South Wales Weekly Post

Great Turk Fortress Falls. FIVE DAYS' FURIOUS STORMING. British Abandon Shattered Trench. I PRESS BUREAU, Wednesday, 11 35 P. in. The following telegraphic dispatch has fiftn received :— General HLadquarters-, Wednesday, 10.15 p.m. Artillery bombardments on both sides and heavy fighting with grenades have taken place during the- pagfc -24 hours be- twe-iu the Y pre? Corn ines Canal and t.he Ypres-C-omines Railway. The fighting 1 continues. With the exception of the above the day ha.s passed quietly on the whole British front. ihe capture of 600 yards of pur front- line trench reported yesterday wus pre- ceded by a heavy bombardment and the explosion of five mines, which rell(iel,ed our front trencher untenable. The attacks, wnich extended ever 4,000 yards of front, were repulsed every- where else with omsicierabie loss to the enemy. The trench captured by the enemy has frequently changed hands aunng last year, ana lor tins reason is called "the Inter- national Trench. GERMAN MINE WORKS UPSET. tiress Association vvar Service.) PARIS, Wednesday, 11 p.m. To-night's official communique I)a.Y'" :— in Artois, in the viciihty of tne Lille- road, we blew up a sap-he-td which over- threw the enemy's mine works. Uur artiileiy carried out firing on re- victuallmg eunvjys to the north oi Tracy- le- V,ii east of tne Oise, and in the i,gioll of Berry-au-Bac in the valley of the Aisne. 10 the southeast of St. Mihitl there "was a bombardment of enemy organisa- ti jns in the forest of Apremont. I There is nothing to report on the rest of the front. I RUSH TO YPRES., I GERMANS CLOSE DUTCH FRONTIER. AMSTERDAM, Wednesdayr Feb. 16. My Belgian correspondent states that the Dutch frontier is to be c'lo&ed until March ät. Nobody wili be allowed to leave Bel- gium until then. Germany is sending troops towards Ypres, and is using all the avail- able means of communication to brng men and material to the front. Even on the canals huge steam motor barges are seen travelling between Alost and Ghent loaded .with guns ;.nd munitions. The closing of the trontir is mpp()ed to ensure full •ecrecy. Considerable activity is reported from Ghent, round the headquarters of the Duke of \Y urtenberg. indicating the Resumption ef the German offensive on a large scale. The Duke and Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavana met recently in Brussels at the Hotel Bellevae, with the chiefs of their respective staffs. Great precautions. were taken that the meeting should be secret, and it is supposed to have ceen extraordinarily important.- (" Daily Express correspondent). BELCIAN FRONTIER RE-OPENED. ROTTERDAM, Tuesday". I learn from a reliable source that the Belgian frontier will be re-opened to-morrow after. having been closed for twelve days. Never before have the guards been so strict in keeping people from the wire fence at the frontier.-(" Daily Mail.)

THIRTEEN AEROPLANEsi DROP BOMBS ON BULGARIAN j TOWN. I SALONIKA, Wediiesday. French aviators yesterday carried out an- other very%«uccessful air raid. Thirteen aeroplanes dropped a considerable number of bombs on Strumnitza t-own, ^south-western corner of Biiigaria), md all the machines re- turned safely. It is officially stated that the damage dene to the portion of the town occupied by troops t and to the neighbouring encampment in ex- tensive and serious.—(" Daily Chronicle.")

BUTTER TICKETS FOR BERLIN. in ess Association \v ar Special.) AMSTERDAM, \t>dnesda\ AC'OONlng to th? "i?rim? Ta?ebta?tt." <e a result of negotiations between, the re- presentatives of Berlin and its subiirb-, yes- terday, it was unanimously decided to in- troduce butter tickets on March 1st.

THE CROWN PRINCE'S COMMAND. (Press Association War Special.) PARIS, Thursday. M. Marcel Hutin, writing in the "Echo de P&ris" g??''M! currency to a report that the curreii(-v tA, a i,eport that the German Crown PTinc, has recently b,en ap- pointed Commander-in Chief of the Eastern Kroup of armies in the Argonne, Lorraine, àDd Alsace.

