1918-05-16 — Page 7

OUR LONDON LETTER. VOFFICIALDOM AND THE BUILDING OF SHIPS,

LONDON,

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, THURSDAY, MAY 16TH, 1918.

AN AIR RAID ON GERMANY

EYE-WITNESS DESCRIPTION.

On the 12th instant another daylight CLOSING DOWN THE PLEASURES OFd into Germany was carried out by our The factories and station and aeroplanes. the barracks at Cablens were attacked. Ore a ton of bombs were dropped, and burst were seen on all the objective, raising two fires, British afici Air post March 12th,

LELOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT]

Losnos, March 19th:

What London will look like when the new order closing down the theatres, staurants, and places of abusement gen- erally at 9.30 p.m., comes into force must for the mcurent be left to the imaging tion. "The Coal Controller (of all people in the world) is the man who has set hisinind upon curtailing even the limited amunut, of“ enjoyment permitted to the Metropolis in way time. The reason alleged for this drastic measure is that it is necessary to conserve stocks of coal and to take as pinch traffe as possible off the railways.

During my LAY

JAPAN AND SIBERIA

AN INEVITABLE STEP.

BY PERCEVAL LANDON.] The attention of the world has naturally been absorbed by the progress of the war in Europe almost to the exclusion of other aspects of the struggle. It is true that thu eleaning of the seas from German shipping, the extirpation of the derinan colonies, and the brilliant advances which have driven prongs into the two hearts Asiatic Turkey, have attracted the enthusiasm of a period, but always and inevitably the interest of Englishmen has returned to the scene of the main con- flict. For where your treasure is her will your heart be also,

GERMAN SPIES MOVEMENTS AND METHODS,

In a chapter of his new book on Ger many 31 J. W. Gerard, formerly American Ambassador in Berlin, gives his experiences of the methods of Ger man spies. Appended are some ex tracts:

"movie"

Th

German spies who looked like detectives hung about and followed us on the journey from Berlin to Switzer land, France, and Spain. There wer even suspicious characters among the Americans with German accent who came This neutral country, in our special train from Germany to bordering on Germany, France, Italy. Switzerland. and Austria, is the happy hunting ground spies and outfitting point for myriads of einployed by the nations at war. all the other nations together."

ncy produces Germans, however, use more spies than

Spy spies on spy-nutocracy' bureaucracy where men rise and fall not The German by the votes of their fellow citizens, but by hack-stairs intrigue. office holder fears the spies of his rivals.

While in Spain I met the then Premier, Count Romanones, a man of great talent and impressive personality He told tra of the finding of a quantity of high explosives, marked by a little boy, in ono of the secluded bays of the coast. who had mysteriously appeared at a And that day a German had been arrested workman took a first-class passage to Spanish port dressed as a workman. The Madrid, went to the best hotel and bought a complete outfit of fine clothes. Undoubtedly the high explosives ns well

[FROM THE TIMES CORRESPONDENT AT THE JAGUE.]: A neutral who returned to Holland to-day after a visit to Germany presents the following up in Germany, which ended this worning, two things have struck me most namely, an Allied air

But the fanious text applies to others raid which witnessed whilst at Mülheim,

Cologne, on March 12th, and the as well as to ourselves, and Japan watches condition of the Russian prisoner The the varying fortunes of the war with a Brst was the most striking possible illu-national interest that in no way detracts stration of the moral effect of Allied air from the steady loyalty with which she reprisals; the second was the violent has performed her part in the work of lesson to anybody who might think of the Alliance. She has wiped out Kino- entrusting and his country or his coun-chau, she has effectually performed the tryner to the tender mercies of the Ger- task allotted to her of policing Fav Eastern waters, and her supply of muni Of course, we all know that a vast num On March 12th I was in the neighbour-tions has been enormous. The time, how ber of miners are in the Army, and more hood of a certain big war work at ever, has now come when the disintegra will soon join up. The same remark Mülheim at 10 minutes past noon. Sudtion of Russia has brought a wholly new applies to the railwaymen. But as the denly all the whistles of the factories factor into the situation. This isnte order is to be put into operation on the started blowing, sirens hooted, and in a

by the friction that always attends First of April (an auspicious date, some few seconds there was a great rush of gration has been accompanied not merely

