1918-06-17 — Page 7

OUR LONDON LETTER. THE NEED FOR MEN FOR THE ARMY.

NEWSPAPERS IN WAR TIME AND PAPER SHONTAGE,

KHAKI RELIGION.

WHAT IT IS.

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, MONDAY, JUNE 17TH, 1918,

Your rookies newly enlisted, we were lined up outside the plain brick bar rack room. I advanced in my turn.

Beligion A briak old sergeant shot the query at me from inside the

office window.

I was vexed that I had not stated more exactly my classification, because my family were traditionally Nonconformist However, I had read that in the Aruy Church of England men, (C. of E.) are best off. So I said nothing during this carly introduction to routine.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

LONDON. April 15th. The Government being wise in their

Protestant, mumbled uncertainly day and generation were quite right in C. of E.," he promptly dotted down forcing the Man-Power Bill through Par-with other particulars, and handing me liament without an hour's delay while the address of our civvy" billet, dis the country is still under the strain and missed me. stress of the terrific combat in Flanders. Men of 40 are to be called to the Colours, and in certain cases men of 65, but the clergy are excepted as a class apart à great mistake, as some believe, in the interests of the Church. Things have not been going well in the West for our arms, and the House of Commons like the rest the country are inclined to show dis. satisfaction with the Government because of the course of events during the past month. In the ordinary way Parliament would never agree to giving the powersing that will be vested in the Minister of National Service to one man. Under the Bill as originally drafted the Government desired to withdraw certificates of exemp tion, the existing Tribunals were to be serapped and in their place other Tribunals were to be set up, while the right of appeal was to be restricted to the Minister of National Service-oh. viously a very one-sided arrangement

UNACCEPTABLE PROPŮSALA,

It was Sunday at the training depot, and the sergeant in command was form parties to march to church or chapel I hesitated.

What are you?"

*** Congregational."

CIVILIAN HEROES HONOURED

EMPIRE WATERWAY.

SOME OF GERMANY'S GREAT SCHEMES.

O J. Aubertin writes

the

CEREMONY IN GREEN PARK.

Mone and Zeebrugge, and the whole tale of deeds under and sometiines in an alien sky" (to quate the happy phrase Chronicle as follows: tes in the Daily of the Marquis Crowe) are not the whole Everybody knows by this time that the story. You may have ridden on a bus. Cermans have reached Odessa. Few have ton on Saturday. (anys the Daily Telenoticed or in these days of small papera graph of April 9th) with a quiet man have had a chance of noticing that, ac- wearing no uniform at all, or a girl who cording to several German newspapers, looked as though the most exciting thing the coming commercial agreement with in her life might have been food hunting Russia will contain a plan for the con- in the days of the queue. Had you cou-struction of a great canal from the Baltic pleted the journey with them you would to the Black Sen. A very pretty scheme. have gone to the Green Park, to discover it will be said, which will develop in each had in utter selflessness rieked hi about twenty years. Quite so, but taken for her life in great danger that came sud. In conjunction with what we already denly, and made hero and heroine of know of Germany's belief in waterways them before they knew. For the King for political purposes, it is a fact of on Saturday, through Lord Crewe, his great significance. It means that, even the man and the woman the Medal of their economically. representative, pinned on the breast of if Germany does not hope to remain phy sically in Russia, she hopes to remnan Just as Mitteleu. the Order of the British Empire, and the ropa is to be secured by the Main- light fell a little on the unseen waters Danube Canal so "Osteuropa "if one of civilion heroism, showing them pure may coin a

to tre

secured by gold: The sun shone pleasantly on the new project.

• Word

Green Park for the ceremony, and the Perhaps this

sounds fanciful to those Church of England, stand fast bandstand's lightgreen canopy sheltered who know only the toy waterways of this La pleasing pageantry. It had a khaki country with their 35 ton barges, The Wesleyans, fall out on the left !!*

facing but essentially the thing was reply to this is that Germany has for civic and civilian. Lord Crewe was the last forty years spent millions on her

own inland waterways, with the result there as Lord-Lieutenant of the County of London, and who more essentially to name only a few insances that the civic than the Lord Mayor and the chair. water-borne traffic of Ruhrort increased map of the London County Council. 07 per cent. In eleven years, that of Behind were the Mayors of the seventeen Frankfurt 153 per cent. in ten years, and Mannheim 166 per cent, in ten years, of London boroughs out of which had come of the River Main 102 per cent. in fifteen this band of unprofessional heroes, and years. And this traffic was not filched the Mayor of Westminster (in which city from the railwaye, as the railways in tiny took place), blue gowned England have filched the canal traffe, for amid his redrobed brethren; the prelate

these years during

the railway traffic of of the new Order, the Bishop of London Germany increased by 57

cent. The Per Presbyterians," replied one of a fileir F Kenyon, Gentleman Usher of the standardised for boats of 400 tons, those

its secretary, Sir Edward Troup; and ennals

in Eastern Germany

Purple Rod, which came in with the new in Western Germany for boats of 600, and of Scotsmen who were fading rearward.

