1917-05-17 — Page 1

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The Hongkong Telegraph

WEATHER FORECAST

OVERCAST. Barometer 29 89

May 17: 1917.

7657 日七十月三

(ESTABLISHED

1881)

Copyright 1917, by the Proprietor,

Temperature Humidity

62.m. 70 9.4

90

THURSDAY,

MAY

17,

1917.

TELEGRAMS.

[Renter's Service to The "Telegraph.")

THE FUTURE OF THE EMPIRE.

General Smuts on the impossibility of a Republic.

Londar, May 18.- General Smuts was the guest of the House of Lords and the House of Commone at a banquet held in the Royal Gallery, Viscount French presiding.

Is the course of a speech, General Smuts said the spirit of comradeship on the battlefields of Earope would be wors powerful than any instrament of government they could invest. Our commonwealth would go to pieces if its world-wide communications "wers not maintained.. Germany in the first thirty years would hev settled averywhere those communiestions, and the day would bare come when the Empire would have been jeopardised by the casting of the communicatioon. Now that the world outside Europe had been cleared of the enemy, we had been almost providentially brought to the position that we could consider the future problem as a whole. He hoped that when the time for settlement came we should remember not merely Central Europe but the whole British Empire. He did not wish the Empire to have fought in vain. We had not fought for material gais, not for territory, but for, fatars recarity. Bot the difficult question of future constitutional relations and readjustment within the Empire remained. We were not an Empire in the German eease, but a system of nations, almost sovereign, almost independent-rather a commonwealth than an Empire. Its future government was entirely a new problem. The system of the United States would not work, and we did nos want to standardise the nations of the Empire. The only wolation was There supplied by our traditions of freedom and self-government. were two potent factors upon which we must rely. Tas first was bereditary kingship.

་་

“Iɔu cannot," said General Smuts," make a Republic of this -country of British commonwealth nations, because you would have to elect a President not merely here but everywhere throughout the Empire, in India and in the Dominions--and here you are confront- ed with an absolutely insolable problem. Let us be thankful for mercies. We bave a kingship which is really not very different from a hereditary Ripublio, and I should not be very surprised if the time cime when our Royal Princes, instead of getting their Consorts from the Princelings of Ewrope, will seek their Consorts in the outlying portions of the Empire.”—(Laughter and cheers).

Alter commenting on the present syetem of Imperial Can- #ferences as not being completely enccessful, General Smate saggested the coaroking of the moa: important rulers of the Empire once yearly to lay down a common policy. D.plomatic finesse was not understood by the Dominions, and if our foreign policy were going to rest on the whole Empire it must be more simple, more intelligible and nobler, and there must be no dispate a so ine supremacy of the laperis! Parliament, which would always be the senior partner. It might be said that hereditary kingship and common council at the hasd of affairs would be insufficient to keep the whole system together. He disagreed with that-(Cheers). If we were tras to traditions we out exercise a far greater and more beneficient influence on the history of mankind then ever. It would depend largely on a whether in the present straggle the great die was schieved or whether this world would again, be plunged dissater. The prize was within our grasp, if we had the strength of soul sa nee, the thing through without fighting.

TELEGRAMS.

¿Rautor's Servies to The “ Talegraph."}

2

GERMANY AND Russia.

Magaadimous Peace Promise.

London, May 15.

Continuing bis speech in the Reichstag, the Imperial Chancellor, von Bethmann Hollweg, referred to the unpar- alleled battles raging during the past month on the West Front. Even to-day the British and French showed no readi ness for peace. The most recent utterances from London aaid that the war sims announced two years ago were unaltered.

The Chancellor rejected the idea of arriving at peace. by announcing a willingness to renounce successes. Equally, be declined to set forth a programme of conquest. The latter, he said, would help as little as the former to win victory and end the war,

He added: If Russia is wishful to stop further bloodshed, if she renounces conquest and if she wants peace with us, we will not disturb her permanent relations in the future nor obstruct her by antagonistic demande. Hollweg believed that a mutual understanding could be at- tained which excluded oppression and left no sting.

Bethmaan

The military position, he said, was better than ever, the, enemy on the West being unable to break through "The deeds of the U-boatmen speak for themselves," and eren neutrals will recognise that. We are, approaching a satis factory finish when war sims will be negotiable. I am in full harmony regarding our war aims with the supreme army command.",

Separate Peace Impossible,

Petrograd, May 15.

