through it again I'd just put my head under the first railway." - - The following is the substance of statements by two witnesses from a - German camp: - - About June, 1917, a party of about twenty English soldiers came in - who had been working behind the German lines on the western front. I - became friends with one of them. He was so weak that I have several - times seen him faint on parade. Another of them told me that he was - one of a party of 100 working behind the lines on the western front - digging trenches and carrying up supplies. He said they were all - very badly treated and starved. They were knocked about by the - Germans if they did not march as fast as they wanted them to, - although they were all so weak. He was only sent to Germany when he - became so weak as to be useless for work. When I left he did not - look as if he could lift a shovelful of sand. There was another whom - I knew. He had also been working behind the lines. They had to work - in clogs and no socks. He said they used to tie rags round their - feet. He was employed on road making. I never could have believed - the things I was told but for the terrible state the men were in, - which caused me to feel that no horror I was told was impossible. - - Many were brought into the camp who had returned from working behind - the lines; they were in a shocking state, literally skin and bones, - hardly able to walk, and quite worn out physically and mentally; - their clothes threadbare and in rags, without boots, wearing old rag - slippers. They told me that the conditions of work behind the lines, - where some of them had been for months, were terrible; they had to - work eight hours a day, and generally were made to walk ten - kilometers out to their work, and the only food they were given was - one cup of coffee, a slice of bread, and some soup a day--a day's - ration. - - - "Shot at Sight" - - From another camp comes the following testimony: - - In May of this year a large party of British came into the camp, who - had returned from behind the German lines. They were ravenous - through being starved, and half savages. I spoke to several of them. - * * * Men were shot at sight for a slight cause, such as dropping - out to get bread from Belgian civilians. The state in which they - returned was the worst sight I have seen in my life. Their clothes - were ragged, they were half shaven, verminous, suffering from skin - diseases, and were half savage with hunger and bad treatment. After - their arrival the commandant in the camp issued an order (which I - saw) that no more of these parties should be taken through the main - street of the town, but should go by the byways on account of the - feeling that had been caused among the population. I am told that - the population showed a great deal of sympathy, tears, &c. - - About May 1, 1917, about 300 prisoners of all nationalities were - brought from behind the western lines. I spoke to those who came - into the lazaret. All were starving, and had been kept there until - they collapsed from overwork. Fifteen Russians died as soon as they - were brought in. One man told me that on a march of eleven - kilometers a man fell out ill, the guard gave him so many minutes to - fall in again, and told him he would shoot him if he was not up by - then; he could not go on, and the guard shot him. - - From a third camp: - - I knew two of our men who had been working behind the German lines - in the west for five months. One was 29 years old, the other 25. The - first weighed 180 pounds when captured. He left the firing line too - weak to walk, and weighed 110 pounds. He was badly treated and - knocked about. When I saw him in camp he was black and blue. The - other man had the same treatment. They were both starved, and both - were gray-headed with the five months' treatment. These men said our - men were dying there every day through hardship and exposure. The - food behind the lines was about half the camp rations. - - - "Worked to the Bone" - - From a fourth camp: - - In September, 1917, seventy-five noncommissioned officers, who had - been behind the lines, were brought into our camp. They were in a - bad physical condition, hungry, lousy, and worked out. One month - after, a large body, all privates from behind the lines, captured - since May, came in. They were in a terrible condition, famished - beyond words. They had been worked to the bone, and were in a filthy - condition. They made our camp lousy. The camp doctor said they were - the worst cases he had seen, and said they could stay in bed for a - week. They were so famished that two died of eating the food we gave - them. They had been working on the Hindenburg line, and the railway - Cambrai to Lille, and repairing it under fire. They said they were - on very small rations and compelled to work. They told us that - Frenchwomen who out of compassion gave them any trifling gift of - fruit were knocked down by the sentries. - - From the same camp: - - I spoke to men who had been kept at work behind the German lines on - the western front. The majority of these were there about twelve - months, and they came into camp about the end of November or the - beginning of December, 1917. They told me that they had been - employed close up to the lines. They had been employed cutting - trees, and had been under our own shellfire. They were half starved - and in a terrible condition. On one occasion about 300 came in, - about forty of whom had British clothes, the rest being dressed in - odds and ends of French and German clothing--in fact, anything they - could get hold of. We collected bread for them and cut it up in - readiness for their arrival so as to save all possible time, but - their hunger was so great they could not help raiding us and - fighting for it. It was terrible to see them. I do not think many of - them had been wounded, but their condition was so terrible that I - cannot describe it. - - They were absolutely the worst bunch of men I had ever seen. They - were terribly thin and weak, and fell down as soon as they started - to eat, as they were in an absolutely exhausted state. Their - underclothing was in a dreadful state, and they were covered with - vermin, and had been like that for about twelve months. This is the - party which I mentioned as coming to the camp about the end of - November or the beginning of December, 1917. About a fortnight after - their arrival, and after their clothes had been fumigated and they - had baths two or three times a week, they picked up wonderfully. - - From a fifth camp: - - In March, 1917, I saw fifty English prisoners come in to camp who - had been working behind the lines near Cambrai digging trenches; - they had been there three or four months. All of them were in a - shocking condition, absolutely starved, with boils and sores all - over them. We used to share our parcels with these men. During the - whole time I was in camp--that is, up to December last--men were - drifting in who had been working behind the lines on the western - front; they always arrived in the same shocking condition. I - remember particularly one, in November, 1917, coming back from - Cambrai district. He was very bad and starved; he told me they had - been very badly treated; all huddled together in barns, no sanitary - arrangements, no blankets, and he said he had seen a native woman - shot for giving them food; that they were well within range of guns, - and within six kilometers of the lines, shells frequently falling - about them, and that he had seen many of his own comrades wounded - while working, that they were knocked about by their guards, and, - generally, his account of their treatment was appalling. To my - knowledge from conversation with them, men were coming in who had - been working close up behind the lines right down to the time I left - Germany in December, 1917. - - From an army Chaplain: - - On Feb. 16, 1917, there arrived in Minden Hospital sixteen men who - had been working behind the western front, attached to Camp E.K. 5. - The thermometer registered 10 degrees, Fahrenheit, below zero. They - had walked seven kilometers from the station. Their clothing - consisted of tunic, trousers, and thin shirt, boots and socks, and - an old hat--no coat and no underclothes. They had been two days and - two nights in the cold train with very little to eat. * * * Two of - these men died later of consumption in Minden. They had all been - captured in November (this was February) and their relatives did not - know that they were even alive. These men report, too, that they are - brutally treated; human life is not worth so much as horseflesh, - because the latter can be eaten. They are worked until they either - die or so completely collapse that they are useless. I believe this - was the first party that arrived from the western front. I had the - names of the men in a notebook, but it was taken from me. They said - it was nothing to wake up in the morning and find the man sleeping - beside you dead. I got the names of several who had died, and wrote - to their people to inform them. - - - Lives Made Unbearable - - The committee close these statements with the following striking - extract from the evidence of a young wounded British officer who was - placed in a ward in a German hospital in France, filled with - prisoners of all nationalities: - - The German in charge of the ward was a - university professor, and, seeing several of our men, also Russians - and Rumanians, come on to the hospital in an emaciated condition, I - asked him the cause, and where they came from, when, without giving - me details, he told me they came from working camps behind the - lines. There, he said, the conditions were frightful, so much so - that he himself was ashamed of them--the men were overworked, under - shellfire, very much underfed, had not much clothing, and slept in - sheds and shelters in the snow under filthy conditions. I - ascertained from him and from some of our own men that many died - behind the lines; all were thoroughly ill-treated by the Germans, - and the lives of those who did not die were made quite unbearable. - - I am sure the German who informed me had no personal grounds which - made him complain against the system, it was merely on humanitarian - grounds that he told me he was shocked; and the independent stories - I received from our own soldiers simply bore out the fact that the - Germans were ill-treating their prisoners behind the lines at this - time. While I was in hospital the German I have mentioned above did - his best to get the men from the hospital marked unfit for work - behind the lines; and I must in fairness add that as a result very - few, if any, went back to work there once they had been sent to - hospital, and they seemed to be marked for camps in Germany - instead. - - The report concludes: "The committee in their survey of the evidence - dealt with in this report have failed to find a trace even of lip - service either to the obligations so solemnly undertaken by the - German Government in time of peace for regulating their conduct in - time of war or to these principles from their War Book which that - Government professed as their own. Further comment appears to the - committee to be superfluous. The facts speak for themselves." - - - - -American Prisoners Exploited - -_A correspondent sent the following from The Hague, April 20, 1918, -regarding the German treatment of American prisoners:_ - - -From irrefutable evidence obtained by your correspondent, it is -impossible to close one's eyes to what is going on in the hospitals and -prisoners' camps in Germany. It is a mistake to believe that the -treatment of prisoners and wounded in Germany has improved. On the -contrary, it is as bad as it ever was, even worse. - -The punishments inflicted are cruel and inhuman. As is well known, -prisoners are absolutely dependent upon parcels for food and clothing. A -favorite punishment is to withhold these from a whole camp or from large -bodies of prisoners. It has been established beyond doubt that prisoners -are employed behind the front and are under shellfire, in defiance of -The Hague agreement of 1917. - -Some prisoners never reach a camp in Germany for six months, meanwhile -receiving no parcels of food. Their condition on arrival at camp, broken -down and starving, is pitiable. - -The evidence doesn't tend to show that American prisoners are receiving -any preferential treatment. It is reported that the first American -prisoners taken were hawked about the country, presumably to show them -off to the populace. At Giessen, where, it would seem, American -prisoners were kept on two separate occasions, they were prohibited any -intercourse, even by sign language, with other prisoners and were not -allowed to receive parcels or gifts from them. - -British prisoners at Giessen asked if they could give parcels to -Americans, and finally received permission to do so the following day. -But the next day the American prisoners were moved away early in the -morning. - -British prisoners were able to detect Americans who had been captured -any length of time by their appearance and by the state of their -clothes. Until parcels for them arrived from Berne their state was -deplorable. - -A British noncommissioned officer recently obtained the signatures of -the first ten Americans captured and talked with them. These men signed -the scrap of paper in the hope that some news of them would reach the -outside world. They were in poor physical health and somewhat -despondent. - -A few recent examples from a large amount of sworn evidence follow: - -In February, 1918, 4,000 men were sent from a Westphalian camp to within -thirty kilometers behind the front. Their guards ran away to escape the -British shrapnel fire. - -The state of prisoners coming from the big Somme battle in the first -week of the present month was deplorable. Their wounds had not been -dressed in many cases for more than ten days. Owing to the lack of -dressing, British comrades bandaged their wounds with old towels and -shirts. - -It was formally announced by the German authorities in Camp Bonn on -April 13 last that two British soldiers, R. and B., had been shot near -Minden for not stopping talking when ordered to do so. - -In November, 1917, men were brought into the hospital at M. continually, -having been wounded by shrapnel from behind the lines. Wounded men lay -for three or four weeks unattended and grossly neglected. - -Much of the sworn evidence is so repugnant that it could not be -published. There has been talk of reprisals on American prisoners, and -even foreigners born in America are included in these threatened -reprisals. - - - - -Total Destruction of Rheims - -By G. H. Perris - -_With the French Armies, April 20, 1918_ - - -The great fire at Rheims has nearly burned itself out. Having thrown in -a week 50,000 explosive and an unknown number of incendiary and gas -shells, the German gunners ceased as suddenly and inexplicably as they -had begun, and when I entered the city this morning the silence of death -brooded over it. - -The written word is powerless to describe such a spectacle, and it is no -more adequate for being unmeasured. But when men of faith, men who love -the old and beautiful, write under the fresh, stunning impression of -such a sight, is it strange that some loose phrases escape them? - -I am very familiar with the ruins of Rheims. From the first bombardment, -which destroyed the exquisite sculptures of the north tower and the -façade of the cathedral three and a half years ago, I have been able to -watch the mischief extending step by cruel step. At first, with normal -British reluctance to credit the outrageous or incomprehensible, one was -chiefly concerned to find out whether, after all, there was not some -sort of military excuse. I severely cross-examined every one who could -be supposed to know anything about the matter. There never was any -shadow of excuse. - -It remained only to record from time to time the progress of a crime as -deliberate as any in the annals of the war, and in its own kind -particularly damnable--a blackhearted crime such as a Comanche chief or -a Congo cannibal would not have had the wickedness to conceive. - -And if there be still any rationalist obstinate enough to ask for the -reason why of this last outburst of vandalism, I can only hazard the -guess that it may have been planned, like the long-distance bombardments -of Paris, as a terroristic accompaniment of the Hindenburg offensive. It -may have been supposed that the tales of the refugees would help to -demoralize Paris and the rest of the country. So little after these -terrible years has the boche learned of the people he set out to -conquer. - -Well, the Cathedral of St. Louis is not falling. Wonderful was the work -of the builders. More buttresses, pinnacles, gargoyles, and stone -railings have been shattered, more statues chipped, and rain, entering -freely by a large rent in the roof, has worked invisible damage since my -last visit in November. The cathedral has been struck again. The -uplifted sword of Joan of Arc in the bronze equestrian statue before the -cathedral has been cut in half. - -If this were all, we should have after the war at least a worthy -memorial to leave to posterity. It is said that it would now cost a -million sterling to restore the finest Gothic fane in France. I hope -nothing of the kind will be attempted, nothing more, that is, than the -construction of a new roof, new windows, doors, and furnishings, and the -necessary strengthening of the structure. - -For as it stands, gashed and discolored, the vast shell has a strange -magnificence and a piteous loveliness like that of some of the broken -splendors that remain to us from the ancient world. Let Rheims speak to -the future generations as the ruins of the Acropolis and the Forum have -spoken to our fathers and us. - -But the city itself raises a different and a more difficult problem. It -is now no exaggeration to say that as a whole it is destroyed beyond -hope. Till a fortnight ago large parts of it were not beyond the -possibility of repair. Remember that Rheims was not a small town like -Ypres or Arras, but a wealthy and dignified community of 120,000 souls, -occupying a space equal to one-fifth of that of Paris. - -There is now from end to end probably not a single house whose walls are -not more or less broken. The northern and eastern quarters were already -in ruins. Now the centre of the city is gutted. Of the public buildings -the central squares built in the time or after the Counts of Champagne, -the cloth warehouses and workshops, the private residences, bazaars and -shops, nothing stands but rows of smoking walls, half buried in fallen -rafters and masonry. - - - - -The Abomination of Desolation - -An Episode in France - -_Dr. Norman Maclean, an eminent Scottish scholar, whose articles from -the front have appeared in The Scotsman of Edinburgh, penned this -touching picture of the war-devastated Somme region a few days before -the Germans again swept over it in March, 1918:_ - - -They stood side by side on a heap of rubbish inside the door of the -ruined church in the midst of the ruined town--a man and woman garbed in -humble, rusty black. The survivors of the erstwhile population were -being brought back as shelters were prepared and work provided for them; -these had obviously just returned, and had come straight to the church. -When they fled before the flood of death, the church stood scatheless, -built immovably upon the rock of the centuries. It was a shrine of -beauty and a haunt of peace. But as they now stood on the mound of -fallen masonwork inside the west door, what they saw was this--the roof -lying in an undulating ridge piled on the floor, the sacred pictures -torn and tattered; the pillars shattered; the altar buried under a great -mass of débris, and a figure of the Christ, uninjured, looking out -through the broken arches on the dead town, and on the land beyond, -where the white crosses gleam o'er the multitudinous dead. - -The man stood motionless, with a face like a mask. But in a moment the -woman shook as if stricken by an ague. She turned and stumbled toward -the doorway, where there is no door, the tears coursing down her cheeks -and a sob in her throat. The man turned and followed her. He took her -hand in his, and they walked away with bowed heads in silence. It is -strange how the human heart is moved. It was the tremulous face of that -black-robed woman, and the lifting of her hands as if to hide the -abomination of desolation from her sight, and the stumbling flight from -a scene intolerable, that made me feel the horror spread before me. For -I saw it with her eyes. - -What she saw was infinitely more than what I could see. She had -experienced in her own soul that this was holy ground. In happy days of -childhood heaven seemed to lie here; she had come hither to be received, -in white, into the holy fellowship; hither to be married; hither to -dedicate her children at the sacred font. And when the burden of life -was heavier than could be borne, how often had she come hither; and as -she fell on her knees at the elevation of the Host, the very God seemed -to fold her in the Eternal Embrace, and her troubles fled as morning -mists before the sun. - -And when the war came, and the men went forth, and with them her sons, -how often did she come softly to this sanctuary and dip her hand in the -holy water at the door and cross herself, and bow toward the altar, and -kneel and pray that they might be saved. In and out all day they came -then, men and women, and they prayed for their own, and for France, and -their prayers were as the moaning of the winds. * * * And now this! -Nothing is left. Home and town and children and sanctuary are all -overwhelmed in the one flood. And the Christ from the broken pillar -gazes upon a perishing world. It is with her as with those of old, who -fell under the heel of the oppressor and who cried: "Zion is a -wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation; our holy and our beautiful house -where our fathers praised Thee is burned with fire, and all our pleasant -things are laid waste." - -There is that in man which enables him to meet every blow of fate with -unblanched face--save one. When the blow is aimed at his soul, then he -shrivels. It was in her soul that this woman was smitten, as she saw the -house of her God thus. And that is why there in the land of death the -churches and cathedrals are all in ruins. To make the altars of Arras -gaze on the clouds and the stars, and make the winds wail through the -colonnades of Rheims, was deemed the surest and swiftest way of -spreading terror and affright. So the devotées of Odin declared war upon -God. For a little while the tribal deity and the belligerent dynast -reign supreme. The homeless and bereft, the great multitude who are as -those standing on the rubble-heap, are verily left with nothing but -their eyes to weep with. - -It is amazing how soon one gets assimilated to the most horrifying -environment. In a few days one can walk through a town which has been -turned into heaps without even a shock of wonder, just as at home one -reads the war news and the list of the dead without any realization. In -these days we need to be stung broad awake now and then. A city in ruins -becomes deadly monotonous--until one is wakened. - -One day, when the sun broke forth heralding the Spring, the promise of -green on a clump of tangled rose bushes tempted me to turn into the -garden of a shattered villa. It was as thousands of others: the -hearthstones looked upward to the clouds, and the household goods lay -piled tier on tier of rotting lumber as floor fell on floor. In the -centre of the green a shell hole took my eye, and I picked my way toward -it. Out of the earth at the bottom of the hole there obtruded the bones -of a man's arm. In haste, the dead had been thrown into the shell hole -and lightly covered. And the rains had washed so much of the earth away. -And that bone brought the realization that I stood in the midst of one -vast cemetery. - -Everywhere and all around under the feet are the nameless dead--men, -women, and little children. These last are the nightmare of this horror. -Formerly nations recovered from war swiftly; the cradles filled up the -gaps. But here the children are dead. To the eye of faith the Star of -the East shines still with splendor over every spot where a babe lies. -But that Star has been extinguished in this region of doom. The altar is -buried, the hearthstone is in the rain, and amid the welter of rubbish -you can see the children's cots twisted and rusting and woeful. A woman -breaking into sobs inside a ruined church door; a body in a shell hole -in a garden, a child's cot rusting on a rubbish heap--these open the -eyes and make them see. - -These things did not come by the arbitrament of war. It wasn't shrapnel -and high explosives that wrought the desolation. From the battlements of -the old citadel one can see the dead town lie spread, and the houses hit -by shells are few and far between. The houses destroyed wantonly by the -enemy ere they retreated are easily recognized, for the walls fell -outward by the internal explosions. Ninety-five per cent. have fallen -outward, and the wall of the church is likewise. This ancient sanctuary -was wantonly destroyed by the retreating enemy. What amazes one is the -appalling stupidity of such a crime. If the Germans destroyed the town, -that was their right, the might of the sword, and their act could -perhaps be justified. But to destroy the church is to destroy what even -Attila spared, and so outrage the conscience and instinct of the world. -There is never an excuse to seek when an outrage is perpetrated by the -enemy. A hospital ship is sunk--but, of course, it is carrying -munitions! A church is turned into a ruin, but its towers are used as -observation posts! Poor little towers in a land of airplanes and captive -balloons! If the churches had been spared, as they were spared in the -world's darkest ages, humanity would know that the German soul was still -alive. But now the world knows that it is up against an enemy that -threatens body and soul alike--an enemy that not only kills the body, -but destroys the soul! What an amazing stupidity!--but it is through -such stupidity that God lays up judgment against the day of wrath. - - - - -Lloyd George and General Maurice - -A Speech in Which the Premier Routed His Enemies and Revealed Some -Inside Facts - - -A flurry arose in British Parliamentary circles early in May which for a -day or so threatened to wreck the Lloyd George Government, but which -resulted in a new triumph for the Premier and a humiliating defeat for -those who had intrigued against him. It was precipitated by Major Gen. -Sir Frederick Barton Maurice, who had been Director of Military -Operations until April, 1918, when he was succeeded by Brig. Gen. -Radcliffe. His removal had been due to a public utterance in which he -had criticised General Foch for not coming sooner to the assistance of -the British after the beginning of the German offensive. - -On May 7 General Maurice published a letter in which he definitely -asserted that the Premier had made a misleading statement to the House -of Commons April 9, when he asserted that the British Army in France on -Jan. 1, 1918, was considerably stronger than on Jan. 1, 1917; that he -misstated the facts regarding the number of white divisions in Egypt and -Palestine; also that Bonar Law, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, had -made a misstatement in denying that the extension of the British front -in France had been ordered by the Versailles War Council. - -A resolution was introduced by former Premier Asquith for the -appointment of a committee to investigate the charges. The Lloyd George -Government accepted the challenge and announced that they would regard -the passage of the resolution as a vote of censure and would resign if -it was carried. The debate on the resolution occurred May 9 and resulted -in an overwhelming victory for the Government, the vote to uphold the -Lloyd George Ministry being 293 to 106; the Irish members were not -present. - -In his address the Premier took up the charges in detail. Regarding the -figures of the British strength he quoted from a report from General -Maurice's own department, initialed by his deputy, dated April 27, -1918, which concluded with these words: - - From the statement included, it will be seen that the combatant - strength of the British Army was greater on Jan. 1, 1918, than on - Jan. 1, 1917. - -He also showed that his statements regarding the relative strength of -the opposing forces in France and the number of white divisions in Egypt -were based on figures furnished by General Maurice's department. - -Regarding the extension of the British front in France the Premier made -some interesting disclosures showing that the extension was made by -agreement of Field Marshal Haig and General Pétain, and not by the -Versailles Council. He said: - - Before the council had met it had been agreed between Field Marshal - Haig and General Pétain, and the extension was an accomplished fact. - Field Marshal Haig reported to the council that the extension had - taken place. There was not a single yard taken over as a result of - the Versailles conference--not a single yard of extension. - -In discussing this phase Lloyd George proceeded as follows: - - - Extending the British Line - - Of course, the Field Marshal was not anxious to extend his line. No - one would be, having regard to the great accumulation of strength - against him, and the War Cabinet were just as reluctant. - - There was not a single meeting between the French Generals and - ourselves when we did not state facts against the extension, but the - pressure from the French Government and French Army was enormous, - and what was done was not done in response to pressure from the War - Cabinet. It was done in response to very great pressure which Sir - Douglas Haig could not resist and which we could not resist. We are - not suggesting that our French allies are asking unfairly. That is - certainly not my intention. - - There was a considerable ferment in France on the subject of the - length of the line held by the French Army as compared with our - army. The French losses had been enormous. They had practically - borne the brunt of the fighting for three years. There was a larger - proportion of their young manhood put into the line than in any - belligerent country in the world. They held 336 miles. We held a - front of 100 miles. - - That is not the whole statement, because the Germans were much more - densely massed in front of ourselves. Not only that, but the line we - held was much more vulnerable. Practically the defense of Paris was - left to us, and the defense of some of the most important centres, - but there was the fact that you had this enormous front held by the - French Army, as compared with what looked like the comparatively - small front of ours. - - - Shortage of Farm Labor - - In addition to that, the French Army at that time was holding, I - think, a two-division front on our line in order to enable us to - accumulate the necessary reserves for the purposes of the attack in - Flanders. That was part of the line which, I believe, was held - before by the British and French. - - The French were pressing in order to withdraw men from the army for - purposes of agriculture. I ought to explain that their agricultural - output had fallen enormously, owing to the fact that they had - withdrawn a very large proportion of their men from the cultivation - of the fields, and they felt it essential that they should withdraw - part of their army for the purpose of cultivating the soil, and they - were pressing us upon these topics. - - The Chief of the Imperial General Staff, Sir William Robertson, and - the Cabinet felt that it was inevitable that during the Winter - months there should be some extension, and we acknowledged that - something had to be done to meet the French demands, and to that - extent we accepted the principle that there must be some extension - of the line. - - At that time the Field Marshal was under the impression that the - Cabinet had taken a decision without his consent. The Chief of the - Imperial Staff upon that sent the following memorandum to the War - Cabinet. I will read it, but first, with reference to the Boulogne - Conference, I may, perhaps, say that that was the first time we had - a discussion with the French Ministers. The subject of discussion - was a rather important foreign office. It was not summoned in the - least to discuss an extension of the lines. We never knew that was - to be raised. Sir William Robertson and I represented the British - Government, and M. Painlevé, the Prime Minister, and General Foch - represented the French Government. - - When Sir William Robertson discovered that the Field Marshal was - under the impression that we had come to a decision without his - consent he sent the War Cabinet a memorandum, in which he says: - - "At the recent Boulogne Conference the question of extending our - front was raised by the French representatives. The reply given was - that, while in principle we were, of course, ready to do whatever - could be done, the matter was one which could not be discussed in - the absence of Sir Douglas Haig, or during the continuance of the - present operations, and that due regard must also be had to the plan - of operations for next year. - - "It was suggested that it would be best for the Field Marshal to - come to an arrangement with General Pétain, when this could be done. - So far as I am aware no formal discussion has taken place, and the - matter cannot be regarded as decided. Further, I feel sure that the - War Cabinet would not think of deciding such a question without - first obtaining Sir Douglas Haig's views. I am replying to him in - the above sense." - - That, I think, was on the 19th of October. The War Cabinet fully - approved of the communication. Sir Douglas Haig communicated, and - said that it threw a new light on the Boulogne position. I think - that we have a right to complain of the way in which it has been - rumored about that Sir Douglas Haig protested. - - - The War Cabinet's Decision - - The fact that Sir William Robertson had explained and Sir Douglas - Haig had stated that the explanation threw new light has never been - repeated. That is how mischief is done. - - On Oct. 24 this question was first formally discussed by the War - Cabinet. There was further pressure from the French Government, and - Sir William Robertson gave his views as to the time which the - British Government ought to take, and this conclusion is recorded in - the minutes of the War Cabinet as follows: - - "The War Cabinet approve of the suggestion of the Chief of the - Imperial Staff that he should reply to Field Marshal Sir Douglas - Haig in the following sense: The War Cabinet are of the opinion that - in deciding to what extent the British troops can take over the line - from the French regard must be had to the necessity of giving them a - reasonable opportunity for leave, rest, and training during the - Winter months and to the plan of operations for the next year, and, - further, while the present offensive continues it will not be - possible to commence taking over more line. - - "Under these circumstances the War Cabinet fear that until this - policy is settled it will be premature to decide finally whether the - British front is to be extended by four divisions or to greater or - lesser extent." - - The resolution was communicated to Sir Douglas Haig by Sir William - Robertson, and we never departed from it. After that came the - Cambrai incident and the Italian disaster, which necessitated our - sending troops to Italy. That made it difficult for the Field - Marshal to carry out the promise he made to General Pétain for a - certain extension of the front. Then the present French Prime - Minister came in, and he is not a very easy gentleman to refuse. He - was very insistent that the British Army should take over the line. - - - Clemenceau Suggested Versailles - - We stood by the position that that was a matter to be discussed by - the two Commanders in Chief. We never swerved from that position. At - last M. Clemenceau suggested that the question should be discussed - by the military representatives at Versailles, and that the - Versailles Council should decide if there was any difference of - opinion. The military representatives discussed the question, and - the only interference of the War Cabinet was to this extent. We - communicated with the Chief of Staff, who was then in France, and - with Sir Douglas Haig to urge on them the importance of preparing - their case for the other side so as to make the strongest possible - case for the British view. - - The military representatives at Versailles suggested a compromise, - but coupled with it recommendations as to steps which ought to be - taken by the French Army to assist the British if they were - attacked, and by the British to assist the French if they were - attacked, which was even a more important question than the - extension of the front. - - That recommendation came up for discussion at the Versailles Council - of Feb. 1. Before that meeting Sir Douglas Haig and General Pétain - met and entered into an agreement as to the extension of the front - to Brissy, and Sir Douglas Haig reported that to the Versailles - Council. When the discussion took place there no further extension - of the line was taken at all as a result of the discussion. - - That is the whole story. I was to make it perfectly clear that in - the action Sir Douglas Haig took for the extension of the line he - had the full approval of the British Cabinet, having regard to the - pressure of the French Government and military authorities. Sir - Douglas Haig had no option except to make the extension. He was in - our judgment absolutely right in the course he took. Naturally, he - would have preferred not to have done it, but the British Government - fully approved of the action he took. - - The real lesson of the discussion is the importance of unity of - command. It would never have arisen if you had had that. Instead of - one army and one commander responsible for one part of the line, and - another army and another commander responsible for another part of - the line, we have one united command responsible for the whole and - every part. It was the only method of safety, and I am glad we have - it at last. - - It was not so much a question of the length of the line held by one - force or the length held by another. It was a question of reserves - massed behind. - -The Premier ended with a plea for a truce to political "sniping." On May -13 it was announced that as a disciplinary measure General Maurice had -been placed on "the retired list." - -[Illustration] - - - - -The New British Service Act - -Provisions of Law Which Raises Military Age - - -The new British Military Service act became effective in April, 1918, -having passed both houses of Parliament by large majorities; it -immediately received the royal assent. The provision applying -conscription to Ireland was suspended temporarily, on the assumption -that it would not be enforced until a measure of home rule for Ireland -was agreed upon. The main provisions of the new service measure are as -follows, as analyzed by The London Times: - - RAISING OF MILITARY AGE - - Men Up to 50.