ONE LUMP, oite CUP. There is enough sugar for one lump in etch cup of tea." said a sugar authority, tootnmenting on the announcement that sugar imports are to be reduced by about a fourth. People who take two and three lumps cause the trouble." Our normal annual sugar con- sumption, said a refiner, is about 1,600,000 tons, of which a.bout 400,000 tons go for manu- facturing purposes. The only way to make Juga," a, luxury and curtail the demand is t-o raise the prices." said a jam manufac- r, Possibly the Government may add to the sugar duty." Lambeth Guardians yes- terday decided to grow vegetables instead of Ifeoterfct whioh a.- r when oooked. IFROM DARDANELLES TO I SYRIA. TRAGEDY OF A DRIFTING MINE. (Press -WwLation War Special.) PARIS, Thursday. According to the "Petit Journal," the Amiral Chartier, which was cruising off the Syrian coast, was the victim of a driit- lpg mine, which was floating between" two currents, and had come from the Dardan- elles. The disaster was. the newspaper thinks, caused by the explosion of the mine followed by that of the ammunition on board. The noise of the explosion was heard from the shore.

• TWO SUBMARINES BELIEVED SUNK BY THE FRENCH. Reuter's War Special). PARIS, Wednesday. I .L )Iarcel Hutin, writing in the Echo de Paa i de Paris." to-day, says there is every reason to believe that during the post three days the French ships in the Adriatic have gunk two enemy submarines, and perhaps three.

-= STEAMERS BOAT SWAMPED. FEARED SHIPPING DISASTER OFF NORFOLK. A Lloyd's Blakeny (Norfolk) message says.;— The Norwegian steamer Hjordin, Hull for Calais, went ashore at Blakeny Point un Wednesday night. The crew left in a boat but the boat was swamped, and it is feared ten lives were lost. One man swam ashore.

44 DISMISSED." FORT SCOYESTON COURT MARTIAL RESULT. (From a Special Correspondent.) The decision of the court martial which sat for ten days at Scoveston investigating1 the charges of drunkenness whilst on active service, against two officers of the 3/4 Welsh Regiment, has now bf-en confirmed and pro- mulgated. laj()r W. T. Campbell Jones and Capt. and Adjutant Santa Evans ha.ve both been dismissed the service, having been found canity of the charges preferred against them.

MATTER OF TASTE! ROAST CAT GOE,S WELL IN GERMANY. The story which is going round the coun- try concerning the fate of all the cats and dogs in Germany, which are said to have disappeared in the cooking pot (writes a correspondent) will not appear half as nau- seating or revolting to the German public a-; it does to us, for it is a. recognised fact that "dog," at least among h-e poorer claries, is quite as legitimate a candidate tor the stewnig-paii as he is for working IJ-etween the ann fts, like his big cousins, the horse, the donkey, the ox, and the cow. Shortly before the war I passed a cottage outside a small towri on the Rhone, where a woman was busy cleaning vegetables. A large tabby cat lay on a-c1, under the cherry-tree in front of the cottage. Tame and well-fed cats being somewhat of a raritv in Germany, I stepped, stroking the creatuie and complimenting the woman on its sleek looks and silky coat. "Yes." she said, cheerfully, <!he is nearly ready." "Ready for what "Why, to be slaughtered (ge&chlachtet). No, indeed, I am not joking what is there to joke about? Surely you know that cats make a delicious roast; like tame ra.b bitS 1

GOOD WORD FOR THE 15th. Swansea Private's Esprit de Corps. Pte. H. Thacker, A. Company, 15th Welsh (one of the WeJsh Greys") ( writes: — I hope you will please excuse me taking the liberty of writing to you, but I should like to make a correction in your interesting account of your tour through the trenches. I should like to point out that the Swansea Battalion relieved the Carmarthens, and that the Ca.rmarthens were picked to relieve a crack English regiment, and they were also the first' battalion of the Welsh Army Corps to go in the trenches. Our battalion were also in the big bom- bardment of January 12th, and the Swans were back in reserve billets. With regard to the Swans having lost more men than any other battalion in the Welsh Army Corps, that is no honour, but a misfortune.

