Great Britain

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 11, 16 December 1915, Page 5

Great Britain

ARMENIAN MASSACRES. MILLION ESTIMATED TO HAVE PERISHED. AWFUL DETAILS OF ATROCITIES lUnixbd Phehb A«»3oiation. 1 (Received 8.20 a.m.) London, December 15. Lord Bryce, writing to the Daily Telegraph, says that a competent authority estimates that a million Armenians perished. Further details show that 5000 wore literally driven under the lash, and there 1 were awful cases of pillage, murder, outrage, starvation, and girl-stealing. In one case 200 Armenians were taken in trucks to the river bank, and each truck-load was shot over. All the Armenian men in a half-stripped condition, were tied together and taken away, and the women and girls were distributed among the Turkish villages, the Turks scrutinising choosing whom they wanted. A wealthy resident who saw his wife and three daughters taken away became a raving lunatic. An eye-witness says: "I counted twenty-one women and children in a hospital lying on the floor from sheer exhaustion; three of the children were in a moribund condition, and half of the remainder were likely to die. Two children • were forcibly separated from their mother; one being left to lie on the damp ground to die, and the other strayed on to the railway and its leg was partially amputated; the mother is now demented. The sufferings of the people Horrible and to awful to describe."

AFTER THE WAR.

THE EMPLOYMENT OF SOLDIERS

RE-ORCANISATION OF IN-

DUSTRY.

(Received 8.20 a.m.)

London, December 15. Lord Parker of Waddington, in the House of Lords, drew attention to the problems of the employment of soldiers after the t yvffl, and th e organise tions of industry. Women, 'he said, could not be expected to return to the pre-war conditions and the Government al/ould (l aWt in'this matter; in conert with'the Dominions. Lord Crewe said it was possible to tlWlandf of jth* sah (diets, and the' question was 'being considered by a special committee. Naturally, a multitude of questions wpuld arise when the three million soldiers and war workers were released.

Lord Haldane said a peace book should be prepared showing what might b 0 expected when peace was declared. ' . ' •, •

~&ord Newton said that before the Co&litytfii \ w'al ' an undertaking was given that the' army wojild not be disbanded suddenly and tnvjs thrown on to' the labor market.-

STRENGTH OF THE TURKISH FORCES.

: ;; • iv -:',Lo^^' k i)©:ember 15. In the .rtouse of ComtaQnsy.'Mr Tennant,' replying'lio a question, said it was estimated that '650,000 Turks were'in the field and that they might be increased* under certain circumstances to a million.

IMPERIAL CONVENTION.

DOMINIONS REPRESENTATION IN PEACE COUNCIL. (Received 8.45 a.m.) j i London, December 15. Mr Wise, addressing the Colonial Institute, said England must give the Dominions a place in the Council which decided the peace terms. They had at least as strong a claim to the minor States in Europe. It would be only a disaster worse than war to have a patched-up peace, and certainly, no Australasians would ever suggest that the conquered colonies should be returned to Germany. He suggested that the Crown summon an Imperial Convention at Westminster under the presidency of the King. Representatives of the Dominions must be numerous enough to express current local opinion, • and on their return justify any Constitution framed by the Convention, the proposals thereupon to be referred to popular vote.

NEW ZEALAND WAR CONTINGENT ASSOCIATION. THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. HIGHLY SATISFACTORY POSITION. (Received 8.55 a.m.) Loudon, December 15. At a meeting of the New Zealand War Contingent Association, the Hon. Thomas Mackenzie (High Commissioner), chairman of the Association, stated that £29,500 had been sxibscribed, including the New Zealand Shipping Company's £IOOO and Shaw Savill's £SOO, which amounts had just been received. Mr Macken-

zie stated that 3600 wounded were now in Britain. Twenty-six had

died, and it was hoped to erect a monument at Walton-on-Thames to their memory. Two hundred beds were being added to the hospital at Walton, which had been an unqualified success. When the King and Queen visited the hospital they expressed the utmost gratification at the arrangements. Prince Louis of Baitenmirg had also expressed his satisfaction, adding that he had al-

ways the kindliest feeling for New Zealand owing to the kindness shown to his son. The War Office are also endeavouring to concentrate the New Zealanders in a single hospital, thus removing the possibility of loneliness. The Convalescent Homes at Brighton, Woodcote Park, and Epsom were great successes. Two New Zealanders who had lost limbs had been sent to Queen Mary's Hospital,Rockhampton, while provision was being made for the entertainment of those on furlough. The Association provided the troops with tobaccos, shaving tat-* kle, and clothing where necessary, and £SOO had been sent to the American Ambassador for New Zealand prisoners at Constantinople. The sailors aboard H.M.S. New Zealand would not be forgotten at Christmas. He reminded members that the Association required funds to carry on the work. Mr Mackenzie paid a tribute to the invaluable services of Lord Plunket and Lady Liverpool. MILLION MORE MEN BEFORE END OF MARCH. » ■ ■ [Unitkd Prbsb Association.] London, December 15. A White Paper states that a million additional men are required for the army to March 31.