War Notes.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 108, 30 September 1914, Page 3

War Notes.

THE TOLL OF WAS,

Ttta Voice of spring may now be heard In even bud, and singing' bird, But with the voice of spring, there comes The muffled beat of martial drumsIt is the toll of war.

For war is rampant through the land, And strife and want go hand in hand, I see an army march away In all its bright and grand array— To pay the toll of war.

I see the troop* go marching by I mark the fire in evdry eye, For they are young and well and strong And so they lianpi'y march along— To pay the toll of war.

They are the pick and flower of all, They come from cottage and from hall, There's many a life and limb must go, To pay the forfeit to the foe— And pay the toll of war.

I know eacb man will do his part. For they are stout of limb and heart, Their motto i*, "To do or die,"' They never think to flinch or flyBut pay the toll of war.

And so they go to fight the foe, Upon a foreign shore. While women weak, are left at home, The law forbids that they should roam —And yet they pay the toll of war.

They strive with one another with little acts of kindness, Till each forgets her own sad lot by wilful acts of blindness, They give their dearest and their best. And trust to God for all the rest— And thus they pay the toll of war.

There's another army ever marching, its numbers ever swelling, Growing larger every day, every battle is now telling, * " < There are aged men and women there, And children that are young and fair —For all must pay the toll of war.

I see on every face a look df/ poverty and want, Grim care stalks there, a sceptre pale and gaunt, With that other army, step by stop they're keeping pace, I can see the horror and afright on every face— For they must pay the toll of war.

It's an awful toll we have to pay in hu man blood and life, Art treasures choice and rare, Old buildings, wondrous fair. All sink beneath the strife— To pay the. toll of war

But each and all must bear a part, And strive to aid with hand and heart, For freedom, country, homo and king Our richest treasures we must bring To pay the toll of war.

When worlds have crumbled into dust, 'And love chill! triumph over hist, When men from dreadful war shall cease And all the nations dwell at peace. There'l be no toll of war. —CM.

Mangorei, September 23.

OI'INIOXS MADR TO ORDER. SHADY TACTICS. London, August 12. Xot only in the dispatches it is maily clear that Germany must take the blame, of being-the eager aggressor, hut the Times has published a wholesale disclosure of shady tactics. It appears that the Times received, the evening liefore Sir Edward (Srcy's memorable speech, a communication, intended for publication on the following morning, from an influential per.-onage in (!erraany and in close personal relationship with the Kaiser. The message was designed to create the belief that the Emperor wag loath to strike, and that Russia mu?t take the responsibility of an outbreak, it is said, to use (he Kaiser's later words, "The sword is being forced into our hands." The Times decided that the best place for the communication was the waste-paper basket, it being in such flagrant contradiction of the true facts; and, strangely enough, within a few hours of the receipt of this unusual communication, the Post Office asked the aid of the Times in the matter of an insiilcientlv addressed telegram from HerlS. Mention of the Times in the body of the message led the authorities to Printing House Squar-. for as-istanre, and it turned out that the cablo was an instruction from the great Wolff News Bureau to its London representative, that he nni'-t cable "word for word" the important statement which was being published by the Times"! Thus was brought to, light an wn.succr-s.sful effort to pollute both British and (jermau public opinion.

FOREIGN- LEGIONS. London, August 12. The foreigners in our midst who desire to do something for England, and ore physically fit to undergo war's hardships, are rallying to the Hag raised by Chevalier Luigi llirei, sometime of the first Squadron Guides of Garibaldi. lie is raiting a force to -be known as thiKing's Foreign Legion, and within two days of making his appeal for recruits, .bad enrolled over 500 men/who have agreed to go anywhere Lord Kitchener may sec lit to send them. The candidates are of all nationalities o.wCpt Germans, Austrians, and Turks, and some of these have offered themselves and been refused. Anion',' the r-cruit'. are many P.ussians, ami they inclinl.Prince OurosolV. who was major in the bodyguard of the Kmperor. and Prince Alexander Tschagaof'f, and Count Antliony du lloreh, officers of tin- Russian Arm.T._ Th'-re are also a number of officers of |h(. Kalian army, and an Italian iviator named ISosi/io. with his machine, but these men will not lie permitted to take lip »,rnii whilst Italy remains neutral. The Chevalier's ' idea is to raia-- and maintain in the Held a legion "I at least IWlO.roon, who will be enroiled in companies, according to nationality, as this procedure, it is thought, will give more confidence, and enable them to work better together. Vet another foreign Ic.ion is bein:: raNed in London, primarily for Frenchmen in England, who are not liable for son-ire, or who are not able to r-i'mn their own corps. Tint the motto of 'tborganisation of this force is "first come, first served," for amongst the recruits i\' ready drilling nightly on llamnstead Heath, are Russians who fought in (.tie Kusso-lapanese war. United States border cavalrymen who have fought on the borders of Texas, and not a few wliow nationality is a matter of doubt, though they possess war experience gained whilst serving in the French Foreign T*-ginn in Africa.