COAL LICENSES. Uoal and coke export licenses, t was stated by ttn Swansea Customs Authorities on Thursday, will be only available for eight weeks and not ten as previously announced,

I =- THE WAY AT SWANSEA. l Reply to "Scholastic. "—A> you suffer from organic disease, you should be able to get your rejection certificate; but men re- jected for 0M1Se8 other than organic are not ??g given certificates to show they h?ve k offered themselves at Swansea.

BELGIUM FIRST. RESTORATION AND 1 „ INDEMNITY7. < ALLIES' STRIKING JulNTI ASSURANCE. t ■ Reply to German Intrigue Association ar Special.) HAVRE, Wednesday. On Monday the French, British, and Rus- sian Ministers at the Belgian Court callod at the Belgian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and Prince Kudacheff, the Russian Minis- ter. acting as spokesman for his colleagues, addressed the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the following ternis: The Anted Powers signatory of the J treaties guaranteeing the independence and neutrality of Belgium have decided to renew to-day by solemn act the engage- ments they entered into with regard to the country. < onsequently we. the Ministers of trance. Great Britain, and Russia, duly authorised by our Governments, have the honour to make the following deciara tions The Allied and guaranteeing Powers declare that when the moment comes the Belgian Covernment will be called upon to take part in the peace negotia- tions. They i WILL NOT END HOSTILITIES I until Belgium has been restored to her political and economic independence, and liberally Indemnified for the damage she has sustained. They will lend their aid to Belgium to ensure her commercial and finanoiall recovery. CONFIDENT BELCIAN REPLY. I Baron Beyens. iai has reply, said:—The Government of the King is deeply grateful to the Governments of the three Powers guaranteeing the independence of Belgium, of which ycu are the representatives accre- dited to his Majesty for the generous initia- tive taken in bringing to it this declaration to-day. I beg to express t,) you in return its cordial thanks. Your words will send a thrill through the hearts of Belgians, whe- ther those who are fighting at the front, those who are suffering in an occupied coun- try, or these Awaiting the hour of deliverance in exile. all of them w;th equal courage. The fresh assurances which you have just j given me will (Vmfirm their unwavering conviction that Bel,gium will be raised again from her ruins and restored to her complete political and economic independence. I am certain that I express their feelings in tell- ing you that you may have full confidence in us. We have confidence in our loyal guarantors, for we are all determined to tight energetically with them until the tri- umph of right, for the defence of which, after unjustified violation, we unhesitatingly sacrificed our beloved country. Tito Italian Minister and the representa- tive of the Japanese Government then in- formed Baron Bayous that though their countries were not included among the Powers gua ran tee nig the independence and neutralitv of Belgium, they had no objection to the loreg-oing declaru tion being made by the Allies. CHANGE OF TUNE. I Germany Doesn't Want Belgium I at All- WASHINGTON, Wednesday. The Washington correspondent of the "New York Sun" has interviewed a high German official, who says "hat Germany dies not contemplate any more offensives, though Turkey might try to invade Egypt. Ger- many has the utmost confidence that she can- not be crushed, bit would be willing to evacuate France and Belgium.

■ —— MISSING FIFTEEN MONTHS. "I ?- An official oomnuinioation has just been. received by his mother, Mrs. Howard, of 12, Miers-street, St. Thnmas, Swansea, to the effect that Pte. Laurence Peake, of the 2nd Welsh, who has been reported Pte. Laurence Peake. I missing since October 31st, 1914, must now bo regarded as dead. A message of sympathy from Lo-rd Kitchener is appended. Deceased was 22 years of age, and well-known at Swansea docks.

NEATH ERRAND BOY. I Fatal Termination of Sudden I Illness. A painfully death occurred at Neath during Wednesday night. An errand boy, named Thomas Jones, aged 14, son of Thomas Jones, Water-street, Neath, who was at work during the whole of Wed- nesday, when he seemed in his usual good health, was suddenly taken ill and expired shortly after the arrival of the doctor.