--Obligation to military service imposed upon every - male British subject: - - 1. Who has at any time since Aug. 14, 1915, or who for the time - being is in Great Britain, and - - 2. Who on April 18, 1918, had attained the age of 18 years and had - not attained the age of 51 years or who at any subsequent date - attains the age of 18 years. - - Men Up to 55.--If it appears necessary at any time for the defense - of the realm, his Majesty may, by Order in Council, declare the - extension of the obligation to military service to men generally or - to any class of men up to any age not exceeding 56 years. The draft - of any such order is to be presented to each house of Parliament, - and will not be submitted to his Majesty in Council unless each - house presents an address, praying that the order may be made. - - Doctors.--Duly qualified medical practitioners, who have not - attained the age of 56 years, are made immediately liable to - military service. - - - FORMER PRISONERS OF WAR - - The clause in the act of May, 1916, excepting from military service - any person who has been "a prisoner of war, captured or interned by - the enemy, and has been released or exchanged," is to cease to have - effect. It is, however, provided that the change shall be without - prejudice to any undertaking, recognized by the Government, and for - the time being in force, that any released or exchanged prisoner of - war shall not serve in his Majesty's forces during the present war. - - - TIME-EXPIRED MEN - - The act of May, 1916, provided that the service should not be - prolonged of men who, when their times for discharge occurred, had - served a period of twelve years or more and had attained the age of - 41 years. This section is to cease to have effect. - - - EXTENSION TO IRELAND - - Method of Procedure.--His Majesty may, by Order in Council, extend - the act to Ireland, with the necessary modifications and - adaptations. - - Legal Proceedings.--An Order in Council may be issued to make - special provision for the constitution of the civil court before - which proceedings for any offenses punishable on summary conviction - under the Reserve Forces act, the Army act, and the Military Service - acts are to be brought in Ireland. The order may also assign any - such proceedings to a specified civil court or courts. - - - WITHDRAWAL OF EXEMPTIONS - - His Majesty may, by proclamation declaring that a national emergency - has arisen, direct that any certificates of exemption other than - those granted on the grounds of ill-health or of conscientious - objection shall cease to have effect. - - - THE TRIBUNALS - - The Local Government Board or the Secretary for Scotland may make - regulations for the following purposes: - - 1. For providing for applications for certificates of exemption, - including appeals, being made to such tribunals, constituted in such - manner and for such areas as may be authorized. - - 2. For establishing special tribunals, committees, or panels for - dealing with particular classes of cases. - - 3. For regulating and limiting the making of applications. - - 4. For making other provision to secure the expeditious making and - disposal of applications. - - It is provided that such regulations shall not alter the four - grounds for applications for certificates of exemption--the - expediency, in the national interests, that a man should be engaged - in other work, business or domestic reasons, ill-health, and - conscientious objection. - - - PENALTIES - - Any person making a false statement with a view to preventing or - postponing the calling up of himself or any other person, or for any - medical examination, is to be liable to six months' imprisonment. - - It is to be the duty of any man whose certificate has been - withdrawn, or who no longer satisfies the conditions on which it was - granted, to transmit it forthwith to the local office of the - Ministry of National Service. If he fails without reasonable cause - to do so, he will be liable to a fine of £50. - - - MEDICAL EXAMINATION - - Any man holding a certificate of exemption (other than one from - combatant service only) or applying for its renewal may at any time - be required to present himself for medical examination or - re-examination. - - - VOLUNTEER OBLIGATION - - Every man granted a certificate of exemption is to join the - Volunteer Force for the perid of the war, unless the tribunal - dealing with the case orders to the contrary. - - - CONVENTIONS WITH ALLIED STATES - - The act is to be read with previous acts in relation to the act of - 1917, which confirmed conventions with allied States making subjects - of those States in this country liable for military service. That - act is also to apply to Ireland, if the act is extended to Ireland. - - - EXCEPTIONS - - The exceptions from the act are the following: - - 1. Men ordinarily resident in the Dominions. - - 2. Members of the regular or reserve forces or of the Dominion - forces, and territorials liable to foreign service. - - 3. Men serving in the navy, the Royal Marines, or the air force. - - 4. Certain categories of officers and men who have left or been - discharged from the forces in consequence of disablement or - ill-health; and men medically rejected, if, on further medical - examination after April 5, 1917, they have been certified to be - totally and permanently unfit for any form of military service. - - 5. Men in holy orders or regular ministers of any religious - denomination. - - - - -British Aid to Italy - -General Plumer's Dispatch - - -The report was published May 10, 1918, that 250,000 Italian troops had -been concentrated in France to swell the reserves of the allied armies -against the German offensive, and that this had been accomplished -without weakening the Italian front, which was preparing for a -threatened Austrian attack. No statement was made regarding the British -troops that had gone to Italy's aid during the disaster to the Italian -armies in 1917. - -General Sir Herbert Plumer, who took over the command of the British -troops in Italy after their arrival there, Nov. 10, 1917, submitted his -official report March 9, 1918. He stated that he found on his arrival -that the situation in Italy was disquieting, the Italian Army having -received a severe blow, and the aid that the British and French might -give could not be immediate owing to difficulties of transport. As it -was then uncertain whether the Italians could hold the Piave line, it -was arranged that two British divisions in conjunction with the French -should move to the hills north and south of Vicenza. By the time the -troops had reached this position the situation had improved and an offer -was made by the British in conjunction with the French to take over a -sector of the foothills of the Asiago Plateau. But as snow was imminent -and special mountain equipment was difficult to provide, the suggestion -was made by the Italians that the British should take over the Montsello -sector, with the French on their left. This was agreed to. - -Sir Herbert considers that the entrance of the French and British had an -excellent moral effect and enabled the Italians to withdraw and -reorganize. The Montsello sector, which was taken over on Dec. 4 and -work immediately begun on its defense, is described by Sir Herbert as a -hinge to the whole Italian line, joining the mountain portion facing -north, from Mount Tomba to Lake Garda, to the Piave line held by the 3d -Italian Army. - -December was an anxious month. Several German divisions were east of the -Piave, and an attempt to force the river and capture Venice was -considered likely. Local attacks grew more and more severe, and, though -the progress of the enemy was not great and Italian counterattacks were -constantly made, the danger of a break-through increased. The Austrians -were being encouraged to persevere in the hope of getting down to -the plains for the Winter. - -Rear lines of defense were constructed, and as time passed and the -preparations were well forward the feeling of security grew, and was -further increased by the recapture by the Italians of the slopes of -Monte Asolone on Dec. 22. The following day Mount Melago and Col del -Rosso, on the Asiago Plateau, were lost, but the Italians regained the -former by a counterattack. Though Christmas Day found the situation -still serious, especially on the Asiago, where the Italians, while -fighting stubbornly, suffered from strain and cold, the situation showed -signs of improvement. This outlook was brightened still further by the -capture of Mount Tomba, with 1,500 prisoners, by the French. In this -action British artillery assisted. - -"During all this period," the dispatch continues, "we had carried out -continuous patrol work across the River Piave and much successful -counterbattery work. The Piave is a very serious obstacle, especially at -this season of the year, the breadth opposite the British front being -considerably over 1,000 yards, and the current 14 knots. Every form of -raft and boat has been used, but wading has proved the most successful, -though the icy cold water made the difficulties even greater. In spite -of this there has never been any lack of volunteers for these -enterprises. - -"On Jan. 1 our biggest raid was carried out by the Middlesex Regiment. -This was a most difficult and well-planned operation, which had for its -objective the capture and surrounding of several buildings held by the -enemy to a depth of 2,000 yards inland, provided a surprise could be -effected. Two hundred and fifty men were passed across by wading and -some prisoners were captured, but, unfortunately, the alarm was given by -a party of fifty of the enemy that was encountered in an advanced post, -and the progress inland had therefore, in accordance with orders, to be -curtailed. The recrossing of the river was successfully effected, and -our casualties were very few. An operation of this nature requires much -forethought and arrangement, even to wrapping every man in hot blankets -immediately on emerging from the icy water. - -"The 3d Italian Army also opened the year well by clearing the Austrians -from the west bank of the Piave about Zenson. This was followed on Jan. -14 by the attack of the 4th Italian Army on Mount Asolone, which, -although not entirely successful, resulted in capturing over 400 -Austrian prisoners. The situation had by this time so far improved that -I offered to take over another sector of defense on my right in order to -assist the Italians. This was agreed to, and was completed by Jan. 28. -On this day and the following the 1st Italian Army carried out -successful operations on the Col del Rosso--Mont Val Bella front, on the -Asiago Plateau. The infantry attacked with great spirit, and captured -2,500 Austrians. British artillery took part in the above operation." - -General Plumer states that in February the weather was bad, much snow -having fallen, and operations were hampered. Although the British had -not taken part in serious fighting, yet they had some share in the -improvement which, he says, had taken place. - -The work of the R. F. C., under Brig. Gen. Webb-Bowen, during the period -under review (says Sir Herbert) has been quite brilliant. From the -moment of arrival they made their presence felt, and very soon overcame -the difficulties of the mountains. They have taken part in all -operations, and rendered much assistance to the Italians in the air. -They have carried out a large number of successful raids on enemy -aerodromes, railway junctions, &c., and have during the period destroyed -sixty-four hostile machines, a large proportion of which were German, -and nine balloons, our losses to the enemy during the period being -twelve machines and three balloons. - -A comparison of the photographs of hostile battery positions when our -artillery entered the line with the positions now occupied shows that -the enemy batteries have been successfully forced back almost throughout -the whole front. Some British artillery assisted both in French and -Italian operations, and a frequent interchange of British and Italian -batteries was made, together with counterbattery staff officers, in -order that experience of each other's methods might be gained. Every -effort was made to illustrate the value of counterbattery work, the -value of which we had learned by experience in France, but which the -Italians had not hitherto fully appreciated. - -"The Italians were only too anxious to profit by any experience we could -give them, and this was done not only by frequent interchange of visits -of commanders and staffs to the various sectors of defense, but by the -establishment of schools of instruction, at which a large number of -Italian officers actually underwent the courses. About 100 Italian -officers attended the courses at the various schools, together with some -French officers. Similarly, British officers underwent courses at French -and Italian schools." - -Sir Herbert thanks the Italian authorities for their assistance, -especially General Diaz, Chief of the Staff, and expresses indebtedness -to Generals Fayolle and Maistre, in command of the French troops. - - - - -Emperor Charles's "Dear Sixtus" Letter - -French Supplemental Statement Corroborates Its Authenticity - - -The publication of the letter of Emperor Charles of Austria to his -brother-in-law, Prince Sixtus, in which he sought a separate peace with -France, referring to the "just claims" of France to Alsace-Lorraine, and -which caused the downfall of Count Czernin, the Austrian Foreign -Secretary, was followed by this official denial by the Austrian -Government: - - The letter by his Apostolic Majesty, published by the French Premier - in his communiqué of April 12, 1918, is falsified, (verfaelscht.) - First of all, it may be declared that the personality of far higher - rank than the Foreign Minister, who, as admitted in the official - statement of April 7, undertook peace efforts in the Spring of 1917, - must be understood to be not his Apostolic Majesty but Prince Sixte - of Bourbon, who in the Spring of 1917 was occupied with bringing - about a rapprochement between the belligerent States. As regards the - text of the letter published by M. Clemenceau, the Foreign Minister - declares by All Highest command that his Apostolic Majesty wrote a - purely personal private letter in the Spring of 1917 to his - brother-in-law, Prince Sixte of Bourbon, which contained no - instructions to the Prince to initiate mediation with the President - of the French Republic or any one else, to hand on communications - which might be made to him, or to evoke and receive replies. This - letter, moreover, made no mention of the Belgian question, and - contained, relative to Alsace-Lorraine, the following-passage: "I - would have used all my personal influence in favor of the French - claims for the return of Alsace-Lorraine, if these claims were just. - They are not, however." The second letter of the Emperor mentioned - in the French Premier's communique of April 9, in which his - Apostolic Majesty is said to have declared that he was "in accord - with his Minister," is significantly not mentioned by the French - communiqué. - -This statement drew forth from the French Government the following -reply: - - There are rotten consciences. The Emperor Charles, finding it - impossible to save his face, falls into the stammerings of a man - confounded. He is now reduced to accusing his brother-in-law of - forgery, by fabricating with his own hand a lying text. The original - document, the text of which has been published by the French - Government, was communicated in the presence of M. Jules Cambon, - Secretary General of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and delegated - for this purpose by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, to the - President of the Republic, who, with the authorization of the - Prince, handed a copy of it to the President of the Council. - - The Prince spoke of the matter to M. Ribot himself in terms which - would have been devoid of sense if the text had not been that - published by the French Government, is it not evidence that no - conversation could have been opened, and that the President of the - Republic would not even have received the Prince a second time, if - the latter, at Austria's instance, had been the bearer of a document - which contested our rights instead of affirming them? - - The Emperor Charles's letter, as we have quoted it, was shown by - Prince Sixte himself to the Chief of State. Moreover, two friends of - the Prince can attest the authenticity of the letter, especially the - one who received it from the Prince to copy it. - -The Serbian Government, moreover, gave the lie direct to Count Czernin's -statement in reference to offering peace to Serbia. Premier Pashitch was -asked in the Skupshtina at Corfu by Deputy Marco Trifcovitch whether -Count Czernin's statement was true. He replied that he had denied Count -Czernin's statements as soon as he had received the text of the speech -from Amsterdam, and that he welcomed this fresh opportunity of declaring -before Parliament that, so far as Serbia was concerned, the statements -were totally inaccurate. (Exclamations from the right, "Czernin lied!") -The Premier then proceeded to say that Count Czernin had never made -peace overtures to Serbia, and that, if he had, such proposals would not -have been accepted. "All the statements of Count Czernin," continued M. -Pashitch, "are only the result of Austro-Hungarian intrigues." - -Premier Clemenceau explained in detail before three committees of the -French Chamber, the Committees on Foreign Affairs, the Army, and the -Navy, which represented practically one-fourth of the total membership, -the circumstances connected with the letters; it was unanimously agreed -that there was nothing in the situation to justify any further -consideration than had been given them. The Paris Temps gave the -following details concerning their receipt: - - The Emperor's two letters, and the conversations arising out of - them, will form an essential part of the proceedings before the - committees today. The letter from the Emperor to Prince Sixte of - Bourbon-Parma was communicated to M. Poincaré on March 31 last year, - but it remained in the possession of the Prince, who gave a copy of - it to M. Ribot, by whom it was placed in the archives of the French - Foreign Office. "Let us add," says the Temps, "that in the course - of the interview which he had with Lloyd George at Folkestone a few - days after the copy of the letter came into his possession that M. - Ribot handed a copy of this copy to the British Premier. A little - later in the interview which took place at St. Jean de Maurienne, in - Savoy, between the chiefs of the British, French, and Italian - Cabinets the question was raised as to what should be done in case - the Austro-Hungarian Cabinet took steps toward peace negotiations. - An agreement was come to without difficulty between the Allies as to - the line of conduct to be adopted in such an eventuality. Let us add - that this first letter sent to Prince Sixte had determined the - Allies to ask for further explanations, as the result of which - Prince Sixte received from his imperial brother-in-law a second - letter, which was also communicated to M. Poincaré and M. Ribot. We - have no right to give any indication on this subject, but we believe - we can state that this second letter was regarded unanimously by the - Allies as of such a nature that it would not permit them to pursue - the conversations further." - -Kaiser Wilhelm in the following telegram accepted without reserve -Emperor Charles's statement that the Sixtus letter had been distorted: - - Accept my heartiest thanks for your telegram, in which you repudiate - as entirely baseless the assertion of the French Premier regarding - your attitude toward French claims to Alsace-Lorraine, and in which - you once again accentuate the solidarity of interest existing - between us and our respective empires. I hasten to inform you that - in my eyes there was no need whatever for any such assurance on your - part, for I was not for a moment in doubt that you have made our - cause your own, in the same measure as we stand for the rights of - your monarchy. The heavy but successful battles of these years have - clearly demonstrated this fact to every one who wants to see. They - have only drawn the bonds close together. Our enemies, who are - unable to do anything against us in honorable warfare, do not recoil - from the most sordid and the lowest methods. We must, therefore, put - up with it, but all the more is it our duty ruthlessly to grapple - with and beat the enemy in all the theatres of war. In true - friendship, WILHELM. - -As a sequel to the matter it was reported from Vienna that the mother of -Empress Zita and Prince Sixtus had been compelled to leave Vienna and -live in retirement at her estates, remote from the Austrian capital. - - - - -THE ISSUES IN IRELAND - -Official Report of the Irish Convention--Full Text of the Chairman's -Summary of the Proceedings - - -The Irish home-rule question, in consequence of the failure of the Irish -Convention to agree, became an important war issue in the Spring of 1918 -on account of its effect upon Great Britain's man-power measures. - -Premier Lloyd George, on May 21, 1917, announced the Government's -decision to summon a convention of Irishmen representing all parties and -interests to endeavor to reach an agreement on the home-rule question. -The Sinn Feiners refused to send representatives, but all other factions -were represented in the convention, which met July 25, 1917, at Dublin -and elected Sir Horace Plunkett Chairman. The report of its -recommendations was made public April 13, 1918, in three separate -documents--the proposals for a scheme of Irish self-government, adopted -by vote of 44 to 29 in a total membership of 90; a protest by the Ulster -Unionist delegates, who dissented from any agreement, and the report of -22 Nationalist delegates, who were unable to agree to the fiscal -proposals. The majority proposals were accepted by practically all the -Nationalists, all the Southern Unionists, and 5 out of 7 of the Labor -representatives. - -The summary of the proceedings, presented by Sir Horace Plunkett, and -the scheme of government as agreed upon by the majority, are of -importance historically for a comparison with subsequent measures of -home rule, which the British Government announces it intends to -introduce before putting into force conscription in Ireland. - - -THE CHAIRMAN'S SUMMARY - -Sir Horace Plunkett's letter reads: - - Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith the report of the - proceedings of the Irish Convention. For the immediate object of the - Government the report tells all that needs to be told: - - It shows that in the convention, while it was not found possible to - overcome the objections of the Ulster Unionists, a majority of - Nationalists, all the Southern Unionists, and five out of the seven - Labor representatives were agreed that the scheme of Irish - self-government set out in Paragraph 42 of the report should be - immediately passed into law. A minority of Nationalists propose a - scheme which differs in only one important particular from that of - the majority. The convention has, therefore, laid a foundation of - Irish agreement unprecedented in history. - - I recognize that action in Parliament upon the result of our - deliberations must largely depend upon public opinion. Without a - knowledge of the circumstances which, at the termination of our - proceedings, compelled us to adopt an unusual method of presenting - the results of our deliberations, the public might be misled as to - what has actually been achieved. It is, therefore, necessary to - explain our procedure. - - - Adopting the Report - - We had every reason to believe that the Government contemplated - immediate legislation upon the results of our labors. The work of an - Irish settlement, suspended at the outbreak of the war, is now felt - to admit of no further postponement. In the dominions and in the - United States, as well as in other allied countries, the unsettled - Irish question is a disturbing factor both in regard to war effort - and peace aims. Nevertheless, urgent as our task was, we could not - complete it until every possibility of agreement had been explored. - The moment this point was reached--and you will not be surprised - that it took us eight months to reach it--we decided to issue our - report with the least possible delay. To do this we had to avoid - further controversy and protracted debate. I was, therefore, on - March 22, instructed to draft a report which should be a mere - narrative of the convention's proceedings, with a statement, for the - information of the Government, of the conclusions adopted, whether - unanimously or by majorities. - - It was hoped that this report might be unanimously signed; and it - was understood that any groups or individuals would be free to - append to it such statements as they deemed necessary to give - expression to their views. The draft report was circulated on March - 30, and discussed and amended on April 4 and 5. The accuracy of the - narrative was not challenged, though there was considerable - difference of opinion as to the relative prominence which should be - given to some parts of the proceedings. As time pressed, it was - decided not to have any discussion upon a majority report, nor upon - any minority reports or other statements which might be submitted. - The draft report was adopted by a majority, and the Chairman and - Secretary were ordered to sign it and forward it to the Government. - A limit of twenty-four hours was, by agreement, put upon the - reception of any other reports or statements, and in the afternoon - of April 5 the convention adjourned sine die. - - The public is thus provided with no majority report, in the sense of - a reasoned statement in favor of the conclusions upon which the - majority are agreed, but is left to gather from the narrative of - proceedings what the contents of such a report would have been. On - the other hand, both the Ulster Unionists and a minority of the - Nationalists have presented minority reports covering the whole - field of the convention's inquiry. The result of this procedure is - to minimize the agreement reached, and to emphasize the - disagreement. In these circumstances I conceive it to be my duty as - Chairman to submit such explanatory observations as are required to - enable the reader of the report and the accompanying documents to - gain a clear idea of the real effect and significance of the - convention's achievement. - - I may assume a knowledge of the broad facts of the Irish question. - It will be agreed that of recent years the greatest obstacle to its - settlement has been the Ulster difficulty. There seemed to be two - possible issues to our deliberations. If a scheme of Irish - self-government could be framed to which the Ulster Unionists would - give their adherence, then the convention might produce a unanimous - report. Failing such a consummation, we might secure agreement, - either complete or substantial, between the Nationalist, the - Southern Unionist, and the Labor representatives. Many entertained - the hope that the effect of such a striking and wholly new - development would be to induce Ulster to reconsider its position. - - - Ulster Issue Unsolved - - Perhaps unanimity was too much to expect. Be this as it may, neither - time nor effort was spared in striving for that goal, and there were - moments when its attainment seemed possible. There was, however, a - portion of Ulster where a majority claimed that, if Ireland had the - right to separate herself from the rest of the United Kingdom, they - had the same right to separation from the rest of Ireland. But the - time had gone by when any other section of the Irish people would - accept the partition of their country, even as a temporary - expedient. Hence, the Ulster Unionist members in the convention - remained there only in the hope that some form of home rule would be - proposed which might modify the determination of those they - represented to have neither part nor lot in an Irish Parliament. The - Nationalists strove to win them by concessions, but they found - themselves unable to accept any of the schemes discussed, and the - only scheme of Irish government they presented to the convention was - confined to the exclusion of their entire province. - - Long before the hope of complete unanimity had passed, the majority - of the convention were considering the possibilities of agreement - between the Nationalists and the Southern Unionists. Lord Midleton - was the first to make a concrete proposal to this end. The report - shows that in November he outlined to the Grand Committee and in - December brought before the convention what looked like a workable - compromise. It accepted self-government for Ireland. In return for - special minority representation in the Irish Parliament, already - conceded by the Nationalists, it offered to that Parliament complete - power over internal legislation and administration, and, in matters - of finance, over direct taxation and excise. But, although they - agreed that the customs revenue should be paid in to the Irish - Exchequer, the Southern Unionists insisted upon the permanent - reservation to the Imperial Parliament of the power to fix the rates - of customs duties. By far the greater part of our time and attention - was occupied by this one question, whether the imposition of customs - duties should or should not be under the control of the Irish - Parliament. The difficulties of the Irish Convention may be summed - up in two words--Ulster and Customs. - - - Customs and Excise Problem - - The Ulster difficulty the whole world knows; but how the customs - question came to be one of vital principle, upon the decision of - which depended the amount of agreement that could be reached in the - convention, needs to be told. The tendency of recent political - thought among constitutional Nationalists has been toward a form of - government resembling as closely as possible that of the dominions, - and, since the geographical position of Ireland imposes obvious - restrictions in respect of naval and military affairs, the claim for - dominion home rule was concentrated upon a demand for unrestricted - fiscal powers. Without separate customs and excise Ireland would, - according to this view, fail to attain a national status like that - enjoyed by the dominions. - - Upon this issue the Nationalists made a strong case, and were able - to prove that a considerable number of leading commercial men had - come to favor fiscal autonomy as part of an Irish settlement. In the - present state of public opinion in Ireland it was feared that - without customs no scheme the convention recommended would receive a - sufficient measure of popular support to secure legislation. To - obviate any serious disturbance of the trade of the United Kingdom - the Nationalists were prepared to agree to a free-trade arrangement - between the two countries. But this did not overcome the - difficulties of the Southern Unionists, who on this point agreed - with the Ulster Unionists. They were apprehensive that a separate - system of customs control, however guarded, might impair the - authority of the United Kingdom over its external trade policy. - Neither could they consent to any settlement which was, in their - judgment, incompatible with Ireland's full participation in a scheme - of United Kingdom federation, should that come to pass. - - It was clear that by means of mutual concessions agreement between - the Nationalists and the Southern Unionists could be reached on all - other points. On this important point, however, a section of the - Nationalists, who have embodied their views in a separate report, - held that no compromise was possible. On the other hand, a majority - of the Nationalists and the whole body of Southern Unionists felt - that nothing effective could result from their work in the - convention unless some understanding was reached upon customs which - would render an agreement on a complete scheme attainable. Neither - side was willing to surrender the principle; but both sides were - willing, in order that a Parliament should be at once established, - to postpone a legislative decision upon the ultimate control of - customs and excise. At the same time each party has put on record, - in separate notes subjoined to the report, its claim respecting the - final settlement of this question. A decision having been reached - upon the cardinal issue, the majority of the convention carried a - series of resolutions which together form a complete scheme of - self-government. - - - Parliament for All Ireland - - This scheme provides for the establishment of a Parliament for the - whole of Ireland, with an Executive responsible to it, and with full - powers over all internal legislation, administration, and direct - taxation. Pending a decision of the fiscal question, it is provided - that the imposition of duties of customs and excise shall remain - with the Imperial Parliament, but that the whole of the proceeds of - these taxes shall be paid into the Irish Exchequer. A joint - Exchequer Board is to be set up to determine the Irish true revenue, - and Ireland is to be represented upon the Board of Customs and - Excise of the United Kingdom. - - The principle of representation in the Imperial Parliament was - insisted upon from the first by the Southern Unionists, and the - Nationalists conceded it. It was felt, however, that there were - strong reasons for providing that the Irish representatives at - Westminster should be elected by the Irish Parliament rather than - directly by the constituencies, and this was the arrangement - adopted. - - It was accepted in principle that there should be an Irish - contribution to the cost of imperial services, but owing to lack of - data it was not found possible in the convention to fix any definite - sum. - - It was agreed that the Irish Parliament should consist of two - houses--a Senate of sixty-four members and a House of Commons of - 200. The principle underlying the composition of the Senate is the - representation of interests. This is effected by giving - representation to commerce, industry, and labor, the County - Councils, the Churches, learned institutions, and the peerage. In - constituting the House of Commons the Nationalists offered to - guarantee 40 per cent. of its membership to the Unionists. It was - agreed that, in the south, adequate representation for Unionists - could only be secured by nomination; but, as the Ulster - representatives had informed the convention that those for whom they - spoke could not accept the principle of nomination, provision was - made in the scheme for an extra representation of Ulster by direct - election. - - The majority of the Labor representatives associated themselves with - the Nationalists and Southern Unionists in building up the - Constitution, with the provisions of which they found themselves in - general agreement. They frankly objected, however, to the principle - of nomination and to what they regarded as the inadequate - representation of Labor in the upper house. Throughout our - proceedings they helped in every way toward the attainment of - agreement. Nor did they press their own special claims in such a - manner as to make more difficult the work, already difficult enough, - of agreeing upon a Constitution. - - - Knottiest Question in History - - I trust I have said enough to enable the reader of this report and - the accompanying documents to form an accurate judgment upon the - nature and difficulties of the task before the convention and upon - its actual achievement. While, technically, it was our function to - draft a Constitution for our country, it would be more correct to - say that we had to find a way out of the most complex and anomalous - political situation to be found in history--I might almost say in - fiction. We are living under a system of government which survives - only because the act abolishing it cannot, consistently with - Ministerial pledges, be put into operation without further - legislation no less difficult and controversial than that which it - has to amend. While the responsibility for a solution to our problem - rests primarily with the Government, the convention found itself in - full accord with your insistence that the most hopeful path to a - settlement was to be found in Irish agreement. In seeking this--in - attempting to find a compromise which Ireland might accept and - Parliament pass into law--it has been recognized that the full - program of no party could be adopted. The convention was also bound - to give due weight to your opinion that to press for a settlement - at Westminster, during the war, of the question which, as I have - shown, had been a formidable obstacle to agreement would be to - imperil the prospect of the early establishment of self-government - in Ireland. - - Notwithstanding the difficulties with which we were surrounded, a - larger measure of agreement has been reached upon the principle and - details of Irish self-government than has yet been attained. Is it - too much to hope that the scheme embodying this agreement will - forthwith be brought to fruition by those to whose call the Irish - Convention has now responded? I have the honor to be, Sir, your - obedient servant, - - HORACE PLUNKETT. - April 8, 1918. - - -THE MAJORITY REPORT - -The proposed scheme of Irish self-government referred to in Sir Horace -Plunkett's letter is set out below, the majorities by which each section -or subsection was carried being indicated in parentheses: - - THE IRISH PARLIAMENT. (51 votes to 18.) - - (1) The Irish Parliament to consist of the King, an Irish Senate, - and an Irish House of Commons. - - (2) Notwithstanding the establishment of the Irish Parliament or - anything contained in the Government of Ireland act, the supreme - power and authority of the Parliament of the United Kingdom shall - remain unaffected and undiminished over all persons, matters, and - things in Ireland and every part thereof. - - POWERS OF THE IRISH PARLIAMENT. The Irish Parliament to have the - general power to make laws for the peace, order, and good government - of Ireland, subject to the exclusions and restrictions specified in - 3 and 4 below. (51 to 19.) - - EXCLUSIONS FROM POWER OF IRISH PARLIAMENT. (49 to 16.) The Irish - Parliament to have no power to make laws on the following matters: - - (1) Crown and succession. - - (2) Making of peace and war, (including conduct as neutrals.) - - (3) The army and navy. - - (4) Treaties and foreign relations, (including extradition.) - - (5) Dignities and titles of honor. - - (6) Any necessary control of harbors for naval and military - purposes, and certain powers as regards lighthouses, buoys, beacons, - cables, wireless terminals, to be settled with reference to the - requirements of the military and naval forces of his Majesty in - various contingencies. (41 to 13.) - - (7) Coinage; legal tender; or any change in the standard of weights - and measures. - - (8) Copyright or patent rights. - - TEMPORARY AND PARTIAL RESERVATION. The Imperial and Irish - Governments shall jointly arrange, subject to imperial exigencies, - for the unified control of the Irish police and postal services - during the war, provided that as soon as possible after the - cessation of hostilities the administration of these two services - shall become automatically subject to the Irish Parliament. (37 to - 21.) - - RESTRICTION ON POWER OF IRISH PARLIAMENT ON MATTERS WITHIN ITS - COMPETENCE. (46 to 15.) - - (1) Prohibition of laws interfering with religious equality. N. - B.