1918-04-11 — Page 5

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THE WAR.

GREAT GERMAN ATTACK

AMERICA'S

EXPECTED.

WAR

ANNIVERSARY.

SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT.

GREAT BRITAIN AND THE WAR.

General.

PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH.

LATEST CABLES.

【THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS

dispassionate justice to Germany at any time, whatever the outcome, would be to

renounce and dishonour our own onuse.

the modern world insists, can play no part. They are rejected for the ideals of power, for the principle that the strong must rule the weak, that trade must follow the flag, whether those to whom it is taken welcome it or not, that the peo

to

i.

ples of the world are to be made subjects the patronage and overlordship of those who have the power to enforce it. AMERICA ACCEPTS THE CHALLENGE,

THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 1918.

LATEST CABLES.

SPEECH BY MR. LLOYD GEORGE.

LONDON,April 9th There, was intense interest in the

Prime Minister's speech in the House of Commons today. The House was crowded, but there was an entire absence of excitement and no demonstrations when the political leaders entered. The Prime Minister, who was cheered on rising, began his speech in low tones, but his voice rang out as he developed his theme.

The

*That programme, if onto carried out, America and all who care or dare to stand with her must arm and prepare themselves to contest. The mastery of the world, a mastery in which the rights

Prime Minister said: We of common men, the rights of women, have now entered the most criti- and of all who are weak must for the cal stage of this terrible war. There time being bo trodden under foot and leat present a lull, but the hurricane disregarded and the old nge-long struggle is not yet over. It is gathering

for freedom and the right to begin again strength for a more fierce outbreak, and We ask for nothing that we are not at its beginning Everyting America ere it is finally exhausted there will be ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICA'Swilling to necord. It has been with this has lived for, loved and grown great to many more. The fate of the Empire, the

WAR-ENTRY.

thought that I sought to learn from SPEECH BY PRESIDENT WILSON those who spoke for Germany whether

BALTIMORE, April 10th. President Wilson, addressing a inect ing commemorating the first anniversary of America's entrance into the war and inaugurating the campaign for the Third Liberty Loan, said :— This is the

it was

justice or dominion and the execution of their own will upon other nations in the world which the German leaders ure Berking. They answered in unmistakable torms They avowed that it was not justico but

THE CZERNIN "LIE"

IMPORTANT ADMISSION.

L'ARIB, April 9th MClenienceau bas issued a Note re garding Count Czernid 2-lie, in which

he states that the Austrian Emperor, in

a fetter in March, 1917, admitted the jus tice of the French claims regarding Alano-Lorraine,

The newspapers regard the admission

as most important

RUSSIAN AFFAIRS. GERMAN DEMANDS.

Perrógrad, April oth. Germany has telegraphed the Commis- sary for Foreign Affairs, demanding the immediate disarmament of the Russian Fleet and the conclusion of a Russo- Ukrainian Peace

The Germans at Hangoc demanded the cessation of the destruction of Russian

vindicate and bring to a glorious realian fate of Europe, and the fates of liberty warships in the Barbours, and of the forts.

tion will have fallen in utter ruin, and the gates of mercy once more, pitilessly. shut upon mankind. The thing is pre

posterous,

And, yet is not impossible. that what the whole course of action of the German armies has meant wherever

throughout the world might depend upon the success with which even the very last

n

anniversary of our acceptance of Gardominion and unhindered execution of they have moved 1 do not wish, even storin, recommendations which would.

دایره

many'a challenge to fight for our right to live and be free and for the sacred rights of free men everywhere. The nation is awake, and there is no need to call to it. We know what the war must cost; our utmost sacrifice of the lives. of our fittest men, and, if need be all that we possess, The Loan we are met. discuss is one of the least parts of

in this moment of utter disillusionment, to judge harshly or unrighteously. I judge only by what the German arms aro accomplished with unpitying thorough ness throughout avery fair region they have touched What, then, are we to do? For myself I am ready, ready still ready oven now to discuss a fair, just and honest petes at any time that it is sincerely

of these attacks is resisted and countered. The Government, therefore, pray to submit to Parliament to-day co

recommendatjona in order to assist “tro country and the Allies to wenther the

involve, he regrotted to say, extreme sacrifices by large classes of the popula tion, and nothing would

Justits then but the most extremo necessity,, and the fact that we are fighting for all that is essential to and most sacred in national life.

