UNITED STATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 December 1918, Page 5

UNITED STATES.

REPATRIATION OF PRISONERS. COMPLEX RUSSIAN SITUATION. New York, Dec. 20. Mf. Doscli Flcurot, telegra-pliing fiorp. Berlin, says that, with the exception of half a dozen men too ill to remove, all American prisoners have been removed from Germany. General Harries, who accomplished the removal, is now giving his attention to other Allied prisoners. In one camp in north Prusua there are 4000 Serbian prisoners without proper food or clothing. Measures for feeding these are already in hand. In one Roumanian camp there are 100 prisoners unable to leave for want of shoes, The Russian situation is most ■ complex. There are 1,300,000 Russian prisoners unable to got away. They must face serious hardships if they remain. Many Russian prisoners have been turned back at the frontier by the Bolsheviks, and many who have returned to Russia are concentrai.fi in a largcamp near Moscow by the Bolsheviks. So many of them die daily that the bodies are removed by carloads.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Ass^e.

MERCANTILE MARINE COMPETITION. REDUCTION OR FREIGHTS. New York, Dec. 26. The London correspondent of the Chicago Tribune states that the officials of the American Shipping Board have notified the British shipping authorities of the terms on which merchant marine competition will tie conducted. A 25 per cent, reduction in American freight rates has already been ordered by Mr. Hurley in order to meet English rates. An additions! reduction of about the same amount is expected soon. The United States will not undercut English rates. There will be no attempt to reach a uniform wage scale. The wages on British ships are higher than before the war and are likely to remain so. The fact that the new American ships will he chiefly oil turners is expected largely to offset the advantages of British wages, because American ships will be able to reduce the fire-room forces to a minimum.

The Washington correspondent of the Tribune says that the reduction of the freight rate is not confirmed by Washington officials.—Aua. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

THE FREEDOM OF THE SEAS. PRESIDENT WILSON'S ATTITUDE. New York, Dec. 26. The Paris correspondent of the New York Times says that President Wilson, when in London, will clearly define his attitude on the freedom of the seas.— Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

BUILDING MERCANTILE MARINE. AMERICA CAN CONSTRUCT SIX MILLION TONS. Received Dec. 27, 5.5 p.m. Washington, Dec. 26. In the Senate, during tiie debate on the construction of a mercantile marine, Senator Fletcher pointed out that the necessity for ships was as great now as at any time during the war. Britain was planning to build two million tons annually and Prance three million. The United States was able to build six million tons.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

SELF-DETERMINATION FOR IRELAND. AMERICAN SENATOR'S PROPOSAL. Received Deo. 27, 9.30 p.m. Washington, Dec. 26. Senator Phelan, of California, has introduced a motion promising that the American peace commissioners will assist in obtaining freedom and self-determina-tion for Ireland.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Association.

RETURNING BATTLESHIPS WELCOMED. New York, Dec. 28. Ten battleships, headed by the Arizona, commanded by Admiral Mayo, rereived a tremendous welcome in the harbor on returning from European waters. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. GERMANS STEAL AMERICAN FOOD. New York, Dec. 26. The Coblenz correspondent of the United Press reports that a large quantity of food supplies has been stolen t>y the German population from the American camps. The commandant has ordered a search of the houses.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.