--A subsection should be framed to annul any existing legal - penalty, disadvantage, or disability on account of religious belief. - Certain restrictions still remain under the act of 1829. - - (2) Special provision protecting the position of Freemasons. - - (3) Safeguard for Trinity College and Queen's University similar to - Section 42 of act. - - (4) Money bills to be founded only on Vice-regal message. - - (5) Privileges, qualifications, &c., of members of Irish Parliament - to be limited as in act. - - (6) Rights of existing Irish officers to be safeguarded. - - CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS. Section 9 (4) of the act of 1914 to apply - to the House of Commons with the substitution of "ten years" for - "three years." The constitution of the Senate to be subject to - alteration after ten years, provided the bill is agreed to by - two-thirds of the total number of members of both houses sitting - together. (46 to 15.) - - EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY. The executive power in Ireland to continue - vested in the King, but exercisable through the Lord Lieutenant on - the advice of an Irish Executive Committee in the manner set out in - act. (45 to 15.) - - DISSOLUTION OF IRISH PARLIAMENT. The Irish Parliament to be - summoned, prorogued, and dissolved as set out in act. (45 to 15.) - - ASSENT TO BILLS. Royal assent to be given or withheld as set out in - act with the substitution of "reservation" for "postponement." (45 - to 15.) - - CONSTITUTION OF THE SENATE. (48 votes to 19.) Lord Chancellor, 1; - four Archbishops or Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church, 4; two - Archbishops or Bishops of the Church of Ireland, 2; a representative - of the General Assembly, 1; the Lord Mayors of Dublin, Belfast, and - Cork, 3; peers resident in Ireland, elected by peers resident in - Ireland, 15; nominated by Lord Lieutenant--Irish Privy Councilors of - at least two years' standing 4, representatives of learned - institutions 3, other persons 4; representatives of commerce and - industry, 15; representatives of labor, one for each province, 4; - representatives of County Councils, two for each province, 8--64. - - On the disappearance of any nominated element in the House of - Commons an addition shall be made to the numbers of the Senate. - - CONSTITUTION OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. (45 to 20.) - - (1) The ordinary elected members of the House of Commons shall - number 160. - - (2) The University of Dublin, the University of Belfast, and the - National University shall each return two members. The graduates of - each university shall form the constituency. - - (3) Special representation shall be given to urban and industrial - areas by grouping the smaller towns and applying to them a lower - electoral quota than that applicable to the rest of the country. - - (4) The principle of proportional representation, with the single - transferable vote, shall be observed wherever a constituency returns - three or more members. (47 to 22.) - - (5) The convention accept the principle that 40 per cent. of the - membership of the House of Commons shall be guaranteed to Unionists. - In pursuance of this, they suggest that, for a period, there shall - be summoned to the Irish House of Commons twenty members nominated - by the Lord Lieutenant, with a view to the due representation of - interests not otherwise adequately represented in the provinces of - Leinster, Munster, and Connaught, and that twenty additional members - shall be elected by Ulster constituencies, to represent commercial, - industrial, and agricultural interests. - - (6) The Lord Lieutenant's power of nomination shall be exercised - subject to any instructions that may be given by his Majesty the - King. - - (7) The nominated members shall disappear in whole or in part after - fifteen years, and not earlier, notwithstanding anything contained - in Clause 5. - - (8) The extra representation in Ulster not to cease except on an - adverse decision by a three-fourths majority of both houses sitting - together. (27 to 20.) - - (9) The House of Commons shall continue for five years unless - previously dissolved. - - (10) Nominated members shall vacate their seats on a dissolution but - shall be eligible for renomination. Any vacancy among the nominated - members shall be filled by nomination. - - MONEY BILLS. (45 to 22.) - - (1) Money bills to originate only in the House of Commons, and not - to be amended by the Senate. (Act, Section 10.) - - (2) The Senate is, however, to have power to bring about a joint - sitting over money bills in the same session of Parliament. - - (3) The Senate to have power to suggest amendments, which the House - of Commons may accept or reject as it pleases. - - DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN HOUSES. Disagreements between the two houses to - be solved by joint sittings as set out in act, with the proviso that - if the Senate fail to pass a money bill such joint sitting shall be - held in the same session of Parliament. (45 to 22.) - - REPRESENTATION AT WESTMINSTER. - - (1) Representation in Parliament of the United Kingdom to continue. - Irish representatives to have the right of deliberating and voting - on all matters. - - (2) Forty-two Irish representatives shall be elected to the Commons - House of the Parliament of the United Kingdom in the following - manner: - - A panel shall be formed in each of the four provinces of Ireland, - consisting of the members for that province in the Irish House of - Commons, and one other panel shall be formed consisting of members - nominated to the Irish House of Commons. The number of - representatives to be elected to the Commons House of the Imperial - Parliament shall be proportionate to the numbers of each panel and - the election shall be on the principle of proportional - representation. (42 to 24.) - - (3) The Irish representation in the House of Lords shall continue as - at present unless and until that chamber be remodeled, when the - matter shall be reconsidered by the Imperial and Irish Parliaments. - (44 to 22.) - - FINANCE. (51 to 18.) - - (1) An Irish Exchequer and Consolidated Fund to be established and - an Irish Controller and Auditor General to be appointed as set out - in act. - - (2) If necessary, it should be declared that all taxes at present - leviable in Ireland should continue to be levied and collected until - the Irish Parliament otherwise decides. - - (3) The necessary adjustments of revenue as between Great Britain - and Ireland during the transition period should be made. - - FINANCIAL POWERS OF THE IRISH PARLIAMENT. - - (1) The control of customs and excise by an Irish Parliament is to - be postponed for further consideration until after the war, provided - that the question of such control shall be considered and decided by - the Parliament of the United Kingdom within seven years after the - conclusion of peace. For the purpose of deciding in the Parliament - of the United Kingdom the question of the future control of Irish - customs and excise, a number of Irish representatives proportioned - to the population of Ireland shall be called to the Parliament of - the United Kingdom. (38 to 34.) - - (2) On the creation of an Irish Parliament, and until the question - of the ultimate control of the Irish customs and excise services - shall have been decided, the Board of Customs and Excise of the - United Kingdom shall include a person or persons nominated by the - Irish Treasury. (39 to 33.) - - (3) A Joint Exchequer Board, consisting of two members nominated by - the Imperial Treasury, and two members nominated by the Irish - Treasury, with a Chairman appointed by the King, shall be set up to - secure the determination of the true income of Ireland. (39 to 33.) - - (4) Until the question of the ultimate control of the Irish customs - and excise services shall have been decided, the revenue due to - Ireland from customs and excise, as determined by the Joint - Exchequer Board, shall be paid into the Irish Exchequer. (38 to 30.) - - (5) All branches of taxation, other than customs and excise, shall - be under the control of the Irish Parliament. (38 to 30.) - - IMPERIAL CONTRIBUTION. The principle of such a contribution is - approved. (Unanimously.) - - LAND PURCHASE. The convention accept the recommendations of the - Sub-Committee on Land Purchase. (Unanimously.) - - JUDICIAL POWER. (43 to 17.) The following provisions of the - Government of Ireland act to be adopted: - - (_a_) Safeguarding position of existing Irish Judges. - - (_b_) Leaving appointment of future Judges to the Irish Government - and their removal to the Crown on address from both houses of - Parliament. - - (_c_) Transferring appeals from the House of Lords to the Judicial - Committee, strengthened by Irish Judges. - - (_d_) Extending right of appeal to this court. - - (_e_) Provision as to reference of questions of validity to Judicial - Committee. - - The Lord Chancellor is not to be a political officer. - - LORD LIEUTENANT. The Lord Lieutenant is not to be a political - officer. He shall hold office for six years, and neither he nor the - Lords Justices shall be subject to any religious disqualification. - His salary shall be sufficient to throw the post open to men of - moderate means. (43 to 17.) - - CIVIL SERVICE. (42 to 18.) - - (1) There shall be a Civil Service Commission consisting of - representatives of Irish universities which shall formulate a scheme - of competitive examinations for admission to the public service, - including statutory administrative bodies, and no person shall be - admitted to such service unless he holds the certificate of the - Civil Service Commission. - - (2) A scheme of appointments in the public service, with - recommendations as to scales of salary for the same, shall be - prepared by a commission consisting of an independent Chairman of - outstanding position in Irish public life, and two colleagues, one - of whom shall represent Unionist interests. - - (3) No appointments to positions shall be made before the scheme of - this commission has been approved. - - DEFERRING TAKING OVER CERTAIN IRISH SERVICES. - - Arrangements to be made to permit the Irish Government, if they so - desire, to defer taking over the services relating to Old-Age - Pensions, National Insurance, Labor Exchanges, Post Office Trustee - Savings Banks, and Friendly Societies. (43 to 18.) - -The final division on the question of the adoption of the report as a -whole was as follows: - - FOR (44) - - E. H. Andrews - M. K. Barry - J. Bolger - W. Broderick - J. Butler - J. J. Clancy - J. J. Coen - D. Condren - P. Dempsey - Earl of Desart - J. Dooly - Captain Doran - Archbishop of Dublin - Lord Mayor of Dublin - T. Fallon - J. Fitzgibbon - Sir W. Goulding - M. Governey - Earl of Granard - Captain Gwynn - T. Halligan - A. Jameson - W. Kavanagh - Alderman McCarron - M. McDonogh - J. McDonnell - C. McKay - A. R. MacMullen - Viscount Midleton - J. Murphy - J. O'Dowd - C. P. O'Neill - Lord Oranmore and Browne - Dr. O'Sullivan - J. B. Powell - T. Power - Provost of Trinity College - Sir S. B. Quin - D. Reilly - M. Slattery - G. F. Stewart - R. Waugh - H. T. Whitley - Sir B. Windle - - AGAINST (29) - - Duke of Abercorn - Sir R. N. Anderson - H. B. Armstrong - H. T. Barrie - Lord Mayor of Belfast - Archbishop of Cashel - Sir G. Clark - Colonel J. J. Clark - Lord Mayor of Cork - Colonel Sharman-Crawford - Bishop of Down and Connor - T. Duggan - H. Garahan - J. Hanna - M. E. Knight - Marquis of Londonderry - J. S. McCance - Sir C. McCullagh - J. McGarry - H. G. MacGeagh - J. McHugh - Moderator General Assembly - W. M. Murphy - P. O'H. Peters - H. M. Pollock - Bishop of Raphoe - T. Toal - Colonel Wallace - Sir W. Whitla - - -ULSTER UNIONISTS' REPORT - -Nineteen Ulster Unionists signed a dissenting report in which they -declared that it had soon become evident to them that no real approach -to agreement was possible, as the Nationalists put it beyond doubt that -what they wanted was "full national independence," or a Parliament -possessing co-equal powers with those of the Imperial Parliament. If the -Ulster Unionists had anticipated this at the outset, their report -explained, they "could not have agreed to enter the convention." -Objection was taken to the Nationalist scheme, which aimed at denying -the right of the Imperial Parliament to impose military service in -Ireland "unless with the consent of the proposed Irish Parliament." - -Dr. Mahaffy, Provost of Trinity College, Dublin, and the Archbishop of -Armagh, in a separate note, stated that they found it impossible to vote -for the majority proposals, since these involved, in their opinion, -either the coercion of Ulster, which was unthinkable, or the partition -of Ireland, which would be disastrous. - -Twenty-two Nationalists, including Joseph Devlin, M. P., the Archbishop -of Cashel, the Bishop of Raphoe, the Bishop of Down and Connor, and the -Lord Mayors of Dublin and Cork, signed a report favoring a subordinate -Irish Parliament with immediate full powers of taxation. - -The majority of the Nationalists also signed a note explaining that for -the sake of reaching an agreement with the Unionists they did not press -their claim for full fiscal autonomy. - -The Southern Unionists, who for "high considerations of allied and -imperial interests" signed the majority report, also added a note. They -insisted that all imperial questions and services, including the levying -of customs duties, be left in the hands of the Parliament of the United -Kingdom; that Ireland send representatives to Westminster; and that the -whole of Ireland participate in any Irish Parliament. - - -THE FINANCIAL ISSUE - -Apart from the main question whether an Irish Parliament with an -Executive responsible to it should be established, debate chiefly -centred on the question of fiscal autonomy. By January, 1918, it became -apparent that on the financial issue there were three clearly defined -bodies of opinion: - -First--The Ulster Unionists favoring the maintenance of the fiscal unity -of the United Kingdom; - -Second--A section of Nationalists insisting upon complete fiscal -autonomy for Ireland; - -Third--The Southern Unionists, supported by other Nationalists, and the -majority of the Labor representatives, favoring a compromise which left -to Ireland the proceeds of all sources of revenue and the imposition of -all taxes other than customs. - -It was to overcome these and other differences that Premier Lloyd George -invited representatives of the convention to London to confer with the -Cabinet. The Premier's letter, dated Feb. 25, 1918, is published in the -report. It discloses the fact that some of the Nationalists had been -willing to set up an Ulster Committee in the Irish Parliament to veto -the application of certain legislation to that province, to make Belfast -the headquarters of the Irish Ministry of Commerce, and to let the Irish -Parliament meet alternately in Dublin and Belfast. - - -GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE - -Dealing with "the difficult question of customs and excise," Lloyd -George wrote: - - The Government are aware of the serious objections which can be - raised against the transfer of these services to an Irish - Legislature. It would be practically impossible to make such a - disturbance of the fiscal and financial relations of Great Britain - and Ireland in the midst of a great war. It might also be - incompatible with that federal reorganization of the United Kingdom - in favor of which there is a growing body of opinion. On the other - hand, the Government recognize the strong claim that can be made - that an Irish Legislature should have some control over indirect - taxation as the only form of taxation which touches the great - majority of the people, and which in the past has represented the - greater part of Irish revenue. - - The Government feel that this is a matter which cannot be finally - settled at the present time. They therefore suggest for the - consideration of the convention that, during the period of the war - and for a period of two years thereafter, the control of customs and - excise should be reserved to the United Kingdom Parliament; that, as - soon as possible after the Irish Parliament has been established, a - Joint Exchequer Board should be set up to secure the determination - of the true revenue of Ireland--a provision which is essential to a - system of responsible Irish government--and to the making of a - national balance sheet, and that, at the end of the war, a royal - commission should be established to re-examine impartially and - thoroughly the financial relations of Great Britain and Ireland, to - report on the contribution of Ireland to imperial expenditure, and - to submit proposals as to the best means of adjusting the economic - and fiscal relations of the two countries. - - The Government consider that during the period of the war the - control of all taxation other than customs and excise could be - handed over to the Irish Parliament; that for the period of the war - and two years thereafter an agreed proportion of the annual imperial - expenditure should be fixed as the Irish contribution; and that all - Irish revenue from customs and excise as determined by the Joint - Exchequer Board, after deduction of the agreed Irish contribution to - imperial expenditure, should be paid into the Irish Exchequer. For - administrative reasons, during the period of the war it is necessary - that the police should remain under imperial control, and it seems - to the Government to be desirable that for the same period the - postal service should be a reserved service. - - -CONSCRIPTION IN IRELAND - -The announcement of the British Government's twofold plan of home rule -and conscription for Ireland caused an outpouring of protests from the -whole of the Nationalist population. Preparations for resistance were -begun, a great anti-conscription fund was opened, resolutions from -public bodies began pouring in, and the Sinn Fein clubs renewed their -activities. - -The most striking feature of the opposition to conscription was that it -welded together all the Irish elements represented by the Nationalist -Party, the Independent Home Rulers, led by William O'Brien and Timothy -Healy; the Sinn Fein, and the Labor organizations, which in recent years -had not been very friendly to the Nationalists. Representatives of all -these parties were present at a conference in Dublin, held, under the -Chairmanship of the Lord Mayor, on April 18. The Catholic Bishops, at a -meeting in Maynooth the same day, adopted a declaration against -conscription. This meeting was attended by five representatives from the -Dublin conference--John Dillon, Edward de Valere, Timothy Healy, a Labor -delegate, and the Lord Mayor of Dublin. - -A majority of the Nationalist members of the House of Commons decided -to abstain from attendance in Parliament during the crisis, thus -adopting the attitude of the Sinn Feiners who were elected to the House -but have never attended. Fifty-five of the Nationalist members met in -Dublin on April 20, with John Dillon presiding, and passed a resolution -in which they declared that the enforcement of compulsory military -service on a nation without its assent constituted "one of the most -brutal acts of tyranny and oppression of which any Government can be -guilty." - -Fifteen hundred delegates of labor unions met at the Mansion House, -Dublin, on April 20, and pledged their resistance to conscription. They -also fixed April 23 for the stoppage of all work as an earnest of this -resolve and to enable all workers to sign the pledge of resistance. The -complete stoppage of work was duly observed on the day mentioned, and -passed off for the most part in a quiet and orderly manner. - -Sunday, April 21, was observed throughout Catholic Ireland as the day -for the administration by the priests of the anti-conscription covenant. -From every Catholic pulpit conscription was the subject of discourse, -and the action of the Bishops and political leaders was explained. The -assemblies where the pledge was taken were generally outside the -churches, sometimes in the open air, sometimes in a hall. The practice -followed in many cases was for the priest to read the pledge, sentence -by sentence, the people reciting after him. In other cases the pledge -was given by the raising of hands or the signing of a paper. The Bishops -took part with the inferior clergy in administering the pledge, -addressing the people and generally warning them against isolated and -unconsidered action. They urged obedience to the orders of the -recognized leaders, who act in co-operation. All classes, including -lawyers, bankers, and merchants, as well as farmers and workmen, took -the pledge. - -On May 1 an Order in Council was issued by the British Government -postponing the operation of the National Service, or conscription, act -in Ireland beyond that date, to which it had been previously postponed. - -Premier Lloyd George, commenting on the new attitude of the Irish Home -Rulers in a letter addressed on May 2 to Irish workers on the Tyneside -in England, wrote: - - The difficulties have not been rendered easier of settlement by the - challenge to supremacy of the United Kingdom Parliament in that - sphere, which always has been regarded as properly belonging to it - by all advocates of home rule, which recently was issued by the - Nationalist Party and the Roman Catholic Hierarchy in concert with - the leaders of the Sinn Fein. - -While Nationalist and Catholic Ireland had already begun its campaign of -resistance to conscription, the Ulster Unionists, under the leadership -of Sir Edward Carson, prepared to oppose home rule. Sir Edward Carson -declared that the Government had broken its pledges to Ulster by -undertaking to pass a Home Rule bill, and on April 24 he advised the -Ulster Unionist Council to reorganize its machinery for the impending -struggle. - -The appointment of Field Marshal Viscount French as Lord Lieutenant of -Ireland and of Edward Shortt, member of the House of Commons for -Newcastle-on-Tyne, as Chief Secretary for Ireland was officially -announced on May 5. - -Lord French, before his new appointment, was Commander in Chief of the -forces in the United Kingdom and had gone to Ireland in that capacity a -few days before he became Viceroy. Edward Shortt, in addition to being a -Home Ruler, had voted against the extension of conscription to Ireland -until an Irish Government had been established. - - - - -Greatest Gas Attack of the War - -_W. A. Willison, Canadian correspondent, cabled from the Picardy front -on March 22, 1918:_ - - -While British and German troops were struggling far to the south in the -opening clash of the Spring campaign, the greatest projector gas -bombardment in the world's history was carried out by the Canadians -tonight against the enemy positions between Lens and Hill 70. Sharply at -11 o'clock the signal rocket gave notice of the beginning. A moment -later over 5,000 drums of lethal gas were simultaneously released from -projectors, and were hurled into the enemy territory from the outskirts -of Lens, and northward to Cité St. Auguste and the Bois de Dix-Huit. - -From his front lines and strong points favoring winds carried the -poisonous clouds back upon the enemy's supports, reserves, and assembly -areas. The whole of the front was lit up with enemy flares, dimly seen -through the heavy mist, while the men in our lines could hear the -enemy's gas alarms and cries of distress from the hostile trenches. - -Nine minutes later our field artillery, supported by heavy guns and -heavy trench mortars, opened up with a slow bombardment, which gradually -increased in intensity, until, forty minutes later, the enemy positions -were swept with a short, intensive, creeping barrage, which raked his -forward and rear areas with high explosive. Caught by our gas without a -moment's warning, caught again as he was emerging from his shelters by -our artillery, the enemy's casualties must have been very heavy, for the -effectiveness of our smaller gas operations has been emphatically proved -by the evidence of prisoners. - -Tonight's bombardment was three times greater than anything of its kind -ever attempted by us on the Western front, and much greater than -anything ever launched by the Germans, though the score of the second -battle of Ypres and other reckonings are still to be settled, and will -be settled. - - - - -Plucky Dunkirk - -By Anna Milo Upjohn - -_Inspector in Paris for the Fraternité Americaine_ - -[Since this article was written Dunkirk has faced a new peril from the -blow struck in her direction by the powerful German armies around Ypres, -to the southeast; but the author's vivid and sympathetic description of -the daily life of the little city remains as true as in the Winter days -when it was penned for CURRENT HISTORY MAGAZINE. - - -In the track of the wind stands the plucky little City of Dunkirk, still -flapping the flags of courage and constancy in the face of an -increasingly rabid enemy. It is the only city of France that is -subjected to bombardment from land and sea and sky. - -What is the every-day life in a town near enough to the front to be -never free from the menace of a triple bombardment? That is what I went -to find out, traveling by way of Calais in stygian darkness, for the -train was without lights to avoid the danger of bombs. - -A little before dawn the train drew into the black station of Dunkirk, -through whose roofing the sky showed dimly in spots where air-raid -shells had spattered. The silent crowd jostled through the darkness, the -soldiers separating themselves from it at the military exit. Inside, -only a ray from a dark lantern, held by the officer who scanned the -passports one by one, made a spot of light among the overlapping -shadows. The wind sighed through the draughty place, the snow entered -freely, the floor was sloppy with mud. Outside in the empty square not a -vehicle, not a porter, in sight. The street cars had stopped running. - -My hotel lay beyond the centre of the town. In the driving storm, -through unknown streets, I knew it would be foolish to attempt to find -it. An officer passed and to him I appealed. "To the right, in the -middle of the square," he said, with outstretched arm, "is the Lion de -Flandre. If they can't put you up there, come back and we will see." - -Not a point of light indicated the identity of the Lion de Flandre. On -nearer approach all the houses appeared boarded up, as though long since -abandoned. In the middle of the square was an oblong hump, like the -roofed-over foundation of a demolished building. I learned later that -this was a public refuge built for the inhabitants of the section. - - -HOTEL IN DANGER ZONE - -As I turned irresolutely in the direction of the dark façades, the -silhouette of a man in casque and puttees passed across the snow. A -crack of light gleamed from a hidden doorway, and through it he -disappeared. I followed hard after him and stepped into a lighted room -full of smoke and soldiers, a _man's_ place, with sand-strewn floor and -bottles conspicuously in evidence. Nevertheless, the comfortable woman -behind the bar received me without surprise. A room she could give me, -but as for food, that was a different matter. The boches had the habit -of coming at about dinner time, and it had become a nuisance to abandon -the untasted meal every night and to dive into the cave--it really had! -So she had given up trying to have anything hot at night and let the -fires go out at 6. But if I would like a sandwich and some beer--? - -After the long, starved journey this was not alluring. - -"Not a cup of tea with the sandwich?" I pleaded. A collaborator was -called, a plump, dark woman, and after a hurried conference I was asked -to wait in the room behind the café. Nothing could be more dismal than -this compartment. It was high for its floor space, like a deep box with -a lid, and had no outside windows, being wedged between the café and the -kitchen. The ornate glass divisions were gone or clinging in fragments, -the walls pierced in many places, the plaster down. A tiny point of gas -burned high above the table. - -They were very good to me, these warbound women, one of whom, I -discovered, had an ulcerated tooth, the other two little boys captive in -Belgium. - - -FIRST NIGHT'S EXPERIENCES - -In a short time a small bit of steak and a potato cut in quarters and -fried were placed before me, and simultaneously a large black dog with -wistful eyes but determined manner stationed himself at my side. The -steak was followed by a chilly little salad, bread and cheese, and more -butter than I had seen for many a month in Paris--and a cup of tea -which, for its grateful warmth, I drank without challenge. - -Snatches of honest English, mingled with French, filtered in from the -café, where the fire was not quite extinct and where beer was served -until 9 o'clock. Before that hour I was fumbling upstairs guided by the -patronne, who carried a two-inch stub of candle between her fingers. -"This is the way to the cave," she explained, pointing to a doorway -under the stairs. "In case of an alarm you have only to rush down there. -There will be a light burning at the entrance." Passing through the -hallway she indicated the spot where a man had recently been killed. "If -he had stayed where he was, at the table where you have just eaten, -Madame, he would have been all right, but as he ran to the refuge a bomb -exploded outside in the square, burst open the front door, traversed the -length of the corridor, passed through the kitchen wall and into the -garden beyond. But you can rest assured that nothing will happen -tonight, Madame," continued the patronne, who seemed as familiar with -the habits of Gothas as a farmer's wife is with those of fowls--"Not in -this wind, oh, no!" - -After that first night I groped my way alone to bed, the candle stub -having come to an end, feeling my way along the pitch dark passageways -to the room with the linoleum mat, the room which had not known fire for -three years and a half, whose paneless windows were boarded up, the one -room in the house which had not lost a ceiling or floor or whose walls -were not clipped through with shells. The regular inmates of the hotel -slept nightly in the cellar. It saved time and was warmer. - -Notwithstanding the reassurances of the patronne I confess to going to -bed with half my clothes on. But under the wing of the storm Dunkirk -slept tranquilly for three successive nights. Of course, there was -always the soft bum-bum of the cannon on the northern horizon, strange -tremors shook the bed, and the night was full of weird sounds, the -rattling skeletons of dead houses. - - -BRAVE LITTLE DUNKIRK - -Like an arm held up to protect the face, the coast between Calais and -Dunkirk bears the brunt of storm from the North Sea. A dark sea, sombre -and brooding, girdled by lowering clouds; on the snow-driven plain a few -detached towers, etched as though in sepia against the gray sky and -rising abruptly above the low line of roof--this is Dunkirk on a -Winter's day. A homely little town with a deep fringe of docks and -waterways on its seaward side and a girdle of fortifications built by -Vauban encircling the rest. The whole set in a ring of dark water which -fills the moat. It is thoroughly Flemish in character, and, seen from -the water, must resemble a city on a delft tile. The moral attitude of -the town has always been one of robust activity. Even its patron saints -are among the most industrious and enterprising in the calendar--notably -St. Eloi, who brought Christianity to the Dunkerquois and to whom the -original Dunkirk (church on the dunes) was dedicated. - -All the history of the town is tinged with a vigor which has blown in to -it from the sea. Here the crusading ships of Baldwin of Flanders, and -later those of St. Louis of France, were fitted out. After the momentous -marriage of Marie of Burgundy had thrown the city for a time under the -dominion of Spain it played a brilliant part in the game of the -period--piracy. - -The quaint tower on the quay--called Lugenhaer, the Liar--was used at -that epoch to give false signals to ships at sea. But it dates from a -much earlier period, and was one of twenty-eight towers with which -Baldwin of Flanders bound together the wall with which he surrounded -the city. The Liar and the belfry of the recently ruined Cathedral of -St. Eloi were the only interesting architectural bits left in Dunkirk. -The thirteenth century tower, dark and strong at its base, rises to a -great height, flowering into restrained tracery at the top and -shepherding under its shadow the heart of the town, which lies below it. -This is the lodestone. Toward it I turned after leaving the battered -hotel that first morning at Dunkirk. - -[Illustration: A photograph, full of human interest, showing Americans, -headed by a regimental band, marching to the front in France - -(_American Official Photograph_)] - -[Illustration: The Harvard University Regiment marching through the -streets of Boston - -(© _Underwood_)] - - -CITY OF SHATTERED HOMES - -From the snowy Place de la Gare the street cars started regularly in -divergent directions, but oh, the gloom of those dead streets which they -passed! Wide streets, winding between rows of low houses, plain and -solid, but built on a neighborly plan. Their desolation is the more -marked because of this innate, homelike quality. In almost all of them -the window and door spaces were boarded up, and the first impression was -rather that of a deserted city than of a demolished one. But a second -glance showed that destruction had come from the sky, tearing away the -roof, annihilating the interior, and rendering the house uninhabitable, -perhaps irreparable, though the walls might to a certain extent be left -standing. Often the havoc was more apparent, exposing the bare skeleton -of a home and the shattered remnants of household comforts in shocking -nudity. - -The freakishness of destruction by bombardment is proverbial. It is this -which creates in the timid an intense anxiety and in the hardy the -willingness to take a chance. The 8-year-old son of the chief surgeon at -the Military Hospital, stretching out his hand during a bombardment, -said calmly, "Of course it _may_ fall on _that_, but there is plenty of -room on each side." And this rather sums up the spirit of the -Dunkerquois who remain. - -Of a population of 40,000, about 5,000 are left, and most of these have -become modern cave men. To be thoroughly up to date one must live in a -"casemate." In every quarter of the town posters announce the locality -of these public refuges. They are either cellars reinforced overhead, -or dugouts in the public squares, strongly roofed with corrugated iron, -which is covered with wood and sandbags. Often there is extra trench -work inside, always a tight little stove with a pipe running the length -of the cave, plank benches along the sides, and usually beds with army -blankets. - - -DODGING THE BOMBS - -Into these refuges the Dunkerquois has learned to precipitate himself -with extraordinary celerity. He considers a minute and a half sufficient -time in which to gain safety, no matter where he may be when the -"alerte" is given. When there is a bombardment from the land side the -alarm is sounded as the obus leaves the gun at the front. It takes 90 -seconds for its flight to Dunkirk. So accurately is this calculated that -casualties seldom result from a land bombardment. The inhabitants -scuttle into safety, and the damage is limited to bricks and mortar. The -peppering from sea is also taken lightly. The firing is very rapid, but -it is soon over, and the shots are comparatively small, passing clean -through the walls without shattering them. It is the air raids which are -dreaded, and these are increasingly frequent and destructive. Often the -chugging of the motors can be heard in the thick darkness for a quarter -of an hour or more before there is an explosion, and this is a -nerve-racking experience. - -A striking feature of the streets in Dunkirk is the incumbrance of the -sidewalks by boxes filled with stones and sandbags. These cover the -windows and approaches to the cellars and serve as shock absorbers -against flying pieces of shell. - -And why does any one stay in so precarious an outpost on the verge of -the fighting line? Some perhaps because to set forth alone or with a -brood of children into an unknown world already trampled by countless -refugees seems an equally perilous outlook. Others because their -maintenance still depends upon the docks and shipyards, though the 6,000 -longshoremen usually employed about the piers have disappeared. Then -there are those whose interests are bound up in a shop or other -investment in the town, and business is brisk in Dunkirk, owing to the -presence of two armies. A few there are who are not only _of_ Dunkirk -but who _are_ Dunkirk itself, upon whose presence depends the prosperity -of the town and its usefulness to the State. - - -STILL A LIVELY PORT - -For if the picturesque landmarks have disappeared, Dunkirk has by no -means lost its sea prestige. It is the third port of France, and though -its position is singularly exposed it is largely through its harbor that -the British Army has been revictualed since the beginning of the war. -This renders still more remarkable the fact that not one ship has been -lost between Dunkirk and the English port of clearing. One does not -appreciate at first glance all that this implies. It means for one thing -that some one must sit tight at Dunkirk. Traffic by sea has gone on -uninterruptedly and until recently has been quite that of normal times. -Now, owing to the recent restrictions on imports and exports, it is -greatly reduced, though still regular. The sailings and dockings take -place on schedule time. - -One of those largely responsible for the order of the port is the -Consular Agent of the United States, M. Morel, also President of the -Chamber of Commerce of Dunkirk. His house, a mere skeleton, has long -since been abandoned for the superior comforts and safety of the cellar. -Attached to the jamb of the almost equally ruined office building his -small sign in black and gold makes a brave showing. The front of the -building had been largely torn away and with it a part of the roof. -Looking up one saw a dizzy arrangement of laths and rafters, suggestive -of the underside of a heap of jackstraws. But the staircase was firm and -led to a small back room, where a bright fire burned and where business -was transacted as usual; not only the business of the port, for while I -was there an American Red Cross doctor and a bevy of nurses came in to -have their passports renewed. - -Another home which I had the privilege of entering, that of Commandant -Boultheel, had been more fortunate, for it stood as yet untouched by -disaster. Here in an atmosphere of warm charm, a serene and gracious -hostess dispensed hospitality to her friends. Pewter and old china on -the walls and a great fire of logs dispelled the depression of the -outside world. Around the table were men of war and men of the world, -who represented the finest qualities of the French. Among them was a -valiant Préfet du Nord, who had spent ten months as hostage in a German -prison, using his time to study English and reread Horace. In fact, I -felt, as I had on the train, that the further I got from Paris the -nearer I came to the heart of France. - -A glimpse of "cave life" I had in the pharmacie maintained by the -Sisters of the Sacré Coeur in the basement of the Hôtel de Ville, where -it had been temporarily installed by the city, its own quarters being -untenable. This was a large space lighted by electricity and crowded -with bottles and jars, bundles of herbs and bandages, and made cheerful -by the bright faces of the sisters. In another portion of the cellar -they sleep, living entirely underground. - -Families are large in Dunkirk, and children troop unconcernedly to and -fro between home and school. To them the nightly flight to the casemate -is no longer a wild adventure. - - -BUSINESS UNDER DIFFICULTIES - -The business part of the town has not the sad aspect of the residence -streets, for it is full of life. The decrepit shops, half boarded up, -many of them resembling a face with a bandage over one eye, are doing a -lively business. With the demands of a large floating population of two -armies, Dunkirk is not suffering commercially. Department stores, book -shops, shoe stores, provision shops of all kinds, make the most of a -short day. Oranges, figs, dates, nuts, and conserved food of all kinds -are much in evidence, also warm clothing, blankets, boots, and novels. -The restaurant of the Hôtel Chapeau Rouge was filled with French and -English officers, and an excellent meal was served much as it would be -in Paris. At 4:30 everything is closed. Lights are extinguished, windows -and doors are sealed with their householders behind them, unless the -latter are among those who seek the comparative safety of the suburbs at -nightfall. For though the entire surrounding country is subject to -bombardment, the town is the centre of attack. In the twilight of the -unlighted streets scarce a footfall is heard. Only the occasional rumble -of a heavy cannon shakes the air. Behind the wall of darkness pulses a -full life undismayed by the terrors of the approaching night or the -possibilities of the tomorrow. - - -A STAG AT BAY - -In the heart of the forest I once saw a stag leading his herd to the -shelter of a rock in the rush of an oncoming storm. Having urged them -into crouching positions around him, he turned and with a simple gesture -lifted his head to the storm. There was that in his attitude which -compelled reverence. One mentally saluted, though one might think "poor, -silly beast, in what way could he mitigate the lash of the tempest?" But -instinctively he had obeyed the highest for which he had been created, -the protection of the weak. And his calm presence caught away all panic -from those around him. Often while in Dunkirk this scene came back to -me, recalled by the simple matter-of-courseness with which these brave -men and equally brave women stayed on because it was the place for them -to be. - -At the Military Hospital of Rosendael, with the exception of the -intrepid surgeon and the almoner, it is the women who hold the position. -Originally the city hospital, it was taken over by the army at the -beginning of the war. An immense building with modern equipment and a -capacity for 700 patients, it has been necessary of late to evacuate -many of the sections because of the increasing frequency of the -bombardments. The hospital has been struck many times and one ward -completely destroyed. As it happened there were no soldiers in that -section, it being used as a maternity hospital for the city. Several -women and little children were killed and also the sister in charge, -Sister St. Etienne, so dear to her co-workers that she is never spoken -of without tears. She had just finished her rounds for the night when -the alarm came. Her one thought was to save her ward from panic. A bomb -crashing through the roof hurled a beam across the sister, killing her -instantly and wrecking the entire wing. - - -"FOR ALL AMERICAN WOMEN" - -In spite of this tragedy and of recurring attacks, the other sisters and -the head nurse, Mlle. Guyot, have held their posts with quiet heroism -and have never lost an hour's duty. The patients now are mostly -convalescent, because fresh cases are no longer brought there. - -The supplies of shirts, pajamas, and bandages sent from America were -gratefully commented upon by Mlle. Guyot, and I was touched by similar -expressions from the men. One poor aviator, terribly burned, but -recovering, put up a bandaged hand and saluted me "for all American -women." Another poilu wove for me a table mat of red, white, and blue -cord. All were fervent in their good wishes. - -Everywhere warmth and order prevailed, from the wards where the bandaged -soldiers sat about with their pipes and their knitting to the big bakery -where the fragrant brown bread is baked and to the kitchens with their -caldrons of broth and crisp roasts of meat. - -Dry, well ventilated "abris" or bomb shelters have been built in -connection with each section of the hospital. The surgeon, who sleeps in -a cellar near the centre, is the first to assist his patients to shelter -in case of an alarm. There, underground, long games of cards are played -on the brink of the unknown. This is not callousness, but is done with -deliberate intent by the clever surgeon, (a refugee from Lille,) knowing -that by this means his men may be saved a nervous strain which might -prove fatal. - -Mlle. Guyot, who has been at the hospital since the beginning of the -war, knows as well as any one what the city has endured. It was she who -said to me: - -"I shall never forget that Dunkirk has borne the weight of the war from -the first day; that she has seen the exodus of the Belgian population, -to whom she has given refuge as well as to the people of the Department -du Nord; that she has known the passing of innumerable armies going and -coming from the Yser; that in October, 1914, she began to be bombarded, -having at the same time to fulfill the immense duty of bringing in and -caring for the wounded from that immortal battlefield; and through it -all I have seen Dunkirk living and working and saving with a smile!" - -The military position of Dunkirk is sometimes confusing because it has -been alternately on the French and English fronts. The English are now -retiring, but sentinels of three nationalities still guard the city -gates; English Tommy and French poilu stand with their arms across each -other's shoulders, the Belgian stands apart. - -On the sands of Malo, which is but a prolongation of Dunkirk, with a -sweeping beach toward the North Sea, strange men from Tonquin were -digging trenches--dark men branded by the sun and the mark of the East, -with warm dabs of color on their high cheekbones, and small opaque eyes -under rising brows. The uniform of the French Colonial is often a -medley. He looks as though he had begun "dressing up" like children in -the attic, and as though his mind had fallen short of his expectations. -Out on those bleak sands his touches of rich blue, crimson, and green -had almost the fervor of stained glass set against the dark and sinister -sea. To the north the Belgian coast cut the background with a livid -streak of sand. - -In spite of the moving figures, the loneliness was as of the ends of the -earth. The silence was accentuated rather than broken by the purr of the -cannon and the mewing of a stray gull slapped sidewise by the wind. But -it is thus that I like to think of Dunkirk--scourged by the wind, -blotted out by the storm, knowing that for the time being her stout -hearts are safe. - -As the sea has been the life of Dunkirk in the past, so it will be its -resurrection. The city cannot be struck a deathblow from the land side -as has many another less favorably situated. But what a unique protégé -for some god-mothering American city to help re-establish through her -sympathy and aid! - -Is it any wonder that France has just included in the arms of Dunkirk -the following legend in addition to the one gained by the naval battle -of 1793: "Ville heroique, sert d'exemple à toute la nation"? - - - - -Brutal Treatment of Italian Prisoners - - -Sworn statements from British soldiers returned from German prison camps -and hospitals received by Reuter's Agency (the Associated Press of Great -Britain) indicate that systematic brutality is practiced there upon -Italian prisoners. Lance Corporal Horace Hills, 7th Suffolk Regiment, -made the following statement under oath: - - Five or six thousand Italians came in. They had traveled three or - four days, and had had nothing at all to eat. After they arrived - soup was brought in, and, as they were starving, they rushed at it. - The Germans then dashed forward and stabbed them with their swords - and bayonets, and killed and wounded a lot. Seven or eight Italians - were dying every day in the camp of starvation. They had no parcels. - I saw an Englishmen give an Italian bread, and the Italian went down - on his knees and kissed his hands. - -Private J. F. Jackson, King's Liverpool Regiment, swore: - - One Italian told me they had been fifteen days on the journey and - had only three meals all the time. Our hospital lager was separated - from the camp by barbed wire; we took some bread and threw it over - the wire to the Italians; they all began to grab for it, but a lot - of Germans rushed up and drew their bayonets and flourished them in - the air in a threatening manner, and kicked and threw the Italians - about, and got the bread for themselves. - -At Friedrichsfeld the treatment of the Italians was equally barbarous, -the sentries shooting them for trying to get food from the British. -Equally revolting stories come from Ohrdrup, Nammelburgh, Stendal, -Soltau, Limburg, and Hamburg. - - - - -Germany's Attempt to Divide Belgium - -Official Summary of Recent Political Events in Flanders, Issued by the -Belgian Foreign Office - -_Germany's plan to divide Belgium by organizing a small group of -"activists" to establish a so-called Council of Flanders for the purpose -of separating the Flemish from the Walloon Provinces, was described in -the April issue of CURRENT HISTORY MAGAZINE, pp. 91-96, along with the -fearless opposition which the attempt created. The following summary of -the case, with a fuller array of dates and details, has since been -prepared by the Belgian Foreign Office at St. Adresse, France, the seat -of King Albert's Government in exile:_ - - -The semi-official Wolff Agency in Berlin announced on Jan. 20, 1918, -that the so-called Council of Flanders had proclaimed the autonomy of -Flanders Dec. 22, 1917. Soon after that action, which had passed -unnoticed and had left Belgian opinion indifferent and scornful, Herr -von Walraff, German Secretary of the Interior, had judged the time -opportune for a trip to Belgium, (Jan. 1, 1918.) The "council," after -getting into close relations with him, had taken up the decree which the -Landtag had intrusted to him on the 4th of February preceding, and had -declared that it would submit itself to a popular referendum. - -At length a commission of executive officials was created; it included -heads for the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, Public Works, -Arts and Sciences, Justice, Finance, Labor, National Defense, Posts and -Telegraph, and the Navy. The German telegraphic agencies sent out this -news in all directions to spread the idea that Flanders was showing an -intention of detaching itself from Belgium, and to give the impression -of a spontaneous popular movement for political separation. - -The thought that inspired this intrigue dates back to a period almost -two years earlier. On April 5, 1916, the German Chancellor, in defining -the war aims of Germany before the Reichstag, had outlined the imperial -policy of establishing a protectorate over the Flemings. Later there -were found in Belgium some obscure and discredited citizens who, -betraying their sacred duty, placed themselves in the pay of the -enemy and consented to make themselves the agents and accomplices of the -invaders. - - -GERMAN ACT OF SEPARATION - -On Feb. 4, 1917, an assembly composed of 200 Belgians speaking the -Flemish language met and voted for the creation of a "Council of -Flanders." On March 3 this body sent a deputation to Berlin, and the -Chancellor announced to it that "the policy tending toward the -administrative separation would be pursued with all the vigor possible -during the occupation," and that "during the negotiations and after the -conclusion of peace the empire would not cease to watch over the -development of the Flemish race." The German decrees dividing Belgium -into two administrative regions followed close upon these declarations, -(March 21, 1917.) - -At the end of 1917 the German authorities believed that the moment had -come to consummate the enterprise by completing the administrative -separation with a political separation. Thus the end would be attained: -Belgium would be dismembered; one part of the country would fall under -vassalage to Germany, and, in case there were no annexation, would -become in a way a sphere of influence for the empire. - -The intrigues of the "Council of Flanders" are merely a comedy intended -to mask this policy. The policy rests upon a clever juggling with the -question of languages. Under cover of the principle of free -self-determination of peoples, it seeks to internationalize an internal -problem in the hope of dislocating the Belgian nationality. Perhaps -it also aims at the creation of a fictitious Government which shall -furnish the German Government with the means for opening fallacious -peace negotiations to deceive the world and weaken the cohesion of the -Allies. Many German newspapers have allowed these aims to appear, and -some have boldly unveiled them. - - -ALL BELGIUM PROTESTS - -But the strong protests of Flemish communities and of the entire Belgian -Nation have foiled these plans, and the news coming from the occupied -region enables us to determine with precision the character of the rôle -played by the "Council of Flanders." At the same time it attests the -determination of the Belgian people to repel all foreign interference -and to maintain its unity unshaken. - -What is this "Council of Flanders"? It has no representative character. -It was created by a private assembly which had no mandate from the -people. It now pretends to seek popular sanction through an election. -This is only a subterfuge. There has been no election. There has been no -consultation of the people. The promoters have limited themselves to -assembling groups of adherents in theatres or restaurants, and causing -gatherings composed of their proselytes, with an admixture of the -curious and the idle, to vote on lists of candidates previously arranged -in the private offices of those who are directing the work. - -The Deputies and Senators, in a protest to the Chancellor, thus -denounced the pretense of an election that was organized in Brussels: - - A meeting was called at a day's notice in an exhibition hall. - Everybody entered who wished to, Belgians or strangers, men, women, - and children. There were in all 600 or 700 persons. It was these - unknown persons, come together by chance, without control or - guarantee, that in a few moments, as an interlude in a speech, - proclaimed the election of twenty-two Deputies to the "Council of - Flanders" and fifty-two Provincial Councilors, Such was the - expression--without the knowledge of the people--of the will of the - Municipality of Brussels, which has 200,000 electors and almost - 1,000,000 inhabitants. - - -PROTESTS OF CITY COUNCILS - -Foreign occupation has not wholly destroyed legitimate and regular -representation in Belgium. The Provincial Councils and the City Councils -are still functioning. The administrative framework of the country -survives. The municipal organization, so solidly rooted, has not ceased -to exercise power. The Provincial and Municipal Councilors, like the -Deputies and Senators, most of whom remain in the country, have been -elected by universal, direct, and secret suffrage. They alone in the -occupied territory are competent to express the true national opinion, -and that opinion is strikingly voiced in the protest of the Flemish and -Walloon members of Parliament, in that of the Common Councils of the -capital and the large cities of Antwerp and Ghent, whose example has -been followed by an increasing number of prominent citizens and local -Governments of smaller towns in Flanders. - -It has been demonstrated that the "Council of Flanders" is pursuing an -enterprise of usurpation, that it is a tool of the invader, and that its -members are in reality only agents of the German authorities. They went -to Berlin a year ago to ask for administrative separation. Herr von -Walraff met them at Brussels at the beginning of 1918 to arrange for -political separation. When Tack and Borms were arrested by the Belgian -police on the order of Belgian Magistrates it was the German -functionaries who, by force, compelled their release, and they came out -of prison by the side of the German officer who had liberated them. -It was the Kommandantur of Antwerp that ordered the communal -administration, disregarding its resistance, to authorize the "activist" -demonstration of Feb. 3, and to have this protected by the police, in -violation of orders of the Burgomaster that had been in force nearly -four years. It was the German military headquarters, too, that forbade -all demonstrations of other groups and commandeered the hall of the -Chamber of Commerce, placing it at the disposition of the organizers of -a demonstration judged by the Burgomaster to be one to wound public -sentiment and endanger the public peace.[1] - -[Footnote 1: Later the City Councils were forbidden by German authority -to debate political questions, such as the autonomy of Flanders.] - -At length Governor General von Falkenhausen stamped the "Council of -Flanders" with the seal of German investiture, deciding by a decree of -Jan. 18, 1918, (published Feb. 10,) that the appointment of the -"council's" delegates was subject to his ratification, and that these -delegates were called to collaborate with him in his legislative labors. - -Thus one has the right to conclude that the whole organism of the -"Council of Flanders" is only a foreign tool to serve the enemy in his -designs of division and oppression. The delegates of the council cannot -pretend to any independence, since the decree of Jan. 18 reduces them to -the rôle of functionaries of German authority, named by that authority -and expected to contribute, by their advice, to its political work. - - -THE DELEGATES OSTRACIZED - -The Belgian people, without distinction of language, party, or -condition, have, by impressive demonstrations, repudiated the faithless -citizens who, joining hands with the enemy, have arrogated to themselves -the right to speak in the name of the Flemings. The Flemings were the -first to condemn the crime. To the protests of the Deputies and Senators -and of the City Councils have been added those of the leading -intellectual and political societies of Flanders. The Flemish Academy -raised its voice to "affirm its fidelity to the Belgian Fatherland and -its King." The Belgian Labor Party proclaimed that "not one of the 800 -labor groups composing it, and not one of its authorized leaders, had -been led astray or corrupted by the activist-separatist movement, either -in Flanders or in Wallonia." - -In the streets of Antwerp, of Malines, of Brussels, spontaneous -uprisings which the German troops could not suppress voiced the scorn -and anger of the crowds. - -Crowning this expression of the popular will and giving it the sanction -of law, the Brussels Court of Appeals, acting upon the protest of the -Deputies and Senators, at a plenary sitting of all its united chambers, -[Feb. 7, 1918,] ordered a hearing which ended in the arrest of delegates -of the "Council of Flanders" on a charge of conspiracy against the form -of the State, interference with public functions, and wicked attacks -against the constitutional authority of the King, the rights of the -chambers, and the laws of the nation. When the German authorities, -protecting the guilty ones and acting in the guise of vengeance, caused -the arrest of the Presidents of the Court, who had come in the august -garb of justice to do their duty, the Court of Cassation, by a decree of -Feb. 11, decided unanimously to suspend its sittings; the Courts of -Appeals in Ghent and Liége, with all the courts of first instance and -the courts of commerce, followed its example. The civic heroism of a -whole people is summed up in that impressive gesture. There is no more -eloquent page in history. - -This nation can remain free. It stoically endures the presence and -domination of the enemy in its territory. The foreign occupation that -has lasted three and a half years has not broken its spirit or its will -to resistance. The Flemish, like the Walloon communities, victims of the -most frightful brutalities, subjected to a system of forced labor, -decimated by deportations, have remained immovably faithful to King and -country. The moral unity of the nation has continued intact. - - -FLEMISH QUESTION NOT NEW - -The Flemish question does not imperil this unity. It dates much further -back than the war and has often been a subject of lively debate. It is a -question of interior policy which the nation alone must solve, after the -war, independently, under its own free constitutional powers. Belgium -has had the same Constitution since 1831, and has not dreamed of -altering its principles, unless we except the proclamation of universal -manhood suffrage in 1893. In eighty-three years of peace and prosperity -there was not a single political party that cast doubt upon the validity -of the fundamental charter--an eloquent proof of its plastic vitality -and perfect harmony with the deepest needs of the nation's collective -existence. - -Equality before the law, (Article 6,) individual liberty, (Articles 7, -8, 9, 10,) liberty of religious faith, (Articles 14 and 15,) freedom in -education, (Article 17,) freedom of the press, (Article 18,) the right -of assembly, (Article 19,) liberty of association, (Article 20,) freedom -as to language, (Article 21)--these are the essential axioms on which -the nation's public life is based.[2] - -[Footnote 2: Article 21 of the Constitution reads thus: "Employment of -the languages used in Belgium is optional. It can be regulated only by -law and solely for acts of public authority and for judicial -proceedings."] - -The Belgian Constitution, after guaranteeing respect for these -fundamental principles, regulates the exercise of political powers, all -of which, it declares, "emanate from the nation." (Article 25.) "The -legislative power is exercised jointly by the King, the House of -Representatives, and the Senate." (Article 26.) The Deputies are elected -directly by all the Belgian citizens who are 25 years old and who have -lived at least one year in the commune, those who fulfill certain -requirements of knowledge or capacity being allowed one or two -supplementary votes. (Article 47.) Senators are elected on the same -principles, with the difference that the voters must be at least 30 -years old. The Senate also includes a certain number of members elected -by the Provincial Councils. (Article 53.) For both chambers the voting -is obligatory and secret, and the division of seats is arranged on a -system of proportional representation that safeguards the rights of -minorities. Subject to the responsibility of his Ministers the King -exercises the executive power. (Articles 63 and 64.) - -Judicial power is exercised through courts whose members are not subject -to removal. (Articles 99 and 100.) A jury alone can deal with criminal -cases, political charges, and indictments brought against the press. -(Article 98.) - -Finally, side by side with the three great political branches, the -provincial and communal Governments deal with all matters of local -interest. Chief among them are--for the commune: the City Council, -elected by direct vote, and the "College of Burgomasters and Aldermen," -whose members are chosen by the Common Council, with the exception of -the Burgomaster, who is appointed by the King; and for the province: the -Provincial Council, directly elected, the "Permanent Deputation," -elected by the Provincial Council, and the Governor, who represents the -National Government. - - -SETTLING THE LANGUAGE ISSUE - -This rapid sketch suffices to show the democratic and liberal nature of -the Belgian Governmental system. Such institutions permit of free -discussion and facilitate the peaceful solution of the most irritating -internal problems. As the protest of the Flemish societies puts it, "The -Flemings are not a conquered nation; they have the same electoral right -as the Walloons; they have all the means for safeguarding their just -rights." - -Belgium has always lived an intense life, yet this has never compromised -its unity. Three great parties, the Catholic, the Liberal, the -Socialist, struggle for preponderance, and their action extends to all -parts of the country without distinction of language. Each of them -supports an identical program, in Flanders as in Wallonia, regardless of -whether the citizens speak Flemish or French. The party lines have never -corresponded with the linguistic lines. In each are found leaders of the -Flemish movement, whose aspirations have given rise to many speeches, -but have never been repudiated as anti-patriotic. This movement is thus -described by the Flemish societies in their protest against the "Council -of Flanders": "It is the expression of the fundamental principle that -every population possesses the inalienable right to develop itself -according to its own character and its own language, life, and historic -personality." But it remains essentially national and declares itself, -in the document just cited, unalterably hostile to the separation of the -country into two Governments with two capitals, two Ministries, two -Parliaments. The Flemish societies see in separation only "a weakening -that will lead to a catastrophe for the Flemings, as well as for the -Walloons." They add: - - Our most sacred political and economic interests are menaced by - these absurd plans. The organic whole which has made of Belgium, - through its commerce and industry, its rivers, ports and railways, - its agriculture and workingmen, all working together under a single - Government through scores of years, an economic power of the first - order, would be dissolved, artificially weakened by contradictory - influences, enervated by divergent official policies. The narrow - particularism which in the past and present has done so much harm - would dominate. The balance between the different political, - religious, and social tendencies in our country would be destroyed, - and Belgium would be left in a state of crisis which, through long - years, would render almost impossible the relief of the country and - the curing of the wounds caused by the war. - - -RIGHTS OF FLEMISH TONGUE - -In the years before the war the Belgian Parliament passed several laws -intended to assure to the Flemish language the place that belongs to it -in the national life, especially in the administrative, judicial, and -educational departments. It will suffice to recall the law of May 12, -1910, on secondary schools, and the law of July 2, 1913, on languages in -the army, making a knowledge of Flemish and French obligatory for -admission to the National Military School. At the moment when the war -broke out the Parliament was considering a proposition tending to -organize Flemish high schools, and in a report to the King, Oct. 8, -1916, the Government declared itself "convinced that immediately upon -the re-establishment of peace a general agreement of favorable -sentiments, which it will try to promote, will assure to the Flemings, -both in the higher schools and in all the others, that complete -equality, in right and in fact, which ought to exist under the -guarantees of our Constitution." (Moniteur, Oct. 8-14, 1916.) - -Only after the war can the Government solve the problems arising out of -the Flemish movement. The promoters of that movement themselves deplore -the intervention of an alien power and scorn the traitors who have -conspired with the enemy, accepting money and positions at his hand. It -is as loyal Belgian citizens, they declare, that they are striving for -reforms from which they expect a fuller intellectual development of -Flemish communities, and they see in such culture a new force of unity -for the nation, from which they by no means wish to be separated. - - -BELGIAN PREMIER'S VIEW - -_Baron de Broqueville, the Belgian Prime Minister, said to a -correspondent of The London Times:_ - -The Belgian people, after three and a half years of the most grinding -oppression, have shown by the courageous defiance of enemy bayonets -which brought about the collapse of the "activist" plot, that they have -lost none of their sturdy resolve to be free; that the spirit which -moved them to reject the German ultimatum of Aug. 2, 1914, is as strong -as ever. * * * - -Only one thing is worrying and humiliating in a quite special degree all -Belgians in occupied territory. It is the fear lest abroad it may be -imagined that there really is an "activist" movement in Belgium. All the -reports we have received on this point amount to this: "No one in -Belgium talks of this alleged movement, for it is nonexistent. There are -a few miserable individuals in German pay--always the same--who intrigue -and plot. All they have achieved is to arouse against them such feelings -of repulsion and hate that they have been thrust forever forth from the -nation, and nothing can cleanse them of their crime. For mercy's sake, -beg people not to insult us by treating the agitation of these -individuals seriously, and to stop seeing any agitation where there is -nothing but the work of a few paid traitors. - -It is in this sense that our compatriots write to us from behind the -German barrier. There, as elsewhere, the most ardent advocates of -Flemish claims reject foreign interference in internal policy, and they -treat as traitors to the cause all those who accept bribes from the -torturers of their country. - - - - -Stripping Belgian Industries - -Germany's Use of the "Rathenau Plan" for the Exploitation of Belgium and -Northern France - - -The German Government from the beginning of the war has systematically -stripped the factories of Belgium and other conquered territory with the -purpose, it is charged, of crippling industries in those countries, not -only as a war measure, but as an economic means of preventing future -competition. This phase of German war policy is treated in a brochure -edited by Professors Dana C. Munro of Princeton, George C. Sellery of -the University of Wisconsin, and August C. Krey of the University of -Minnesota. It is issued by the United States Committee on Public -Information under the title, "German Treatment of Conquered Territory." -The editors find their text in this statement by Deputy Beumer, made -before the Prussian Diet in February, 1917: - - _Anybody who knows the present state of things in Belgian industry - will agree with me that it will take at least some years--assuming - that Belgium is independent at all--before Belgium can even think of - competing with us in the world market. And anybody who has traveled, - as I have done, through the occupied districts of France, will agree - with me that so much damage has been done to industrial property - that no one need be a prophet in order to say that it will take more - than ten years before we need think of France as a competitor or of - the re-establishment of French industry._ - -This exploitation for the benefit of German industry is an outgrowth -of the plan suggested early in August, 1914, by Dr. Walter -Rathenau, President of the General Electric Company of Germany, to -establish a Bureau of Raw Materials for the War. The bureau -(Kriegsrohstoffabtheilung) was made a part of the Ministry of War. Its -operation in the occupied territories was explained in a lecture by Dr. -Rathenau in April, 1916, as follows: - - It was necessary to be sure of an increase in the reserve of raw - materials both by purchase in neutral countries and by monopolizing - all stocks found in the occupied territory of the enemy. * * * The - occupation of Belgium, of the most valuable industrial parts of - France, as well as of parts of Russia, made a new task for the - organization. It was necessary to make use of the stocks of raw - material of these three territories for the domestic economy of the - war, to use, especially, the stores of wool found at the centres of - the Continental wool market. Valuable stocks of rubber and of - saltpeter were to be used for the profit of the manufacturer at - home. The difficulties that are met with in keeping to the rules of - war while making these requisitions have been overcome. A system of - collecting stations, of depots and of organizations for distribution - was arranged which solved the difficulties of transportation, - infused new blood into industry at home, and gave it a firmer and - more secure basis. - - -BRAND WHITLOCK'S STATEMENT - -This plan, which has given German industry "a firmer and more secure -basis," was used not merely to "make war support war" by contributions -wrung from the conquered peoples, but also to destroy future -competition--in violation of The Hague Convention, (Articles 46, 52, -53,) which Germany had signed. In the first months of the war a pretense -was still made of acting under military necessity, but this was soon -abandoned. On March 4, 1915, Brand Whitlock, American Minister to -Belgium, reported to the State Department: - - The Federation of Belgian Steel and Iron Manufacturers forwarded a - protest to the German Governor General in Belgium, on Jan. 22, 1915, - complaining that the German authorities have invaded the Belgian - plants and seized the machinery and tools, which have been taken to - pieces and sent to Germany in great number; in many cases no receipt - was left in the hands of the legitimate owner to prove the nature, - number, and value of the seized tools. Machinery to the value of - 16,000,000 francs ($3,000,000) had been taken away up to Jan. 22. - - Furthermore, the Feldzeugmeisterei in Berlin has entered into a - contract with the firm Sonnenthal Junior of Cologne, which firm is - to collect, transport, and deliver to German manufactories of war - supplies all engines and tools seized in Belgium and France, and to - bring them back after the war is over. - - This contract provides, also, that the Sonnenthal Company has the - right and even is compelled, in co-operation with the gun foundry at - Liége, to pick out in factories of the occupied territory those - machines which seem most useful for the manufacture of German war - supplies and to propose the seizure of the machinery. - - The Royal Belgian Government protests, with indignation, against - these measures, which constitute a clear violation of Article 53 of - the regulations of the Fourth Hague Convention. The items enumerated - in Article 53 are limited and neither the seizure nor the transport - to another country of machinery and tools used in industry are - permitted; these implements must always be respected when they are - private property, (Article 46.) - - By the removal of these tools, the efforts made by the manufacturers - in order to maintain a certain activity in the plants are nullified, - numerous workmen are obliged to remain idle and are facing - starvation. These measures will also retard the restoration of - industry after the war is over. - - Furthermore, the German authorities disregard in a systematic way - the prescriptions of Article 52 of the above-mentioned regulations - of the Fourth Hague Convention, which stipulate that requisitions in - nature from towns and their inhabitants in the occupied territory - can only be permitted when they are directly destined for the army - of occupation. - - -UNJUST FINES - -A dispatch from Minister Whitlock dated at Brussels, Aug. 2, 1915, gives -a fuller memorandum on the subject, as follows: - - Upon the arrival of German troops at Brussels, the city and communes - of the agglomeration were required to pay as a war contribution the - sum of 50,000,000 francs in gold, silver, or banknotes, the Province - of Brabant having to pay, in addition, the sum of 450,000,000 - francs, to be delivered not later than Sept. 1, 1914. - - The sum of 50,000,000 francs imposed on the City of Brussels was - reduced to 45,000,000 francs, but the city was later subjected to a - penalty of 5,000,000 francs on the ground that two members of the - German Secret Service had been attacked by the crowd without - assistance having been rendered by the Brussels police. On this - point it may be noted that when Mr. Max, the Burgomaster, at the - beginning of the occupation, asked the German authorities to inform - him of the names of the German secret police agents whom they - intended to employ, he was told that there were no German secret - police in Brussels. - - In December, 1914, a contribution of 480,000,000 francs, payable at - the rate of 40,000,000 a month, was imposed on the provinces. - - At the beginning of April, 1915, a fine of 500,000 marks was imposed - on the City of Brussels, which refused to repair the road between - Brussels and Antwerp--a State road the repair of which devolved upon - the State. But the German authorities had taken over the State - moneys, and should, therefore, have assumed the expense of the work. - Furthermore, this road is entirely outside of the territory of the - City of Brussels, and, finally, the city had not the administration - for the maintenance or construction of roads, and had neither - material nor personnel to carry on such work. - - On Jan. 16, 1915, on Belgians who had voluntarily left the country - and had not returned by March 1, 1915, tenfold advance of personal - tax was made; and many taxes were imposed on communes as indemnity - for damages claimed by German citizens to have been suffered through - acts of the inhabitants at the time war was declared. - - When the German Army arrived in Brussels, it requisitioned for the - daily support of the troops 18,000 kilos of wheat, 10,000 kilos of - fresh meat, 6,000 kilos of rice, 10,000 kilos of sugar, and 72,000 - kilos of oats. Similar requisitions were made, in all cities in - which the German troops camped. The requisitions, however, exceeded - the needs of the troops in passing or in occupation, and a large - part of the requisitioned supplies was sent to Germany. - - At Louvain the German authorities requisitioned 250,000 francs' - worth of canned vegetables and at Malines about 4,000,000 francs' - worth. - - In Flanders and in part of Hainault the farmers were despoiled of - almost all their horses and cattle and the little wheat and grain - remaining. The little village of Middleburg, for instance, which - numbers 850 inhabitants, after having given up 50 cows, 35 hogs, and - 1,600 kilos of oats, was forced to furnish in January and February, - 1915, 100 hogs, 100,000 kilos of grain, 50,000 kilos of beans or - peas, 50,000 kilos of oats, and 150,000 kilos of straw. - - At Ghent and Antwerp the German authorities found about 40,000 tons - of oil-cake, necessary for the feeding of cattle in Winter, and - seized it. - - They also carried off several hundred thousand tons of phosphates - from Belgium for use in Germany. - - Walnut trees on private properties, as well as on State lands, were - cut down and requisitioned. - - Besides, draught