The Council of the Workmen's and Soldiers' Delegates has issued an appeal to the army not to forget that the regiments of William are destroying revolutionary Bussin The loss of a free Russia would be an irreparable loss. separate peace is an impossible thing and it is evident tha German Imperialism after defeating the western Allies will turn on us, seize the country and enslave the Russians Peace will not be achieved if you do not check the enemy's pressure on the front. How can you accomplish this if you remain inactive in your trenches? Do not renounce the offensive. Fight for liberty and fear the enemy's traps of fraternisation Peace will not be obtained by, separate treaties or the fraternisation of separate units. This will only lead to the loss of the Eussian Revolation, the safety of which does not lie in peace or a separate armistice.

BEAST.

Sights in the Evacuated District,

SINGLE OPI IV ÜENTB.

$3 PER ANNUM.

Temperature & 3.03,

71 2 pm 80

May 17, 1916,

Humidity

91

88

四拜禮” 驮七十月五英港香

TELEGRAMS.

[Beuter's Service to the "Telegraph.")

ITALIANS' PROGRESSIVE RAIDS.

ย

London, May 13. An Italian official message says: There is. an intense artillery duel between Tolmino and the sea. Our raids have led to considerable progress on the slopes of Monte Duoco and Wo the bills cast of Gorizia and also at Vertojbizza.. simultaneously advanced in the northern sector of Carso and reached the lines eastward of Dossofaiti. The number of prisonera is 200. Bombs were dropped on enemy ancamp- ments and supply columns to the east of Gorizia.

DAMAGES AGAINST M.P. ...

London, May 16.

A naturalisod German-born British subject named Gruban has been awarded £4,750 sterling as damages against Mr. Frederick Handel Booth, Member of Parliament for Pontefract (iron master and chairman of the Yorkshire Iron and Coal Co.).

It was alleged that Booth had induced Gruban to make over to Booth his share in an engineering business by falsely representing that otherwise Gruban would be interned.

THE WESTERN OFFENSIVE,

Enemy's Determined Attack.

London, May 16.

Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig states. Farther details of the fighting this morning show that the enemy deliberately attempted by four strong and con certed attacks, powerfully supported by artillery, to deve us out of Bullecourt and the section of the Hindenburg line eastward of the village. The first attack temporarily gained a foothold in our trenches on the right flank position of the Hindenburg line. Our counter-attack immediately ejected the enemy, who left 250 killed and wounded. Our artillery dispersed a simultaneous attack on the left flank and re pulsed a third attack on the north-eastern corner of Bulle- court. A fourth attack, delivered from the south and south- east drove back our posts from the western portion of the village for a hundred yards, The enemy's losses were heavy. Hostile artillery firing was heavy on the Scarpe. Two enemy aeroplanes were brought down and another was driven down. Two of ours are missing.

French Artillery Struggle,

London, May 18

A French communique says: The artillery struggle con- tinued in different sectors. It is confirmed that the enemy sustained very heavy losses in yesterday's attacks.

**

DON'T FORGET.

TO-DAY.

Victoria Theatre-9.15 p.. Bijon Theatre-8.15 pi New Hongkong Cinematograp! -9.15 p.m.

TO-MORKOW.

China Borneo Co's. Meeting;

Victoria Theatre--9.15. Bijoa Theatre W.15 pm New Hongkong Oinəm graph.-9.15 pm

Saturday, May 19. Assault-at-Arme on Volunteer Parade Ground.

Interport Rif, Shooting at King's Park, Kowloon,

Monday, May 21. Licensing Board. Election of J.P..

Saturday, May 28, Second Gymkbana Meeting st Happy Valley.