The Prime Minister, in explain ing why Parliament had not been sum

They also demand that the bolts and sights of guns on ships and land batteries must be removed before April 11th, and that the crews of Russian ships must se to Russia, except small nuclen,

turd

crews.

THE IRISH CONVENTION

LONDON, April 9th.

their own will. The avowal did not come from Germany's statesmen; it care from her military leaders, who are her real rulers, Her statesmen Brid they wished for peace and were ready to discuss its terms whenever their op ponents were willing to sit down at the conférence table with them. Her pre- sent Chancellor said, in indefinite and what we are called on to give and do 1 uncertain terms indeed, and in phrases purposed. A peace in whier the strong moned carlier, said that since the battle the fate of the 1

though in itself it is imperative,

THE REASONS FOR THE WAR. "The people of the whole country are alive to the necessity of the Loan, and are rudy to land to the utmost, even

where it involves sharp skimping and a daily szerifice to lend from their meagre earnings. They will look with reproba tion and contempt upon those who can but won't, upon those demanding a high er rate of intorest, upon those who think of it as a. mere commercial transaction I have not come, therefore, to urge the laun; I only come to give you, if I can, a more vivid conception of what it is for: The reasons for this great war, the reuson why it had to come, the need to fight it through and the issues hanging upon its outcome are more clearly disclosed now than ever before. It is easy to see just what this particular loan means, be cause the cause for which we are fighting stands more sharply revealed than at any previous crisis of the momentous struggle. AMERICA'S GREAT STAKE. The man

who knows least can now see plainly how the case of justice stands, and what an imperishable thing it is he is asked to invest in. The men

that often seem to deny their own meaning, but with as much plainness ay he thought prudent, that believed peace should be based upon the principles we had declared to be our own in the final settlement. At Brest Litovsk her

civilian delegates spoke in similar terras, and they professed a desire to conclude a fair peace, and to ecard to the peoples with whose fortunes they are dealing the right to choose their own allegiances. But action accompanied and followed the profession. Their military masters, the men who act for Germany and exhibit her purpose in its execution, proclaimeden very different con- clusion. We cannot mistake what they have done in land, Ukraine The real test of their justice and fair- play has come. From this we may judge the rest. They are enjoying in Russia

in Russia,

and in

Fin- Roumania.

cheap triumph, in which no brave and gallant nation can long take pride. 4 great people, helpless by their own uet, lies for a time at their mercy. Their fair professions are forgotten. They nowhere set up justice, but everywhere impose their power and exple every. thing for their own use and aggrandize

and the Wenk shall fare alike,

But the answer when I proposed such a peace came from the German comunan derin Russia, and we cannot mistake the I accept the

meaning of that answer.

challenge. I know that you accept it, and all the world shall know that you accept

t

Bet it appear in utter sacrifice and forgetfulness of self with which we shall give all we love and all we have to redeem the world and make it fit for free

lito ourselves to live in This now is

the meaning of all we do. Let every thing we say my fellow countrymen, everything we henceforth plan to accom- plísh, ring true to this response till the majesty and might of our conterted

power shall fill the thought and utterly defeat the force of thou who flout and misprize what we honour and hold dear. Germany bas once more aid that force alone shall decide whether justice and peace shall reign in the affairs of men, whether right, a America conceives it, or domition, as she conceives it, shell deter mine the destinies of mankind. There is, therefore, but one response possible from ue, Force, force to the utmost force without stint or limit, a righteous and triumphant forec, which shall make

right the law of the world and cast every selfish dominion down in the dust":

EARLIER CABLES.

armies whom even their countless divi- PROMOTION OF GENERALS Isions cannot overcome?

BY SELECTION.

AN EMPIRE OF FORCE.

If, when they felt their check

Our

began the Government had been engaged almost hourly, in concert with our Allies, in providing the incasures to assist the armies and to deal with the emergency. The proposals they intended to submit required very close and careful examination.

pomi

Dealing with the military ton, Mr. Lloyd George pointed out that it was difficult to get dear and reliable narrative of the batile, which extended along üfty miles. The Staf and Generals were, naturally, engaged in

centrating their attention on opera tions against the enemy, and until that strain is relaxed it will be difficult to certain exactly what has happened, but one or two facts stood out, though in stating them he must avoid giving into mation or encouragement to the enemy, The enemy had a certain mea- sure of Austrian support, but notwithstanding this, and notwithstanding

80

the considerable number of German Divisions · from the East, when the battle began the com-

batant strength of the German Army in the West was not quite equal to the total

strength of the Allies. The Germans were lightily inferior in infantry, inferior in artillery, considerably inferior in cavalry, and undoubtedly inferior in air crnit

[The message is incomplete,]

EARLIER CABLES,

LABOUR LEADER ABANDONS CONCILIATORY POLICY,

LONDON, April oth.