horses--the result of a rational selection carried - on through more than a century and probably the most perfect Belgian - agricultural product--were carried off throughout all Belgium. Not - only did the German Army requisition horses necessary for its - wagons, mounts for its troops or artillery service, but it carried - away from the Belgian stock horses absolutely unfit for military - service, which were sent to Germany. The same is true as regards the - cattle. - - All crude materials indispensable for Belgian industries were - requisitioned and sent to Germany--leather, hides, copper, wool, - flax, &c. Furthermore, if not the entire stock, at least the - greatest number possible of machinery parts, were shipped to Germany - to be used, according to German statements, in making munitions - which the Belgian factories had refused to produce. - - At Antwerp, requisitions of all kinds of materials and products were - considerable, notably: - - Francs. - Cereals 18,000,000 - Oilcake, about 5,000,000 - Nitrate, over 4,000,000 - Oils--animal and vegetable--over 2,000,000 - Oils--petrol and mineral--about 3,000,000 - Wools 6,000,000 - Rubber 10,000,000 - Foreign leathers, to Dec. 1, about 20,000,000 - Hair 1,500,000 - Ivory, about 800,000 - Wood 500,000 - Cacao 2,000,000 - Coffee 275,000 - Wines 1,100,000 - - Cottons in large quantities--one house having been requisitioned to - the amount of 1,300,000 francs. Other enormous requisitions were - made on shop depots, &c., and are impossible of computation just - now. - - -PAYMENT WITHHELD - -The requisitions from Antwerp, which Mr. Whitlock enumerates, were the -subject of a protest by the Acting President of the Antwerp Chamber of -Commerce on March 18, 1915. He valued these goods at more than -83,000,000 francs ($16,600,000) and stated that only 20,000,000 francs -($4,000,000) had been paid by the German authorities. The reply of -Governor General von Bissing on Sept. 24 shows that up to that time -payment had not been made. The reason is indicated in the following -statement of German policy, published in the Frankfurter Zeitung Dec. -21, 1914: - - The raw materials which the Imperial Government has bought in - Antwerp, Ghent, and other places will be paid for as soon as - possible. The payment will be made only after the goods have been - transported into Germany and after the valuation has been made, and - _the payment shall be made in such manner that no money shall be - sent from Germany to Belgium during the period of the war_. - -Professor Munro and his fellow-editors have drawn freely upon the -official texts printed in the work entitled "German Legislation for the -Occupied Territories of Belgium," edited, in ten volumes, by Huberich -and Nicol-Speyer, (The Hague, 1915-17.) These volumes cover the period -from Sept. 5, 1914, to March 29, 1917, and contain a reprint of "The -Official Bulletin of Laws and Ordinances" in German, French, and -Flemish. The documents show that the first step under the Rathenau plan -was to ascertain what raw materials and other supplies were accessible. -Consequently, there were many ordinances commanding the declaration of -certain wares. The following is an example: - - Brussels, Dec. 11, 1914. - - All stocks of benzine, benzol, petroleum, spirits of alcohol, - glycerine, oils and fats of any kind, toluol, carbide, raw rubber - and rubber waste, as well as all automobile tires, shall immediately - be reported in writing to the respective chiefs of districts or - commanders, with a statement of quantity and the place of storage. - * * * - - If a report is not made the wares shall be confiscated for the State - and the guilty individual shall be punished by the military - authorities. (_From "German Legislation," &c., Vol. I., p. 95._) - -Such a declaration made it easy for the military authorities later to -acquire the wares either by direct requisition or by forced sales. The -following are examples: - - Brussels, Aug. 13, 1915. - - Article 1. The stocks of chicory roots existing within the - jurisdiction of the General Government in Belgium are hereby - commandeered. (_From "German Legislation," &c., Vol. IV., p. 148._) - - - Brussels, Jan. 8, 1916. - - Article 1. All wools (raw wool, washed wool, tops and noils, woolen - waste, woolen yarns, artificial wools, as well as mixtures of these - articles with others) and also all mattresses filled with the wools - above specified and now an object of trade or introduced into - trade, found within the jurisdiction of the General Government, are - hereby commandeered. - - Wool freshly shorn or in any other way separated from the skin shall - also be subject to seizure immediately upon its separation. (_From - "German Legislation," &c., Vol. VI., p. 57._) - -Between October, 1914, and March, 1917, there were ninety-two separate -ordinances of the General Government commanding the declaration, forced -sale, or confiscation of various materials. Of these, forty-five were -issued in 1915 and thirty-five in 1916. How these decrees passed by -rapid evolution from mere declaration to complete confiscation is -instanced in these typical examples: - -1. A decree issued at Brussels July 19, 1916, lists several pages of -textile materials which are to be declared. - -2. A decree of Aug. 22, 1916, enlarges the preceding list. - -3. A decree drawn up July 19, 1916, but not published till Sept. 12, -1916, declares 75 per cent. of this material subject to seizure by the -Militärisches Textil-Beschaffungsamt. - -4. Later decrees of seizure cover materials overlooked in these. - - -STRIPPING BELGIUM OF METALS - -Every scrap of metal in the conquered countries that could possibly be -seized has been confiscated. The ordinance below is given as an example -of the thoroughness of the system of requisitions. The prices to be paid -were entirely too low, and the sixth section shows that the owners were -not expected to part with their property willingly. The ordinance was -issued at Brussels Dec. 13, 1916: - - SECTION I. The following designated objects are hereby seized and - must be delivered. - - SECTION II. Movable and fixed household articles made of copper, - tin, nickel, brass, bronze or tombac, whatever their state: - - 1. Kitchen utensils, metal ware, and household utensils, except - cutlery. - - 2. Wash basins, bathtubs, warm-water heaters and reservoirs. - - 3. Individual or firm name plates in and on the houses, doorknobs, - knockers, and metal decorations on doors and carriages not necessary - for locking. - - 4. Curtain rods and holders and stair carpet fixtures. - - 5. Scales. - - 6. All other household articles or adornments made of tin. - - The articles included under the numerals 1-6 are subject to seizure - and delivery even when not contained in households in the narrow - sense, but in other inhabited or uninhabited buildings and rooms, - (_e. g._, offices of authorities, office rooms in factories and - entries.) - - SECTION III. Exempt from seizure and delivery: - - 1. Articles on and in churches and other buildings and rooms - dedicated to religious services. - - 2. Articles in hospitals and clinics, as well as in the private - offices of physicians, apothecaries, and healers, so far as these - articles are essential to the care of the sick or the practice of - medicine and cannot be replaced. - - 3. Articles in public buildings. - - 4. Articles which are part of commercial or industrial stores either - designated for sale or useful in the business. For these articles a - special decree is enacted.[3] - -[Footnote 3: Such articles in trade and industry were declared seized -Dec. 30, 1916. The form of that edict is practically the same as this, -penalties being somewhat higher. The listing of these articles had -occurred in July, 1916. Other items were added later and all were now -declared seized.] - - SECTION IV. Procedure of seizure is as follows: - - All alteration of the articles subject to seizure is forbidden. All - judicial disposition or change of ownership is interdicted, except - in so far as the following paragraphs permit. - - SECTION V. _Obligation to Deliver._ The delivery of the seized - articles must be made at the time and places designated by the - Division of Trade and Industry; it can also be made before the - requisition at the Zentral-Einkaufsgesellschaft for Belgium. Upon - delivery the ownership of the articles is vested in the German - Military Administration. - - Articles of artistic or historic value, if so recognized by the - Bureau of Delivery, need not be delivered. - - The Bureau of Delivery may, for unusual cause, grant exemptions from - delivery. - - SECTION VI. _Indemnity._ The following prices will be paid for the - delivered articles: - - Francs. - Copper, per kilo 4 - Tin 7.50 - Nickel 13 - Brass 3 - Bronze 3 - Tombac 3 - - In arranging the weight, seizures of nondesignated materials will - not be included. - - The payment will take place on the basis of the estimate made by the - Bureau of Delivery. Payment will be made to the deliverer without - question of his ownership. - - If the deliverer refuses to accept the payment he will be given a - receipt, and the determination of the indemnity in this case will - follow through the Reichsentschädigungskommission according to the - rules in force. - - SECTION VII. _Persons and Corporations Affected by This Decree:_ - - 1. House owners, inhabitants and heads of establishments. - - 2. Persons, associations, and corporations of a private or public - nature whose buildings or rooms contain articles enumerated in - Section 2. - - To this group, furthermore, belong also State, Church, and community - business and industrial establishments, including business, - industrial, and office buildings in the ownership, possession, or - guardianship of military and civil authorities. For buildings - abandoned or not occupied by their owners or inhabitants, the - communal authorities are responsible for the execution of this - decree. The district commanders are authorized to furnish further - instructions to the communities in this case. If dwelling houses are - occupied as quarters by German military or civil authorities the - execution of this order rests upon the military authorities - concerned. - - SECTION VIII. _Confiscation._ [Failure to comply with the provisions - of the decree entails confiscation.] - - SECTION IX. _Co-operation of Communities._ [Local authorities - ordered to co-operate in execution of this order.] - - SECTION X. _Certificates of Exemption._ [Verwaltungschef empowered - to issue certificates of exemption.] - - SECTION XI. _Punishment for Violations._ Any one who intentionally - or through gross negligence violates the present decree or - supplementary regulations will be punished with imprisonment not to - exceed two years or a fine not to exceed 20,000 marks, or both. Any - one who urges or incites others to violate the present decree or its - supplementary regulations will be punished in like manner, unless he - has incurred graver punishment under the general law. The attempt is - punishable. Military courts and military authorities are empowered - to try cases. (_From "German Legislation," &c., Vol. IX., pp. - 398-394._) - -Some industries which were not directly useful to the Germans were at -first allowed to resume work in whole or in part, for the Government -did not wish to cut off all sources of the enormous indemnities which it -was levying upon towns and individuals. But the rival manufacturers in -Germany objected angrily against this policy. Thus Dr. Goetze, head of -the German Glassmakers' Union, wrote in the Wirtschaftzeitung der -Zentralmächte, Nov. 10, 1916: - - It has become vital to the German manufacturers of glass wares that - the Belgian manufacturers should be stopped from going to neutral - markets, and it must be admitted that the German Civil - Administration has fully recognized the necessity of arranging this - matter according to the demands of the German industry, and that it - has taken suitable action. [In spite of this some Belgian shops were - able to do some exporting and had affected the market price.] - Measures must be taken to stop this. For this reason the factories - of Central and Eastern Germany, which are most directly concerned, - have secured the promulgation of an order stopping importation, - transit, and exportation. * * * We must demand that the German Civil - Administration of Belgium should first of all look out for the - protection of the interests of the German industry. - -In addition to securing the aid of the German Government in ruining -Belgian industries which competed with them, German manufacturers have -also been aided by the German Government in obtaining Belgian trade -secrets. For example, Dr. Bronnert secured a permit from the War -Ministry to visit the factory at Obourg for making artificial silk. He -took full notes of all that he could learn when he visited it, on Dec. -9, 1916, and carried away designs and parts of the machinery. Dr. -Bronnert is a director of a German factory for making artificial silk -which competes with the Belgian factory. (_From the "Informations -Belges," No. 307._) - - -HAGUE REGULATIONS FLOUTED - -When Belgium attempted to protest against the illegal requisitions, -citing The Hague regulations, they received answers such as the -following, which was read to the Municipal Council and notables of the -town of Halluin, June 30, 1915: - - Gentlemen: What is happening is known to all these gentlemen. It is - the conception and interpretation of Article 52 of The Hague - Convention which has created difficulties between you and the - German military authority. On which side is the right? It is not for - us to discuss that, for we are not competent, and we shall never - arrive at an understanding on this point. It will be the business of - the diplomatists and the representatives of the various States after - the war. - - Today it is exclusively the interpretation of German military - authority which is valid, and for that reason we intend that all - that we shall need for the maintenance of our troops shall be made - by the workers of the territory occupied. I can assure you that the - German authority will not under any circumstances desist from - demanding its rights, even if a town of 15,000 inhabitants should - have to perish. The measures introduced up to the present are only a - beginning, and every day severe measures will be taken until our - object is obtained. - - This is the last word, and it is good advice I give you tonight. - Return to reason and arrange for the workers to resume work without - delay; otherwise you will expose your town, your families, and your - persons to the greatest misfortunes. - - Today, and perhaps for a long time yet, there is for Halluin neither - a prefecture nor a French Government. There is only one will, and - that is the will of German authority. - - _The Commandant of the Town_, - SCHRANCK. - - (_From Massart's "Belgians Under the German Eagle," New York, 1916, - pp. 192-3._) - - -GERMANY'S PROFITS - -The German profits from the Rathenau plan were summarized thus frankly -by Herr Ganghofer in an article published in the Münchener Neueste -Nachrichten Feb. 26, 1915: - - For three months about four-fifths of the army's needs were supplied - by the conquered country. Even now, although the exhausted sources - in the land occupied by us are beginning to yield less abundantly, - the conquered territory is still supplying two-thirds of the needs - of the German Army in the west. Because of this, for the last four - months the German Empire has saved an average of 3,500,000 to - 4,000,000 marks a day. This profit which the Germans have secured by - their victory is very greatly increased by another means. That is - the economic war which, in accordance with the rules of - international law, is being carried on against the conquered land by - the exhaustion of the goods which belong to the State, which are - being carried to Germany from Belgium and Northern France. These are - in enormous quantities and consist of war booty, fortress supplies, - grain, wool, metal, expensive hardwood, and other things, not - including all private property which cannot be requisitioned. In - case of necessity this private property will, of course, be secured - to increase the German supply, but it will also be paid for at its - full value. What Germany saves and gains by this economic war, - carried on in a businesslike way, can be reckoned at a further - 6,000,000 to 7,000,000 marks a day. Thus the entire profit which the - German Empire has made behind its western front since the beginning - of the war can be estimated at about 2,000,000,000 marks. For - Germany this is a tremendous victory through the sparing and - increase in her economic power; for the enemy it is a crushing - defeat through the exhaustion of all of the auxiliary financial - sources in those portions of his territory which have been lost to - us. - - Of the branches and management of this economic war I shall have - more to say. Then people will learn to banish to the lumber room of - the past the catch phrase about "the unpractical German." A German - officer of high rank at St. Quentin characterized this happy change - which has taken place in our favor in these half-serious, - half-humorous words: "It is extraordinary how much a man learns! - Although in reality I am an officer of the Potsdam Guard, now I am - in the wool and lumber business. And successful, too!" - -Governor General von Bissing's testimony on this subject, as recorded in -his "Testament," will be found in full in CURRENT HISTORY MAGAZINE for -February, 1918, pp. 330-38. Among the passages from it quoted in the -pamphlet here under review is this: - - The advantages which we have been able during the present war to - obtain from Belgian industry, by the removal of machinery and so on, - are as important as the disadvantages which our enemies have - suffered through the lack of their fighting strength. - - - - -LANGHORNE'S DISPATCH - -That the systematic exploitation and destruction in Flanders and -Northern France were still going on in the Fall of 1917 is shown by the -following dispatch from the American Chargé d'Affaires in Holland: - - The Hague, Sept. 29, 1917. - - SECRETARY OF STATE, WASHINGTON: A person who has recently arrived - here from Ghent gives the following information as to conditions in - East and West Flanders and Northern France: - - The looms and machinery are being taken away from the textile mills - in Roubaix and Tourcoing and sent to Germany. Such machines as - cannot be removed and transported have in some instances been - dynamited, and in others are being destroyed with hammers. In the - neighborhood of Courtrai in Flanders all the mills have been ordered - to furnish a list of their machinery. The measures which have been - applied to the north of France will be carried out in Flanders. All - textile fabrics have been requisitioned by the military authorities, - even in small retail stores, and woolen blankets have been taken - from private houses. There is also extensive requisitioning of wine. - In the larger cities in the course of the past few weeks large - numbers of children of from 10 to 15 years have been brought in for - office work. There is a rapid increase in the number of women - brought in for this purpose. A marked animation was observed in the - Etappen inspection at Ghent last week. It is believed that at the - meeting of the inspection something unusual was being discussed. - - LANGHORNE, _Charge d' Affaires._ - - -DESTRUCTION STILL GOING ON - -That the Rathenau plan is still wringing the remnants of industrial -supplies from Belgium in 1918 is shown by documents still later than -those printed in the brochure just reviewed. In January linen and -mattresses were being taken from hotels, boarding houses, and convents -all over Belgium. The inhabitants were forbidden by law to have any wool -in their possession, but were offered a substitute made of seaweed. The -large electrical plant at Antwerp known as l'Escaut was stripped of its -machinery, which was transferred to a German plant. Belgian kitchens did -not escape. The huge copper pans and kettles, the glory of Belgian -housewives, had to go to Germany with the bright jars and jugs of the -milkmaids. Nearly every conceivable brass, copper, and bronze object had -been requisitioned by that time. - -The Belgian Government sent out a statement on Feb. 17, 1918, containing -these passages: - - The German authorities then aggravated the evils of industrial - stoppage by forbidding public works and commandeering the factories - and metals and leather for military purposes. After this they - instituted the barbarous system of deporting workmen to perform - forced labor in Germany, a system which they had to interrupt - officially, after some months, because it proved revolting to the - conscience of mankind, but only to substitute for it immediately the - forced labor of the civilian population, in work of military value, - by the order of the military authorities. This system is still being - cruelly maintained in the zones lying back of the fighting line in - the provinces of East and West Flanders, Hainault, Namur, and - Luxemburg. - - Meanwhile, the commandeering has become general, and affects both - natural and manufactured products and also tools, motors, and means - of transportation, whether mechanical or animal. Finally, fiscal and - administrative measures have been taken to close the last remaining - outlets for Belgian products into neutral countries. - - These facts are incontestable. They are proved by many rules and - regulations officially published by the German authorities. - - At present the raid upon the last economic resources of occupied - Belgium has been carried on to such an extent that they are - methodically taking away all the machinery from the factories, which - they themselves have made idle, in some cases to set it up again in - Germany, in other cases, to break it up and use it for grapeshot. - - The purpose of this entire system of destruction is double: First, - to supply deficiencies in German industry; secondly, to put an end - to Belgian competition and later to subject Belgian industry to that - of Germany when the time comes for refitting the factories with - machinery after the war. - - The proofs collected by the Belgian Government in support of this - statement are conclusive. It is significant that in general the task - of systematically stripping Belgian factories was intrusted to - German manufacturers who were the direct competitors of the Belgian - owners. Some of them have taken advantage of their official - positions to steal secrets of manufacturing processes, for example, - at the artificial silk shops of Obourg, and personal methods of - production and sale. - - And as to the fact that Germany is destroying the factories for a - military reason without any regard for the economic needs of Belgium - or for the rights of nations, it is sufficient to cite the following - passages from a semi-official note that appeared in the Norddeutsche - Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 392, of Dec. 18, 1917, in which Germany - distinctly pleads guilty: - - "All measures taken in Belgium are inspired by military necessity. - - "The exploitation, under military control, of Belgian factories in - order to repair locomotives and automobiles, and also to obtain - material of war for the front, is carried out for the purpose of - relieving the strain on German industry and economizing - transportation. It has become necessary to strip the Belgian - factories of their machinery and other fittings, because all German - industry is busy filling orders for material of war. * * * By - relieving the home market from the necessity of enlarging our own - factories we are accelerating the production of munitions and other - products. * * * In consequence of the intense activity of all German - industry our machinery and other equipment is tremendously - overworked, and must from time to time be partly replaced by new - machines, while, furthermore, we must be able to furnish spare parts - rapidly unless we wish to see our output of munitions diminish. The - machinery and equipment required for these purposes are evidently - brought from Belgian factories. The destruction of whole factories - for the production of grapeshot is effected in order to maintain at - its present level the supply of iron and steel in Germany, or, if - possible, to raise it. * * * It is not only possible, but even - evident, that, in view of all the steps taken by the military - authorities, the question of keeping up work in some of the - factories of the occupied country must be subordinated to - considerations tending to spare the lives of German soldiers and - thus protect our national power." - -[Illustration: Trafalgar Square, London, as it appears after three and a -half years of war - -(© Western Newspaper Union)] - -[Illustration: A typical scene in Flanders today, with all signs of -civilization completely obliterated - -(_International Film Service_)] - -This record of the deliberate crippling of Belgian industries was -brought up to March 6, 1918, by an official dispatch to the United -States Government, quoting the statement of Belgian refugees to the -effect that dynamite was being used to destroy machines and equipment in -factories in the Mons district. Rails of tramways were being taken up, -and in some cities they were entirely destroyed. Meanwhile, deportation -of men, and even of children 13 years old, was proceeding, several -hundred boys between the ages of 13 and 15 being taken from Mons alone. - - - - -Spoliation of Belgian Churches - -Cardinal Mercier's Protest - - -Cardinal Mercier, Archbishop of Malines, issued the following letter to -the clergy and people of his diocese on March 2, 1918: - - _My Very Dear Brethren:_ - - The painful tidings, announced semi-officially on Feb. 8, by the - occupying power, have been confirmed. The bulletin of laws and - edicts, dated Feb. 21, requires an inventory of the bells and organs - of our churches. Informed by experience, we need not delude - ourselves; the inventory of today is the signal for the requisition - of tomorrow. - - The repeated protests of the Sovereign Pontiff, our appeal to the - Chancellor of the Empire, appear thus to have been in vain. - - Your Christian hearts will bleed. At a time when we are in such need - of comfort, a veil of mourning will descend upon our land, covering - like a shroud our every day. It is to be for Catholic Belgium an - interminable Way of the Cross. - - It is true, is it not, dear brethren, that we should have borne this - sorrow, added to so many others, if it had concerned ourselves - alone, but this time the rights of God, of our Saviour, Jesus, the - freedom of the Church and of her heritage are to be sacrificed to - what is called necessity, that is, to the military need of our - enemies. - - "This term, liberty of the Church, rings harshly on the ears of - politicians," writes the great Dom Gueranger. They immediately - discern therein the signs of a conspiracy. Now there is no thought - in our minds either of conspiracy or of revolt, but of the - indefeasible affirmation of the rights granted to His Immaculate - Spouse by our Saviour, Jesus. - - The freedom of the Church lies in her complete independence with - regard to all secular powers, not alone in her teachings of the - Word, in the administering of the sacraments, in the untrammeled - relations between all ranks of her Divine hierarchy, but also in the - publishing and applying of her disciplinary decrees--in the - conservation and administration of her temporal heritage. - - "Nothing in the world is dearer to God than this liberty of His - Church," says St. Anselm. - - The Apostolic See, through the medium of Pope Pius VIII., wrote on - June 30, 1830, to the Bishops of the Rhine Province: "It is in - virtue of a Divine order that the Church, spotless spouse of the - Immaculate Lamb, Jesus Christ, is free and subject to no earthly - dominion." - - "This freedom of the Church," continues Dom Gueranger, "is the - bulwark of the very sanctuary, hence, the shepherd, sentinel of - Israel, should not wait until the enemy has entered into the fold - to sound the cry of alarm. The duty of protecting his flock begins - for him at the moment of the enemy's siege of his outposts, upon - whose safety depends the police of the entire city." - - In the execution of this duty of our pastoral office we protest, - dear brethren, against the injury which the forcible seizure of - church property will cause to the liberty of our mother, the Holy - Church. - - We add that the removal of the bells without the consent of the - religious authorities and despite their protests will be a - sacrilege. - - The bell is, in fact, a sacred object its function is sacred. It is - a consecrated object; that is to say, it is devoted irrevocably to - Divine service. It has been not only blessed but anointed by the - Bishop with the holy oil and the holy chrism, just as you were - anointed and consecrated at holy baptism; just as anointed and - consecrated as the priest's hands which are to touch the consecrated - wafer. - - The function of the bell is holy. The bell is sanctified by the Holy - Ghost, says the liturgy, sanctificetur a Spiritu Sancto, to the end - that, in its voice, the faithful shall recognize the voice of the - Church calling her children to hasten to her breast. - - It announced your initiation into Christian life, your confirmation, - your first communion. It announced, dear parents, your Christian - marriage; it weeps for the dead; thrice daily it marks the mystery - of the Incarnation; it recalls the immolation of the Lamb of God on - the altar of sacrifice; it sings the joys of Sabbath rest, the cheer - of our festivals of Christmas, of Easter, of Pentecost. Her prayers - are associated with all the events and all the great memories, happy - or unhappy, of the fatherland. - - Yes, the seizure of our bells will be a profanation; whosoever - assists in it will lend the hand to a sacrilege. - - The Catholic Bishops of Germany and Austria will not deny these - principles. If their patriotism has wrung from them concessions - which must have cost their religious spirit dear, patriotism with us - confirms on the contrary the law of resistance. We would be - betraying the Church and the fatherland were we so cowardly as to - permit without a public act of reprobation the taking away of metal - to be converted by the enemy into engines of destruction, destined - to carry death into the ranks of the heroes who are sacrificing - themselves for us. - - The authorities, strangers to our beliefs, will not be greatly - moved, I fear, by the protest, however worthy of respect, of our - religious consciences, but at least they should remember their given - word and not tear up a juridical code which their believers have - elaborated with us and promulgated. Morality has force of law for - Governments as for individuals. - - On Oct. 18, 1907, the representatives of forty-four Governments - gathered together at The Hague, drew up a convention concerning laws - and customs of war on land. - - They were assembled, they proclaimed unanimously, for a double - purpose--in the first place to safeguard peace and prevent armed - conflicts between nations; and, in the second place, in the extreme - hypothesis of an appeal to arms, to serve, nevertheless, the - interests of humanity and the progressive demands of civilization by - restraining, as much as possible, the rigors of war. - - To this convention there was annexed a set of regulations which, the - general tenor of its clauses having been examined a first and a - second time, respectively, during the peace conferences held in 1874 - at Brussels and in 1899 at The Hague, was submitted a third time, in - 1907, to careful study at the second conference at The Hague and - signed by the plenipotentiaries of all the great powers. - - The first signer of this code of international law in wartime was - Baron Marschall von Bieberstein, delegated by his Majesty, the - German Emperor, King of Prussia. - - Articles 52 and 46 of the regulations annexed to the convention are - formulated as follows: - - "Article 52. Neither requisitions in kind nor service can be - demanded from communes or inhabitants, except for the necessities of - the army of occupation." - - "Article 46. Family honor and rights, individual life and private - property, as well as religious convictions and worship, must be - respected." - - Evidently bells and organs are not necessary to supply the needs of - the army of occupation, they lie in the domain of private property, - are destined for the exercise of Catholic worship. - - The transformation of these articles of the Church into war - munitions will be, therefore, a flagrant violation of international - law, an act of force perpetrated on the weaker by the stronger - because he is the stronger. - - We Belgians, who have never wished nor acted other than well toward - Germany, we are the weak ones. I call you all to witness, brethren, - is it not true that prior to 1914 a current of sympathy, of esteem, - of generous hospitality was turning our trusting hearts toward those - who are today so harshly oppressing us? You will remember that on - the very day of the invasion the first lines that flowed from my pen - spoke to you of those "whom we have the sorrow to call our enemies." - For four years Germany has been rewarding us. Nevertheless, we will - not rebel. You will not seek in desperate recourse to material - force the sudden triumph of our rights. - - Courage does not reside in passionate impulse but in self-mastery. - We will offer to God in reparation for the sacrilege which is about - to be committed against Him, and for the final success of our cause, - our supreme sacrifice. - - Let us pray, one for the other, that the arm of the All-Powerful may - lend us support; "Lord," says the Holy Spirit, in the Book of - Esther, "Lord, Sovereign Master, all is subject to Thy authority. - Nothing, nobody, is capable of resisting Thee if Thou shalt decide - to save Israel. * * * Grant our prayer, Lord! Transform our grief - into joy, so that, living, we may glorify Thy name. * * * Thou art - just, Lord. Now they are no longer satisfied to weigh us down under - the most grievous servitude, they intend to silence the voices that - praise Thee and to tarnish the glory of the temple. Remember us, O - Lord. Reveal Thyself to us in this hour of our tribulation. * * * O - God, Thou art exalted above all, hearken to the voice of those who - place their hopes in Thee. Deliver us from the blows of injustice - and grant that our courage may control our fears." - - In the name of the freedom of the Church, in the name of the - sanctity of the Catholic religion, in the name of international law, - we condemn and reprove the seizure of the bells and organs of our - churches; we forbid the clergy and faithful of our diocese to - co-operate toward their removal; we refuse to accept the price of - the sacred objects taken from us by violence. - - Strong in invincible hope, we await the hour of our God. - - D. J. CARDINAL MERCIER, Archbishop of Malines. - - - - -Belgium's Appeal to the Bolsheviki - -_The Belgian Government, shortly after the Bolshevist Government of -Russia deserted the Allies and disbanded its armies, sent this eloquent -appeal to Petrograd:_ - - -By the treaty of April 19, 1839, Russia placed her guarantee upon the -independence and neutrality of Belgium. On Aug. 4, 1914, when Germany -had violated this neutrality--which the German Government also had -guaranteed--Belgium appealed to Russia for aid. To this appeal Russia -replied on Aug. 5 by promising the assistance of her arms. Thus Belgium -entered into the struggle for independence and neutrality, trusting in -the unswerving loyalty of the Russian people. - -On Feb. 14, 1916, Russia undertook to renew by a solemn act the pledges -she had made regarding Belgium, "heroically faithful to her -international obligations." Russia declared before a listening world -that she would not cease hostilities until Belgium should be -re-established in her independence and liberally indemnified for the -losses she had endured. Furthermore, Russia promised her aid in assuring -the commercial and financial rehabilitation of Belgium. - -The authorities placed in power by the Russian revolution have just -signed--on Feb. 9 and March 3, 1918--treaties under which they lay down -their arms before the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires. - -Yet Belgium is still the prey of the imperial armies, which oppress her, -decimating her population by privations and pitiless repressions, and -overwhelming her with the worst kind of moral tortures. To these -violences the Belgian Nation continues to oppose forces of resistance -drawn from a consciousness of right, from the beauty of her cause, from -her love of liberty. - -Respect for treaties is the basis of the moral and juridical relations -of States and the condition of an honest and regular international -order. Carried into the war by a will to compel respect for a treaty -which Russia had guaranteed, Belgium is pursuing the struggle without -wavering, and at the price of the most cruel sacrifices. She considers -that the promise of Russia, in which she trusted, is still binding. She -refuses to believe that the Russian people, master of its destinies, -will irrevocably abandon the promises made in its name. Confident in the -honor and loyalty of the Russian people, Belgium reserves to herself the -right to implore the execution of obligations whose permanent character -places them outside any internal changes of régime in the State. - - - - -Serbia's Hopes and Russia's Defection - -By Nikola Pashitch - -_Premier and Foreign Minister of Serbia_ - -[Speech delivered March 31, 1918, before the Skupshtina at Corfu and -especially translated for CURRENT HISTORY MAGAZINE] - - -Since the last meeting of this Assembly a great number of events have -come to pass which have measurably modified the general military and -political situation. One of our greatest allies, Russia, has retired -from the battlefield, but another ally, quite as powerful as Russia, but -doubtless not yet bringing to bear all the force of which she is -capable, has rushed to our aid. - -These two principal events, with others of less importance, have -perceptibly changed the situation which existed more than a year ago, -when Germany proposed to us the conclusion of a peace "honorable" for -both the belligerent groups. Already at that time had Germany perceived -the impossibility of fighting her adversaries by military force alone, -and was obliged to resort to other means, which she had already -employed, although in a more restrained fashion. So Germany decided to -make more energetic use of her hidden channels with the idea of -disorganizing in the quickest possible time the unity of her -adversaries. She contrived intrigues, employing different methods -according to the country where they were to be used and where she -believed they would succeed. - -You still remember the case of Miassoyedov, which was perpetrated with -the aim of annihilating an entire Russian army. You also remember the -attempt of the enemy to have Ireland revolt, an experiment which -dismally failed owing to the prompt and energetic measures taken by the -British Government. Surely you have a vivid memory of the criminal -exploitation which the enemy Governments made in Italy of the Papal note -in favor of peace. Also, you