1918-08-02 — Page 7

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WE WILL NEVER YIELD":

M. CLEMENCEAU ON THE MILITARY CRISIS.

Speaking in the Chamber of Deputies on July 4th, Mr. Clemenceau, the French

Premion said:~

1

THE HONGKONG “DAILY PRERS, FRIDAY, AUGUST 2ND, 1918.

CAPTURED AT ANTWERP.

TERRIBLE STORIES OF CRUELTY.

Appalling stories of the murder of Bri- tish soldiers by the Gormans are vouched for by a member of the Royal Naval Divi- sion, who was captured during the siege of Antwerp, and who bas just arrived in England after encoping to a neutral.coun- When I nccepted the Premiership 1tryOn February 20th, 1917," he said,

British prisoners at Libau were knew that i was called upon to bear the to march to Kelsen, thirty-six kilomètres told burden of the most critical period of the away. Ubinas urged us forward through war. I bave told you from the outset the snow. Often we came to drifts which that wa should pass together through were waist deep, and anyone who halted difficult and exacting times and cruel was prodded on by the Uhlans with their hours. These times are coming, and the Innees. In the ordinary way the thirty- only question is whether we can stand six kilomètres were two days' march in them. (Load cheers.) When the defec winter for the German troops, but we tion of lussin came about, when men who were told we had got to reach our destina believed that it was only necessary/totion by that night. will peace in order to impose it upan the German Emperor had given up their scuntry (unwittingly, I prefer to think) to the invasion of the enemy, who could believe then that a million German sold here who had become available would not turn against us? This and more is what happened. For four years our effectives buvo bem, wearing themselves out, our front was held by a line of soldiers which was becoming thinner and thinner, with war Allie, who had suffered enormous losees, and now arrives a fresh mass of German divisions in good condition. IA there anyone who does not realies that under the weight of this tremendole wave our lines had to give way at some points? The extent of their recoil became 'great and dangerous. I say nothing more, and there is nothing in thai to shake the con- Adence which we should have in our Fofdiera. (Loud cheers) To-day these men are engaged in the battle. Our men fought, me against five without sleep for three or four days together;

Loud and prolonged cheers ensued, 4 number of deputies rising w their feet and shouting, "Vive l'Armée u

M. Deschanel interposed..." The Cham. her is unanimous in its recognition of the heroism of our soldiers." This statement was greeted with renewed applause.

TRIBUTE TO GENERALS.

|

"On we went without food and without a halt. One man-A. Sawyer, R.N.D.-- · stumbled in the snow, and was, at onE charged by a Uhlan, whose lance entered his head just behind the ear. The Ger- man took no notice of the incident, with the result that the front got into Sawyer's wound. Ninety men out of 200 collapsed on that march, and many others were Yell out he was left, and he had to take bleading from fance pricks. If a man his chance of a humane transport driver end of our journey we discovered that wo coming by and giving him & lift. At the

hour and a half we were kept standing were to be employed in the lines. For an in the snow while Russian shells were bursting in the district. We were then told to go into a largo cavalry tent, and found no sleeping accommodation, except pieces of wood across which was stretched Those who had managed -wire meshing

to keep their blankets during the march had covering, but many threw these away in order to keep up with their comrades.

LORD CHEWE AND REPRISALS

JUTLAND BATTLE.

VISCOUNT JELLICOE'S SPEECH, At the centenary demonstration of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society, at the Albert Hall, the Marquis of Crewe, who, presided, read the following message

from his Majesty the King -

As I was leaving Leeds for London I received the loyal message from the British and Foreign Sailors' Society. ng the occasion of its centenary, and, in thanking you and the committee for your good wishes I heartily congratu late the society on this great event in ́its life, and I trust that this institution may long prosper and flourish for the benefit of British and foreign sailors.

G.E.

