WAR NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 257, 9 April 1915, Page 5

WAR NOTES.

GERMAN SECOND LINK TROOPS.

A British medical man, Dr G. L. Finlay, who spent the first three and a half months in Germany, lias given a representative of the London Times some interesting views on the marked contrast he noticed between Germany's first and second line troops. The latter, he says, reveal a much less high order of physical strength. They sufi'ered much more than the younger troops, and are swelling the lists of the. sick i:i large numbers. "Tn them," be continue.", "tlie essential weakness of the German people is revealed—the tendency to get out of condition at a relatively early age." There is, of course, no question that man for man Britaina of from 35 to 40 are • far and away superior in phvsique to Germans of the same age. It is between these years that British traditions of athleticism and fitness tell most. The average German has, bv that time, ceased to take exercise in the regular, dutiful, almost solemn way in which the average Briton takes it. This is one of the reasons why we can look forward to the spring hopefully. Germany's second line troops will not, physically, be nearly as good as Great Britain's.

A SEERESS ON THE WAR.

Ever since she predicted that 1911 would be a disastrous year for Europe, Madame de Thebes has'been courted by Paris reporters eager to obtain further prophecies. This is what she says about Great Britain: "Great Britain, as a result of the war, has escaped grave internal disturbances. She has saved herself. She will continue, to wield supreme ■power. France is destined to play an important role in the present drama of events. She has a wonderful future in store, for her. Russia is marching forward. Poland will rise from her asuos. The house of Romanoff has nothing to fear from the future. The menace of utter destruction threatening Belgium has not entirely disappeared. But the destiny of Belgium appears to be magnificent. We are living in a new age of the Tower of Babel, with each nati"n striving to dominate the others. But Destiny has not willed that this evil should continue. It will bring about order out of disorder. At the Vatican the 'hew thought' should not attempt to go too far; it has much to learn from silence and from God."

PARSON TURNS DRAGOON. The war is bringing into companionship some strangely varied types of men. For instance, says a special correspondent, a dragoon regiment in which a friend of mine is serving has as colonel a man with an income of £20,000 a vear, a man of most finicky and fastidious tastes, withal a most gallant soul. His second in command, on the other hand, is - a fascinating type of hard-fighting, hard-living, and hard-swearing soldier, who comes from a coast town where they drink deep. Among the junior cfticers of the same regiment there is an ex-barrister and an ex-parson, who joined the army in the first instance as chaplain, but grew tired of burying Englishmen instead of killing Germans, and laid aside, the Prayer Book for the lane'.!. After entering upon his duties au a cavalry subaltern without much previous military training, the ox-chaplain was often helped out of his difficulties by the men, who worship him. One day, when lie was covering his ignorance by nii.nibling his commands, the colonel called out to inquire whether he was intoning them, and would he mind giving them in a louder voice? "Not a damn!" was his obliging response.

GERMAN COMMUNITY FOR PEAC/1

Tt is a significant fact that the icvcaling of Dutch sympathy with tha Allies coincides with a pronounced desire for peace among the German community here. Three, two months ago, German agents in Rotterdam gloried in Hie war; loud were their boasts. fmg their stories of victory. London, ParH Calais. Warsaw were as honey on their (ungues; how these names are bit'",aloes. The marked'fall in Herman confidence was ably expressed l>y an American acquaintance who has lived many years in Rotterdam. Said lie: "'lf un.r people wanted pence they could have it on good terms. Every German f knrv is talking about Ihis awful war ».ud vhat a pity it is that it cannot 1>" ston-

!.e,]., T have been asked a dozen times to preach Hie beauties of peace among hiv English friends. You take it from me Hint the Herman business man is ready to beat it at the first chance. The (icrman papers may talk about lighting to Hie last man and the last mark, but what Hie German merchant is worrying about is the last market, ft seems V, me that you've, got them whipped, and they know it, and they want to cut i!io ; r losses. Tt's not; for me to teach your pcoole Heir business., but you'd be dun f„„l- lu -mil >Vnl now when you've get (lie Germs'! o'i I he ropes. \'i"d y,.n. I'm not saving (hoy'll (hrow up the ~ , ~•,■;

thev're good for many rounds vet. Weal I'm trying to tell you is Hint the Go,--mans would look on immediate peace as a mighty fine proposition."