remember the numerous cases of arson of -munition plants by the action of their agents, and the enemy propaganda -of a premature peace for the benefit of Germany, employed to the limit -by pacifists and certain imperialist and international adventurers -through lectures and "defeatist" newspapers in neutral countries. - - -RUSSIA ALONE DECEIVED - -All these intrigues were clothed in fine phrases and put forward with -high humanitarian ideals, by which the enemy propagated monarchistic -ideas in republics and republican ideas in monarchies, eulogizing a -military régime in democratic countries and in autocracies democratic, -republican, and even anarchistic ideals. - -They all had one sole end--to provoke internal disorders and discord -among the Allies in order to divert the attention of Germany's -adversaries from the principal aim. In every allied country these secret -machinations of our enemies were unmasked and repelled. Repelled--except -in Russia. All these intrigues and secret machinations could not succeed -anywhere except in Russia, where there are many Germans, and where our -enemies managed to concentrate the entire attention of a people in the -midst of war upon their internal organization. In this way the -possibility was placed in the hands of enemies--most dangerous to the -liberty of the people and to their right to dispose freely of their -destiny--to guide more easily the struggle with free and democratic -nations reared against Prussianism in order to defend the rights of the -weak and prevent the enslaving of other countries and other peoples. - - -RUSSIAN LIBERTY DESTROYED - -The first revolutionary movement in Russia was directed against an -autocratic and irresponsible Government. On the side of the revolution -they pretended that the Government had initiated pourparlers for a -separate peace with Germany unknown to the Russian people and the -Allies. After this first movement, a second took place in Russia -demanding a democratic peace "without annexations and indemnities" on -the basis of the right of peoples to determine their destiny freely and -for themselves. - -This second revolutionary provisional Government not having the desire -to cut the bonds which attached Russia to the democratic and allied -countries, a third movement followed, which did not hesitate to cut the -bonds uniting Russia to the Allies, to demobilize the Russian armies--an -act contrary to all reason, even revolutionary--and to initiate -pourparlers with the enemy at Brest-Litovsk for a separate peace. - -The result of these pourparlers was the capitulation of the Maximalists -to Prussian militarism, the disguised annexation by Germany of the great -Baltic provinces of Russia, and the conclusion of peace between the -Central Powers and the Ukraine, by which the latter separated from her -enfeebled sister in order consciously to aid the enemies of the Slav -race. The recognition of the independence of Finland, Caucasia, and -Poland by the Central Powers followed, and, upon its heels, -disintegration and general discord in Russia finally giving place to the -present civil and fratricidal war. - -We would not wish to deny that the Russian revolution counted for -something in the ranks of its sincere combatants in the way of high -social ideals, for democratic reforms, and for liberty. But, judging -from its results, it is impossible to deny that the Russian revolution -sustained a German influence, and that this influence so far has been -useful only to Germany, who still makes war on Russia in order to -prevent the latter from unifying her enfeebled peoples and -re-establishing her position in the world. - - -A SHAMEFUL CATASTROPHE - -The Russian revolutionists fell before the blow of Prussian militarism -and surrendered to it the peoples who had hoped to obtain the right of -self-determination. It is possible, even probable, that the situation in -Russia may improve. But at present what the Germans aimed at in Russia -has been attained. They have taken away Russian provinces, incited civil -war in the Russian fatherland, and removed the danger of the Russian -armies which threatened them. These armies having been prematurely -demobilized for incomprehensible reasons, the enemy is able to direct -all his forces against his other adversaries. He has also obtained in -this way a considerable amount of war material and food. - -This catastrophe, which has covered the Russian people with shame, has -been a lesson to all other nations, for it has definitely confirmed the -conviction that it was certainly Germany who provoked this terrible war -with the aim of conquest and hegemony. - -But the great and free America did not wait for this moment before -deciding to declare war on Germany, who had placed above the principles -of right and justice that of brute force. On account of the Germans' -conduct in the war, which surpassed all known horror and barbarism, not -sparing even neutral nations, the United States became convinced that it -was its duty to restrain this bestial force if the world were not to -fall under the yoke of Prussian militarism. America entered the war to -defend civilization and the right of people to dispose of themselves. - - -AMERICANS TO THE BREACH - -The appearance of North America on the war stage filled the place made -vacant by the surrender of Russia. Our allies having come to the -conviction that they could count no longer on Russia, and that it would -even be dangerous to regard her as a military asset, have employed all -their forces in conformity with the new situation in order to fortify -the solidarity which unites them and to augment their military and -material force in proportion to what they had lost by the withdrawal of -Russia, all with the idea of assuring the world a just and durable peace -based on the liberty of the people to be self-determining. The strength -of the army of our allies is greater by far than that of the enemy, not -only in man power but also in material. Organization is improving, -and on all questions there is complete accord. Quite recently German war -atrocities decided Japan to participate still more actively in the -struggle. - -The Serbian people, who have made the greatest sacrifice and given the -finest proofs of their loyalty and fidelity toward the Allies, may -therefore be certain that their sacrifices have not been in vain, and -that their ideals will be realized if they continue to give in the -future the evidence of their military and civil virtues, and if, as in -the past, they abhor all intrigues having for their aim the destruction -of our concord and union in defense of the interests of our people, who -bear three names, but who form but one nation. We have observed that -Austria-Hungary, particularly in these latter days, has intensified her -intrigues and her calumnies against the Serbian people. She began by -spreading in Western Europe the false rumor that Serbia had tried, in an -indirect way, to initiate pourparlers for a separate peace, because in -our country and on the front of the Serbian Army she had suggested that -she would be disposed to end the war against Serbia were it not for the -fact that King Peter and the Serbian Government were opposed to the -project. All such intrigues and calumnies have only one end--to destroy -the faith which our allies have in the Serbian people, to rupture the -national concord, and by our discord and quarrels to assure the conquest -of the Serbian Nation. - - -SERBIA STILL FAITHFUL - -But our people know Austria-Hungary too well to be taken in by these -infamous intrigues and to believe her lying words. The nation remains -faithful to her noble allies, who are pouring out their blood for little -and weak nations, and will not deviate one hair's breadth from her stand -until the end. The Serbian people have given all that they have, and -now, although few in numbers, they still stand faithfully by the side of -the Allies. They should never lose sight of the fact that it was -Austria-Hungary who provoked the war with the idea of annihilating -Serbia. - -Our allies will not fail to acquire the conviction that the various -peoples of Austria-Hungary cannot be free, and that a durable peace -cannot be guaranteed so long as these peoples shall live in the State of -the Hapsburgs, who from peoples once free have made Germano-Magyar -slaves and have prevented their development by subjecting them to -Germano-Magyar exploitation. - -Germanism in its drive toward the Orient hurled itself upon Serbia, and -only as a single united nation of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, closely -bound to Italy, can we obstruct the German push toward the Orient and -Adriatic, and aid in the establishment of a durable peace. - -We ask only justice. We demand that slavery of peoples be abolished, -just as slavery of individuals was suppressed. We demand equality among -all nations, whether great or small, the fraternity and equality of all -nationalities, and the foundation of a free State of all the reunited -Jugoslavs. The return of Alsace-Lorraine to France and the complete -re-establishment of independent Belgium; the re-establishment of the -kingdom of all the Czechs, also that of all the Poles, the union of -Italians with Italy, of Rumanians with Rumania, of Greeks with Greece, -all of which would constitute the greatest and most solid guarantee for -a just and lasting international peace. Hence we proclaim what should be -realized soon or later--if not after this war then after a new shedding -of blood--because this realization is identified with the progress of -civilization and of humanity. - -These great ends, humane and just, which are incarnated with the life -and growth of civilization, we repeat, should be realized. They embrace -those great ideals which spring from the soul and sentiments of -individuals and races, and which will vanquish the brute force of -certain anachronistic States, just as, in the last century, they -vanquished the brute force of the individual. - -Let us pledge our honor and eternal gratitude to all the peoples who are -fighting for the right of all nations to shape their own destiny and for -an international peace both just and lasting. - - - - -Rumania's Peace Treaty - -Why the Onerous Terms of the Central Powers Had to be Accepted - - -The peace treaty between Rumania and the Central Powers was signed at -Bucharest May 6, 1918, and is called "the peace of Bucharest." Dr. von -Kühlmann, the German Foreign Secretary, was Chairman of the -plenipotentiaries representing the Central Powers. A comprehensive -synopsis of the terms of the treaty appears elsewhere in this issue of -CURRENT HISTORY MAGAZINE. - -A writer in The London Times explains why Rumania was compelled to -accept the enemy's exacting terms. He quotes General Averescu, the -Rumanian Prime Minister, in these words: - - If Rumania accepts the humiliating German peace terms and is ready - to yield to her enemies the dearest part of her territory, she does - not do it only to spare the lives of the remnants of her army, but - for the sake of her allies, too. If Rumania refuses the German - conditions today she may be able to resist another month, but the - results will be fatal. A month later she might have to lose even the - shadow of independence which is left to her now; and then, no doubt, - the Germans would deal with her in the same way as they dealt with - occupied France and with Belgium. The whole Rumanian army would be - made prisoners, and would be sent to work on the western front - against the Allies, while the civilian population would be compelled - to work in ammunition and other factories for the Kaiser's army. I - fought in the ranks in 1877 to help my country to win the Dobrudja. - You may imagine how I feel now, having to sign the treaty which - gives it to our worst enemies. But we are compelled to amputate an - important part of our body in order to save the rest of it. However - painful it may be, we are bound to do it. - - -DESERTED BY RUSSIA - -To understand Rumania's situation, as The London Times correspondent -goes on to say, we have to consider her position since Kerensky's fall. -At the end of November, 1917, the front from the Bukowina to the Black -Sea was held by a Russo-Rumanian force. Its flanks from Dorna-Watra to -Tergu-Ocna and from Ivesti to the Black Sea were held by three Russian -armies, numbering about 450,000 men, and by two Rumanian armies of about -180,000 men. The Russian armies were, of course, weakened by many -desertions and by lack of discipline, so that their actual was much less -than their nominal strength. Nevertheless, about 350,000 Russians were -still holding the front at that time. When the Russian armistice was -signed, Rumania was compelled, by the joint threats of Germany and the -Soviets of the Rumanian front, to adhere to it. From that day the -Russian troops began to leave the trenches, not in hundreds, as they did -before, but in masses of thousands at a time. Thus, at the end of -January, 1918, hardly 50,000 Russians remained on the whole Rumanian -front, and they had no desire to fight the enemy, but, being from -Siberia or some other remote part of Russia, found it more convenient to -spend their time in Rumania than to go back to their own country. They -could easily raise money by selling to the highest bidder (Austrian or -Rumanian) their guns, rifles, motor cars, &c. - -For a certain time many--especially the French--believed strongly in the -Ukraine and in the promises of the Rada. Much money had been spent in -recruiting an army of the Ukraine which was supposed to fill the gaps -left by the Russian Army on the southwestern front. All that I saw of -this army was a group of about 150 boys, none of them over the age of -16, armed with rifles with fixed bayonets, a pistol, a sword, and a -dagger. All wore spurs, though none of them had a horse. They paraded in -the main streets of Jassy daily between 11 and 12. I calculated that -every one of these boys cost the Entente well over £10,000. But in time -the most incorrigible dreamers realized that the Ukraine had played a -trick on Rumania. Then the handsome Ukrainian toy soldiers were -withdrawn from circulation, and no army ever replaced the Russians. - -In the meantime, the Rumanian Government decided, for political and -military reasons, to occupy Bessarabia. This operation required no less -than seven divisions. Thus at the beginning of February the same front -which was held in November by over 500,000 men was occupied by barely -120,000. Army supplies were getting shorter every day; and Rumania, -being in a state of war with the Bolshevist Government, was completely -cut off from the rest of her allies. In these circumstances Germany had -an easy prey, and dealt with it in true German fashion. - - -AN IMPERIOUS SUMMONS - -When the treaty with the Ukraine was signed Rumanian Headquarters -received a note from General Morgen, the German Commander in Chief, -saying that, as peace with Russia had been concluded, the Rumanian -armistice had come to an end, and that delegates should be sent without -delay to Focsani to examine the new situation. The Rumanian delegates -arrived at Focsani next day. They were received with such insolence by -the German delegates that the Chief of the Rumanian General Staff, -General Lupesco, threatened to leave immediately. The discussions, -however, did not last very long, and the mission came back with the -announcement that Rumania had to decide within four days whether she was -ready to discuss peace terms or not. A Crown Council was held -immediately; and the majority of the Generals declared that the army -could resist for a month at the most. M. Bratiano and M. Take Jonescu, -who could not consent to make peace with the enemy, resigned, and the -King asked General Averescu, the most popular man in Rumania, to form a -new Cabinet. - -Meanwhile, King Ferdinand received a telegram from Berlin, by which he -was warned that the Austro-German Government would not discuss peace -terms with a Cabinet which included M. Bratiano or any member of his -former Cabinet. The feelings of the King of Rumania--when he saw that -even before peace discussions had begun the enemy had begun to interfere -in Rumania's internal politics--can be appreciated. But King Ferdinand -carried his head high, as he had done all through the tragic misfortunes -of his country, and was indifferent to German arrogance. He replied to -Herr von Kühlmann that Rumania was an independent country, and had a -right to any Government she pleased. But none of the members of the -former Cabinet came into the new one. General Averescu formed a -Government which had the tragic task of concluding peace, and thus of -annihilating, temporarily at least, all the tremendous efforts that -Rumania had made during the preceding fifty years to become, -economically as well as politically, the leading power in the Balkans. - - -THREE HUNGRY ENEMIES - -The peace negotiations were supposed to last for a fortnight at most. In -fact, they were nothing more than a farce, for the Germans allowed no -discussion at all. They simply laid their preliminary conditions before -the Rumanian delegates, and, taking advantage of the military -helplessness of Rumania, told them: "You can take it or can leave it." -The Rumanian delegates made a few attempts to discuss the German terms, -but they soon found that it was useless and that the only thing to do -was to yield. - -The fact was that Rumania had to satisfy three hungry enemies. Each had -his own object, but in each case the result was the same from the point -of view of Rumania--subjection to the German yoke. The Bulgarians were -eager to accomplish their ideal of "a great Bulgaria" by the annexation -of the Dobrudja. Therefore, Rumania had to give up the Dobrudja. The -Austrians, under Magyar pressure, demanded the surrender of the -Carpathian passes--a condition which was pressed by Count Czernin, who -remembered with bitterness the rebuff that he had suffered from the -Rumanian King and Government at the time when Rumania came into the war. -The Germans were determined to seize the immensely rich oilfields of -Rumania and to secure for an unlimited period Rumanian wheat for -Germany at a price to be fixed by German authorities. For years Germany -had tried to get control of the Rumanian oilfields. Where bribes and the -offer of a heavy price had failed, the chance of war now insured -success. The oilfields were seized nominally by way of a monopoly for -ninety-nine years. - - -GERMANY'S SHARE OF BOOTY - -As usual, Germany's allies had to yield up some of the prey to her. Thus -the Germans succeeded in setting up a condominium over the most -important part of the Dobrudja, between Constanza and the mouths of the -Danube. From Campina, the centre of the oilfields district, a pipe line -runs direct to Constanza, where the oil can be stored in enormous tanks, -which were left practically untouched when Constanza was abandoned in -November, 1916. It is essential for Germany that she should control the -pipe line, and this she will certainly do under the form of the -condominium. - -As for the grain supply, the Germans, who had had to pay a heavy price -for Rumanian grain before Rumania went to war, owing especially to -British competition, were particularly careful to insure now against the -repetition of anything so unpleasant. The form of the agreement which -was dictated to Rumania on this point is that the surplus is to go to -Germany after the needs of Rumania have been satisfied. What the needs -of Rumania may be will be decided by a Rumanian commission; but this is -to be under German control, and there is not much doubt that the ration -allowed to the Rumanian population will be proportioned pretty -accurately to the needs of Germany. - -These territorial and economic advantages secured, Germany went on to -add humiliation for Rumania to the heavy toll of material loss. They -insisted that the eight Rumanian divisions which were holding the -Rumanian front should be demobilized at once under the control of German -staff officers. Finally, the Germans asked that the Rumanian Government -should give all possible facilities to a German force to pass through -Rumania to Odessa. In point of fact, on March 10, long before the peace -conditions were settled, the first German battalions passed through -Galatz on their way to the Ukraine. - -All these humiliating conditions had to be accepted. The motive of the -Germans in piling up their enactions so frequently was evidently to -compel the Averescu Cabinet, which they suspected of being pro-ally, to -resign. They hoped to force the King to form a Cabinet of their -Bucharest friends. In this they succeeded. The present Government of -Rumania may be pro-German; but the Rumanian Nation--from the last -peasant soldier, who brought the Germans to a stand last Summer at -Maraseshti and Oitoz, to the King--bitterly hates everything German. -Isolated as Rumania is now, she waits breathlessly for the victory of -the Allies, hoping to be helped to free herself from German dominion. - - - - -The Peace of Bucharest - -Synopsis of Rumania's Peace Treaty - - -Following is a comprehensive summary of the treaty finally signed by the -Rumanian Government at Bucharest, May 6, 1918: - - Clause 1.--_Re-establishment of Peace and Friendship._ - - Article I. Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey, on the - one hand, and Rumania on the other, declare the state of war ended - and that the contracting parties are determined henceforth to live - together in peace and friendship. - - Article II. Diplomatic and Consular relations between the - contracting parties will be resumed immediately after the - ratification of the peace treaty. The admission of Consuls will be - reserved for a future agreement. - - Clause 2.--_Demobilization of the Rumanian Forces._ - - Article III. The demobilization of the Rumanian Army, which is now - proceeding, will immediately after peace is signed be carried out - according to the prescriptions contained in Articles IV. and VII. - - Article IV. The regular military bureau, the supreme military - authorities and all the military institutions will remain in - existence as provided by the last peace budget. The demobilization - of divisions eleven to fifteen will be continued as stipulated in - the treaty of Focsani signed on March 8 last. Of the Rumanian - divisions one to ten, the two infantry divisions now employed in - Bessarabia, including the Jäger battalions which are the remnants of - dissolved Jäger divisions, and including two cavalry divisions of - the Rumanian Army, will remain on a war footing until the danger - arising from the military operations now being carried on in the - Ukraine by the Central Powers ceases to exist. - - The remaining eight divisions, including the staff, shall be - maintained in Moldavia at the reduced peace strength. Each division - will be composed of four infantry regiments, two cavalry regiments, - two field artillery regiments, and one battalion of pioneers, - together with the necessary technical and transport troops. The - total number of the infantry of the eight divisions shall not exceed - 20,000 men; the total number of cavalry shall not exceed 3,200; the - entire artillery of the Rumanian Army, apart from the mobile - divisions, shall not exceed 9,000 men. The divisions remaining - mobilized in Bessarabia must, in case of demobilization, be reduced - to the same peace standard as the eight divisions mentioned in - Article 4. - - All other Rumanian troops which did not exist in peace time will at - the end of their term of active military service remain as in peace - time. Reservists shall not be called up for training until a general - peace has been concluded. - - Article V. Guns, machine guns, small arms, horses, and cars and - ammunition, which are available owing to the reduction or the - dissolution of the Rumanian units, shall be given into the custody - of the Supreme Command of the allied (Teutonic) forces in Rumania - until the conclusion of a general peace. They shall be guarded and - superintended by Rumanian troops under supervision of the allied - command. The amount of ammunition to be left to the Rumanian Army in - Moldavia is 250 rounds for each rifle, 2,500 for each machine gun, - and 150 for each gun. The Rumanian Army is entitled to exchange - unserviceable material at the depots of the occupied region, in - agreement with the allied Supreme Command, and to demand from the - depots the equivalent of the ammunition spent. The divisions in - Rumania which remain mobilized will receive their ammunition - requirements on a war basis. - - Article VI. The demobilized Rumanian troops to remain in Moldavia - until the evacuation of the occupied Rumanian regions. Excepted from - this provision are military bureaus and men mentioned in Article 5, - who are required for the supervision of the arms and material laid - down in these regions. The men and reserve officers who have been - demobilized can return to the occupied regions. Active and formerly - active officers require, in order to return to these regions, - permission of the chief army command of the allied forces. - - Article VII. A General Staff officer of the allied powers, with - staff, will be attached to the Rumanian Commander in Chief in - Moldavia, and a Rumanian General Staff officer, with staff, will be - attached as liaison officer to the chief command of the allied - forces in the occupied Rumanian districts. - - Article VIII. The Rumanian naval forces will be left to their full - complement and equipment, in so far as their views, in accordance - with Article IX., are not to be limited until affairs in Bessarabia - are cleared, whereupon these forces are to be brought to the usual - peace standard. Excepted herefrom are river forces required for the - purposes of river police and naval forces on the Black Sea, employed - for the protection of maritime traffic and the restoration of - mine-free fairways. Immediately after the signing of the peace - treaty these river forces will, on a basis of special arrangement, - be placed at the disposal of the authorities intrusted with river - policing. The Nautical Black Sea Commission will receive the right - of disposing of the naval forces on the Black Sea, and a naval - officer is to be attached to this commission in order to restore - connection therewith. - - Article IX. All men serving in the army and navy, who in peace time - were employed in connection with harbors or shipping, shall, on - demobilization, be the first to be dismissed in order that they may - find employment in their former occupations. - - Clause 3.--_Cessions of territory outlined in Articles X., XI., and - XII._ - - Article X. With regard to Dobrudja, which, according to Paragraph 1 - of the peace preliminaries, is to be added by Rumania, the following - stipulations are laid down: (A) Rumania cedes again to Bulgaria, - with frontier rectifications, Bulgarian territory that fell to her - by virtue of the peace treaty concluded at Bucharest in 1913. - (Attached is a map showing the exact extent of the frontier - rectification, with a note to the effect that it forms an essential - part of the peace treaty.) A commission composed of representatives - of the allied powers shall shortly after the signature of the treaty - lay down and demarkate on the spot the new frontier line in - Dobrudja. The Danube frontier between the regions ceded to Bulgaria - and Rumania follows the river valley. Directly after the signature - of the treaty further particulars shall be decided upon regarding - the definition of the valley. Thus the demarkation shall take place - in Autumn, 1918, at low water level. - -[Illustration: RUMANIA AND ITS LOST TERRITORY: THE BLACK AREA SHOWS THE -SOUTHERN PART OF DOBRUDJA, WON FROM THE BULGARS IN THE LAST BALKAN WAR, -WHICH RUMANIA IS FORCED TO RETURN TO BULGARIA. THE SHADED AREA--NORTHERN -DOBRUDJA--WHICH INCLUDES THE MOUTHS OF THE DANUBE AND RUMANIA'S ONLY -ACCESS TO THE BLACK SEA, IS CEDED TO THE CENTRAL POWERS, WHO WILL -ADMINISTER IT THROUGH A MIXED COMMISSION. THE SHADING ALONG RUMANIA'S -WESTERN BORDER INDICATES THE AUSTRO-GERMAN "RECTIFICATION," WHICH GIVES -AUSTRIA ALL THE MOUNTAIN PASSES AND IMPORTANT MINERAL LANDS.] - - (B) Rumania cedes to the allied powers that portion of Dobrudja up - to the Danube north of the new frontier line described under Section - A; that is to say, between the confluence of the stream and the - Black Sea, to the St. George branch of the river. The Danube - frontier between the territory ceded to the allied powers and - Rumania will be formed by the river valley. The allied powers and - Rumania will undertake to see that Rumania shall receive an assured - trade route to the Black Sea, by way of Tchernavoda and Constanza, - (Kustendje.) - - Article XI. says that Rumania agrees that her frontier shall undergo - rectification in favor of Austria-Hungary as indicated on the map, - and continues: - - "Two mixed commissions, to be composed of equal numbers of - representatives of the powers concerned, are immediately after the - ratification of the peace treaty to fix a new frontier line on the - spot." - - Article XII. Property in the ceded regions of Rumania passes without - indemnification to the States which acquire these regions. Those - States to which the ceded territories fall shall make agreements - with Rumania on the following points: First, with regard to the - allegiance of the Rumanian inhabitants of these regions and the - manner in which they are to be accorded the right of option; - secondly, with regard to the property of communes split by the new - frontier; thirdly and fourthly, with regard to administrative and - juridical matters; fifthly, with regard to the effect of the changes - of territory on dioceses. - - Clause 4 deals with war indemnities, of which Article XIII. declares - that the contracting parties mutually renounce indemnification of - their war costs, and special arrangements are to be made for the - settlement of damages caused by the war. - - The fifth clause relates to the evacuation of occupied territories, - embodied in Articles XIV. to XXIV., summed up as follows: - - "The occupied Rumanian territories shall be evacuated at times to be - later agreed upon. The strength of the army of occupation shall, - apart from the formation employed in economic functions, not surpass - six divisions. Until the ratification of the treaty the present - occupation administration continues, but immediately after the - signature of the treaty the Rumanian Government has the power to - supplement the corps of officials by such appointments or dismissals - as may seem good to it." - - Up to the time of evacuation, a civil official of the occupation - administration shall always be attached to the Rumanian Ministry in - order to facilitate so far as possible the transfer of the civil - administration to the Rumanian authorities. The Rumanian authorities - must follow the directions which the commanders of the army of - occupation consider requisite in the interest of the security of the - occupied territory, as well as the security, maintenance, and - distribution of their troops. - - For the present, railways, posts, and telegraphs will remain under - military administration, and will, in accordance with proper - agreements, be at the disposal of the authorities and population. As - a general rule, the Rumanian courts will resume jurisdiction in the - occupied territories to their full extent. The allied powers will - retain jurisdiction, as well as the power of police supervision, - over those belonging to the army of occupation. Punishable acts - against the army of occupation will be judged by its military - tribunals, and also offenses against the orders of the occupation - administration. Persons can only return to the occupied territories - in proportion as the Rumanian Government provides for their security - and maintenance. - - The army of occupation's right to requisition is restricted to - wheat, peas, beans, fodder, wool, cattle, and meat from the products - of 1918, and, further, to timber, oil and oil products, always - observing proper regard for an orderly plan of procuring these - commodities, as well as satisfying the home needs of Rumania. - - From the ratification of the treaty onward the army of occupation - shall be maintained at the expense of Rumania. A separate agreement - will be made with regard to the details of the transfer of the civil - administration, as well as with regard to the withdrawal of the - regulations of the occupation administration. Money spent by the - allied powers in the occupied territories on public works, including - industrial undertakings, shall be made good on their transfer. Until - the evacuation these undertakings shall remain under the military - administration. - - Clause 6.--_Regulations regarding navigation on the Danube._ - - Article XXIV. Rumania shall conclude a new Danube Navigation act - with Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey, regulating the - legal position on the Danube from the point where it becomes - navigable, with due regard for the prescriptions subsequently set - forth under Sections A to D, and on conditions that the - prescriptions under Section B shall apply equally for all parties to - the Danube act. Negotiations regarding the new Danube Navigation act - shall begin at Munich as soon as possible after the ratification of - the treaty. - - The sections follow: (A) Under the name Danube Mouth Commission, the - European Danube Commission shall, under conditions subsequently set - forth, be maintained as a permanent institution, empowered with the - privileges and obligations hitherto appertaining to it for the river - from Braila downward, inclusive of this port. The conditions - referred to provide, among other things, that the commission shall - henceforth only comprise representatives of States situated on the - Danube or the European coasts of the Black Sea. The commission's - authority extends from Braila downward to the whole of the arms and - mouth of the Danube and adjoining parts of the Black Sea. - - (B.) Rumania guarantees to the ships of the other contracting - parties free navigation on the Rumanian Danube, including the - harbors. Rumania shall levy no toll on ships or rafts of the - contracting parties and their cargoes merely for the navigation of - the river. Neither shall Rumania, in the future, levy on the river - any tolls, save those permitted by the new Danube Navigation act. - - Section C provides for the abolition after the ratification of the - treaty of the Rumanian ad valorem duty of 1-1/2 per cent. on imports - and exports. - - Articles XXV. and XXVI. deal with Danube questions and provide that - Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Rumania are entitled - to maintain warships on the Danube, which may navigate down stream - to the sea and up stream as far as the upper frontier of Austria's - territory, but are forbidden intercourse with the shore of another - State or to put in there except under force majeure or with the - consent of the State. - - The powers represented on the Danube Mouth Commission are entitled - to maintain two light warships each as guard ships at the mouth of - the Danube. - - Article XXVII. provides equal rights for all religious - denominations, including Jews and Moslems, in Rumania, including the - right to establish private schools. - - Article XXVIII. provides that diversity of religion does not affect - legal, political, or civil rights of the inhabitants, and, pending - ratification of the treaty, a decree will be proclaimed giving the - full rights of Rumanian subjects to all those, such as Jews, having - no nationality. - - The remaining three articles provide that economic relations shall - be regulated by separate treaties, coming into operation at the same - time as the peace treaty. The same applies to the exchange of - prisoners. - - -THE KAISER EXULTS - -Emperor William replied to Chancellor von Hertling's congratulations on -the conclusion of peace between Germany and Rumania with this message: - - The termination of the state of war in the east fills me also with - proud joy and gratitude. Thanks to God's gracious help, the German - people, with never-failing patriotism, under brilliant military - leadership and with the assistance of strong diplomacy, are fighting - step by step for a happy future. - - I can but convey my thanks on this occasion to you and also to - your collaborators. God will help us to pass through the struggle - which the hostile attitude of the powers, still under arms against - us, has forced us to continue and to conclude it victoriously for - the good of Germany and her allies. - -Emperor William in a telegram to Dr. Richard von Kühlmann, the German -Secretary for Foreign Affairs, said: - - The conclusion of peace with Rumania gives me an opportunity of - expressing my joyful satisfaction that peace has now been given to - the entire eastern front. - - May rich blessings descend on the peoples concerned from the - resumption of peaceful labor to which they can now devote - themselves. - - I thank you and your collaborators for the work done in loyal - co-operation with our allies, and I confer on you as a sign of my - appreciation the Order of the Royal Crown of the First Class. - - - - -Bessarabia Voluntarily United to Rumania - - -Count Czernin, the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister, during the -negotiations with Rumania explained in a public speech that Rumania -would be compensated for the loss of territory on the Transylvanian -border by taking the southern part of Bessarabia, the Russian province -bordering Rumania on the east. The southern part of Bessarabia, however, -has few Rumanians, while the northern part is largely populated by them. -Subsequent events have apparently changed the Austro-German plans, for -the whole of Bessarabia has voted almost unanimously for union with -Rumania. The event was officially announced at Washington on April 22 -through the Rumanian Charge d'Affaires, N. H. Lahovary, as follows: - - On April 9 the National Assembly of Bessarabia voted by 86 against - 3 for union of Bessarabia to Rumania. The Rumanian Premier was then - at Kishinev (capital of Bessarabia) and took cognizance of the vote - amid enthusiastic acclamation and declared this union to be - definitive and indissoluble. - - Bessarabian delegates went to Jassy on April 12 to present the - homage of the people of Bessarabia to their Majesties the King and - Queen of Rumania. A Te Deum was sung at the cathedral in the - presence of the royal family, the Government, and the Bessarabian - delegates. The Archbishop of Bessarabia was also there, having - taken the place next to the Metropolitan of Moldavia, who - celebrated the service. - - After the ceremony was over a parade of the troops took place, - followed by a luncheon given at the royal palace in honor of the - Ministers of Bessarabia. His Majesty the King drank to the health - of the united Rumanian and Bessarabian people, after witnessing the - great historic event accomplished by the will of the people of - Bessarabia and proclaiming indissoluble the union of the ancient - province of the Moldavian crown to the mother country. - -Bessarabia, according to Mr. Lahovary, has about 3,000,000 inhabitants, -and more than three-fourths of these are Rumanians. "Bessarabia," he -continued, "is one of the richest farm lands of what was formerly -Russia. The Bolsheviki ravaged it frightfully during the Winter months, -and the country was only saved by the