Ach, lieber think) when people generally are leaving women from the works

than which it in hardly possible to off having fires, and with daylight sav Goft, es sind Bomben :" ("Good Heavens, centrifugal politics, but by an anarchy ing then in force, the aforesaid reason it's bombs 1") they shouted, and prompt imagine greater chaos. In the case of is not quite convincing. Besides, there is scattered in panic in all directions, Ho suggestion that the Curfew is to apply halting for the bomb-proof shelters. Japan, the danger thus created is er to the whole country. it will only Passing trams stopped instantly, as if mously increased by the pressure of operate south of a line drawn from the the current was cut off, and the conduc- 160,000 German and Austrian ex-prison as the mysterious German had been landed Bristol compulsory food was limited in the matter of tore bolted into the houses. A few people era, to whom arms can be conveyed. *---

Channel to Harwich.

LONDON IN WAR TIZIE.

Just k

Those who are opposed to the proposed Order have so far the best-of-ine arga ments. London is, after all, the one place in the whole country where people were able to come for relaxation from the wor ries and depression inseparable from war time. They have patronised the theatres and mssio balls, and in the crowded life of

|

mytas.

remained just outside the feltern gazing into the sky, which was quite clear. Four or five acroplanes were visible, and

GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION.

To this considerable danger there must he added others which can only be fully

ומסין

The

a German submarine..

vie De My cables to and from the State partment passed through our Tegation at Copenhagen, and, of course, if the Germans knew our cipher these messages. I made use of a super cipher the key to which I kept in a safe in my bedroom and which only one secretary could use,

cables sent and received Bles of cipher

But before leaving did, and were kept in a large safe in the Em- Germany; ussy.

other knowing the Germans countries- und particularly what they had done in knowing how easy it would be for them to burglarize the safe after we loft, when ka the Spaniards and Dutch were out the building nt night, 1 tossed all these dispatches, as well as the code books, inta all the cables are in the State, Depart big furnace fire. Of course, copies of A clever spy can open a sealed letter, road the contents, and send it again, This is done by cutting through the seals with a hot razor-the divided seals Rre then united by pressing the hot razor against each side of the cut and then

to other diplomatists.

of

to the Home Counties the "enrly-to-bed Order is being limited to the south of the country.

Trying it on the dog " by way of ex. Presently somebody exclaimed, “They realised by reference to a map. Perhaps were read by them. On special occasions are American. Another person scream that which concerns the Japanese most periment is the commentary of the aver ed aloud, The Americans are coming is the existence of Vladivostock. This age Londoner, who is not impressed by A Dutchman.

who:[ Huppose

Was is a warm" port, which is never frozen the new kill foy mandate of the powers employed at the works near which I was to the extent of impeding navigation, standing, called out. There now, what and its distance about 480 miles from that be

did I tell you. I told you the Americans the centre of Japan naturally reminds

Now you would come sooner or later.

Whether the machines actually one of the parallel that Antwerp pro sec.". were American. I cannot pay, but the vides at the other side of the land mass thing which was most striking was the of this planet. Japan has no intention at her head, either by outlaw anarchists evidence that there had been a general of allowing this "pistof" to be presented or even less by the calculated ambition scepticism whether the American Rero- an equal

of Germany planes would ever come, and

Janes - Moreover, she bas on the continent two fear of them when they do come.

aeroplanes Londen were able to forget the tragedy which I saw did not come directly over considerable territories which it is her of the way. In this respect London has head, but circled round and finally few duty to safeguard-Korea and the peninment. been a valuable asset to the moral of the off upstream. They dropped their bombs sula-cap of Kwantung, which contains the nation and it does not Reem quite the later upon Coblenz. The employes stayed prosperous town of Dairen and the famous It is natural thing to shut up the theatres and teaway from the works until 8 p.m., when fortress of Port Arthur. Etaurants and turn the capital into a the whistles wounded, again. This second that she should wish to throw forward City of Gloom. There are sure to be signal was also understood, for several outposts which would protect herself and other very undesirable things in connee women who had come out of the shelters her continental possessions from attack, tion with night clubs and other places if

and a glance at a map will make it clear Curfew rings at half-past nine. Even

that only by controlling the approaches a Coal Controller ennnot hope to change

to Harlin can she control the approaches to her own territory. M the habits of a city of seven millions of people by a stroke of his official pen! THE FOOD QUESTION:"

As a matter of fact, the four

said that that meant that they would nut go back to work yet. The All clear" was not sounded until 4 p.m., when people returned to work.