A Royal Warrant states that promotion

LONDON, April 9th.

of America may be surer than ever hement, and the peoples of the conquered fore that the cause is their own, and if provinces are invited to be free undex it he lost their own great nation's place their dominion. Are we not justified in and mission in the world will be lost believing that they would do the same with it. I call you to witness, my fellow things at their Western Front if they countrymen, that as no stage of this were not there face to face with the terrible business have "I judged the par- poses of Germany intemperately. should he ashamed, in the presence of affairs so grave, so fraught with the destinies of mankind throughout the

be final they should. propose to the rank of General will benceforth whole world, to speak with truculence or

favourable and equitable terms be by selection instead of scuiority. to use the weak language of hatred and

with regard to Belgium, Francs and vindictive purpose. We must judge as

Italy, could they blame us if we conclud. we would be judged. I sought to

ed that they did so only to assure them- learn Cermany's objects in this war selves of a free band in Bussia and in the from the mouths of her own spokesmen, East Their purpose is undoubtedly to and to deal frankly with them as I make all Slavic peoples, all the free and wished them to deal with me. I laid bare ambitious nations of the Balkan Pan- our own ideais, our own purposes, with insulu, ki the lands

to

Turkey

has out reserve or doubtful phrase, and I ask-dominated and misruled, subject to their -ed them to say 28 plainly what they seek, will and ambition and build upon that

THE GERMAN AVOWAL

dominion an empire of force upon which We on selves proposed no injustice they fancy they can then erect an and no aggression. We are ready, empire to gain commercial supremacy- whenever the final reckoning is to be an empire as hostile to the Americans aa made, to be just to the German people to Europe, and which it will overawe and to deal fairly with the German an empire which will ultimately master Power, as with all others. There can Persia, India and the peoples of the be no difference between peoples in the Far East. In such a programme our foal judgment, if it is indeed- to be aideus, the ideals of justice, humanity, Tighteous judgment. To propose that liberty, and the principle of free self ranything but justice be handed up, and determination of nations upon which all

THE NEW HOME RULE BILL

LONDON, April 9th.

The Times states: The Government has found in the deliberations of the Irish Convention a basis for proposals ag regards the Government of Ireland, bat their schemo of conscription for Ireland is not conditional upon the acceptance of these proposals by Parliament. Con scription will be insisted upon whatover

proposals.. FINLAND AND GERMANY. POWERFUL ANTI-GERMAN

PARTY

Franco-Belgtan_Front,

EARLIER CABLES

[THROUGH EZOTER'S AGENGE.)

BRITISH FRONT.

GREAT ARTILLERY ACTIVITY.

LONDON, April 9th,

1.25 p.m.

Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig re- portsThe enemy artillery early this

morning developed great activity from La Barsee Lanal to southward of Armen

tieres.

There was benvy hostile ahelling in the neighbourhoods of Villers-Bretonneux and Mericourt-Lable,

RAINY WEATHER AGAINST THE ENEMY

the

LONDON, April 9th! Reuter's Correspondentat Britiel Headquarters reports: There

no reason to name that

Germans bave given. ·∙up the big gamble to force a decisión, bat the rainy weather must be adding greatly to his difficulties, I understand that the enemy High Command has issued orders that battalion and regimental commanders Are just to keep close up with their units to

66:

engourage them. Prisoners any that this is owing to trouble in several divi sions, leading in several cases to men refusing to advance. I give this story for what it is worth, but it does not seem improbable that the troops from the Rus sinn Front are thinking pretty hard just now.

FRENCH FRONT.

ENEMY TROOPS BOMBARDED,

Fanis, April 9th

LONDON, April 9th. The Times Correspondent at Stockholm says there is a very strong anti-German party in Finland, including not merely the whale commercial and industrial elements, but even General Count Man but the White troops are pro-German. norheim, commanding the White Army;

The Entente should take steps which the on the left of the Oise.

anti-German Finns recommend, because Finland is rapidly becoming a German province,

A communique states:-Thero wis great reciprocal artillery firing at

Mentdidier, and between Montdidier and numerous points on the front north of

Noyon.