AMERICAN CANNON TRACTOR. GUES THROUGH DITCHES, CUTS DOWN TREES, DEFIES. MUD AND HILLS.

ran

The production of the Army Ordinance Bureau, five-ton armoured artillery tractor for hauling field guns, was tested at Washington on June 3rd, with Secro- tary Baker, General March, Chief of Staff, and many foreign officers present.

Hooked to a 4:7-inch field howitzer, the machine over the rough muddy ground of Rock Creek Park which recently bulked the British tank Britannin.". It went through ditches and holes without a stop, cut down trees and climbed over the fallen trunks, dragging the gun where the mud was a foot deep as a result behind it, climbed a forty-five degree hill. of recent raras, and wound up the per- avenue at a twelve-wile gail, without formance by rattling down, a paved leaving a mark on the paving.

The President of the United States wrote: It is a pleasure to avail myself of such an opportunity to express my sincere admiration for the work of a

The whole load, including the gun and society whose activities I have long re-

whose purpose I have long been in wasm garded as of the utmost service, and with tractor, was approximately ten tons.

The officers who saw the demonstration and most friendly sympathy."

Bre convinced that no shell-torn territory will stop the rapid movement of American Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, speak-held-guns when they are sent to support ing for the British armies in France, infantry advances. to you the warm admiration felt by us disabled only by a direct shell bit

Moreover, the ma. wrote: I am glad

to declare chines are shrapnel proof and can be for the splendid work of the Royal Navy

Becretary Baker and General March is given also in the fullest measure to the rode in the tractor as it dragged the gun many thousands of merchant seamen, who about the broken have rendered such conspicuous services puffed up and downhill beside it, obvious. ground. Later they to our Empire, despite the piracies of our

is pleased with the machine's powers. enemy. We rejoice that your gallant deeds are to receive recognition, and we assure you of our determination that, as on seas you have never failed as, neither will the Army fail you on land.

Early the next morning : Wo were bayonets, and crying, Get up. We were Admiralty: The debt we owe to the aroused by the guards prodding us with

Bir Eric Geddes, First Lord of the kept on parade, while orders were read Royal Navy and the merchant service can out to us, according to which any nan never be repaid, but in supporting to the found smoking would be shot, and dis utmost of our power the work of this obedience of orders would meet with society wo shall only be showing in a death. We were told that the reason wasmail degree our gratitude to the gallant had been brought there was that the Eng men who are guarding our shores, supply lish had German prisoners working in

ing our wants, and sustaining our armies their trenches and in the firing line, and in the various theatres of war.”.

"Mr. A. J. Balfour, M.P. Its (the it was intended that we should carry out the same work against the Russians until society's) long record of faithful and about German prisoners. News had been the highest appreciation of the people of England had given a satisfactory reply beneficent service has earned and gained brought to Germany by escaped prisoners these islands, who know now, even better tirat British entries had foully murdered than they have known before, how deep is thirty-six German prisoners, and it had their debt. the British Navy and the been decided that thirty-six out of the mercantile marine, upon whose vigilance 500 ten now there should die. Every and valour their liberties-nay, their very man was given a prison number, and existence as a nation so absolutely de- groups of three were formed, so that for pend. the misdeeds of one of them all three were taken from the working parties at the end of the day, made to mount on a brick, were then tied to a pole, and the hrick kicked away, leaving their feet a little way from the ground. In this position are at this moment fighting the hardest they were kept for hours each night

for fourteen nights in intense cold.

M. Clemencenu continued: These great soldiers have good leaders, great leaders, who are worthy of them in every way. (Cheers.) I have men these landers at work and some of them struck me with admiration. Is that saying that there are nowhere mistakes? I cannot maintain that. My business is precisely La discover these mistakes and to punish them, and in this I am supported by two great soldiers named Foch and Pitain. Loud cheers.) General Foch enjoys to such a degree the confidence of the Allies that yesterday they wished that their un, animous confidence in him should be ex pressed in tla zimmmuniqué. The men

battle of the war with a heroisin which I can find no words to express I have come hong in the desire to find simple. brief, and measured terms to express the sentiment of the French people, beth it the front and in the rear, and to show the world

a state of mind which I cannot ,analyse, but which is the admiration of

*FORTY MEN PERISH.