Next morning the papers asserted that enly four or five people had been killed at Coblenz, This statement is untrue, The chief topic of conversation in thee for, although I failed to get to Coblenz days when men and women foregather at to see the extent of the daamge, I have heme and aboard is the question of food: authority for stating that great damage was done, many Bres were started, and about 50 people were killed. There was a vague report of a confirmation.

The prices of most things having bươn fixed the chief concern is supply. As 1 predicted in previous letters when re

but I could obtain

part of

There is, however, another side to this affair with which geography is equally concerned--the question of political strategy. It is ridiculous for us to shut our cos to the fact that for the last half century Japan, an alert, capable, and ambitious country, has steadily increased her influence in China. Perhaps there were never two races that were so fitted to act together, for the extraordinary

pressing the two parts of the cut real together.

VIOLATION OF DIPLOMATIC BASS

HONGKONG

WAR

BONDS DRAWING

PRIZES.

The sale of tickets has proceeded so satisfactorily.

that the Committee is now able to indicate a provisional allocation of the big prizes and the

100 smaller prizes.

The prizes given below are, as already advised, subject to the amount available for distribution being the

e sum of $500.000.

In this event :—

WAR CHARITIES WILL RECEIVE

Approximately.

1st prize

$125.000

187.500

2nd prize

56.200

3rd prize

37,500

R Wr{LEA

of

$10.000

each

(approx.)

20.000

2 <prizes

2 prizes OE €7,000 of $5,000

each

15.000

each

10,000

2 prizes

of $2,000 *each

5,000

7. prizes

of

ΩΣ $2,000

each

14.000

B prizes of

ΟΙ

$1.000

Each

6,000

10 prires

of

$700

each

000

15 prizes

$400 each

6,000

15 prizes

of

8300

each

4.500

21 prizes of

$200

each

4,800

15 prizes

$100

exch

1,500

$500,000

103 prizes

The closing date for sale of tickets is 12th June and the number of tickets now available for sale is

bought all the tickets you require it is advisable to rapidly becoming less, therefore if you have not

hurry up and tell your friends to do likewise.

TICKETS $5.00 each.

From the outbreak of war we ight and.. received our official mail through Eng land, and couriers carried it between Berlin and London through Holland ria Flashing and Tilbury. On account of the great volunt of correspondence between ON sale at all stores, clubs, HOTELS, BANKS, Etc.

the Ambassador Page and myself on affairs of German prisoners in England and English prisoners in Germany, there were many pouches every week. These were leather mail bags opened only by duplicate keys kept in London and Berlin.

Terring to the subject, the authorities damage to a GRAAF the power of work possessed by the Chinese and from the American mail, in Berlin

can prevent anybody getting more than his share. but they cannot ensure that: everybody will get what he wants. Many are, in fact, obliged to go short of some thing or other every week...

But it must be confessed that, speaking generally, there is very little cause for complaint. We have the food in the euntry, despite enemy submarines, and the problem is to arrange for equal dis tribution everywhere. There was a touch of genius in making lecal Food Control Committees responsible for the working of the rationing schemes, for they are all keen to see that as far as is possible they get their share as between one district and another, and also as between dif- ferent traders in their own locality. The work they do is unpaid, though they have naturelly the assistance of a paid official to see that their requirements are carried out.

THE FARMERS' TASK.