decoration, lent to the occasion a little. the former before the war were being of the pomp of Court; and Sir Edward brought up to the 600 standard, which is Henry came to see the brave men of his about eighteen times that of England. force receive the King's Police Medal, The House of Commons kicked against

One on the list who could not conią died these proposals, and the Government were

Improved waterways having brought in hospital from an accident a few hour before the ceremony began. Buch prosperity to internal Germány (1 obliged to yield. The result is that men

Heroes and heroines eat together.com speak, of course, of prosperity before the of over the old military age of 40 will

panionably and unassumingly on the war, though doubtless her water system still be liable for service, but they will

green chairs that most of us have saba conduct of the war), she is prepared to has played a noble part in the actual but we had not, the right to remaiji be accorded the same rights and advant

sented when the band played See, the naturally, with Austria. What the 4x push the policy further, in agreement, ages as regards appeal from the decisions

conquering hero." Lord Crewe's speech

pects fr

* to accomplish" in Middle Europe of the Tribunals as were enjoyed by their

was in tune with the occasion, it said cannot be better summed up than a state- the right thing in the right way. The sent made just a year ago by the Austro- sons and nephews until the present crisis

Every night that we four secruits King, he said, made it a rule to confer in Hungarian Minister in Switzerland, who arose. We are now "all in" as regards

"kipped together, our jolliest member person the insignia of honours won in declared that the Danube and the Rhine, the war a

r, and no man's business counts Kesat e bedside, would ask for the field only. These were numbered now if united by canals, would create an or by thousands, and though no one could ganic and united Central Europe. And for anything because of the danger to quiet, quickly conceded, while he prayed.

assert that the individual acts by which he added that the commerce of Germany, the Site At the same time even in this You will say, “Typical of the genuine they were won proved a finer courage which might be rendered precarious by emergency the age-long tradition of in- piety often hidden under a jester's mask. or a quicker resource than those which the results of the

present war, possible Not so I have riet no other soldier were that afternoon to be honoured, yet prolonged by an economic war, would ha dividual liberty and equal justice is in-who did it. And only one soldier, in they were earned on the high sens, un replaced up to a certain point by the

and river commerco sisted en, so, that the middle-aged manny henring, has

He was Irish, a splendid times in an alien sky, often after pra though obliged to serve in the Army will thoroughly,

fellow, and I took him for a Catholic, longed endurance and hardship, away. The credit for the Main Danube Candl know that he is not called upon which he was not.

*04 26 from home and hearth, and the grasp of

has already been

passed, which now the bitrarily, and that he has the chance of

Is the Army, then, irreligious Listen kindred hands, and nobody grudged these same thing, it is true, as the actual pro again. putting his case for exemption forward.

sailor and soldier heroes that special vision of the money

SME EFFECTS OF THE PROPOBALS.

You

You go with the Wesleyans. next mana Baptist! You do the same What are you lot!"

As there was no church handy op proximating to this denomination, this move was checkmatc.

"All right You five dismiss." The following Sunday the Scottish feet had trebled its adherents. So they were put on fatigues for the afternoon, which had the effect of shrinking next Sabbath's Presbyterians to two.

You think this is cynical! It conveys correctly the average Army attitude Listen.

MITTEL-EUROPA-

discussed religion the field of battle, or under, and some7enna with the Near East. Van

are

and over stated

· In the incant recreation but of a village mark of distinction. Indeed, in the pro plans have been long Drag the

behind the lines an Anzac started playing the piano by candlelight Ozzies, Im perials, West Indiano, began to drop in at the hut door. He was playing mainly the Kentucky, Tennessee Dixie, and Swance River ditties, and such-like melodies of home. Men kept erceping in stealthily like associates of some secret union, and soon the room was full. The men sang to the piano's leading with deep passion.