There were intermittent bombardment

Our advanced clements, in accordance with orders withdrew to previously organised positions south-west of the The Times, în an editorial, urges the lower forest of Coury, and south of Conny-

Je-Chateau, The enemy troops, v

which a Allies to protect the ice-free harbour of

incessantly homharded, lost heavily dur Kola, in Russian Lapland, and keep opening this operation,

the Murman Railway, which is the door

to European Bussia, besides trying to maintain relations with the powerful anti-German Finnish party.

The Times says there can be no just comparison between the action of the Allics at Vladivostock and the German invasion of Finland, and the Allies must spare no effort to prevent Siberia from sharing the fate of Finland.

THE SILVER MARKET.

LONDON, April ath. Silver is quoted ng 15) por ounce, There is no demand and the market is steady.

The Near East,

EARLIER CABLES. (THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]

ARABS SUCCESSES.

WITHDRAWAL FROM EXPOSED POSITIONS.

LONDON, April 9th."

44.25 p.m.

Benter's Correspondent at French Headquarters, telegraphing yesterday, explaining the withdrawal on the front at Coucy Forest, says: Since the be- Sining of the battle we held in the

Coucy region a species of a salient bound od by a line between the Oise and the old front, north of Deuillen, which was exposed to fire from three directions. We are falling back to prepared positiona along the Ailette.

GERMAN LOSSES LEAK OUT. Apparently the truth as regards the buge ensiny losses has leaked ont m Ger- many, despite precautions, I can con arm the report that soldiers are forbid

Air. Arthur Henderson, spraking in OPERATIONS IN PALESTINE. den to write to their families. If all is London, said that the Kaiser and his

War Lords, by their latest attack, had drawn the British people together in

•& consecrated and determined effort to destroy militarism,

The Daily Express states the new Home Rule Bill will include an Irish Mr. Henderson said he had abandoned Parliament at Dublin, with an Executive, a policy of conciliation which hitherto ho responsible to it; military service, safe had favoured, because the Western offen- gards for Protestant minorities, no corsive, following the shameful treatment of trol over the Navy and Army or foreign Bussia proved that organised Prussian policy, and a new customs, arrangement, brutality was secking world domination

and threatening the free development o national and international life

THE NEW BUDGET.

LONDON, April 8th. The Daily Mail states that Mr. Bonar Law, in his new Budget, hopes to

obtain = £1,000,000,000 – from the tax- payers, increasing the income tax duties on beer and spirits, and licencea; also from

tea, coffee, cocoa and sager, and by imposing an ad valorum tax ca articles of luxury,

AMERICA AND THE WAR

TROOPS FOR FRANCE,

LONDON, April 9th, The Press Bureau announces that ad- vices from Egypt report that the Arabs have engaged in several successful engage ments, defeating ng capturing small bodies of Turks in southern Hedjas, also destroying the Portiman Railway near.

Jedid. Moreover the Arabs occupied Bowat, and derailing a train near Bir

Kerak on Sunday,

Aertal

Activities.

EABLIER CABLES:

(THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]

THE RAID ON COLOGNE.

LONDON, April 9th,

A Basle telegram states that 248 were WASHINGTON, April 9th. killed in the British air-raid on Cologne. The Acting Secretary for War an-

Half the victing were soldiers in a nornoes that the transportation of troop-train ready to start for the American troops to France has already Western Front The raid caused the

been accelerated

greatest panic

going well with them, why suppress tho soldiers' letters? Since March 24th the publication of communiquég in the Ger man Army has been forbidden and the men naturally ask why,

GERMANS EXAGGERATE AN OPERATION.

PARIS, April th

It is semi-officially stated that a renewal of the attack on a vast front must be

expected.

Yesterday on the Oised Ailette we withdrew in order to reduce the salient, and after fulfilling our mission of hold- ing the enemy while the French main body took up new positions, the Germans are attempting to represent this simple operation as a great German attack, p hape hoping to attract some of our Tesorica here, so as to ease the Somma front, which is still their main objective The enemy is employing French pri soners three kilometres behind the fixing

line