1917-12-22 — Page 7

THE

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH

EXTRA

HONGKONG, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1917.

REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.

MR. LLOYD GBORGE'S SPEECH.

REUTER'S - TELEGRAMS.

London, December 20.

more meascing

AUSTRALIA AND CONSCRIPTION.

Partial Returas.

Melbourne, December 21.

Partial returns of the Referendum give 52,000 of a majority

Continuing his speech in the House of Commcne, Mr. Bloyd George said the situation has become far owing to two events during the last few weeks. Firstly, the against conscription, out of 658,000, which is a quarter of the delest of Italy was not expected and a bad to despatch electorate. The returns are chiefly from anti-conscription strong- Anglo-French seistavos there at a very critical moment, Ihalds. The soldiers' votes are not included.

THE SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN.

The Enemy Dis-satisfied.

London, December 21, Reater is authorised to state that although it is true thst we

I had been undoubtedly done with a celerity which had greatly surprised the enemy. The Anglo-French support was both material and moral. It encouraged and fired the Italians, and troops that a few weeks ago were completely dispersed over Italy were now returning to the ranks. The Anglo-French troops could therefore claim a very large share in restoring the position on the Italian Front-. (Cheers). Nevertheless, the Italian defeat made the military posi.are pot destroying more U boa's than are being built, it is slee pot satisfied with the results of the submarine campaign, recognising tion more anxions for the Anglo-French in many directions. It from recent attacks on convoys by surface ships that the enemy"

that it requires assistance, meant a greater drain on the man-power of Britain and France.

The second faot responsible for worsening the position was she Russian armistice. True, the armistice provided for the non-move- ment of troope to the West, bat" we have heard of scraps of paper before and the country which relies for its security apoa Germany keeping her promises either in the spirit or the letter, has not pro fited by experience".-(Cheers)." These two factors compelled us to make greater sacrifices in order to strengthen the armies in the field during the coming year.

THE ITALIAN FRONT.

An Italian · Success. ··

Landon, December 21. A wireless Italian official message says :—In the region of the Asolone Front, east of the Brents, we re-captured a considerable portion of the ground lost on Tuesday, and dispersed a strong

A German Report.

The pledges given to Labour in 1916 in connection with recrait-counter-attack at Monte Pertica. ing were necessary and desirable in the interests of the country, bat they were uncontrollable." The circumstances necesitated either an alteration or a concallation of those pledges. The Government must call up many men at present protected by conditions of em ployment. Before asking for legislation enabling this coarse, the Minister of National Servion would next week lay the whole posi- tion before the leaders of the Trade Unions.

out

ROS

London, December 21.

A wireless German official message states! The Italiane seven times attacked the heights won to the west of Monte Alone and thrios attacked Monte Fertica. They also attacked Monte Solarol>. All failed.

GERMANY AND EAST AFRICA,

41

London, December 21. The German Press is adopting an inspired attitude to the effect that the boncurs of war as regards the Eset African campaiga rest with the Germans. The Cologne Caselle says: There is little reason for rejoicing in London and elsewhere, von Lattow Vorback is not yet vanquished. We hope he will still hold out for a long time, bat if, after his immortal deeds, he should be compelled to lower his flag sad our last: Colony should thus really be lost, our enemies must know tha: pledges which we hold in Europe will thereby be made only doubly precious. With these. pledges we shall, win back the tropical soil we need and intend to bare for our future economic life."

1

A. TCHECO-SLOVAK ARMY,

Paris, December 21.

A decreeTM creates an autonomous Tobeco-Slovake army in France, the neaclas being the Tcheco-Slavate serving in the French Army.

Another circumstance impelling the Government to make a further strain on man-power was that we were at present forced to send back to the fighting line men who had been repeatedly wounded. It was unfair and intolerable that, euch men should be sent back while there were men in the country who had never been to the Fron:(Cheers). Undoubtedly the next few months would be the most trying of the war, because one Great Power had practically gone out and another Great Power was not fally in. Therefore

barden would be considerable. The enemy, however also had difficulties. For example, owing to the Brit ich blockade, the German workers had deteriorated physically; hence the output of Germany per man had decreased by 33 per cent, compared with the first year of the war. France's losses are undoubtedly very severe, while Italy's losses, despite reverses, were incomparable with the losses of Austria. Despite our great casual. ties, the permanent losses of the British Army were

the one-fifth of one-fourth or

permanent more "than

man-power of the nationa German losses. The reserve actively allied against Germany was twice greater than the Central Powers and their Allies. Referring to yesterday's war aims debate, the Premier remarked that since Bussia had entered into separate negotiations she mast be responsible for the protection of her own territory, and that also disposed of any understanding TWO ENEMY SUBMARINES DESTROYED BY THE FRENCH. regarding Constantinople. He reiterated that we had not enterad the war in order to annex a single yard of territory.-(Casera)." We entered the war because we believed that the honour of Britain involved standing by her word.-(Cheers) It was the result of the restless arrogance of the military caste in Prussia who were deter mined to force their power on the world. They planned the war for years. They were once even prepared to overthrow their own raler in order to set up another raler who was more in sympathy with their sims. They had repeatedly tried to force war on Raseia, which had been compelled to purchase pesce at the price of humiliation. They tried to force war on France, which also had to purchase peace at a price that we would not have endured. The character of the Prussian military caste was 'exemplified by the Zibern incident in which a soldier, if he had a word, bad the right, under German military law, to rao s oivilian through. Let the House transiste that into terms of international relatione, (Cheers.)