In the British, French and German Arniies only the guns above six-inch have been motorized. Heretofore, it has not been found practical to put tractors on the lighter weapons because they must have the roads.

can batteries above three-inch light guns, It is proposed now to equip all Ameri up to six-inch with tractors.

Meanwhile, a smaller type is ing worked out for the three-inch, or 75's, with the prospect that all American artillery will be motor-drawn eventually. Besides an enormous saving in forage, every battery motorized save horses, which are killed by the thousands, going into action.

The perfection of the tractor, which is pillar creepers, depended upon turning a short, easily handled machine on eater- out an engine that would work efficiently at a sharp angle. The engine used will work at

elunt of 70 degrees. It can chap in and out of shell holes and a special device furnishes a soft ground grip that can be removed for operationi on a road.

BATTLES MEMORIES.

Viscount Jellicoe, she met with a most

a. It my duty, as leader of these men, to punish them if they haw not done their duty, but also to protect them through the good any longor,' shot him and by the fatillas, until such time as the favour of the clerk of the weather the

if they are unjustly attacked."

M. Clemenceau added that the Chimber would have all the documents it desired and all archives would be open to it, and recalled that he had already obtained a certain number of reports which he had submitted to the Array Commities H then continued: The army is better than anything we could have expected from it (loud cheers)--and when I speak of the army I speak of those who com

Lord

Forty pen died under this treatment, for when they were released they were like blocks of ice, tad sirculation had to be restored by their comrades.. A man named Skit, Grenadier Guards, was shot in cold blood. He had collapsed in the snow, and the guard, making the remark,

You are no

bead

The body was left in the snow for three or four days. It was not until the forty men had died that we got any better "treatment.

During that time song men were found frozen in the

When men took their socks their beds, off their toes came away owing to frost bits. Our work necessitated us being in. the most exposed portions of the German lines, and many were wounded by Rust was only in the Air Bervice that anythe Fleet, and of these gallant fellows sinn snipers.

Dose it, of whatever rank and whitever prisoners who had been employed in the tile inari disastrously true of most of

German lines on the Western front. They and drinking water out were eating of ditches. There were as many as forty deaths a day amongst them."

Another entber of the Royal Naval

Admiralty was in much closer touch with the inercantile marine after the war. In that case there should be representatives

N

D

OZE AO-KAR

POLICY OF REFLISALS. Lord Crewe, speaking of the Battle of Jutland, said they offered their tribute of battle, and of sorrow for those who fell. admiration to all who fought in that He had never pretended to comprehend what the ultimate end and real hope at hearty reception, said they were celebrate the Germans was in provoking that coming the centenary of a great society, and, test. But whatever these hopes and aims incidentally an anniversary in which he the victory was not on the Rodney or the years ago the German High Sen Fleet were, they failed. If in ita: material gains had a personal interest. (Cheers.) Two Nelson, scale, time had shown that its was defented and driven back to its ports moral effect was scarely less than in by the British Grand Fleet. (Renewed and would not forget the work done by fred-Rs he had often interfered before the days of those great Admirals Engcheers.) The clerk of the weather inter- the battle cruisers, the cruiser squadrons, during this war--or the wrong side. By Battle Fleet. He was absolutely sure of tien hy getting back to its ports in the Jellicce was able to engage with the derman High Sea Fleet escaped annihila. one thing that in the Grand Fleet to-day darkness of the night. Of that day, it there was not man or boy who was not was sufficient to say that the spirit of the thirsting for another chance of giving the officers and men of the Flect surpassed Germans a final lesson in a great fleet even his expectations, high as they were. battle. (Cheers.)

