The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE TUESDAY, MAY 22, 1917. RUSSIA.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 22 May 1917, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

TUESDAY, MAY 22, 1917. RUSSIA.

("With which is incorporated The Taihapo Post and Waimarino News).

The cables we published yesterday from .Russia may confidently be taken to indicate that the Russian difficulty is fading, that the crisis is past, and that the Government and' people are settling down upon a sane course to the completion of the emancipation and rescue of the huge Russian Empire from the thraldom of the Czar regime with its overbearing bureaucracy. The Russian people have realised, as most well-informed people on such matters predicted they would, that the road to freedom lies through their allegience to their Allies, that the alternative sooner or later means the return of the oppressor and the loss of all those sweets of life which at present they have only secured the merest taste. They have jettisoned one monarch who they discovered to b e notMng less than a traitor, that tried to sell them body and soul to that man whose memory history will perpetuate by allying it with all that is bad, inhuman and bloodthirsty, so bad even that a fitting associate for it cannot be found in the world's annals, a name so separated from everything just and humane that evon an imagination with the power and trend 6f a Dante's could not nearly pourtrayjjTlie Russian people have banished their monarch and his equally traitorous wife, ,and they have murdered the wretched Rasputin, who they caught redhauded, his almost unthinkable wickedness testified to by his own and the Empress' handwritings. No doubt there is some feeling of satisfaction in reflecting on the fact that this empress was ;■ Herman, who h»d no Russian blood in her. These must be some of the feelings that are actuating the Russian people in deciding the attitude they < v i 1! take in freeing themselves from any possibility of a return to such vile and unsavoury conditions. They know that in modem progress of nations Germany and Austria have never lost an opportunity to take from them the ruling over Slav peoples; that as late even as 1009, in the difference with Austria in connection with the Bosnia-Herzegovina dis-

putQ/the Germain Emperor cast his sword into the balance at St Petersburg, and acquired credit throughout Europe for having rescued his ally. He received the capitulation of Russia and presented it to Austria. Russia was too weak, never strong, but then suffering resultant enervation of the current war with Japan, she could do nothing but accept the position forced upon her. There are Russian statesmen to-day who are hungering and anxious for revenge on the German bully of Europe, and they arc not likely to neglect the only means that may ever be placed at their will to accept- or refuse. These men are the leaders of Russia to-day, and they may be trusted to exercise all the influence in their power to make a Russia that is free from such royal treachery as they have recently experienced anl suffered from. The feelings of the British people in connection with the decoying of Kitchener to his death through the trcacherousness of the Russian Court is indescribable,. Then what must be the feelings in Russia over the butchery of more than a million Slavs, sacrificed for the blood and power lust of Czars and Kaisers'? Taking all evidence and appearances into consideration there is an overwhelming balance in favour of Russia keeping her compact with the Allies not to enter into any separate peace to their disadvantage, and that she will in the very near future recommence a vigorous offensive against the common enemy along the whole Eastern front. Th e Minister for War, Kcrenski, has issued an order to the armies in which he states that no requests for resignations will be entertained, and that all deserters from the army and navy must return by the 28th May under threat of severe punishment. Generals have returned to the front, where all fraternising with the Huns has ceased. The London Times views the progress of Russian affairs most optimistically, and regards the American loan of twenty millions as a striking proof of American belief that Russia will weather the storm. It is believed that the Russian army will soon be restored to its former strength and organisation, and it is not improbable that a large American force will be landed in Russia to take part in the final ov,erthrow r of Kaiserism. The American troops would certainly be an object lesson to flic new Russian democracy, showing how 'the armies of an old republic fight in pre-" servation of its democracy from the lust. oiUKaiserism. Considering the Russian question in all its bearings there seems little reason to doubt that there-:«'ill. soon appear increasing activities on the Eastern front that will render more speedy the complete subjugation of the Central European Tobber gang..

