MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 February 1918, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

ARMY ESTIMATES. SOME INTERESTING FACTS. APPEAL FROM DEATH SENTENCE. Received Feb. 22. 7.-10 p.m. London, Feb. 21. In the House of Commons, Mr. J. I. Macpherson (Parliamentary Secretary to the War Oflieel, i:i introducing the army estimates, said that the British captures during I!H7 include KiS heavy howitzers, liS heavy guns, field gun.-',' 1():m trend, mortars and 2S-S2 machine guns. The Labor Corps now numbered :i.i(U)OO. At least two million tons of shipping would be saved during 1918. During the year nearly 7,000,000 men, 600,000 animals, 200,000 vehicles, and 0,500,000 tons of stores had been conveyed to the variouß fronts. Replying to a suggestion that he ought to appoint an expert legal defender when a soldier, who had previously suffered from shell shock, appealed against the death sentence, Air. Macpherson said that considering the extraordinary number in the army of all classes and creeds, executions lor cowardice and desertion had been the smallest in the world's history. The amended regulations demanded that all favorable facts should,be stated regarding the soldier who had fallen from grace under the strain, and he would unquestionably receive British justice and fair play. BALANCE OF POWER ON WESTERN , FRONT, Although, ho said, the Allies at present were superior in men and guns on the West front, the balance would soon be in favor of the enemy, owing to reinforcements from Russia. Already over twenty divisions had been transferred. We must be prepared for a determined enemy offensive. Necessary measures had been taken, and complete confidence prevailed in all ranks. He was convinced that we would bold our own. LORD DERBY'S RESIGNATION DEMANDED. Major David Davies demanded that Lord Derby should bo removed from office, he having played the fool in the crisis of the past three months by failing to stop the press campaign against the generals, at a time when they ought to be collaborating to tiie utmost upon schemes for defence. The debate has been adjourned.

VITAL STATISTICS. 1 LOWEST ON RECOR& Times Service. Received Feb. 22, 0 p.m. London, Feb. 21. The Registrar-General's statistics for lfllG, (just issued, show the lowest birth and death rates and almost the lowest marriage rates on record. The marriage rate of widows is the highest for thirty years. Births exceed deaths by 277,303, excluding war fatalities, which, it is believed, are much under these figures. The German figures for the same period are: Births 1,103,000, deaths 1,331,000, practically excluding war fatalities. INTER-ALLIED SOCIALIST CONFERENCE. PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. Received Feb. 22, ,8.20 p.m. London, Feb. 21. The real business of the Inter-Allied Labor and Socialist Conference has been postponed owing to the non-arrival of the French, Italian and Servian delegates. Only Britain, Belgium and H oilman ia are represented. Mr. Ogden, chairman of the Parliamentary committee of the Trade Union Congress, who presided, described the gathering as unique, and the lirsi evidence of the workers' determination to take a deciding part ill the war. LEAGUE OF NATIONS APPROVED. Received Feb. 23, 1.20 a in. London, Feb. 22. The inter-Allied Socialist and Labor Conference decided to emphatically repudiate the suggestion that the conference is under German influence. It is nuderstood that the principle of a league of nations is approved, but there is a cleavage of opinion on the question of territorial adjustments.

PRESS COMMENTS. Received Feb. 22, 7.40 p.m. London, Feb. 21. The Daily Chronicle says that the Socialist conferende may be important if it argues upon a common declaration. A similar conference, last year, proved merely a polyglot and chaos, but considerable progress lias since been made. It is regrettable that America, Australasia and South Africa are not represented, especially because British Labor's extraEuropean proposals are the weakest feature of the war aims. How could the young democracies of South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the American Pacific' coast enjoy a peaceful development in freedom in the future in the face of the menace of German aggression ?

LORD DERBY MAY RESIGN. London, Feb. 21. Tlio Manchester Guardian sa.vs it is now probable that Lord Derby will persist in his resignation and it is likely that Mr. Lloyd George will assume the duties of War Minister temporarily. 'Received Feb. 23, 1.20 a.m. London, Feb. 22. Lord Derby denies his reported resignation. THE MORNING POST FINED. London, Feb- 21. Mr. Gwynne, editor of the Morning Post, and Colonel Repington were each fined £IOO and costs. In the Morning Post prosecution, defending counsel protested'that the Crown | based its ease on the publication of Colonel Repington's article without permission, whereas the Crown should have tried to prove that the article assisted the enemy. Counsel argued that there Wan no proof of the article damaging national interests. He added that no patriotic editor would ignore the censor's warning if ho was convinced that the national interests were likely to be injured, but Mr. Gwyne considered it his patriotic duty to inform the public what was happening 1 at Versailles. Counsel submitted extracts from German newspapers to show that + he enemy was aware of the Versailles decision respecting reserves. Notice of appeal was given,