Cheers.) He would not forbear saying They wem sometimes told that the bow fresh in his memory was, and always chivalry of war was now dead, and that would be, the recollection of the work of relic of the old generous, knightly spirit who gave their lives that day, many of We were later transferred to a town could be traced. At any rate, that was them great personal friends of himself, in East Prusin, where I saw Romanian not true of the Royal Navy or the mercan- and all of thein very valued comrades.

now part of the Navy. But (Cheers.) it. With,

alas, grade they may be, but that is not

The first members of the British and though. The men must have faith and

our enemies, both on sea and on land. It Foreign Sailors' Society were ship, man was one of the special tragedies of this ters of the mercantile marine

He re must die for their ideal if they wish to

war that when it ended there could not be garded, that as a happy augury of that give us victory. Their baders also havo

ashaking of hands. able to say that bygones were bygones. Royal Navy and the mercantile marine. come from their ranks Like then, theyDivision who has escaped from Germany (Loud cheers.) The bygones would see out le hoped to see that union still closer. They would not lose union which now existed between the come back covered with wounds, wher they do not remain like them on the felt and whose duties as a hospital orders the lives of most of us unless a profound a believed is would be. for the benefit of

while a prisoner took him occasionally into Berlin, states that, the city is much change, of which there was little or noth branches of the sen service if the neglected and the roads very dirty. The sign at present, appeared in the moral people are badly clothed, and apparently attitude of those who ruled the affairs of babe little interest in their appearance the Central Empires. Some people called owing to the cost of garments.

for reprisals in kind. He knew of no rule of the mercantile marine at the Admiral- When I was at Liban," he added, "a either of divine justice or of human pre Most valuable work was done by the ship was surk off the mouth of the bar-cedent which, when the enemy sank a sailors' rests established by the society indu bout. The Germans told off ten British passenger ship with all on board, or various parts of the world. It was said prisoners, whom they clothed in garments torpedoed a hospital ship, or attacked of the sailor that he had a wife in every representing those usually worn by the Sunday, would forbid us to try the per-he said that was a libel.

hospitals on land, as they did on Whit-port. He asked them to believe him when British inercantile marine, and, placing

(Laughter.) then in a ship's boat, told them to row and to excute the head court-martial What people ought to say of the chilor

from the wreck to a German not by shooting as was

ought to have home in every away

As brave enemy, but by hanging as male port, because he saw so little of his own destroyer which was lying near by.

(Cheers,) soon as they reached the destroyer they factors.

Nor need the plea home (Cheers.) In those sailors' rests a were hauled on board by the German that they were acting under orders be great and very

successful effort was made Banded given coffee and cigarettes, and treated as relevant. If sanguinary orders to give the sailor a home,

new clothing. A cinematograph ceased to be obeyed, they censed to be. Those who had followed the naval part picture was taken, and a photo appeared given. But if we were so to act entirely of the war would appreciate, he con- in the German papers, headed Our within our rights, as he asserted, it was inued, the extreme importance of any Davy's kindness to the enemy sailors when certain that the enemy would put to death movement for providing officers and men they sink their ships. In return they an equal, or perhaps a greater number of British nationality for British mer starve our women and children."!

of our men against whom no offence what thant ships. Such work was important, ever could he alleged. And it was possible because the mercantile marine was the to conceive a hideous competition in savainly reserve for the Navy. Had it not "OUR OWN DUTY VERY SIMPLEŠ.

gery which would only close with the teen for it the Navy could not have gone Our own duty is very simple and very frighten us, so that we may abandon extermination of all the prisoners taken in during the war because it could not tame. We are in no danger, and yet the struggle. For what was their great on both sides. Such an issue was utterly ave been manned. It is therefore essez- rate. al to have on British merchant ships as we are at our posts where the capital effort made on the Yeer in 1914. In order beyond our contemplation, at the bar-many officers and men of British and}

But let it not be supposed that interests of the country are defended.