EXIT "TOBY, M. P OF "PUNCH." At the weekly "Punch" dinner on Wed- nesday night. Sir Henry Lucy was presented with a silver and cedanvood cigar box of 'original and artist?c d<?Tgn. It bore the ) insaJ:Íptkm; "To Hem'y ?"' y ('Toby, 1.P") with affectionate regard from his at the 'Puh Table,' February, jj ?o9D16e? agucs at the 'Punch Ta?bic, Februaj' y ? jj

BALKANS. GREEKS KILL BULGARS. FIERCE FIGHT ON I FRONTIER. HOT TIME FOR THE BANDIT BAND. (Press Association War Special.) PARIS, Thursday, The Salonika correspondent of the "Echo de Paris" tele,gra.phs:- A fierce fight has taken place between a strong band of Bulgarian comitadjis. under ?Qivode Zin? and a Greek detachment commanded by L?.ut. G?u?sei-U et Bamiani, near the viMa.g? of Popolo .Solo pJj?eyVhi leaders of the band. named Petro /a.koS, was killed ?nd a number of r cowmi? tadfp--s were killed or wounded, and the rest took flight. For some time past the raids of comitadjis into (heek terr.?ry have been more fre- 2 rn^nt a'T|fi Greek military authorities ha.ve Qrga.niSf'd a sPecal ervj('e for guard- in? the frontier. GR^EGO-FREYCH VISITS. (trew Association War Special). SALONIKA. Thursday. Tiie enemy ye^erday developed a certain over the rvreiKh Riitish links wi. thout success. beiYi-c driven off by artillery. at the Greek at Salonika., in company with a French Staff officer, is visiting the French lanes to-morrow, while General Mcscho- poulos. with General Sarrail, us raying an- ot-het- i"it shortly to the Salonika defences. ITALY READY IN ALBANIA. A Rome menage to the "Petit Journal" the possibility of important events taking place shortly m Albania, is fore- shadowed. Austria will probably try t:, '!e,- possession, o.f Valona, but Italy has takeii every measure to paralyse an Austrian offensive.

MUNITION VESSELS BLOWN UP. SUSPECTED OUTRAGES AT NEW YORK. AMERICAN CLUB AT TORONTO DESTROYED. i (Reuter's War Service.) NEW YORK, Wednesday. The steamships Bolton Castle and Pacific, of the Castle Line, a score of scows and lighters, and the 900-foot pier at Brooklyn have been destroyed by fire, believed to be due to incendiarism. The first started at the pier, to which the steamships were moored loading munitions bound for Vladivostock. The rapid spread of the flames and a boiler explosion forced a hundred or more men to jump overboard. Twenty-five, mostly firemen of the Bolton Castle, are missing. The loss is estimated at over a million dol- lars. (iNote.-Tlio Pacific is a steel screw three- masted steamer of 5,399 tons, o.wned by the Emery s.s. Co., of Boston. The Bolton Castle is a steel screw steamer of 5,826 tons, owned by the Lancashire Shipping Co., Ltd.). CANADIAN-AMEPTf'AX CLUB BLOWN UP. (Reuter s War Service.) TORONTO, Wednesday (reoeived Thursday). Two lives were lost and an American badly injured in the destruction of the American Club. Two 181b. shells were found and three ex- plosions heard. It is stated that the disaster was a well- planned piece of vandalism. -————————. — t.