Rumanian troops, who were called -in by the Bessarabians. Because of this help the Bolsheviki declared war -on Rumania, and there were violent clashes between the Bolshevist -brigands and Rumanian troops. Finally the latter ousted the Bolsheviki -and succeeded in restoring tranquillity, but only after the Bolsheviki -had committed most frightful outrages and pillaged the country. If -Rumania was obliged to make peace, it was due directly to the attitude -of the Bolsheviki toward Rumania." - - - - -The War and the Bagdad Railway - -A Study by Dr. Morris Jastrow - -_Professor of Semitic Languages in the University of Pennsylvania_ - -[From his book, "The War and the Bagdad Railway"] - -_Germany's project of a railway from Berlin to Bagdad, now rivaled by a -new one from Berlin to Bombay via Russia, was one of the chief causes of -the war. It dates from 1888, when a syndicate of German and British -capital organized the Anatolian Railway, to be built from Haidar Pacha, -opposite Constantinople, to Angora--about 360 miles. The German members -later bought out the British interests. Further concessions were -obtained, but in 1898 a much more ambitious plan was brought forward by -the visit of the German Emperor to Sultan Abdul Hamid, and in 1899 the -general policy of a line across Asia Minor was announced. This line, -however, as a glance at the map will show, did not get beyond Angora; -Russia killed that phase of the project. The Bagdad Railway was then -organized in 1903, and obtained from Turkey an unprecedented concession -running southeastward to the Persian Gulf. Both England and France were -offered a minor share in the enterprise, but refused. The Germans thus -remained in full control, at the same time obtaining all the French -capital they needed through Swiss banks._ - - -The Bagdad Railway has been a nightmare resting heavily on all Europe -for eighteen years--ever since the announcement in 1899 of the -concession granted to the Anatolian Railway Company. No step ever taken -by any European power anywhere has caused so much trouble, given rise to -so many complications, and has been such a constant menace to the peace -of the world. No European statesman to whom the destinies of his country -have been committed has rested easily in the presence of this spectre of -the twentieth century. In the last analysis the Bagdad Railway will be -found to be the largest single contributing factor in bringing on the -war, because through it more than through any other cause the mutual -distrust among European powers has been nurtured until the entire -atmosphere of international diplomacy became vitiated. The explanation -of this remarkable phenomenon, transforming what appeared on the surface -to be a magnificent commercial enterprise, with untold possibilities for -usefulness, into a veritable curse, an excrescence on the body politic -of Europe, is to be sought in the history of the highway through which -the railway passes. The control of this highway is the key to the -East--the Near and the Farther East as well. Such has been its rôle in -the past--such is its significance today. * * * - -The most recent events are merely the repetition on a large scale of -such as took place thousands of years ago and at frequent intervals -since. The weapons have changed, new contestants have arisen to take the -place of civilizations that after serving their day faded out of sight, -but the issue has ever remained the same. We are confronted by that -issue today--the control of the highway that leads to the East. * * * -The decisive battlefields for the triumph of democracy are in the West, -but the decision for supremacy among European nations lies in the East. -The Bagdad Railway is the most recent act in a drama the beginnings of -which lie in the remote past. * * * - -The course of events in the Near East since the entering wedge, -represented by Napoleon's expedition to Egypt, is to be interpreted as -the irresistible onslaught of the West to break down the barrier created -in 1453. As we survey the successive steps in this onslaught, the -struggle between France and England, culminating in the Convention of -1904, which gave France a dominant position in Morocco in return for -allowing England a free hand in Egypt, the attempts of France and Russia -to hedge in England in India, followed by England and Russia in dividing -up their "spheres of influence" in Persia, the commercial and railway -concessions secured by England, France, and Russia from Turkey, sinking -ever deeper into a slough of desperate weakness, we see how these -struggles, conventions, and partnerships all lead up to the dramatic -climax--the struggle for the historic highway which is the key to the -Near East. Its possession will mean in the future--as it always has in -the past--dominion over Syria, Mesopotamia, Egypt, and probably Arabia; -and the Near East points its finger directly toward the Farther East. -Under the modern symbol of railway control, Asia Minor, true to the -genius of its history, once more looms up as a momentous factor in the -world history. * * * The murder at Serajevo was merely the match applied -to the pile all ready to be kindled. * * * - -[Illustration: MAP SHOWING THE COMPLETED AND PROJECTED SECTIONS OF THE -BAGDAD RAILWAY, THE GERMAN ENTERPRISE THAT FIGURED AMONG THE PRIMARY -CAUSES OF THE WAR] - -Full credit should be given to the German brains in which this project -was hatched, and there is no reason to suspect that at the outset the -German capitalists who fathered the enterprise were actuated by any -other motive than the perfectly legitimate one to create a great avenue -of commerce. When, however, the German Government entered the field as -the backer and promoter of the scheme the political aspect of the -railroad was moved into the foreground, and that aspect has since -overshadowed the commercial one. - -Had the original plan of the German group to run the Bagdad Railway -across Northern Asia Minor from Angora been adhered to, the interior -would have been kept free, and it is likely that a favorite English plan -(afterward taken up also by the French Government) to run a railway from -the Gulf of Alexandretta via Aleppo and the Euphrates to Bagdad might -have been carried out. * * * The railway projects of Asia Minor and -Syria might have remained purely commercial undertakings of great -cultural value. The political aspect of railway plans in the Near East -might have been permanently kept in the background. - -The stumbling block that prevented the execution of the original plan -was--strangely enough--Russia. Her opposition to the northern route -brought about the change. Russia had plans of her own in Asia Minor and -in the lands to the east beyond. In the last two decades of the -nineteenth century Russia, fearing the extension of English power in -the Far East, cast her eyes about for securing zones of influence that -might bring her into touch with the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. -She secured the co-operation of France in 1891, and it is both -interesting and instructive to note that the Franco-Russian alliance was -originally directed against England rather than against Germany. * * * -She exacted from Turkey the Black Sea Basin agreement, formally -sanctioned in 1900, which reserved to her the right to construct -railroads in Northern Asia Minor. * * * At all events, her opposition -was strong enough to secure a modification of the plan of the Bagdad -Railway in favor of the transverse route, which, as it turned out, gave -Germany a tremendous advantage over all rivals, though it also brought -on the opposition of England. Russia was not prepared to allow any -further advantage to be gained in the East by England. On the whole she -still preferred Germany. - -[England's opposition to Germany's new railway scheme became acute when -it was publicly announced that the road was not to terminate at Bagdad, -or even at Basra, but to run on to a point "to be determined" on the -Persian Gulf. The Convention of 1902-3 made it evident that Germany had -stolen a march on England, and that the prestige of France, too, had -suffered. The favor shown to the German syndicate by the Turkish -Government was evident. The terms were indeed unprecedented. Says Dr. -Jastrow: "No wonder that there were great rejoicings in Germany when -they were announced and gnashing of teeth outside of Germany." With the -announcement of the 1902-3 concession and the formation of the Bagdad -Railway Company as a successor to the old Anatolian Company, the German -syndicate did offer English and French capitalists a share in the -enterprise, and insisted that the plan was "international." But the -"share" thus offered was merely assistance in financing what would -remain a German matter--inasmuch as Germany reserved the control in the -management's personnel. England and France therefore refused to -participate.] - - - - -LICHNOWSKY'S MEMORANDUM - -Von Jagow's Replies to the Prince's Revelations--Further German Comments - - -The revelations by Prince Lichnowsky, German Ambassador in London at the -outbreak of the war, which were printed in the May number of CURRENT -HISTORY MAGAZINE, produced a profound impression throughout the world, -disclosing as they did the part played by the German Imperial Government -in starting the war. German officialdom at once attacked Lichnowsky, -compelling him to resign his rank and threatening him with trial for -treason. On April 27, 1918, the Prussian upper house decided to grant -the request of the First State Attorney of District Court No. 1 of -Berlin for authorization to undertake criminal proceedings against -Prince Lichnowsky. The State Attorney held that Prince Lichnowsky, in -communicating to third parties documents or their contents officially -intrusted to him by his superiors had infringed the secrecy incumbent on -him. - -In referring to the prosecution of the Prince, Maximilian Harden, in a -May issue of the Zukunft, said: - -"I will swear that there are dozens of men sitting there in these dark -war hours who have written and said similar things in sharper and more -bitter words." Herr Harden asked whether these would meet the same fate -if their papers were stolen and exposed in German shop windows. "Many a -trusted wife," he said, "must cry out in fear: 'But, you know, Ernst, -Adolf, and Klaus have spoken more desperately.'" - -The chief theme of Lichnowsky's memorandum, the editor of Die Zukunft -asserts, was the danger to Germany of a too-close alliance with Vienna -and Budapest, of the flirtation with Poland, and his insistence upon the -necessity of friendly relations with a strong Russia. The German outcry -against Lichnowsky, however, gave foreign countries the impression that -the Prince had made fearfully damaging disclosures of Berlin's guilt. -The question of blame, he says, "reflected almost an identical -interpretation to that of our White Book, and a cool head would not have -made a world sensation out of it." Harden concludes by saying that an -ostracized Lichnowsky would become a power; but the Prussian Diet has no -sense of humor. - -In the May CURRENT HISTORY MAGAZINE an abridged version of the first -reply of former Foreign Secretary von Jagow to Prince Lichnowsky was -printed, but the document is of such importance that a translation in -its entirety is herewith given.[4] - -[Footnote 4: The full text of Prince Lichnowsky's memorandum, with the -replies of Herr von Jagow, the Mühlon letter, comments of the German -press, and other matter, has been published in a separate forty-page -pamphlet by The Current History Magazine.] - - - - -Von Jagow's Two Replies to Lichnowsky - - -Practically coincident with the giving out for publication on March 19, -through the semi-official Wolff Telegraph Bureau, of an account of a -discussion in the Main Committee of the Reichstag of the memorandum of -the former Ambassador at London, together with substantial excerpts from -the main chapters of his work, the German Government got in touch with -Herr von Jagow, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when the war -began, and asked him to write an article calculated to counteract the -effect of the Lichnowsky revelations. Herr von Jagow hastened to accede -to this request, but he merely made matters worse for the German -Government by practically admitting the correctness of Prince -Lichnowsky's assertion that England did not want war and that Berlin was -aware of this. - -Copies of German newspapers received here show that, while the journals -of all factions were practically of one mind in reproaching the German -Foreign Office for its lack of diplomatic ability, the Pan-German and -militarist organs laid special stress upon the implication in the von -Jagow article that Germany might have been willing to drop its alliance -with Austria if it could have been sure of contracting one with England, -and the Liberal and Socialist papers declared that it was no use -insisting any longer that Great Britain was guilty of the wholesale -bloodshed of the world war, and that now nothing really stood in the way -of moving for a peace by agreement. - -These comments were so sharp on both sides that Herr von Jagow was soon -moved to write another article defending his reply to Prince Lichnowsky -and arguing that his statements regarding the Triple Alliance could by -no means be interpreted as meaning that he would have been willing to -abandon Austria-Hungary in favor of Great Britain. In this article, -which was first printed in the Münchener Neueste Nachrichten, von Jagow -says he cannot understand how these statements can be taken to mean that -he was an opponent of the alliance with Austria and was considering a -choice between Austria and England. He proceeds to defend his own policy -by reference to the fact that Bismarck was not content with the Triple -Alliance on the one hand, and the famous "Reinsurance Treaty" with -Russia on the other hand, but in 1887 deliberately promoted agreements -between Austria-Hungary, Italy, and England, with the object of -"bringing England into a closer relationship to the Central European -league and making her share its burdens." Bismarck's policy relieved -Germany of some of her obligations, because "Austria-Hungary, supported -by Italy and England, held the balance against Russia." - -Then, as The London Times points out, carefully avoiding the history of -the present Kaiser's reversal of Bismarck's policy and abandonment of -the "Reinsurance Treaty" with Russia, von Jagow defends his attempts to -make British policy serve Germany's purposes. It was "because of the -isolation of the Triple Alliance, which had come about in the course of -years," that von Jagow "pursued a rapprochement with England." He -did so, "not with any idea of putting England in the place of -Austria-Hungary, but in order, by disposing of the Anglo-German -antagonism, to move England to a different orientation of her policy." -Germany "could not count upon Italy," and wanted other assistance in -upholding Austria-Hungary in the Balkans against Russia. Herr von Jagow -proceeds: - -"The combination of England would have relieved us of the necessity of -taking: our stand alone, when the case arose, for Austria-Hungary -against Russia. As was effected by the agreements of 1887, a part -of our obligations would have been laid upon other shoulders. It is in -this sense that I spoke of the possibility of the loosening and the -dissolution of old unions which no longer satisfy all the conditions. - -"The alliance with Austria-Hungary was the cornerstone of Bismarckian -policy, and that it had to remain. The expansion of the alliance into -the Triple Alliance, by taking in Italy, was a means of supplementing -the Central European grouping of the powers; it was an 'auxiliary -structure,' by means of which Bismarck aimed at a further guarantee of -peace, especially as he intended thereby to check Italy's Irredentist -policy. Threads then ran to England via Italy. These threads gave way -later, and this caused a considerable change in the attitude of Italy. - - -Friendly to England - -"A friendly attitude on the part of England toward the Triple -Alliance--what Professor Hermann Oncken calls the moral extension of the -Triple Alliance over the Channel--was the aim of our policy, and in this -we were sure of the complete accord of our allies. I never thought that -the agreements about Bagdad and the colonies would mean an immediate -alteration of England's course in European policy. These agreements were -to prepare the way for this change of course. I was under no illusions -about the difficulties which would still have to be overcome. But -difficulties, and even resistance on the part of public opinion in one's -own country, cannot prevent us from following a road that is seen to be -right. The league between Germany and Austria-Hungary, supported by -friendship with England, would have created a peace bloc of unassailable -strength. The increasing Irredentism of Italy, her friction with Austria -on the Adriatic, and the Russophile and also Irredentist tendencies of -Rumania, would have lost their importance. Then, in given circumstances, -the Triple Alliance treaty might have been modified. The union with -England would also have secured us against Russian aggression, and the -obligations imposed upon us by our alliance would thereby have been -diminished. - -"The road to this goal was long. The calm development was crossed by the -Serajevo murders, and in the fateful hour of August, 1914, the English -Government--instead of keeping peace--preferred to join in the war -against us. The English Government has probably since then been assailed -by serious doubts as to whether its choice was right. In any case, it -assumed a considerable share of the guilt for the bloodshed in Europe." - -Herr von Jagow then denies that his scheme was inevitably doomed to -failure, saying that the policy of England is more liable to adaptation -and alteration than the policy of any other country, and that "more -far-seeing statesmen than those who were intrusted with the fortunes of -the Island Empire in 1914--think only of the Pitts, Disraelis, and -Salisburys--held other views about the orientation of England toward -Germany and Russia." - -"As matters stand today, attempts to arrive at clearness about the -respective parts played by our enemies at the outbreak of the war, and -about the greater or less degrees of guilt belonging to each of them, -can have only a historical value. England has made the cause of our -enemies her own, and so she also shall be made to feel how Germany -defends herself against her enemies." - - - - -Full Text of von Jagow's First Reply - -[Copyrighted] - -_Herr von Jagow's first reply to Prince Lichnowsky, which was printed in -the Norddeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung March 23, 1918, follows:_ - - -"So far as it is possible, in general, I shall refrain from taking up -the statements concerning the policy obtaining before my administration -of the Foreign Office. - -"I should like to make the following remarks about the individual points -in the article: - -"When I was named State Secretary in January, 1913, I regarded a -German-English rapprochement as desirable and also believed an agreement -attainable on the points where our interests touched or crossed each -other. At all events, I wanted to try to work in this sense. A principal -point for us was the Mesopotamia-Asia Minor question--the so-called -Bagdad policy--as this had become for us a question of prestige. If -England wanted to force us out there it certainly appeared to me that a -conflict could hardly be avoided. In Berlin I began, as soon as it was -possible to do so, to negotiate over the Bagdad Railroad. We found a -favorable disposition on the part of the English Government, and the -result was the agreement that was almost complete when the world war -broke out. - - -Colonial Questions - -"At the same time the negotiations over the Portuguese colonies that had -been begun by Count Metternich, (as German Ambassador at London,) -continued by Baron Marschall, and reopened by Prince Lichnowsky were -under way. I intended to carve the way later for further negotiations -regarding other--for example, East Asiatic--problems, when what was in -my opinion the most important problem, that of the Bagdad Railroad, -should be settled, and an atmosphere of more confidence thus created. I -also left the naval problem aside, as it would have been difficult to -reach an early agreement over that matter, after past experiences. - -"I can pass over the development of the Albanian problem, as it occurred -before my term of office began. In general, however, I would like to -remark that such far-reaching disinterestedness in Balkan questions as -Prince Lichnowsky proposes does not seem possible to me. It would have -contradicted the essential part of the alliance if we had completely -ignored really vital interests of our ally. We, too, had demanded that -Austria stand by us at Algeciras, and at that time Italy's attitude had -caused serious resentment among us. Russia, although she had no interest -at all in Morocco, also stood by France. Finally, it was our task, as -the third member of the alliance, to support such measures as would -render possible a settlement of the divergent interests of our allies -and avoid a conflict between them. - -"It further appeared impossible to me not to pursue a 'triple alliance -policy' in matters where the interests of the allied powers touched each -other. Then Italy would have been driven entirely into line with the -Entente in questions of the Orient, and Austria handed over to the mercy -of Russia, and the Triple Alliance would thus have really gone to -pieces. And we, too, would not have been able to look after our -interests in the Orient, if we did not have some support. And even -Prince Lichnowsky does not deny that we had to represent great economic -interests right there. But today economic interests are no longer to be -separated from political interests. - -"That the people 'in Petrograd wanted to see the Sultan independent' is -an assertion that Prince Lichnowsky will hardly be able to prove; it -would contradict every tradition of Russian policy. If we, furthermore, -had not had at our command the influence at Constantinople founded by -Baron Marschall, it would hardly have been possible for us to defend our -economic interests in Turkey in the desired way. - - -Russia and Germany - -"When Prince Lichnowsky further asserts that we only 'drove Russia, our -natural friend and best neighbor, into the arms of France and England -through our Oriental and Balkan policy' he is in conflict with the -historical facts. Only because Prince Gortschakoff [Russian Premier] was -guiding Russian policy toward a rapprochement with a France lusting for -revenge was Prince Bismarck induced to enter into the alliance with -Austria-Hungary; through the alliance with Rumania he barred an advance -of Russia toward the south. Prince Lichnowsky condemns the basic -principles of Bismarck's policy. Our attempts to draw closer to Russia -went to pieces--Björki proves it--or remained ineffective, like the -so-called Potsdam agreement. Also, Russia was not always our 'best -neighbor.' Under Queen Elizabeth, as at present, she strove for -possession of East Prussia to extend her Baltic coasts and to insure her -domination of the Baltic. The Petrograd 'window' has gradually widened, -so as to take in Esthonia, Livonia, Courland, and Finland and reach -after Aland. Poland was arranged to be a field over which to send troops -against us. Pan-Slavism, which was dominating the Russian policy to an -ever greater degree, had positive anti-German tendencies. - -"And we did not force Russia to drop 'her policy of Asiatic expansion,' -but only tried to defend ourselves against her encroachments in European -policy and her encircling of our Austro-Hungarian ally. - - -Grey Conciliatory - -"Just as little as Sir Edward Grey [British Foreign Secretary] did we -want war to come over Albania. Therefore, in spite of our unhappy -experience at Algeciras, we agreed to a conference. The credit of an -'attitude of mediation' at the conference should not be denied Sir -Edward Grey; but that he 'by no means placed himself on the side of the -Entente' is, however, surely saying rather too much. Certainly he often -advised yielding in Petrograd (as we did in Vienna) and found 'formulas -of agreement,' but in dealing with the other side he represented the -Entente, because he, no less than ourselves, neither would, nor could, -abandon his associates. That we, on the other hand, 'without exception, -represented the standpoint dictated to us from Vienna' is absolutely -false. We, like England, played a mediatory rôle, and also in Vienna -counseled far more yielding and moderation than Prince Lichnowsky -appears to know about, or even to suggest. And then Vienna made several -far-reaching concessions, (Dibra, Djakowa.) If Prince Lichnowsky, who -always wanted to be wiser than the Foreign Office, and who apparently -allowed himself to be strongly influenced by the Entente statesmen, did -not know this, he surely ought not to make any false assertions now! If, -to be sure, the degree of yielding that was necessary was reached in -Vienna, we also naturally had to represent the Austrian standpoint at -the conference. Ambassador Szögyeni himself was not one of the -extremists; in Vienna they were by no means always satisfied with his -attitude. That the Ambassador, with whom I was negotiating almost every -day, constantly sounded the refrain of casus foederis is entirely -unknown to me. It certainly is true that Prince Lichnowsky for some -time past had not been counted as a friend of Austria in Vienna. Still -complaints about him came to my ears oftener from the side of Marquis -San Giuliano [Italian Foreign Minister] than from the side of Count -Berchtold, [Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister.] - -"King Nicholas's seizure of Scutari constituted a mockery of the entire -conference and a snub to all the powers taking part in it. - -"Russia was by no means obliged 'to give way to us all along the line'; -on the contrary, she 'advanced the wishes of Serbia' in several ways, -Serbia even receiving some cities and strips of territory that could -have been regarded as purely Albanian or preponderatingly so. Prince -Lichnowsky says that 'the course of the conference was a fresh -humiliation for the self-consciousness of Russia' and that there was a -feeling of resentment in Russia on that account. It cannot be the task -of our policy to satisfy all the unjustified demands of the exaggerated -self-consciousness of a power by no means friendly to us, at the cost of -our ally. Russia has no vital interests on the Adriatic, but our ally -certainly has. If we, as Prince Lichnowsky seems to wish, had flatly -taken the same stand as Russia, the result would have been a humiliation -for Austria-Hungary and thus a weakening of our group. Prince Lichnowsky -seems only anxious that Russia be not humiliated; a humiliation of -Austria is apparently a matter of indifference to him. - - -The "Wily" Venizelos - -"When Prince Lichnowsky says that our 'Austrophilie' was not adapted to -'promote Russia's interests in Asia,' I don't exactly understand what -this means. Following a disastrous diversion toward East Asia--in the -Japanese war we had favored Russia without even being thanked for -it!--Russia again took up her policy directed toward the European Orient -(the Balkans and Constantinople) with renewed impulse, (the Balkan -Alliance, Buchlau, Iswolsky, &c.) [Iswolsky retired as Russian Foreign -Minister after Germany forced the Czar to repudiate his Serbian policy -in 1909.] - -"Venizelos, the cunning Cretan with the 'Ribbon of the Order of the Red -Eagle,' evidently knew how to throw a little sand into the eyes of our -Ambassador. He, in contrast to King Constantine and Theototy, always was -pro-Entente. His present attitude reveals his feelings as clearly as can -be. Herr Danef, however, was entirely inclined toward Petrograd. - -"That Count Berchtold displayed certain inclinations toward Bulgaria -also in its differences with Rumania is true; that we 'naturally went -with him' is, however, entirely false. With our support, King Carol had -the satisfaction of the Bucharest peace. [Ended second Balkan war.] If, -therefore, in the case of the Bucharest peace, in which we favored the -wishes and interests of Rumania, which was allied to us, our policy -deviated somewhat from that of Vienna, the Austro-Hungarian Cabinet -certainly did not believe--as Prince Lichnowsky asserts--that it 'could -count upon our support in case of its revision.' That Marquis San -Giuliano 'is said to have warned us already in the Summer of 1913 from -becoming involved in a world war,' because at that time in Austria 'the -thought of a campaign against Serbia' had found entrance, is entirely -unknown to me. Just as little do I know that Herr von Tschirschky--who -certainly was rather pessimistic by nature--is said to have declared in -the Spring of 1914 that there soon would be war. Therefore, I was just -as ignorant of the 'important happenings' that Prince Lichnowsky here -suspects as he was himself! Such events as the English visit to -Paris--Sir Edward Grey's first to the Continent--surely must have been -known to the Ambassador, and we informed him about the secret -Anglo-Russian naval agreement; to be sure, he did not want to believe -it! - -"In the matter of Liman von Sander, [German reorganizer of the Turkish -Army,] we made a far-reaching concession to Russia by renouncing the -General's power of command over Constantinople. I will admit that this -point of the agreement over the military mission was not opportune -politically. - -"When Prince Lichnowsky boasts of having succeeded in giving the treaty -a form corresponding to our wishes, this credit must not be denied him, -although it certainly required strong pressure on several occasions to -induce him to represent some of our desires with more emphasis. - -"When Prince Lichnowsky says that he received the authorization -definitely to conclude the treaty, after he previously asserts that 'the -treaty was consequently dropped,' this contains a contradiction which we -may let the Prince straighten out. Lichnowsky's assertion, however, that -we delayed publication because the treaty would have been 'a public -success' for him that we begrudged him, is an unheard-of insinuation -that can only be explained through his self-centred conception of -things. The treaty would have lost its practical and moral effect--one -of its main objects was to create a good atmosphere between us and -England--if its publication had been greeted with violent attacks upon -'perfidious Albion' in our Anglophobe press and in our Parliament. And -there is no doubt that, in view of our internal position at that time, -this is what the simultaneous publication of the so-called Windsor -Treaty would have caused. And the howl about English perfidy that the -internal contradiction between the text of the Windsor Treaty and our -treaty would doubtless have called forth would hardly have been stilled -in the minds of our public through the assurance of English bona fides. - -"With justified precaution, we intended to allow the publication to be -made only at the proper moment, when the danger of disapproving -criticism was no longer so acute, if possible simultaneously with the -announcement of the Bagdad Treaty, which also was on the point of being -concluded. The fact that two great agreements had been concluded between -us and England would doubtless have materially favored their reception -and made it easier to overlook the aesthetic defects of the Portuguese -agreement. It was consideration for the effect of the agreement--with -which we wanted to improve our relations with England, not to generate -more trouble--that caused our hesitation. - -"It is correct that--although in a secondary degree--consideration was -also taken of the efforts just then being made to obtain economic -interests in the Portuguese colonies, which the publication of the -agreement would naturally have made more difficult to realize. These -conditions Prince Lichnowsky may not have been able to perceive fully -from London, but he should have trusted in our objective judgment and -acquiesced in it, instead of replacing his lack of understanding with -suspicions and the interjection of personal motives. He certainly would -have found our arguments understood by the English statesmen themselves. - -"The Ambassador's speeches aroused considerable adverse sentiment in -this country. It was necessary for the creation of a better atmosphere, -in which alone the rapprochement being worked for could flourish, that -confidence in our English policy and in our London Ambassador be spread -also among our people at home. Prince Lichnowsky, otherwise so -susceptible to public opinion, did not take this motive sufficiently -into account, for he saw everything only through his London spectacles. -The charges against the attitude of the Foreign Office are too untenable -to be bothered with. I would only like to point out that Prince -Lichnowsky was not left in ignorance regarding the 'most important -things,' in so far as they were of value to his mission. On the -contrary, I gave the Ambassador much more general information than used -to be the custom. My own experiences as Ambassador induced me to do so. -But with Lichnowsky there was the inclination to rely more upon his own -impressions and judgment than upon the information and advice of the -Central Office. To be sure, I did not always have either the motive or -the authority to impart the sources of our news. Here there were quite -definite considerations, particularly anxiety regarding the compromising -of our sources. The Prince's memorandum furnishes the best justification -for the caution exercised in this regard. - - -Defense of Archduke - -"It is not true that in the Foreign Office the reports that England -would protect France under all circumstances were not believed. - -"At Knopischt, on the occasion of the visit of his Majesty the Kaiser -to the Archduke heir apparent, no plan of an active policy against -Serbia was laid down. Archduke Franz Ferdinand was not at all the -champion of a policy leading to war for which he has often been taken. -During the London conference he advised moderation and the avoidance of -war. - -"Prince Lichnowsky's 'optimism' was hardly justified, as he has probably -convinced himself since through the revelations of the Sukhomlinoff -trial. Besides, the secret Anglo-Russian naval agreement (of which, as -said before, he was informed) should have made him more skeptical. -Unfortunately, the suspicion voiced by the Imperial Chancellor and the -Under Secretary of State was well grounded. How does this agree with the -assertion that we, relying upon the reports of Count Pourtalès that -'Russia would not move under any circumstances,' had not thought of the -possibility of a war? Furthermore, so far as I can recollect, Count -Pourtalès [German Ambassador at St. Petersburg] never made such reports. - - -Blame for Russia - -"That Austria-Hungary wished to proceed against the constant -provocations stirred up by Russia, (Herr von Hartwig,) which reached -their climax in the outrage of Serajevo, we had to recognize as -justified. In spite of all the former settlements and avoidances of -menacing conflicts, Russia did not abandon her policy, which aimed at -the complete exclusion of the Austrian influence (and naturally ours -also) from the Balkans. The Russian agents, inspired by Petrograd, -continued their incitement. It was a question of the prestige and the -existence of the Danube Monarchy. It must either put up with the -Russo-Serbian machinations, or command a quos ego, even at the risk of -war. We could not leave our ally in the lurch. Had the intention been to -exclude the ultima ratio of the war in general, the alliance should not -have been concluded. Besides, it was plain that the Russian military -preparations, (for instance, the extension of the railroads and forts in -Poland,) for which a France lusting for revenge had lent the money and -which would have been completed in a few years, were directed -principally against us. But despite all this, despite the fact that the -aggressive tendency of the Russian policy was becoming more evident from -day to day, the idea of a preventive war was far removed from us. We -only decided to declare war on Russia in the face of the Russian -mobilization and to prevent a Russian invasion. - -"I have not the letters exchanged with the Prince at hand--it was a -matter of private letters. Lichnowsky pleaded for the abandonment of -Austria. I replied, so far as I remember, that we, aside from our treaty -obligation, could not sacrifice our ally for the uncertain friendship of -England. If we abandoned our only reliable ally later we would stand -entirely isolated, face to face with the Entente. It is likely that I -also wrote that 'Russia was constantly becoming more anti-German' and -that we must 'just risk it.' Furthermore, it is possible that I, in -order to steel Lichnowsky's nerves a little and to prevent him from -exposing his views also in London, may also have written that there -would probably be some 'bluster'; that 'the more firmly we stood by -Austria the sooner Russia would yield.' I have said already that our -policy was not based upon alleged reports excluding war; certainly at -that time I still thought war could be avoided, but, like all of us, I -was fully aware of the very serious danger. - -"We could not agree to the English proposal of a conference of -Ambassadors, for it would doubtless have led to a serious diplomatic -defeat. For Italy, too, was pro-Serb and, with her Balkan interests, -stood rather opposed to Austria. The 'intimacy of the Russo-Italian -relations' is admitted by Prince Lichnowsky himself. The best and only -feasible way of escape was a localization of the conflict and an -understanding between Vienna and Petrograd. We worked toward that end -with all our energy. That we 'insisted upon' the war is an unheard-of -assertion which is sufficiently invalidated by the telegrams of his -Majesty the Kaiser to the Czar and to King George, published in the -White Books--Prince Lichnowsky only cares to tell about 'the really -humble telegram of the Czar'--as well as the instruction we sent to -Vienna. The worst caricature is formed by the sentence: - -"'When Count Berchtold finally decided to come around we answered the -Russian mobilization, after Russia had vainly negotiated and waited a -whole week, with the ultimatum and the declaration of war.' - -[In quoting Lichnowsky, Herr von Jagow omits the former's statement that -Count Berchtold "hitherto had played the strong man on instructions from -Berlin."] - - -"Wrong" Conclusions - -"Should we, perhaps, have waited until the mobilized Russian Army was -streaming over our borders? The reading of the Sukhomlinov trial has -probably given even Prince Lichnowsky a feeling of 'Oh si tacuisses!' On -July 5 I was absent from Berlin. The declaration that I was 'shortly -thereafter in Vienna' 'in order to talk everything over with Count -Berchtold' is false. I returned to Berlin on July 6 from my honeymoon -trip and did not leave there until Aug. 15, on the occasion of the -shifting of the Great Headquarters. As Secretary of State I was only -once in Vienna before the war, in the Spring of 1913. - -"Prince Lichnowsky lightly passed over the matter of the