Bob. J. M. Robertson. Mr. Wilson bas adopted the wise course of presenting as proof of Garmen crimes the evidence of Germano · themselves or of unprejudiced nentrals. In the first instance he prove upto the hilt that Germany. started the war, and falsified docu- |ments'ssized in Belgium`to maka it appear that a secret convention against Germany existed between Great Britain and Belgians. The German Army is shown by extracin From the disies of German soldian. to have been guilty of the systematic murder of wounded ›nd prisoners; the use of serbyzint- ing gas and liquid-fire projectors: crimes against the Rd Cross | misuse of the white & g; murder

of med iosi officers-and; stastöhar-- bearers; as of poison; gross maltreatment of prisoners; um of non combatantaas kori eduzmurder of women and children; wholesale masacre of civilian-antrage of women; torture of women; forced labaar and deportation of women

and men: pillage: destruction

THE MARK OF THEotions of the city ball and a shelves were empy. Presambly despite sil the forts of the

tower attached to it, and a few the most valuable or mot interes American Royal Commissioner. of bistoric buildings and objects. If one came away from France of art; and murder of pisat. remnants of shattered walls of ting broks they once contained

had been carried away. Those with only the memory of the The German a'r seivics, with the cathedral, Bspaoms is a magn of shapeless debrie. It might be that remained were defiled in shorrors of the

war, of the fewer rpportunities, has to its ouly

blindescribable ravages and advanced that in destroying the fashion which can

un-discredit the berahing "of open high buildings the retreating mentioned within the walls of a mentionable vileneag war baa towns and murder of non-combat- army wished: to

brought in its train, one would | ants, deprive the man's club or smoking-room.

the GermBAR while Even the dead bad not been left al jare God and despair of men. naval arm has exceded in Mr. Ernest Mirehall, Londonpareuing foe of observation correspondent of the New York points valuable from a mili- to the peace astmeteries the Happily there is a corrective. It raiblesereas snd brutality, if that Times writes in the Observer tary point of view. To this graves. French cemeteries had is to be found in the men who are be possible, the rattages of the The sinking of the (March 30):

there are easy anamer. First, if been desecrated, and tomba that fighting the system which rattled land fo ces. I have just returned from a that was his obj ct, the Garman promid the loot of a ever the eabre in its soabbard for half Lusitania and other passengers, visit to the British Front in one Beglected to destroy an eminence crucifix, Fuch as often adorns the centary sed finally ansheathed indisosirinatescattering of mises; of those districts from which the over which ran she old walls of crfins of the well-to-do in France, ir, God willing, to its own deewanton bombardment of open Germans have reluctantly re-the town and which so commande hs1 brez opered. Leaden o finstruction. They are the salt of towne; torpedoing of hospital ships. treated. I have seen the vestiges the view of the surrounding had been cut into, for what par- the earth, there Poilas sad and the murder of Captain Frysti of war, the horrible debris of country that the German himself pose it is dificult to conceive, Tommies, who, representing the are some of the exploits for which actual fakting. That is indend selected it as his chief observation less it was with the idea that two great democracies of the old the German navy is responsible. hell. Bat it is nothing by oom post. Secondly, if his object was the corpara had been buried with world, "are looking to the great Mr. Wilson fitingly closes his A message from Petrograd stated that the three cardinal points parison with the indescribable to destroy all high buildings, bis jewellery, which might be valu-democracy of the new world for article with a brief aconnint of on which the Government, the Executive Committee of the Dams things which the German Army work was badly executed, for the able sa loot, Bome is bad is active support in the fight for Cermisa catrages in the United

did before it abandoned the highest construction in Bapaume been stripped of their lead. and the Committee of Soldiera and Workmea have agreed are:-

territory it had held for two and was the city hall lower which, In every place where there re 1.-Unity of front between the Allies. 2-Fall confidence of the revolutionary democracy in the half years. For some of the ruin though shattered, in quite avail-mained the vestige of a human it is quite possible to see that able sa 8.00ign of vantage from habitation there was filth. There reconstructed Cabinet,

"miliury necesity" could be in-which to survey the neighbour was 6th sleo upon priestly vestments which had been thrown 8-Plenitude of powera for the Government.

voked; but for wash that was hood.

out of a vestry in the private done ons may search in vain for

THE RUSSIAN SITUATION.

Three Polats of Agreement.

London, May 16

Another Resignation.

London, May 16. Reater's correspondent at Petrograd states that M. Milinkoff has resigned.

THE MESOPOTAMIA CAMPAIGN.

London, May 18. A Mesopotamis cfficial message states: Although there have been no important operations, during this month we have taken 136

prisoners,

[la the event of telegrams arriving too late for insertion on this page they will be found on an Extra].

EARLIER TELEGRAMS.