to reach Calais, to separate us from the barities of German warfare would be for Colonial birth as it was possible to get. Es calm, confident, and determined to British, and to compel the latter to re gotten when the conditions of ending the (Hear, hear.) Although we were building hold on to the ead in this hard battle.

nounce the struggle. Why did they begin wan came to be considered. (Cheers.) In hips-nothing like fast enough to Loud cheers.) The victory is to you, again, and why have they once more his judgment, the power which we now place those sunk by the enemy, it was not because the Germans, who are not so begun again? In order to obtain this possessed, and should then possess, of early so easy to provide trained British intelligent as they are told, have only efect of terror. The effectives of the exerting an iron pressure of the Central¿fficers and men to man them. To cond one method, namely, to throw their whole belligerents are being exhausted, those of Powers through our undiminished com ships to sea manned by untrained men weight into the venture, and to push it the belligerents are being exhausted, those mand of the sea-(bear, hear) and our as simple murder. When the Germans to the end. We saw them on the Yeer, of the Germans as well as our own, but command of the raw materials of the commenced their wink at sight" policy at Verdun, near Amiens, near Dunkirk meanwhile the Americans are coming to world-(hear, hear)-in concert with our they believed they would bring this nation and Calais, then in Champagne. They play a hand in the deciding game. Once American Allies, could be, and ought to its knees in from two to three months. broke our lines, but did you think that more, the events in Russia gave our be, applied as freely in respect of those They would not admit that now, because You were going to make a war in which enemies a million additional men on the past outrages as in providing a set-off to was not true. (Laughter.) They also you would never retreat? The only Franco-British front, but we have Allica any territorial gains which the enemyhought that the morale of the British to be eaman would not stand the privations thing that, matters is final auccess. You who represent the foremost nations of the might be enjoying when pence came

(Cheers)

of the special Speaking have before you a Government which, as world, and who have pledged themselves made.

dangers

through their un incurred it told you, did not enter into power ever to continue the war until the attainment work of the society in relieving the restricted warfare Possibly they it totort surrender. (Loud cheers from of the sucess which ve hold within our vid the services of our armed merchant-Amongst all their mistakes none had been

vivors of torpedoed ships, his lordship far. seamen

their own. the lt and the Right.) So long as grasp, if we put forth the necessary we are here the Fatherland will be de-energy. The people of France has accompatrol hosts, and despatch boats could aman had risen to heights of courage men, trawlers, drifters, minesweeper genter than that. (Cheers.) The British fended to death, and no fores will be plished its task, and those who have spared to obtain success. We will never fallen have not faller in vain, since they not be fully made known to the public at did contempt of danger and suffering to Field. What is the word of command of made French history great. It remains Present; but come day we should hear which the German could never aspira: be for the living to complete the magnificent stories of amazing feats of devotion, was incomparable (cheers) and it was our Government 7

heroism, and endurance performed

of battle.

M. Clemenceau said that the control of the Chamber would be exercised freely, that he did nothing without the Chamber, and that he would retire on the day when the Chamber thought that be had not done his duty. He added: We have yielded ground, much more ground that we should have wished. There are men who have paid for this retreat with their blood. I know some who have accomplish. ed nets of heroisin, like thene Bretons who were surrounded in a wood all night, and who next day found means of sending by carrier pigeon a message to say, You Ay Cone and find us. We shall hold out for half a day set. (Loud cheers.) These men make the Fatherland; they continue it and prolong it, that Father. land without which no reform is pos sible. They die for an ideal. for a history which is the foremost among all the his torics of civilised porples."

We will never yield at any moment. The Germans once more are staking everything on a coup which is meant to (Continued et foot of next Column.)

work of the dead." (Loud cheers from those who hid ben wanning these vessels

all parts of the House.)

A vote of confidence in M. Olemenceau was carried by 377 to 110).

(Cheers.)

(Continted at foot of next Column.)

ind

ze.

ry good to know that bis Majesty had anctioned the issue of a special badge which would indicate how many times his alip had been sunk under him. (Cheers.)

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