IRELAND AND SOUTH AFRICA "North of Ireland," writes, asking whether, there was that analogy be- ' tweenr the position in Ireland with that in South Afriea before the Union which article in yesterday's issue on "Ireland .and Empire Federation" seemed to infer.. It is true that no. two minds are. likely to view evidence in exactly the . same way, but the situation in South Africa at that, time seemed to most people to bo as disquieting, if not more so, .than is. the situation in Ireland now Hundreds of thousands of irishmen are . working and fighting shoulder to shoulder with English, Scotch and Welsh, giving their lives freely for the Empire of which they, by their sacrifices, fully admit their membership and responsibility thereto, But can anyone imagine that the Boers in 1909, or a year or two later even, would play a similar part? The Herzog educational policy pursued in the Orange Kiver Colony excluded all British teachers from public schools. It is true that it Avas lawful to teach both Dutch and English, but there were so few British teachers who could teach Dutch up to the standard required, and that fact worked out in schools being tutored solely by Boers. We have nothing hi Ireland to compare with such a situation, for it meant that all British children attending the public schools were.compelled to learn the Dutch lan-

guago whether their parents wished it or not. There arc other matters which equally boar uri6ri''t"he i question, but the one quoted is of such 'undeniable import that it will doubtless prove convincing. The first parliament, elected after self-government was granted, had in it an alarming preponderance of Boers over British. Boers and Boer sympathisers defeated Britons, for places in the first Ministry, and Botha was beaten in the elections by a proBoer, lint was eventually returned unopposed for another constituency. The final result of the elections resulted in a Boer majority, there being sixtyseven Dutch and thirty-seven Unionists. We need not. view with any great f.larm. therefore, if, in any Irish ParItem i ■••.; there should be a majority who '..v ;ii prencht opposed vn the Union, for u:l!i "he attainment of self-govern-ment thai for which they contended has vanished. They will have no cause for resentment against Britain, and their minds will be free to evolve that domestic policy best suited to their comfort aiid progress, of which we have no real or intimate conception. There is far loss to fear in Ireland to-day than therp was in South Africa even eight or nine years ago.

It is estimated that the war has cost Germany up to date £3,000,000,000.

Employment of school children in the fields in France is giving satisfactory results.

The South African Director of Recruiting raised 2400 coloured boys for service in France as transport drivers.

The official moving picture, "The Battle of Ancre," is being screened at Trent-ham Camp for the benefit of the soldiers. Afterwards it will be shown at Featherston Camp.

At the end of 191(5 1,135,410 prisoners were employed in Russia, including 544,925 on agriculture. 293,9(5S in mines, factories, etc., and 168,614 on Toad, railway, and other communications.

In America a huge aeroplane of 1000 horse-power has just been constructed. It has two wings 50 yards long, and will be able to travel at a speed of 100 miles an hour. It will be capable of carrying 30 passengers and eight machine-guns.

Free tuition is given to discharged soldiers at the Technical Schools in the Dominion. The soldiers may choose their own subjects, and learn any trade or profession which they desire. Disabled men unable to work at their old trades and desirous of acquiring a new r one not only receive tuition free, but also get £1 a week from the Government while learning the trade.

A Christchureh telegraphist, now with the Wireless Corps in Mesopotamia, pays tribute to the thieving propensities of the Arabs. Ho says: "Stealing rifles through a barbed wire enclosure from sleeping men's blankets was a common thing. We always stick our rifles into our blankets when asleep, and the sentries' rifles are chained'/to thenn, so ito the 'Arabs snatching them away at night time.

Considerable consternation was caused among the users of the trams when it was mentioned at the City Council meeting that it might be found necessary to reduce the service and raise the fares. The coal shortage is the cause of the trouble, and the, authorities find that in order to conserve stocks something will have to be done unless there is an improvement in the coal supplies'.—Wellington Times.

In a,letter to an Auckland merchant, an Eastern flour broker, who recently visited New Zealand, says: "I may live, to see Manchuria, North China and Siberia furnish the world's markets with 10,000,000 tons of wheat yearly. The grain, with proper care, can be brought up to the standard of Canadian hard wheat. The land is there, only no Chinese have the grit to go in and farm it on a large scale. In time we may find the Japs doing it. * They have not the wheat land in Japan.