MACEDONIAN SUCCESS,

London, May 1& A French Macedonian communique states: Venezelist troops in conjunction with French troops" in the region of Ljunios successively captured two work north of Haddi barimah, taking prisoners Counter-attacks here and on

gen and Dobropoldji sompletely failed.

The

Il that is worth while.

GERMANY SELF- CONVICTED.

States.

Mr. Robertson confines bimself to an examination of the olsim made by the Germans that France committed the first overt sot of war. French aviators'wEIS aid to have dɔwa over Belgium sad to have thrown bomba near Karlsruhe and Karemburg on August 1 or 2. The Mayor of Nuremburg wroła - oo April 3, 1915: "It has nØYNE been oonveyed to the knowledge It is desirable from every point of the command of the 3rd

A Record of Crime.

any jatification. ▲ spirit of The Egetematic way in which chapel of a country house in wanton destruction for the Bspsome was destroyed was only which German officers had been asks of destruction, a spirit of qualled by the thoroughness billeted for two years.

determination to with which it was looted. Every headquarters staff had before spiteful leave a lasting imprint of the thing worth transportation had leaving fired their revolvers at German occupation upon the land been osrried away. The painted the pictures and mirrors, and one reluctantly given up, a spirit of Stations of the Cross in the of them said to the lady of the ferocity which in innumerable obarch had been cut out of their chatera: "Shall we take your of view that the crimes against Bavarian Army Corps that bomba instances became more bestiality some frames. I examined them piano away with us or smash it? kumanity and international law had been thrown, before or after all these influences came into closely, and the evidences of this It must be one thing or the committed by Germany should the declaration of war, by enemy the interpretation and execution were incontrovertible. The mural other." The Frenchwoman emit not be allowed to be forgotten. aviators on the Nuremburg-Kis- and Naremburg. of the orders issued by the freeca, cf course, could not be od with what the man who Unhappily it is true that a num- singen German High Commsed. removet, but all of them, with told me the story described ber of well-measing people are Anspach lines. All the allega have spoke to people who one single exception, had suffered as the irony which belongsways prone to raise the cry that tions of this kind and all the here seen, some of them, the the fare of the shattered walls to her claw."Let it be it is the higher morality to let reports of the journals have been ruins of Meetina, and others in This one exception was a repre- broken, gentlemen," she said ane br-zones by by-gones, forget-recognised to be false. Privy ng that" while this policy Councillor Riedel, the magistrate havor of parts of Sin Francisco sentation of the Redeemer on the the gentlemen broke it up.

There are some of the materiala be defended in regard of Nuremburg and ... Professor after the earthquake. Take Mes-Cross-another of the many in- eina and San Francisco and Val-stances of the kind that have been sepects of the German occupation to opremeditated lapses from Schwalbe, three prominent Ger parsico, and throw in what one remarked in the path of this war. of this now recorquered French rotitude which are regretted as mans, have sunounced that the cau coroeive of Pompeii sad Bat, over and above the in-vit territory. Bach was, pathetic 000 as committed it is in very report which was given by Hercusneum, and roll them all able destruction, there are ev.d. figures as one Roountered when applicable to premeditated crimen the German Government as the its declaration into oor, and the most vivid fences of such testisi ferocity and following the French and British in which the offender glorien, ground for imagination could scarosly arrive mest spitefulness that only armies as they moved slowly and Considerable value, therefore, of war against Franos at a conception of the realities in system which repressed the good laboriously over the crater-pitted attaches to two brochures: ons a absolutely false. It is too late in stricken France.

instinate common to all humanity, ocustry-abandoned by the Boche reprint of an article by Mr. H. W. the day to be surprised si may Two characteristic instances could make it possible for men to gave one the impression of worse Wilson, entitled "Couriated out infamy perpetrated by the "Gar most entice. One wa+ Baptums, indulge in such an orgy of pollet than famine having stalked of her own Mouth" which man Government, but it i

fair-wised town with some public too. I saw the remains of what through the land. There poor orginally appeared in the well that exposures by compara buildings of, judging by the had once been bandsome villagers and emall townsfolk National Review and the fively honest Germans should be. Fainty imposing architecture, chatesy. Part of the library was whom the Germans had left by other German Truth and a placed on permanent record, N

by the Bight | 0! Daily News. the exception of "some still remaining. Most of the hind were evidently half starved, Matter of Fac

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