The sudden demand for men up to 30 years of age is painrally disturbing business and social life throughout the country. At 50 the majority of men have contracted ties, and responsibilities that are more or less absolutely binding. Apart from that they are of small utc for the rough and tumble of active sol diering which calls for endurance against hardship and privation. They will there fore be employed mainly in such a way was profoundly moved. I knew that that they will replace younger inen for the firing line. According to an official khaki exiles were chanting songs made in a hundred each rooms along the front estimate, only some 7 per cent. of the over sacred because they deal with home and 40 recruits are likely to be fit for the

This is the sol Army abroad. The remainder will take homelanda over-seas

diers religion, "I thought Home!" their place in the home defence units. They talk, dream, think every hour about such as the Garrison Artillery and the Engineers, or they will work on mani-; they are genuinely themselves on tions, or in Government offices, or they topic alone. They worship it.* ̈ will be obliged to enrol in the Volunteers.

Khaki has conventions of its own. code fits the environment. It is: CLOSING HÓWN BUSINESSES.

pal'e shortcomings. The a blind eye to

windyone, the man tall talker, the who sees double of night, are freely forgiven. Moral transgressions are over locked. But to

mean, to fawn C superiors for favours, to abuse the power of one's tank are unpardonable sins.

What can be more truly,

death. Naked reality and menace, near

this

a year ago the King of

kent hours of crisis, as we heard from that the work would be begun by the day to day the details of the stern labour of war prisoners. Perhaps that struggle against terrific odds waged by has already been done The engal is to Sir Douglas Haig and his indomitable be 640 miles in length, and to cost army, when we read of such an episode £5,000,000. It is to be electrically work as the attack on St. George's Day oned by means of a great power station on the occupied Belgian ports, a thing car the Upper Danube, and it is to accom ried out in the very spirit of Rodney late beats of 1:200 ton and Nelson, we were tempted to forget Perhaps the phase Main-Danube " everything but the great fellowship of the does not convey much to English ears. British Empire and the Allies, fighting Germane te not too optimistic, there however, that in eight years, If and dying abroad for the freedom of will be a waterway for boats of 1,200 tons

the the world.

from the North Sea to the Black Sen. A scheme is alig on foot for the

that

free with your coin and chattels Turn war had brought two new sorts of risk, the Danube The Vitus Piener

children.-O. H. D. in the Daily Mail.

these

CHEERS FOR THE WOMEN. But that, the speaker went on--big re ferences being generously cheered by the of the Danube and the Elbe Hamburg civilians around was not all, and Dever crying out for it on the ground had been all, and he pointed out how she is the true German port which has suffered so much during the war, and recognition for the last fifty years had that the Rhine traffic benefit only An- been given to civilian heroism through twerp and Holland Vienna has prepar The the Albert and the Edward Medals, and rd plans for a great inland herbour Fnow by the medal of the now Order The where a canal from the Oder is to join it has been the bombing raids on London, futile in officially stated in the The Man-Power proposals must have

military results, but destructive of many Journal, is destined for the transport the effect of closing down a vast number

innocent lives, which men and women in of German coal towards the East, where of one man businesses all over the coun-

responsible positions, in telephone ex a vast market awaits it in place of Bri- try and the interference with the running

changes, in schons and facturies, had tish coal." of larger concerns through principals and managers being taken. There is also the

confronted with calm courage and devo AS GERMANY EKES IT- other side of the picture where the new

With this vast network of waterwaye tion for which no praise could be too religiouxisting than drain on our manhood means the break-

thehigh, and the multiplication of danger in our mind, let us glance for a moment the real Christian comradeship ing up of homes with the attendant hard

between man and man under the stress its mature and handling at Eastern Europe according to the Ger- ship and heart-break that this involves.

and hardship of the line? But it is a position which we have to

Here the of high-explosives which held equal man idea of the map A landlocked

face

human virtues flourish like buds in opportunities of disaster as of quiet Serbia and a practically landlocked Bul military might, freed by the defection of self notter than in men going into action

since the whole force of the German March. And Life has never revealed her heroism. And there were other examples garis, Roumania (having lost the of courage and devotion on land not to Dobrudja) in almost the same helpless Russia, is thrown against the Britis

be forgotten which were to be honoured

condition--all countries, and, of Armies in the West. It is strangely mov-to-day. Gaining nothing, scarcely even

recognition, these obscure heroes step that afternoon and upon small craft Course, Austria and Hungary as well, are Jug, and at the same time magnificent Toward the abyss of the unknown which upon the sea. In all the cases of all the means of the Main-Danube connee- to note the spirit of the country. It is

men and women whose names were on ton to become the markets for the trade one of unwavering resolution and of is death. not over-anxious, even cheerful,

of the Rhineland. And now, by means noble sacrifies that will fight on to the and with the mildness and modesty of his list there was one attribute that was

of the new Baltic-Black Sea project, coximor. In a moment of danger they Ukrainia, Bessarabia, Southern Russia were able to think not of themselves but (already with waterway connection to the of others. Self-forgetfulness." said huge basin of the Volga) are to be ex- Lord Crewe, is the parent of all the ploited in the same way. grander virtues. And thus it comes grandiose scheme, but by no means an about that this company is gathered to realisable, for all great waterways pay its tribute to those whom the King ultimately pay for themselves many times delights honour by the grant of these over, The trouble is to find the money medals because they set duty first and for their constraction.