Other nations had been civilian nations before the war and they said "You have no business in Belgium. Go out." the reply was "By German military law we have the right to run you through for daring to interfere." That was the temper that made war, and until is was broken there would never be peace in the world. That is why we said that victory was an essential condition of peace.

A

It was not because it satisfied some low vindiosive sense in human nature merely to punish, but because we realised that victory was the only thing that would give reality to peace terme. League of Nations, in which Germany was represented by a military. caste triumphant would be a hollow" farce (oneers). The people of Germany must be in the League of Nations. That was why It was victory was itself were important than mere tarme. because victory alone would give reality to pesce terus that the Government asked the Trade Unions and the House of Commons for greater powers to enable them to increase the neces sary means (Load Cheera)

Mr. Asquith's Views.

Athens, Desember 21.

French destroyers accounted for two enemy sabmarines be- tween Tranto and Iles. One was sunk with all hands, while the crew abandoned the other. The captain, two officers and sixteen- men were made prisoners.

RUSSIAN AFFAIRS. ·

German Ex-Prisoners In-Petrograd. "

-: London, December 21. The Day Ohronicle's Patrograd correspondent saya that

wagon, loads of German prisoners, Tutually free, are daily arriving in Petrograd in the auiform of German soldiers. Tasy are to be mei - with everywhere in as streets. Undoubtedly German infidence is strongly at work, and is believed to be concerned with the drink riote, which the Soviet declares to be the work of Cadets in order to immobilise the Soviet troops. There have been many arreets,

unless

The Ukrainian Espublis, replying to the Maximalist allimatam, cabled yesterday, demands absolate non-interreation in ite affaire, the recall of Ukrainian troops from other fronts to Ukraine, non-intervention of the Commissioners and the Generalissimo on the Ukrainian and Rumanian south-western fronte, she participation of the Ukrainian Republic in the peace negotiations, and the representation of Ukraine, to the extent of 000 third in 赌 future federal government. It refuses

Ukraine sapplies from

cash is paid for them, one-third in gold. The Maximsust Commissioners, in reply, insiet upon Ukraine renouncing its support of Ksledin and the Bourgeois The Times Petrograd correspondent' says:Kaledin entered Rostoff on December 15, after aix days fighting wherein the Red Guarda lost eight hundred killed and a thousand wounded. The Maximalist leaders took refuga on warships, which attempted to leave the river but the eraser Kolkhida was stranded and pre vented reaching the ses by Cossack artillery.

rebellion.

Mr. Asquith, following Mr. Lloyd George, emphasised that shipping and finance, the two most formidable problems a year ago, were now much more formidable. He hoped the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his next Badget would make further taxation de- manda. There was a feeling, which he believed was wholly ba warranted, of insecurity regarding the loans. Bate's obligation in this master as sacred. As regarda shipping, it. waa by far the most vital need of the country, even before officere, ex-prisoners. Is is believed that a force of ex-prisoners the needs of army munitions. He urged the Government so ander their own officers, equalling two army corps is within

that we aro fighting striking distance of Petrograd, for the security of the liberty and justice of the World througe free confederation and equal states. Events in Bassis showed the necessity of a moral sccompanying the material campaign. League of Nations was the avowed purpose of this country sad Empire from the very firet,

The Daily Mail's Petrograd correspondent says:-M.Trotzky has ordered the publication in German of a newspaper for distribution in the German trenches, to expound Maximalist views.

The Morning Post's Petrograd correspondent eaye:-In the "He regarded tue | fight between the Bolsheviks sad the Cossacks at Tashkent the former was victorious. They were commanded by Austro-German

nee every means to make clear

Mesopotamia and Ármeniä.

London, December 20.

In the House of Commons, Mr. Lloyd George emphasised that what will happen to Mesopotamia and Armenia must be left to the Pesos Conference; but one thing which would never happen would be their restoration to the Turks,

The Daily News correspondent at Petrograd says: The Russian Staff on the Hamanian Frout has joined the Ukrainians, and General Tcherdaisheff has been appointed Generalissim

Ukrsime.".

A telegram from Copenhagen says" that a private message from Finland states that the Bolshevik regime is shaking, hence the state of siege at Petrograd. Numerous arreste, including the ex-Ministers Savickoff and Tchernoff, have been made.

!

The Peace Terms.

Petrograd, December 21,

It is unofficially reported that the Germans have refused the the Hussian peace terms,