confusing -dispatch that he sent us on Aug. 1--at present I am not in possession of -the exact wording--as a 'misunderstanding' and even seems to want to -reproach us because 'in Berlin the news, without first waiting for the -conversation, was made the basis of a far-reaching action.' The -question of war with England was a matter of minutes, and immediately -after the arrival of the dispatch it was decided to make an -eleventh-hour attempt to avoid war with France and England. His Majesty -sent the well-known telegram to King George. The contents of the -Lichnowsky dispatch could not have been understood any other way than we -understood it. - -"Objectively taken, the statement of Prince Lichnowsky presents such an -abundance of inaccuracies and distortions that it is hardly a wonder -that his conclusions are also entirely wrong. The reproach that we sent -an ultimatum on July 30 to Petrograd merely because of the mobilization -of Russia and on July 31 declared war upon the Russians, although the -Czar had pledged his word that not a man should march so long as -negotiations were under way, thus willfully destroying the possibility -of a peaceful adjustment, has really a grotesque effect. In concluding, -the statement seems almost to identify itself with the standpoint of our -enemies. - -"When the Ambassador makes the accusation that our policy identified -itself 'with Turks and Austro-Magyars' and 'subjected itself to the -viewpoints of Vienna and Budapest,' he may be suitably answered that he -saw things only through London spectacles and from the narrow point of -view of his desired rapprochement with England à tout prix. He also -appears to have forgotten completely that the Entente was formed much -more against us than against Austria. - -"I, too, pursued a policy which aimed at an understanding with England, -because I was of the opinion that this was the only way for us to escape -from the unfavorable position in which we were placed by the unequal -division of strength and the weakness of the Triple Alliance. But Russia -and France insisted upon war. We were obligated through our treaty with -Austria, and our position as a great power was also threatened--hic -Rhodus, hic salta. But England, that was not allied in the same way with -Russia and that had received far-reaching assurances from us regarding -the sparing of France and Belgium, seized the sword. - -"In saying this, I by no means share the opinion prevalent among us -today that England laid all the mines for the outbreak of the war; on -the contrary, I believe in Sir Edward Grey's love of peace and in his -earnest wish to arrive at an agreement with us. But he had allowed -himself to become entangled too far in the net of the Franco-Russian -policy; he no longer found the way out, and he did not prevent the world -war--something that he could have done. Neither was the war popular with -the English people; Belgium had to serve as a battle cry. - -"'Political marriages for life and death' are, as Prince Lichnowsky -says, not possible in international unions. But neither is isolation, -under the present condition of affairs in Europe. The history of Europe -consists of coalitions that sometimes have led to the avoidance of -warlike outbreaks and sometimes to violent clashes. A loosening and -dissolving of old alliances that no longer correspond to all conditions -is only in order when new constellations are attainable. This was the -object of the policy of a rapprochement with England. So long as this -policy did not offer reliable guarantees we could not abandon the old -guarantees--even with their obligations. - -"The Morocco policy had led to a political defeat. In the Bosnian crisis -this had been luckily avoided, the same as at the London Conference. A -fresh diminution of our prestige was not endurable for our position in -Europe and in the world. The prosperity of States, their political and -economic successes, are based upon the prestige that they enjoy in the -world. - -"The personal attacks contained in the work, the unheard-of calumnies -and slanders of others, condemn themselves. The ever-recurring suspicion -that everything happened only because it was not desired to allow him, -Lichnowsky, any successes speaks of wounded self-love, of disappointed -hopes for personal successes, and has a painful effect. - -"In closing, let us draw attention here to what Hermann Oncken has also -quoted in his work, 'The Old and New Central Europe,' the memorandum of -Prince Bismarck of the year 1879, in which the idea is developed that -the German Empire must never dare allow a situation in which it would -remain isolated on the European Continent between Russia and France, -side by side with a defeated Austria-Hungary that had been left in the -lurch by Germany." - - - - -German Comments on von Jagow's Views - - -In commenting upon Herr von Jagow's reply to Prince Lichnowsky, Georg -Bernhard, editor in chief of the Vossische Zeitung, took occasion to -re-emphasize his favorite theory of a rapprochement with Russia so as to -enable Germany to reduce Great Britain to the level of a second-class -power. In a long article, printed on March 31, Herr Bernhard asserted -that Prince Lichnowsky had been by no means alone in his policy of -seeking agreement with England as Herr von Jagow himself had admitted, -and that the German Foreign Office had seemed obsessed with the idea -that it was a question of a choice between Austria and England, when, in -reality, if the diplomats had wanted to pursue a good German policy and -at the same time be of service to Austria, they should have made it a -question of Russia or England and tried to establish good relations with -the former under all circumstances. After quoting von Jagow's remark -about the inadvisability of abandoning old alliances until new -constellations were attainable, Herr Bernhard said: - -"We shall not go into the question here if, during this war, which -strains all the forces of the alliance to the utmost, a former German -Secretary of State should have written such sentences. It is -incomprehensible how they came from the pen of a sensible man--and Herr -von Jagow is such a one. And it is still more incomprehensible how they -were able to escape the attention of the Foreign Office. Fortunately, -they can no longer do any harm now, as through our deeds we have -demonstrated our loyalty to the Austrians and Hungarians better than it -can be done by any amount of talk." - -In an earlier editorial Herr Bernhard referred as follows to von Jagow's -admission that he did not believe that England had laid all the mines -leading to the world war: - -"In spite of all experiences, therefore, here is another--almost -official--attempt made to represent the war as merely the result of the -aggressive desires of France and Russia. As if France (through whose -population went a shudder of fear as it saw itself on the edge of the -abyss of war) would ever have dared to go to war without knowing that -England stood back of her! And were Edward's trips to Paris without any -effect upon our diplomats? Has it not also finally become sufficiently -well known through the reports of the Belgian Ambassador how France -repeatedly tried to escape from the alliance, but was always again -forced into the net by Nicolson, [former British Under Secretary for -Foreign Affairs,] through Edward? The Imperial Chancellor, von Bethmann -Hollweg, himself admitted in the Reichstag the harmful rôle of King -Edward. Only he, as probably did Herr von Jagow also, thought that -Edward's death put an end to the policy of encircling. But this policy -of encircling--and here is where the mistake entailing serious -consequences is made by our diplomats--was not at all merely a personal -favorite idea of Edward VII., but the continuation of the traditional -English policy toward the strongest Continental power." - - -Thanks for Hindenburg - -Herr Bernhard then asserted that England desired the publication of the -proposed Anglo-German treaty regarding the division of the Portuguese -colonies into spheres of economic interests so as to make Portugal's -eventual support of the Entente all the surer, and continued: - -"And Lichnowsky wanted to fall into this trap set by England. It was -avoided by the Foreign Office more through instinct than sagacity. And -these diplomats have guided Germany's destiny before and during the war! -Let us give the warmest thanks to Hindenburg because his sword has now, -it is to be hoped, put an end once for all to the continued spinning of -plans by such and similar diplomats even during the war." - -Theodor Wolff, editor in chief of the Berliner Tageblatt, probably the -leading organ of the German business elements and liberal politicians -who were opposed to the war from the beginning, and who still hope for a -negotiated peace that will facilitate an early resumption of trade -relations with Great Britain and the rest of the allies, expressed the -hope that the "battle of minds will finally create a clearer -atmosphere," and then remarked: - -"Only quite incidentally would I like to allow myself to direct the -attention of Herr von Jagow to an erroneous expression that appears -twice in his reply. Herr von Jagow writes: 'We informed him [Lichnowsky] -of the secret Anglo-Russian naval agreement,' and in another place: 'The -secret Anglo-Russian naval agreement might also have made him a little -more skeptical.' Only the day before, on Saturday, it was said in an -article of the Norddeutshe Allgemeine Zeitung, also directed against -Lichnowsky: 'Negotiations were pending with Russia over a naval -agreement that the Prince characteristically passes over in silence.' In -reality, although hasty historians also speak without further ceremony -of a treaty, it is manifest that no Anglo-Russian agreement existed; -there was merely a Russian proposal, and the most that can be said is -that 'negotiations were pending.' * * * - -"His [von Jagow's] remark, 'It is not true that the Foreign Office did -not believe the reports that England would protect France under all -circumstances,' is in contradiction with the well-known report of the -then English Ambassador, Goschen, which describes into what surprise and -consternation Herr von Bethmann and Herr von Jagow were thrown by the -news of the English declaration of war." - -In beginning his comment upon von Jagow, Herr Wolff threw a little more -light upon the way in which Prince Lichnowsky's memorandum "for the -family archives" got into more or less general secret circulation in -Germany before it was printed by the Swedish Socialist paper Politiken -last March, and also described the character of Captain Beerfelde, the -member of the German General Staff who, according to some cabled -reports, is to be tried for his part in distributing copies of the -memorandum. - -Herr Wolff said that Prince Lichnowsky had had five or six copies made, -of which he had sent one to Wolff, one to Albert Ballin, head of the -Hamburg-American line, and another to Arthur von Gwinner, head of the -Deutsche Bank. All of these persons carefully hid the "dangerous gift" -in the deepest recesses of their writing desks, but a fourth copy went -astray and got into hands for which it had not been intended, and from -these hands passed into those of still another individual. Then the -editor wrote: - - -How Manuscript Became Public - -"I made the acquaintance some years before the war of the officer who -obtained the memorandum 'on loan,' and sent copies of it to State -officials and politicians. He belongs to an old noble family, was -treated with sympathy by General von Moltke, the Chief of the General -Staff, occupied himself enthusiastically with religious philosophy or -theosophy, and was a thoroughly manly but mystic person. * * * After -hard war experiences, he felt the longing to serve the dictates of peace -with complete devotion, and he surrendered himself to a pacifism which -is absolutely incompatible with the uniform. - -"Late one evening he visited me in a state of great excitement, and told -me that he had manifolded a memorandum by Prince Lichnowsky which had -been lent to him, and that, without asking the author, he had sent it to -the 'leading men.' It was impossible to convince him by any logic or on -any grounds of reason that his action was wrong, senseless, and harmful. -He was a Marquis Posa, or, still more, a Horatius Cocles, who, out of -love for Rome or for mankind, sprang into the abyss." - -The Berlin Vorwärts, the leading organ of the pro-Government Socialists, -began its editorial on the von Jagow reply by remarking that the article -of the former State Secretary for Foreign Affairs was hardly calculated -to convince the reader that Prince Lichnowsky's self-esteem was the only -thing that had had a "painful effect" upon the German people in July, -1914, and since that time. It then said that "Herr von Jagow agrees with -Lichnowsky upon the decisive point!" quoted what von Jagow had said -about his desire for an Anglo-German rapprochement, and continued: - -"These words show that, in 1913, the Wilhelmstrasse and the London -Embassy were in the complete harmony of common beliefs and intentions. -Herr von Jagow, exactly like Lichnowsky, exactly like Bethmann, and -exactly like Wilhelm II., believed in the possibility of creating 'an -atmosphere of confidence,' as Jagow says, between Germany and England, -through a series of agreements, of which those regarding the Bagdad -Railroad and Africa were to have been the first." - -Vorwärts then proceeded to point out that the Albanian crisis had -strengthened this faith instead of weakening it, took up von Jagow's -reasons for Germany's refusal to have the proposed Anglo-German -agreement on the Portuguese African colonies published, and exclaimed: - -"What a fear of Tirpitz! A disturbing of the new relations through his -intrigues and the howling of his jingo press was to be avoided through -an affectation of secrecy. But three weeks later the war with England -was here and the Pan-German sheets welcomed 'the longed-for day!' What -had happened in the meantime? Of course, 'perfidious Albion' (even Jagow -puts quotation marks on these words) had in the meantime thrown off the -mask and revealed her perfidy! Let's hear what--after Lichnowsky--Herr -von Jagow, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in July, 1914, has to -say about it!" - -Then Vorwärts quoted Jagow's description of how the war began, and went -on: - -"All that remains of the accusations against the English Government is -that it did not prevent the world war, 'although it could have done so.' -Now Herr von Jagow also did not prevent the world war, but he must -certainly be acquitted of the charge that he could have prevented it. He -really could not, and so an emphatic statement of inability is the best -excuse for him and his fellow-disputants. - -"Let us establish the facts. England did not desire the war; she merely -did not prevent it. The war was not popular in England; it also was not -popular in Russia and France. But it has become popular. The whole -world--right away across the Atlantic and the Pacific--is united in -hatred against us. We, however, have for almost four years been -inoculated with the view that 'England laid all the mines which caused -the war'--a view which the Secretary of State, in accordance with the -evidence of the Ambassador, has now declared to be false! It is, -however, by this false view that the whole war policy of the German -Empire has been directed--from the declaration of unrestricted submarine -warfare, which brought us war with America, down to those Chancellor -speeches which say that Belgium must not again become England's area of -military concentration. - -"If all the parties concerned were convinced that the belief in -England's guilt is a fiction, why did they feed this belief, and why did -they pursue a policy which was based upon it? They ought rather to have -appointed to the Chancellorship Tirpitz, who, perhaps, believes what he -says. Instead of that, a policy of fear of Tirpitz has been pursued. -Sometimes a policy against Tirpitz has been attempted, but it has always -been reversed at decisive moments, out of fear of the nationalistic -terror. - -"This fear was, perhaps, not entirely unfounded, for agitation is -unscrupulous. The older ones among us still remember very well 'an -Englishwoman' who was very unpopular in many circles, but this -Englishwoman was the mother of the German Kaiser. No doubt there was no -more convenient method for the Government to guard the dynasty than for -it to take part in, or at least to tolerate, the agitation against the -English. This was the only way of preventing the agitation from turning -ultimately against the wearer of the German imperial crown. But ought -such intimate considerations to have been permitted to play a part when -the fate of the nations was at stake? - -"Let us put an end to this! At this moment we are in a battle which may -be decisive and which is going in favor of the empire. But even after -this battle we shall possess neither the possibility nor the moral right -to treat our opponent according to the principle of 'With thumbs in his -eyes and knee on his breast.' Even after the greatest military successes -there exists the necessity for political negotiation. It will be easier -for us to enter into this negotiation after the poisonous fog of the war -lies shall have lifted. Now that Herr von Jagow has cleared up the rôle -played by England at the beginning of the war, there is nothing in the -way of the fulfillment of the promise made by Bethmann to 'make good the -wrong committed against Belgium'! - -"If it is perhaps true that everything Wilhelm II., Bethmann, von Jagow, -and Lichnowsky thought was true up to three weeks before the outbreak of -the war was false, then let the mistake be acknowledged and the -conservative Pan-Germans be put openly in the Government, so that they, -both within and without, may complete the work of a peace by force. But -if this is neither desirable nor possible, then there is nothing left to -do but to take a decided step ahead. For the German people cannot be -satisfied with the methods of governing exercised before and during the -war. * * * The German people can only endure after the war as a -peace-loving nation that governs itself." - - - - -Lichnowsky's Testimony as to Germany's Long Plotting for Domination - -By H. Charles Woods, F. R. G. S. - - -To a Britisher who has followed the trend of events in the Near East, -and who has witnessed the gradual development of German intrigues in -that area, there has never been published a document so important and so -condemnatory of Germany as the disclosures of Prince Lichnowsky. - -On the one hand, the memorandum of the Kaiser's ex-Ambassador in London -proves from an authoritative enemy pen that, practically ever since the -Russo-Turkish war of 1877-78, and particularly from the time of the -accession of the present Emperor to the throne in 1888, the Germans have -carefully prepared the way for the present war, and that during this -period they have consistently turned their attention toward the East and -toward the development of the Mitteleuropa scheme. And on the other side -it indicates, if indeed any indication were still required, that the -so-called rivalry existing between England and Germany prior to the war -arose not from any desire on the part of Great Britain to stand in the -way of the development of legitimate German interests in the Balkans and -in Asia Minor, but from the unwillingness of the Government of Berlin to -agree to any reasonable settlement of the many all-important questions -connected with these regions. - -Although for years the Germans had been intriguing against the Triple -Entente, Prince Lichnowsky, a man possessed of personally friendly -feelings for England, was sent to London in order to camouflage the real -designs of the enemy and to secure representation by a diplomatist who -was intended to make good, and who, in fact, did make a high position -for himself in British official and social circles. The appointment -itself raises two interesting questions. In the first place, while this -is not stated in the memorandum, it is clear that, whereas Baron -Marschall von Bieberstein was definitely instructed to endeavor to make -friends with England and to detach her from France and Russia, or, if -this were impossible, to bring about war at a convenient time for -Germany, Prince Lichnowsky's task was somewhat different. Kept at least -more or less in the dark as to German objects, the Ambassador, who -arrived in London when the Morocco crisis of 1911 was considered at an -end, instead of being intrusted with the dual objects of his -predecessor, was clearly told to do, and did in fact do, his utmost to -establish friendly relations with England. The Berlin Government, on the -other hand, this time maintained in its own hands the larger question of -the making of war at what it believed, happily wrongly, to be a -convenient time for the Central Empires. In the second place, although -this, too, is not explained, various references made by Prince -Lichnowsky leave little doubt in the mind of the reader who knows the -situation existing at the German Embassy prior to the outbreak of war -that the Ambassador himself was aware that von Kühlmann--the Councilor -of Embassy--was, in fact, the representative of Pan-Germanism in -England, and that to this very able and expert intriguer was left the -work of trying to develop a situation which, in peace or in war, would -be favorable to the ruler and to the class whose views he voiced. - - -Phases of German Policy - -To come down to the real subject of this article--the proof provided by -Prince Lichnowsky's disclosures of the long existence of the German -Mitteleuropa scheme and of the fact that Germany, and not Austria, made -this war, largely with the object of pushing through her designs in the -East--I propose to divide my remarks in such a way as to show that the -development of this scheme passed through three phases and in each case -to take what may be called a text from the document under discussion. - -The first phase lasted from the Congress of Berlin of 1878, when Prince -Lichnowsky says that Germany began the Triple Alliance policy, and more -definitely from the accession of the present Emperor to the throne in -1888 until the Balkan wars. While in using these expressions the -ex-Ambassador does not refer only to this period, he says: "The goal of -our political ambition was to dominate in the Bosporus," and "instead of -encouraging a powerful development in the Balkan States, we placed -ourselves on the side of the Turkish and Magyar oppressors." - -These words contain in essence and in tabulated form an explanation -(from the pen of a German whose personal and official positions enabled -him to know the truth) of the events which were in progress during this -period--events the full importance of which has often been refuted and -denied by those who refused to see that from the first the Kaiser was -obsessed by a desire for domination from Hamburg to the Persian Gulf. -Indeed, from the moment of his accession the sentiments and views of the -German ruler became markedly apparent, for one year later his Majesty -paid the first of his carpet-bagging visits to Constantinople--a visit -more or less connected with the then recent grabbing of Haidar -Pasha-Ismid railway--now the first section of the Bagdad line--by the -Germans, and with the prolongation of that line to Angora as a German -concern, concessions secured by Mr. Kaula, acting on behalf of German -interests in 1888. - - -Preparing for Pan-German Project - -Before and particularly after the appointment of Baron Marschall von -Bieberstein, who had then been a personal friend of the Kaiser for many -years, the enemy had been carefully preparing the way for the -realization of his Pan-German dreams in the Near and Middle East. -Although so far as the Balkan States were concerned, up to the outbreak -of the war the Kaiser endeavored to screen his intentions behind a -nominally Austrian program, for years he had really been making ready -his ground for the present occasion by military, political, and economic -penetration and by diplomatic intrigues destined to bring about a -favorable situation for Germany when the propitious moment for action -arrived. The power of von der Goltz Pasha, who introduced the present -military system into Turkey in 1886, and of his pupils was gradually -increased until the Ottoman Army was finally placed completely under -Germanic control. - -The Young Turkish revolution of 1908, which at first seemed destined -greatly to minimize German power at Constantinople, really resulted in -an opposite effect. Thus in spite of the effective support of England -for Turkey during the Bosnian and Bulgarian crises of 1908 and 1909, a -gradual reaction subsequently set in. This was due in part to the -cleverness and regardlessness of von Bieberstein, and in part to the -circumstances arising out of the policy adopted by the Young Turks. For -instance, while the Germans ignored the necessity for reforms in the -Ottoman Empire so long as the Turks favored a Teutonic program, it was -impossible for the British Government or the British public to look with -favor upon a régime which worked to maintain the privileged position of -Moslems throughout the empire, which did nothing to punish those who -instigated the massacre of the Armenians of Cilicia in 1909, and which -was intent upon disturbing the status quo in the Persian Gulf, and upon -changing the status of Egypt to the Turkish advantage. - - -The Turco-German Entente - -Such indeed became the position that even the Turco-Italian war, which -might have been expected to shake the confidence of the Ottoman -Government in the bona fides of Italy's then ally, did not seriously -disturb the intimate relations which were gradually developing between -Berlin and Constantinople. Here again enemy intrigues were to the fore, -for in addition to Austria's objecting to the inauguration of any -Italian operations in the Balkans, the German Government, when the -position of its representative in Constantinople had become seriously -compromised as a result of the Italian annexation of Tripoli, which he -could not prevent, suddenly found it convenient to transfer von -Bieberstein to London and to replace him by another, perhaps less able, -but certainly none the less successful in retaining a grasp over -everything which took place in the Ottoman capital. - -Before and particularly after the accession of the Kaiser to the throne, -the Germans gradually furthered their program by a system of railway -penetration in the East. In the late '60s Baron Hirsch secured a -concession for the construction of lines from Constantinople to what was -then the north-western frontier of Eastern Rumelia, and from Saloniki to -Mitrovitza, with a branch to Ristovatz on the then Serbian frontier. At -first these lines were under French influence, but they subsequently -became largely an Austrian undertaking, and considerably later the -Deutsche Bank secured a predominating proportion of the capital, -thus turning them practically into a German concern. In Asia Minor the -British, who were originally responsible for the construction of -railways, were gradually ousted, until, with the signature of the Bagdad -Railway agreement in 1903, the Germans dominated not only that line, but -also occupied a position in which, on the one hand, they had secured -control of many of its feeders, and, on the other, they had jeopardized -the future development and even the actual prosperity of those not -already in their possession. - - -Fruits of the Balkan Wars - -This brings us up to the second phase in the development of -Pan-Germanism in the East--the period of the Balkan wars--toward two -aspects of which, as Prince Lichnowsky says, the Central Powers devoted -their attention. "Two possibilities for settling the question remained." -Either Germany left the Near Eastern problem to the peoples themselves -or she supported her allies "and carried out a Triple Alliance policy in -the East, thereby giving up the rôle of mediator." Once more, in the -words of the Prince himself, "The German Foreign Office very much -preferred the latter," and as a result supported Austria on the one hand -in her desire for the establishment of an independent Albania, and on -the other in her successful attempts to draw Bulgaria into the second -war and to prevent that country from providing the concessions which at -that time would have satisfied Rumania. - -So far as the first of these questions--that connected with Albania--is -concerned, while the ex-Ambassador admits the policy of Austria was -actuated by the fact that she "would not allow Serbia to reach the -Adriatic," the actual creation of Albania was justified by the existence -of the Albanians as a nationality and by their desire for independent -government. Indeed, that the régime inaugurated by the great powers on -the east of the Adriatic, and particularly the Government of William of -Wied, proved an utter failure, was due not so much to what Prince -Lichnowsky describes as the "incapacity of existence" of Albania as to -the attitude of the Central Powers, and especially to that of Austria, -who, having brought the new State into being, at once worked for unrest -and for discord in the hope of being able to step in to put the house in -order when the propitious moment arrived. - - -Promoting Balkan Discord - -The second direction in which the enemy devoted his energy was an even -larger, more German and more far-reaching one. "The first Balkan war led -to the collapse of Turkey and with it the defeat of our policy, which -has been identified with Turkey for many years," says the memorandum. -This at one time seemed destined to carry with it results entirely -disadvantageous to Germany. Thus, if the four States, Bulgaria, Greece, -Montenegro, and Serbia, who fought in the first war had continued on -good terms with one another, the whole balance of power in Europe would -almost certainly have been changed. Instead of the Ottoman Empire, which -prior to the outbreak of these hostilities was held by competent -authorities to be able to provide a vast army, then calculated to number -approximately 1,225,000 men, there would have sprung up a friendly group -of countries which in the near future could easily have placed in the -field a combined army approximately amounting to at least 1,000,000, all -told. As the interests of such a confederation, which would probably -have been joined by Rumania, would have been on the side of the Triple -Entente, the Central Powers at once realized that its formation or its -continued existence would mean for them not only the loss of the whole -of Turkey, but also the gain for their enemies of four or five allies, -most of whom had already proved their power in war. - - -German Power in Turkey - -Between the Balkan wars and the outbreak of the European conflagration, -but as part of the former period, there occurred two events of -far-reaching significance. The first, which is mentioned by Prince -Lichnowsky, was the appointment of General Liman von Sanders practically -as Commander in Chief of the Turkish Army--an appointment which Mr. -Morgenthau rightly tells us constituted a diplomatic triumph for -Germany. When coupled with the fact that Enver Pasha--an out-and-out -pro-German--became Minister of War about the same time, the military -result of this appointment was an enormous improvement in the efficiency -of the Ottoman Army. Its political significance, on the other hand, was -due to the fact that it carried with it a far-reaching increase of -Pan-German influence at Constantinople. - -The second event in progress during the interval of peace was connected -with the Aegean Islands question. Germany, having first utilized her -diplomatic influence in favor of Turkey, later on encouraged the -Government of that country in its continued protests against the -decision upon that question arrived at by the great powers. Not content, -however, with this, the Kaiser, who has now adopted the policy of -deportation in Belgium, in Poland, and in Serbia, definitely encouraged -the Turks in a like measure in regard to the Greeks of Asia Minor in -order to be rid of a hostile and Christian population when the time for -action arrived. That this encouragement was given was always apparent to -those who followed the course of events in 1914, but that it was -admitted by a German Admiral to Mr. Morgenthau constitutes a -condemnation the damning nature of which it is difficult to exaggerate. - - - - -THE EUROPEAN WAR AS SEEN BY CARTOONISTS - -[Illustration: [Dutch Cartoon] - -Gott Mit Uns - -_--Raemaekers in "Kultur in Cartoons."_] - -[Illustration: [French Cartoon] - -Signing the Russian Peace - -_--From La Victoire, Paris._] - -[Illustration: [Spanish Cartoon] - -Peace in Russia - -_--From Esquella, Barcelona._] - -[Illustration: [Swiss Cartoon] - -The Russian Revolution - -_--From Nebelspalter, Zurich._ - -Bolshevist statesmanship.] - -[Illustration: [English Cartoon] - -A Threat from the Orient - -_--From The Passing Show, London._ - -"Fancy meeting _you_!"] - -[Illustration: [Italian Cartoon] - -The Yellow Peril - -_--From Il 420, Florence._ - -GERMANY: "After I have gathered all these eggs into one basket, this -fellow threatens to upset everything."] - -[Illustration: [American Cartoon] - -Camouflage - -_--From The Indianapolis News._] - -[Illustration: [Dutch Cartoon] - -The Kaiser's "Alte Gott" - -_--From De Notenkraker, Amsterdam._ - -"In thee I trust, confound me not."] - -[Illustration: [French Cartoon] - -_--From La Victoire, Paris._ - -"We have done all this: We will try to do better."--_General Foch._] - -[Illustration: [American Cartoon] - -Prussianism - -_--From The Columbus Dispatch._ - -How can the world make peace with this thing?] - -[Illustration: [American Cartoon] - -Enough to Make a Dead Man Laugh - -_--From The New York Herald._ - -WILHELM: "What have I not done to preserve the world from these -horrors?"] - -[Illustration: [English Cartoon] - -The End of Their Perfect Day - -_--From The Passing Show, London._] - -[Illustration: [American Cartoon] - -_--G. M. Amato in Mid-Week Pictorial._] - -[Illustration: [English Cartoon] - -Postponed - -"Papa, ven _are_ ve going to Calais?" - -"Ach! Go and ask your grandpa!" - -_--From Cassell's Saturday Journal, London._] - -[Illustration: [American Cartoons] - -Rough Going - -_--San Francisco Chronicle._ - - -Now You're Shoutin', Newton! - -_--St. Louis Globe-Democrat._] - -[Illustration: [American Cartoons] - -Hohenzollern "Victory" - -_--From The New York Times._ - -GERMANY: "How many will be left to enjoy the fruits of your 'victory'?"] - -[Illustration: The Follies of 1918 - -_--Buffalo News._ - -WAR BULLETIN: "The Kaiser's six sons have suffered no casualties."] - -[Illustration: So Far and No Further! - -_--Central Press Association._] - -[Illustration:[English Cartoon] - -The Line Blocked - -_--From News of the World, London._ - -THE ALL-HIGHEST: "Gott in Himmel! Hindenburg! What shall we do? I -promised to be in Paris on the 1st of April!"] - -[Illustration: [Italian Cartoon] - -German Peace Methods - -_--From Il 420; Florence._ - -First disarm the people by false talk of no annexations, then, with a -dagger at their back, force them to sign peace on your own terms.] - -[Illustration: [German-Swiss Cartoon] - -On the Field of Honor - -_--Nebelspalter, Zurich._ - -MARIANNE (France): "Wilson, my friend and protector, defend me!"] - -[Illustration: [Italian Cartoon] - -A French Counterattack - -_--Il 420, Florence._ - -WAR BULLETIN: "The French violently attacked the weakest point on the -German front."] - -[Illustration: [German Cartoon] - -The Fate of Holland's Ships - -_--Lustige Blätter, Berlin._ - -PROUD ALBION: "Here, give me that boat; I need it in my fight for the -'freedom of the seas'!"] - -[Illustration: [Spanish Cartoon] - -In Paris on Good Friday - -_--Esquella, Barcelona._ - -JOAN OF ARC: "Father, forgive them; they know not what they do."] - -[Illustration: [English Cartoon] - -Germany's Lost Colonies - -_--From The Passing Show, London._ - -PACIFIST: "Here! All that bag of yours must be handed over to a league -of nations for disposal." - -JOHN BULL: "Oh, must it? And did your friend behind the hedge send you -to say that?"] - -[Illustration: [American Cartoon] - -Hitting Him Where He Lives - -_--From The New York World._] - -[Illustration: [Italian Cartoon] - -The Battle of Picardy - ---Il 420, Florence. - -A second Verdun, with the same results for Germany.] - -[Illustration: [American Cartoon] - -On the Western Front - -_--From The San Francisco Call-Post._ - -"Ach! How he iss gaining!"] - -[Illustration: [English Cartoon] - -A Test of Endurance - -_--From The Passing Show, London._ - -How much longer?] - -[Illustration: [Dutch Cartoon] - -The New Waxworks Group for the German Museum - -_--From De Amsterdammer, Amsterdam._] - - - - -[Transcriber's Note: - -Italicized text denoted by underscores (_). - -Apparent printer's errors corrected. - -Spelling changes: - -Page 383, "y" was changed to read "by." (a private letter written by -Emperor Charles to a relative...) - -Page 383, "Guilford" was changed to read "Guildford." (At the time the -Guildford Castle was...) - -Page 385, "langauge" was changed to read "language." ( including parts -of two fine bridges across the great river, a language largely Latin in -substance,) - -Page 402, "altogther" was changed to read "altogether." (they spent the -night clearing out the enemy from the village, where he made a desperate -resistance, and brought back altogether something like 700 or 800 -prisoners.) - -Page 406, "fiften" was changed to read "fifteen." (made a general -counterattack and succeeded in advancing their line to a depth of about -fifteen hundred yards beyond the line of the three hills,...) - -Page 427, "Austalians" was changed to read "Australians." (Germans gain -a foothold at several points midway between La Clytte and Voormezeele, -but are repulsed at other points along the line; Australians advance 500 -yards near Sailly and 300 yards west of Morlancourt.) - -Page 440, "skudskär" was changed to read "skudshär." (the head of the -Russian Bureau of Counterespionage in Finland spoke of the skudshär -as...) - -Page 455, "miniumum" was changed to read "minimum." (The executive -organs of the Soviets of Workmen's Control have the right to fix the -minimum output of a given firm,..) - -Page 468, "cinsiderably" was changed to read "considerably," (After -America's entry into the war material help for the Entente has not only -not increased, but has even decreased considerably.) - -Page 468, "rogram" was changed to read "program." (Wilson's gigantic -armament program has brought about such...) - -Page 470, "dur-" was changed to read "during." (In regard to the -sinkings in April, French official figures showed that the total losses -of allied and neutral ships, including those from accidents at sea -during the month, aggregated 381,631 tons.)] - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Current History, Vol. VIII, No. 3, -June 1918, by Various - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CURRENT HISTORY, JUNE 1918 *** - -***** This file should be named 41479-8.txt or 41479-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/1/4/7/41479/ - -Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Wayne Hammond and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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