The panic among a population was extreme, and the effect Even when the insted long afterwards. aeroplanes had disappeared and a few old spirits began to leave the shelters, others shouted to them to come back, and obviously regarded them as crazy. This remains the most striking impression of my visit to Germany various meane, ta

I was able, through investigate directly the treatment of Rus sians in some of the big Rhenish works Their condition is more than pitiful, it is atrocious.

worked to They receive less and less

Undoubtedly at this time the Germans opened and looked over the contents of the bags. Later in the war our courier, while on a Dutch mail boat running between Flushing and England, was twice captured with the boat by a German was ship and taken into Zeebrugge. Un doubtedly here, too, the bags were secretly opened and our uncoded dispatches and letters read.

has never in its history been turned to the and Washington. Our couriers did their world's profit They invented gunpowder best to keep the numerous bags in their and used it for fireworks. They insight during the long journey, but on vented the compass and probably never many occasions our couriers were separat went beyond sight of the coast. They ed. I am sure with malicious purpose, invented the printing press and retained from their bags by the German railway their ideographic formule which made authorities, and on some occasions the writing a quicker process of publication. bags were not recovered for days.

Japan has always bad the ambition of leavening China, and thereby adding to Steadily she has her own prosperity.

this end. Even during the war her influence in China food; they are weakened and exhausted has been proved by several démarches, by the infamous and inhuman treatment, and when they break down under the which have not only frankly intervened are mercilessly in Chinese affairs, but have almost to limit the sovereignty combined effects they

of the Celestial Republic. In order spurred on again by the German guards appeared

GERMANS AND RUESIANS,

quietly to pursue this consistent and natural policy it is necessary that the déberle in Russia should not disturb the peace in Mongolia nominally in the sphere of Russia interest. It might be supposed that the entire dislocation of Russian government, commercial activity, and private life would in itself have guaranteed inaction in an outlying and very distant sphere of such recent, ar- quisition that the Russians had only had the time to establish a few customs and not studied international history in vain observation posts. But the Japanese have and it is probable that they regarded the approach of the small Russia vanguard into Manchuria with much the same anxiety as that with which the British One Dutchman Government viewed the coming of the in These Russians domitable Marchand to Fashoda, and that in said, That is brutal. has got back to the land

But

they think the possibility of a Germanic way cannot be starved. Besides, are human beings as well as you." this mighty effort is an indication the guard only replied. Well, they which cannot be ignored of the spirit should not be so damned lazy." Another invasion in the same direction is a matter which will hold on grimly to the end that Dutchman said bluntly, It is a pity which cannot be dealt with too soon.

the Russians don't treat you Germans like means victory,

this in Russia." One Russian whom I knew had an open wound on his thigh, and naked to be sent to hospital, but was refused.

I myself saw one Russian, so weak that he could scarcely walk, carrying a barre 2 hundred of cement, weighing about Unless something altogether unforeseen weight, on his neck. He collapsed under and disastrous in the last degree occurs

the weight, and the German sentry began we are safe from famine. The utmost at once to use the filthiest language endeavours are being made to make the towards him Voraus, Schweinbund country self-supporting. The farmers of Durchlaufen," were, as far as I could injunctions Britain are on their mettle. In addition hear, the sentry's last

Double, will to what they are doing, the allotment("Get on, you swine: holders are performing a service that you?"?) Another Russian who was must win recognition from every future stumbling under a big lond was informed historian of the war. No matter where by a guard, you go around London and in all parts knout behind yox. ought to have the On one occasion an abusive German are to be seen digging the brown earth guard aroused the expostulations of tame and (now that the Spring has come Dutch workmen who had recently come acain) planting their plots of land with from Holland, enticed by big wages and potatoes and other vegetables. A country all sorts of promises

of the country men and women, too

this

THE SHIPBUILDING FIASCO,

Not

You

FOOLING. THE COUNTRY

A WAR WITHIN A÷WAUZ

sufe

German spies were most annoying in distance of Havana, and one of them, a large dark. man, followed me about at a only six feet, with his eyes glued on the

my sboulder. small bag which I carried from a thick: strup hanging, aroi nd brought it from Germany in that way. What was in that bag? Among other I never let it out of my hands or sight. things were the original telegrams writ- ten by the Kaiser in his own handwriting, facsimiles of which appear in the back of this book, and the treaty which the Ger- held me as a prisoner. Under the terme they proposed the German ships interned mine tried to get me to sign while they

of war, to sail for Germany under a in America were to have the right, in chec

th United States, Somewhat of a treaty! conduct to be obtained from the Allies by And quite a new, bright, and original thought by some one in the Foreign Office or German Admiralty. There were also the of interest that may some day: in this mysterious bag many other mailers light o

paganda and spring are Poisonous propaganda the twin offspring of Kaiserism. There is in Mexico, for instance, one force that never sleeps the German propaganda. It is the same method as that used by the Teutons in every country, the purchase or rental of newspaper properties, bribing public men and officers of the Army, and the insidious use of Germans who are engaged in commerce. This propaganda appropriated by the German Government. is backed by enormous sums of money which directs how all its officers and agents, high and low, shall participate in the campaign.