At a meeting of the New Plymouth railway staff on Friday night, Mr. Mack presiding, the following resolution was unanimously carried: "That Mr. Mack, as Labour representative on the Military Appeal "Board, be asked to ascertain the method adopted by the Railway Department in conducting their second ballot. Firstly, as to whether the whole of the 1150 names drawn in the Military Service ballots were balloted for by the department: and, secondly, whether representatives of the men were present when the ballot was conducted." A further resolution was passed strongly protesting against the railway authorities holding this•second iballat.

The London Times recently gave an extract from a speech recently made at Dusseldorf to representatives of the German iron industry by General Groner the organiser of German National Service. Amongst other things he said: ■"'All In :all, if must be said that the enmity of England is attributable to your achievements in time of peace, because England found that she was beaten in the sphere of the iron industry. That was why England began the war. The spiritual authors of the war sit in London.'' This is the latest version of "Blood and Iron." But if we "began," the Avar, why are avc only its "spiritual authors'?" General Groner

seems to have been too anxious to say nice things to his audience to take the trouble to join his flats.

As an illustration of the wonderful alertness and presence of mind of a thief, the following example is probably without parallel. Something over a year ago, when Zeppelin raids were carried out with more impunity than is possible to-day, Mr. George Gray, the billiardist, was staying at a hotel near London. One night a Zeppelin dropped a bomb some hundred or so yards away, and demolished the rear portion of a tavern. Naturally everyone in the building rushed out, and people from near by, including Gray, hastened to the spot to render any assistance possible. At the most only a minute or two elapsed between the time the proprietor and assistants left the building to the time they returned, and it was then found that some calm and collected individual risked the premises falling in on him and had coplly collected all the available, cash in the different tills.

Forty-two inch Tweeds, strong and durable. 2/3 yard, Collinson and Gifford, Ltd.

A child's cot is wanted by an advertiser. A respectable young woman wants washing or ironing work by the day. In Denmark the sale of all spirits and other liquor has been temporarily prohibited.

Deserters who have reached Holland state that there is a marked increase recently in shicides amongst the German troops.

The revenue received from the sale of privileges (£3O 2/6), refuse (£IBO il4s)), and canteen (£207 irs lOd), at Trentham Camp, has been placed to [ the credit of the canteen fund.

A Direct question is put to all our readers from Messrs Eide and Co., sail, tent and covermakers, of Wanganui, it is: "Why pay 53/ for your oiled canvas coat? Our price is from 37/6 to 47/6, and a better coat; get our price list, it is free."

The new English Musical Farce Comedy Company appeared at the Town Hall last night in 'the farce comedy "Never Say Die." There was a fair attendance to witness the comedy, which is constructed on the American 'model, and is full of witty sayings and humorous situations. Of the instrumental numbers the one that hit the popular fancy was the song and dance, "Robinson Crusoe," by Jacques May.

There is an increasing number of accidents happening from non-obser-vance of the rule ,oi the road, another case of collision ol u motor car with a large merchandise wagon occurred on the Taoroa Road on Sunday.. The Rev. F. McDonald was rounding a sharp bend when he dashed into a team ,of horses owned by Mr. C. E. Kelly, of Taihape. .Luckily no one was hurt, although Mr. McDonald and his son got a severe shock. The car was very considerably damaged, and the horses and harness suffered somewhat.

Little Jean McLennan, the six-year-old daughter of the popular host of the Gretna, who was'very seriously scalded some aays ago is progressing favourably, although her injuries, art still giving her parents considerable anxiety. About the time this misfortune happened, the little fouij-year-.old daughter of Mr. D. J. McLennan, in a fall, sustained' a nasty fracture of the. ■humerus, just above the elbow joint, which might be likely to render the joint stiff during her after life. Dr. Sinclair has hopes of such a misfortune being averted. The little patient is getting along splendidly.