And lest, once again, the scheme should Now aci. man's loss is private; we share all that if the war lasts into next year many mood we watched the passing of the Pte by one example, out of

The real cause for anxiety, however, is thought of themselves last. And in this

too big realisation, let me Oh, each of us a soldier: stands to-day "

Had we been im indicate

possible newspapers may have to close down alto heroines and heroes." Put to the proof and sunumoved to the saltgether. Last year the supplies for Fress partial we should have cheered them all hundred, what inland water traffic in

Germany really means. Une wil, one faith, one peril! Hearts, he purposes were limited to three-fourths of equally, I cause they had all stond do not often hear of the port of Ruhrort In England we high,

what they were before the war, but this without flinching in the face of violent Duisberg. Its annual total of quantity has now beth ameted This or disaster. But being on English audience swelled by no great devan. liner, making tonnago is last year's allowance.

Almost the many year rationing with a vengeance. It fully and sentimental, we gave our warmest whole of its trade is carried on in barges explains the reduction of size, for if cir cheer to the women, to the Mons man of 600 tons.

It has (or had before the culation is to be maintained less paper who, with unconquerable spirit, worked war) twenty two miles of wharves fitted The newspapers are feeling the strain must be consumed. The alternative is to long hours in a hostel in spite of severe with every conceivable appliance for the of paper shortage since the new restries make the price still higher, and thereby physical disabilities, brought about by handing of goods, and its traffic was equal tions came into force a month ago. Some deliberately force down circulation of them, like the Daily Mail, are now re- though where this plan has been adopted hardships incurred in the retreat," to the to that of the duced in size to four geall pages; and it has not had the desired result, s derneath a railway engine which had schemes assume a new aspect. Trade is

man who rescued a driver who was un-

In view of Cardiff.

these facts Germany's when space has been found for a few people cannot get on without the war begun to move, and to the constable who mighties than the sword. Her military special articles and a summary of the war bewared to par une pas asked for with bombs dropping all round, stopped domination over Russia, Serbia, and the news there is precious left for the to pay whatever is for altogether six of the unattended horses rest of them may not continue, but when ordinary news of the day. The generous the printed page fresh from the Press from bolting in all directions, and be the great waterways are built she will

of the Hongkong Daily Press is What makes the average newspaper pro-

tain directions there is very dence of

As fire to scorching flesh, thall nút affright. The spirit that mes with danger-sharpened

sight

What it must save, or die for; not the mere Name, but the thing, now doubly, trebly

dear

Freedom

Most when the hour is darkest! Come what

Inlay: The soul in, us is found, and shall not die

THE PAPER FAMINE.

the much-harrassed journalist is able to give them, knowing that it is the best that is possible in the circumstances of the time.

WHAT NEXT?

It is

enough to make many a British editor prietor inclined to sadness is that in cer injured persons, warned others and

sides these gallant actions, assisted at all events rule them economically.

economy.

12

feel green with envy Even papers like the Daily Telegraph, which came out in

Government Depart helped to convey yer others to the bus public hour, and absent-minded fathers pre-war days in all the glory of 20 or meats alone use 2,000 tons of paper per pital he seemed already to have as who were discovered then to have left 24 pages per diem, now appear with six wock, a vat proporton of which is devot many medals as he had stopped horses on behind them the case they should have ed to official publications that nobody has that June night. Lord Crewe had a borne away. But the medals on their or eight pages. And, of course, as men tioned in a previous letter when reference either the time or the inclination to read. pleasant word and a ready smile for each breasts shone golden in the golden sun. was made to this subject, the price is On the subject of price one fact may be one of them, and after it was all over Every one of the names on my list." double or treble what it used to be. But mentioned by way of illustration. Con the medals held family receptions on said Lord Crewe," the fifty four medals the public cre reasonable, for they under mon paper such as is used for commercial the greensward. There were dreamy of the British Empire, and the eight stand the position, and they take what purposes that formerly-cost $7 per ten is daughters, hero sons embarrassed in that King's Palice Medals, is a London name."

Dew. 285 per ton. How is that for war (Continued at fool of next column). prices -B

(Continued at foot of next Column.) Loudon may be proud of ber children.

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1918

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