CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 5, 8 April 1916, Page 5

CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

"Germanism Outdonef might well be the title of the latest speech by the German Chancellor, Von Bethmann Hollweg. We are told that it is the "most comprehensive" speech since the war began and this can readily be believed if it means that it is the most comprehensive collection of misstatements as it is nothing but a/ tissue of lies from beginning to cud, uttered with an air of authority for the sake of tickling the ears and flattering the natural pride of the German groundlings. Hollweg has proved himself the greatest perverter of the truth extant. But he might have been forgiven had he not gone the length of'saying "Wo entered the war in self-defence!" Surely this is the dizzy limit in mendacity. Why the veriest tyro among students of the history of the war knows this is not so. It would be well to recall the opening events of what has proved the greatest international struggle in history. On June 22 the Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated in Serajevo by the Serbians, but it was not until July 23 that Austria declared war on Serbia and Belgrade was bombarded. What was happening in Britain in connection with the other European Powers is clearly shown in the official report of the correspondence which passed between the diplomatists of the respective countries, and in which xmdeniable proof is shown of the immense strain thrown upon the British, French and Russian representatives in endeavoring to get Germany to avoid bloodshed. AH their, efforts.; were in : vain, and a state of war was declared in Germany on July 31, followed by a Declaration of War upon Russia next day. The same day the Germans invaded Luxemberg, and the ultimatum to Belgium was sent on the succeeding day. On the 3rd Germany declared war on France, and on the 4th Britain sent an ultimatum to Germany demanding an assurance that the neutrality of Belgium would be respected. This was not forthcoming, and there was nothing for it but hostilities, so Britain then declared war on Germany. Events followed with rapidity, and the landing of the first expeditionary forci. iu France was completed on August 16. The sacking of poor Belgium opened the eyes of the world tci the nature of the beasts and the length to which savagery in war on land could be carried. Later, we learned their methods in the same direction that amuse the Hun on the high seas.

Reverting again to Hollweg's speech, it will be seen that he throws the blame of the continuation of bloodshed upon the shoulders or tut Allies, so that we see that Germany did not start the war and now wants it ended! The latter sentiment will afford food for much thought as to whether Hollweg means what he says, or is merely telling another lie! His alleged respect for the legitimate rights of neutrals would be welcomed if the national actions did not give, the words the lie direct. The fact of the matter is that Hollweg has been reduced to rhetoric, whi.ch is as full of bombast as an egg is said to be full of meat. It is amusing to hear him speak of the "long-oppressed Flemish nation" and to imagine his crocodile tears chasing each other down bis cheeks! The statement about Germany being a peace-loving nation is not borne out by the forty years' preparations that have been made for war—this self-same war we are now engaged upon is the opinion of the writer. Germany thought her hour to strike for world-conquest had come, and she never expected to raise three millions of men, 'neither was siieh unanimity between the Allie. e'er dreamed of by "kultur." However, Germany is not beaten yet. She has still a strong army which is trained to the minute, and on sea her submarines are taking such toll as makes the average man wince at the news, but as sure as night follows day, although Hollweg says Germany cannot be starved, her power as a military nation is drawing to a close. The Chancellor knows it, and admits it when he says that the speeches of pur enemies show no trace of readiness for peace. Truth, indeed, is stranger tlian Hollweg's fiction.

There has been a good deal of talli as to whether Ireland was or was not doing her share in the matter of recruiting. But in considering them. and especially in making the almosl inevitable comparison with Atistra

I lasia, it must be remembered that the proportion of young men in Ireland is much smaller than here, because the, young Irishman so often emigrate. The Lord Lieutenant's recent report on recruiting in Ireland gives the figures. On August 1, 1914, there were in the army 20,780 Irishmen. On the outbreak of war 17,801 reservists and 12,462 special reservists rejoined, making a total of 51,046. Later, three new divisions were formed, consisting of tweTve battalions fetch, 'making, with the original sixteen Irish battalions, of the Regular Forces, a .total of fifty-two battalions. Oh October 9, 1915, the total number of enlistments since the outbreak of war amounted to 75,293, giving a grand total of 128,339 of pre and post Avar enlistments. Twelve months' ex- j perience showed that the calls for drafts for units for the front amounted in the aggregate to 100 per cent. per annum. Allowing margins for contingencies, an average weekly cupply of 1100 rceruits was required) to keep Ireland's fiftptwo battalions at an adequate level. The monthly averages of recruits, which in the spring ' of 1915 exceeded the 1100 per week. in the autumn fell far below it. An active recruiting campaign was started in October, and in seven weeks a weekly average of 1063 was obtained. The report declares that Ireland has still a large reservoir of men. It is estimated that on August 15 last there weije in Ireland 416,409 unmarried males of military age. Of these, 252,000 were engaged in agriculture. Allowing for subsequent enlistments and rejections there should still be .about 400,000 unattested single males of military age, but, probably, after the making of the usual deductions, the number of available men left would not exceed 100,000.

It is from Ireland's agricultural population that recruiting has been smallest. "The physical difficulties of making an impression on a scattered population of conservative tendencies still prevails," says the just issued Lord Lieutenant's report of recruiting, "but signs are not wanting that the farming class are awakening to their i-esponsibilities in this direction, and the formation of farmers' battalions has come within the sphere of practical realisation." There is no better fighter than the Irishman, especially for "an attack, and the nonagricultural class in Ireland from which most of the recruits have come so far is not in a position to provide very large contingents in future, though it is said that 'further support may be expected from the commercial and shop assistant classes, or from those engaged in occupations in which their services can be replaced by those of women. Tn the beginning of the war to last January, 86,277 emits were raised in Ireland, and there are besides the Irish enlistments in England. Of the 86,277, about one-eighth were raised between October and January last. The distribution of army and navy recruits up to December 15 last, between the four provinces of Ireland, works out as follows :

Connaught ... 3,589 Munster 14,190 Ulster 4y//G0 Leinster 27,458 Hut 73.9 per cent, of the adult population of Connaught is engaged in agriculture; while' the percentages in tno other provinces are:—Munster, ol.'d; Leinster, 37.4; and Ulster, 46.5. The general disinclination of the farming classes to join the colors i s not specially characteristic of one province more than another. When the war uogan, 5100 Irish sailors were serving in the British Navy, and since then 3146 more'have joined. Taking army and navy together, and including men who enlisted before as well as after the war broke out, Ireland's lotal contribution of lighting men is 145,8(59.