Notes from London

Horowhenua Chronicle, 30 October 1915, Page 2

Notes from London

Jxuidon pays little heed to the artificial circulation of peace talk which, is just now emanating from JJerlin. -it is everywhere agreed that it is only a very poor diplomatic manoeuvre intendetl to divide the Allies and, if possible, *o create dissension and diseoru m this country by a false encouragement of the extreme peace cranks in our midst. It is abundantly clear that Germany has not the slightest desire to come to peaoo with the Allies together. Slie very much desires to end the struggle against .Russia, despite all the crowihgs over Warsaw and decisive victory. Indeed, thorn is reason to believe that the Kaiser's offers to Russia were very big. liven now Grmany is fatuous. She never will understand that the Allies cannot be corrupted—even if any one of them wej-e foolish enough to place any reli-

ance on any promise which may ever come out of Berlin. JJiisgui desires no peace. Her armies have magnificently evaded the mighty" efforts made lor their destruction, and wfll " eventually impose, tJiV'ii- own terms upon the Kaiser and ih..' Austrian Emperor. As lor Grout Hntniii and France, the foolish chatter of peace in the midst of the groat clash of the conflict for liberty and justice and humanity is treated with the contempt it deserves.

0)1 lectors of registration l.imix arc setting about their work in real earnest, and it is eloquent of their tact, no less than of the patriotic spirit which everywhere prevails, that the officials meet with good temper and a cordial welcome on almost every hand. In some, of the poorer districts ol the metropolis the forms have presented .something of a puzzle to women"who arc scared of anything in the way of an official-looking document; hut tlic enumerators and the collectors have removed all difficulties by their explanations and assistance wherever these have seemed necessary. One thing is perfectly obvious, the work of registration and collection of the forms has started another considerable boom in recruiting. It has been quite spontaneous, and in many cases young men have—as though moved by a sudden impulse—returned iheir form to the enumerator and recruiting headquarters. Some recruit** have asked to be allowed to retain their registration forms as souvenirs of their decision. It is rather pathetic to see some of the soldiers who nave come hack, •broken in the war," with distressing ca.scrs of nerve strain. i. am told by those who have been attending thom at the hospitals that the recent thunder weather has affected-them very adversely, but, thanks to the advance of medical treatment in this-class of case, the proportion of cures is larger than might have been expected, although it is, of course, a rather slow business. It is not altogether surprising to learn that the officers and those of the soldiers who have been used to sedentary occupations are more liable to nervous abnormalities than is the more stolid Tommy Atkins, who hardly knows that he has any nerves even under the terrible -train of a modern battle. One day last week, so a doctor tells me, some cf his nervous patients were "crying like children" at the thunderstorm! But some of Mie most pathetic casen are those who have been "gassed." The ouestion of poison gas is one which only those who have seen it at close quarter* can fully appreciate in all its horror.— Lennox Herald.