ADVICE TO NEW ZEALANDERS. Addressing the Auckland inembetvdf the Expeditionary Force, the. Anglican Bishop of Auckland, Dr IA. W, Averill, said: "Remember that you are,going us New Zealand's . representatives, ami therefore you carry with you 'a responsibility greater even than your own lives.. You are trusted with the honor and.fair name of New Zealand.. Your conduct and actions will not only reflect upon yourselves, but also , upon the country which sends you. Remember, too. that this war has .been undertaken for a righteous and just purpose, to; succour and support the oppressed, to enforce the saeredness of international treaties, and also to defend the world from the tyranny and insane ambition of a man who is intoxicated and obsessed'with his own self-importance, and from his halfcivilised Prussian military satellites. I believe that the Almighty intends that the nations which delight in aggressive war, and have no respect for their pledged word, shall perisii by the sword. Thy German Empire, as an empire, niust therefore perish, but remember' that, as you are God's instruments in this crusade, you must always remember whose you are and why you serve, and endeavour to emulate tho. chivalry and piety of the knights of old. Don't let your heads be tUßttcd by flattery. It would have been an everlasting disgrace to the men of New Zealand if they had not volunteered their services. You are merely doing your duty in going out. May Cod bring you safely back with thankful hearts and ripened experience, conscious that you have been allowed to play your little part in the greatest war which the world has ever known, and ready to take up your duties again in the country whose reputation you have helped to increase, and whose hojior you have striven to uphold."

MASTERLY RETREATS. A prominent Frenchman has declared that the honors of the great battle in France rest with the llr.iti.sh. In Denmark tilie British are given the credit for tin: German retreat, and Sir John Krone]) is compared with tin; great Duke of Marlborough, Field-Marshal Sir Evelyn Wood, V.0.. in "British Battles on Land and Sea," has much to say in praise of Wellington's masterly retreats in tho Peninsula campaign. Referring to Wellington's retirement into Portugal after the failure of Burgos, and u few months before the battle of Vittoria, he writes: "Wellington retreated, But only to return after a brief space to repair his own reverses. It is only soldiers of the highest genius who can do this." The masterly retirement of General Sir John French with the British forces during the fortnight preceding the great battle of the Mitrnu, was followed by a vigorous offensive. The famous FieMMarshal von Moltke was once in company where someone ventured to say that his name would rank in history with those of Marlborough, Tureune, Frederick (he Great, Napoleon, and Wellington. "No," said the great German strategist. "I have no right to tie named with those great commanders, for I have never in my life conducted a retreat.", Whether tho handling of the German army byliis nephew, the present Chief of the German Stall', will justify a similar comparison, has yet to be seen.—Christchurc.il Press.

THE IIHLIFK FUNDS. TARATA'S QUOTA. ,S. J. Kennington £5, R. Lnve.ll .02 '2s, Mr.s A. Corkill £'2 2s, T. Jjogan 'U -Is, .las. Patterson £5 ss, John Patterson .CI Is. L. Brightwell £1 Is. J. Cliristcnson £l. Is, J. Waite £1 Is. 1L Sander £2 2s, liishell Bros. £2 2s, J. W. Grieve £2 2s, Blackburn.: Bros. £1 Is. K. J, IMe £2 2s, M. J. Ilartigau £1 Is. K. J. Lambert £1 Is, J. Drummond £1 Is, (!. K. Smith £1 Is, Wm. Farroliev £5 ss, If. Waite £1 Is, 11. J. Morev £1 Is, If. Cocker '2s, C. Henty £2 25." Putt Bros. £1 Is, A. W. Guilford £1 Is, G. W. Jougere £1 Is, C. E. Gooding £1 Is, J. Cattcrson 10s. A. Taylor £1 Is, (!. Tavlor £1 Is, S. George* £t Is, 11. King £1 if. Hanover and Son £l, (!. Mortimor ss, H.George £1 Is, J. Crowe £1 Is, J. Flintofr £1 Is, K. A. Death £1 Is, T. Smith £l. Etu 10s' Wm Topping, £l, A. Lovell .El.iAlf. Corkill £',', as. Win. Patterson 10s; total, £l>'i lis. Gifts- !•;. J. Ihle, horse and saddle'; Jas. Patterson, bridle; M. King, set of shoes; Win. Topping, sheep dog; (!. W. Kougore, porker; Mrs F. .1. Webb, turkey; Mrs A. Corkill. pair of turkeys.

Buttonholes and Badges.—Misses Myrtle Guilford His, Bella Dnnnmoiid Us Cd, Am Pue Bs. Capper Ss, C. Patterson '2s, Mrs Jas. Patterson ss, F. M. Standish. vegetables. Ills. Total.—Subscription list. £W (Is; entertainment and gifts, £,'57 Ms; less Us Oil for printing-£I<II Us Cd.