It is a consideration too little weighed at this moment, that, ent off as she will The past week has been a bad one for

from her old ambitions in the East by the Baghdad route, Germany will intal- bureaucracy The shipbuilding pro

libly move upon a similar prey through gramme, whereby we were to have

the ruins of the late Russian Empire standard ships turned out in such large

Against this menace Japan Bas every numbers that we could laugh at the

right to take precautions, and there is U-boats, an acknowledged fiasco.

The

Ships are not being delivered as The worst feature of this business is not one of the Allies but will regard her was expected, and as the country was ed that mind off praise tended to beuss claim to act as wholly justified. Nor is to believe

only has that been ad the country. There has been a comfort without reason that she should wish mitted by Government apologists in Parable feeling that we were all right as to dissociate her present policy from the Hament, but Whitehall bureaucrats tried regard the construction of new ships, that general policy of the Allies, after having to cover bungling and incompetence by the submarine menace was being mastered, obtained from her colleagues a recogni- sugesting that, the blame rested with and that soon we should have enough tion of the fact that her campaign in minsters and men. The public formed the tonnage for all the demands that could wholls sympathetic to the general cause opinion that it was the old story of be made upon it. Instead of that being The war will, in fact, be a war within trouble in the Labour world that was the case the position is serious, and with war, and its consequences will naturally jeopardising national safety

There has indeed been trouble in the cut doubt it will take us all our time to lie outside any settlement that may be dockyards; but it has been brought about keep our oversen supplies. We cannot made at the Peace Congress that termi do it without more ships. The gates the world-struggle. Naturally by official dom which refused experienced requisitioning of Dutch vessels in Allied Japan will be expected to confine her of our activities to securing the territory bcces guidance in the first place and after

assumed full control

boundaries, direction in the matter of building ships lowever, now that it is known, tant sary to protect her existing bound the declaration of her maxim that inter of “standard” pattern, retarded out thố

of ships is not proceeding building put by continually altering design At length the workmen rebelled against as it ought something different may be part of Germany to become, the inheritor national law or no international law, the expected for the future. Already there of any Russia right in Mongolia Beyond spoils are to the strong. The entire this, indeed, it is inconceivable that she collapse of Russia has reduced to ruins bureaucratic methods They saw that is an improvement

The workers, their exertions were being, made of no exonerated from blame, are speeding a should wish to go. It is true that she has the inter responsibilities of the Alliek avail. They toiled day and night, but effort, and reports from the great, centres a population of 77,000,000 chiefly, pent. The only possible courte at this moment the ships could not be delivered. What state that during the last few weeks more up on the mainland of the old country is to look the new problems squarely in they did one week had to be altered the next and a start made de npr. And, of progress has been made than in months and that she has thereforen vast the face and act, not so much along the previously The pity is that the situs reserve of man-power to draw upon lines of conventional diplomacy as in course, it was like adding insult to injury

tion should have ever arisen. It makes reserve, which would soon have accordance with those general principles when the word went forth that they were the man in the street feel that somebody needed an outlet in any case of justice and prefence which have not the culprits.

ought to hang on a lamp-post in Pell but the rich province of Mauchuria, varied white man as had bis habitation

on the earth-De Telegraph. Mal-HR

(Continued at foot of neet Oolumn.)

2

and

ports is a measure of

(Continued at foot of next column).

and the not unfertile regious bordering upon the last section of the Vladivostok railway, will absorb all her energies for many years to come, ezala It is impossible in these days to look at world problems from the standpoint that was habitual four year, ago. Ger- many began the transition by an open

FULL 1918

EQUIPMENT

[1634

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