The committee wish to express their sincere thanks to all those who so loyally assisted tin-in, especially the ladies, who provided refreshments fur the. con-, cert and dance; also the ladies and gentlemen who assisted at the concert and dance; and .Messrs. C. W. A. Matthews, N. Lewis and llrough, who so kindly placed their cars a t 'the disposal of the musicians and performers.—A. S. Ji'ackbiirne, lion. tee.

iTHE RETREAT PROM PARIS. L \N HISTORICAL PARALLEL. (By John D.'Leck'le, in Auckland Star). That the Germans are "in full retreat from the position which tiiey recently held in the neighborhood of Paris is a fact which cannot be' denied. It. has ■been augested thatt he retreat is a feint, intended to withdraw the allied troops <from.,'those, .positions which it is .the real-intention of,the Germans to attack.. But it is scarcely to be assumed that important positions would he abandoned voluntarily; the duration of tho mo/'ement also, is greater 'than is required by the exigencies of a feined retreat.

The fact 'seems to be that the Allies are now in such a position that apy pressure exerted against them is like pressure exerted against a spring; the. greater the pressure, the; greater the ;repulse.s The case of thYGermans is not without a historical parallel. History repeats itself, and one or two striking instances might be given of the truth of this, as applied to the present situation of tho Germans. To sa\y that Napoleon I. repulsed the allies from under the. walls of Paris, as Beranger puts it in one of his poems, is certainly an exaggeration, though the allies had swept the plains of Champagne and caused great consternation in the capital itself.

More striking, is the parallel offered by the American Civil War. The first great battle of the war (Bull Run) was gained by the south, but they were rinablo to resist the onward advance of McLcllan with his army of 100,000 men. (tho largest that had yet been raised on the American continent), and were gradually driven backwards till they retreated to the fortifications of Richmond, the capital of the southern Confederacy. The North looked on the war. as being as good as finished. Were not their troops within sight of the Federal capital, which was practically besieged? From church steeples and other lofty points of view the inhabitants of Richmond looked on the movements of their enemies, and became spectators" of the battles which were being fought right under their eyes, just as happened recently in Paris, where tho movements of the. German troops were plainly visible from the Eiffel Tower. But the north had reckoned without their host. General Lee was now summoned.to take command of the Southern army. He attacked McLcllan, and after desperate fighting, Which lasted seven days, drove him headlong to Ms basc,-whereTie wa3 compelled to take refuge under the shelter of his gunboats. This was in the middle of 1802. Before the end of the year, the battle of Fredericksburg was fought; in this the North was defeated with great slaughter, and compelled to retreat still further northward. In May, 180,1, Lee wa3 confronted by the Northern general Hooker ("lighting Joo Hooker") and his army of 120.000 men. Against this vast force, which had been described by Hooker himself ns. invincible, and'the "finest armv on the planet," Lee could oppose less than 50,000. But he attacked Hooker, and again tho North was defeated with great, slaughter, tliough the combat cost the south dear, for they lost their most irresistible general, "Stonewall Jackson," «fto was the idol of his troops, and who was killed in mistake by his own men, any one of whom would have given his life for him.

Lee v?a3 now strong enough to invade the North, which he did at the head of 75,000 men., He advanced rapidly northwards, far beyond Washington. The rich cities of the north trembled; Washington was already almost Jicsieged; cities as far north as New York anil Philadelphia took urgent steps to put themselves in a state of defence, and the banks commenced to send their specie for safety into Canada. In the British House of Commons, a member urged that it was higih time to recognise thi Southern Confederacy as an independent power (they had already been recognised as belligerents) for, lie stated, "the invasion of the North had been rolled back, their armies are melting away, and it is not Richmond, but Washington that is in danger." This was at tho commencement of July, 1863, more than a year after McLellan had arrived in sight of Richmond, and thought that the rebel capital was within bis grasp.

Then followed the fatal battle of Gettysburg, It lasted three days. On the. first two days L*'e was successful, and inflicted great loss on the, enemy. The consternation in the North was great; more, than/a million men were in aims to defend the Union, and the northward progress of the rebels could not be withstood. On the third day. Lee attempted to break the Northern c.'-ntre. The column which be sent, forth had ro charge up a hill, and make a frontal attack on the enemy in a strongly entrenched position; the Confederate Hag was seen to wave in the very centre of the enemy's stronghold. Lee's officers gathered around him, and congratulate him that the victory is gained. Now the smoke gathers around the combatants, and when at last it clears away, the Southerners are seen broken and fleeing down that fatal slope, when a man can now walk without touching the ground, so thick lay the bodies of the slain. The attack had failed; the battle was lost; the Union was saved. The battle of Gettysburg was lost to the South only by a hair's breadth; owing to soma unfortunate hiteh the attacking column was not properly supported; they captured tile position, hut were' unable to hold it. This was the turning point of the war; for thereafter, the North, with its ever-increas-ing numbers and resources, was -pitted against the South with defective, and ever-decreasing resources, and their last man in the ranks. lUter Gettysburg, the South steadily lost ground, and succumbed to the superior wealth and resources of the enemy, not to their superior fighting power as, individual units.

The above account is sufficient to show how fallacious is I he. assumption that the arrival in front of an enemy's capital is a sign of victory. And what happened in America may well happen in Europe.