GROCERS AND THE j WAR. i SWANSEA CHAIRMAN AND j RECRUITING. III REPRESENTATIVE GATHER- ING IN LONDON. Air. William Lewis, J.P., of Swansea, pre- sided in London, at the iiolborn Yiaduc, Hotel, at the opening meeting of the quar- terly assembly of the General Purposes Com- mittee of the Federation of Grocers' Associa- tions of the United Kingdom. There was a crowded attendance of delegates from all parts, and great interest was manifested in --he proceedings. The, Lhairman remarked that they all de- plored meeting again under the gloom and sHrroundecj by the anxieties of this awful, disastrous war. But they trusted this coun- try and its gallant Allies would persist and persevere in the tight for the great cause of liberty, so that we might attain to a period of peace, for in the words of a great Welsh poet Three things have I lov'd and would die for their sake Stern virtue's keen lash that keeps reason awake, Bold liberty's frown that bids tyranny cease, And wisdom's wide circles that centres in peace." (Applause.) He should not have been sur. prised to meet a small attendance that day, but their presence in such numbers was trul', an indication of their interest in the welfare of the grocery trade and the vitality of that great Federation. Since their last meeting considerable time had been allotted to advise MEMBERS OF THE TRADE ON RECRUITING, an d whilst all employers and employes of military age should mot fail to be attested, every effort was put forth to prevent the ruination of any man's. business. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Lewis also touched on the effort grocers were making to alleviate the suffer- ing of the sick and wounded soldiers, and meutioned that the Federation were present- ing motor ambulances to the Red Cross and St. John's Ambulance Associations. It wag very gratifying to report that the appeal for funds had resulted in contributions from the various associations amount ing to NEARLY £ 1,800 being placed in the hands of the Grocery and Allied Trades' Fund Committee. Of that sum jBl.600 had been devoted to the purchase of two motor ambulances bearing the name of the Federation. (Applause.) Later in the day the delegates inspected the motor ambulances, and subsequently Mr. Lewis presided at a dinner at the Holborn Restaurant, when he made a presentation of a gold watch, chain and cheque to Mr. W. C. Strange (Oxford), an ex-president of the Federation and a former chairman of the General Purposes Committee. Mr. Lewi s reminded the gathering that Mr. Strange was the first president to invite a delegate to addresf3 the conference in, the language of Paradi,e--(faughter, and hear, liear)-vhen. notwithstanding the wild pro- tests of English friends, the Welshmen in- creased their subscriptions to the Benevolent Fond. (Applause.)

SWANSEA NURSE IN SERBIA. DIARY .OF HER EX- PERIENCES. ? I PERIENCES. < "rX-V •. GRUESOME SCENE AT SEA. We have previously published a s hort and interesting interview with Sister El>.a- beth Clement, of Plismarl, who, with the 18cottish and English women doctors and Red Cross nurses, perfcrmed *uch devoted services in Serbia, and we are now per- mitted to publish a full daily diary of her experiences, She, with ?thern, about 30 in all, speak with bitter sorrow of th-f devasta- j tion of Serbia., and the -reat disappointment j at the non-arrival of the Allies Nurso Cle- ment has now, by the way. fully recovered frorn her many hardships, and i safe and happy with her fgjnily at the Coopers' Arms Hotel. The family expi-e-se(I a "Daily Post" rc-prfwenlttive their thanks to Mr. David Davaes. the editor, for relieving them i (,i great, anxiety by enquiries on their be- I half. By this means Mr. Clement was en abled to meet his daughter when she ar. rived in this country last week-end. Wednesday, Sept.. 29th, 1915.-After I arriving at Malta, we were ordered to leave and to change steamers outside or the har- bour. Salonika was our destination, and the steamer's name the s.. Mossoul. The first t i -IC S., days we passed several dead bodies i floatilig about, the victims of a torpedoed steamer a week before, and the captain of our steamer tried to give some a burial by I sinking them, 11111 he found he was being chafed by a su bmarine and had to desist. I W é had on board something that the Ger- mans did not want us to have. I' Picked up an acquaintance on board in the person of a Mr. Richards, of Manselton, who was going to Lemnos in connection with the erec-tioit of a hospital.' Got to Piraeus about the end of the month, and left there at ruight in darkness, I although sea. calm, We were in a danger zone and there were some nervous passen- gers on board. Life-boats and belts were distributed in readiness for anv emergency. Arrived at Salonika without incident worth recording. k-ei-N- much s-truck with Salonika,: particularly t he religious svstem of calling the congregations together (in the Serbian Sunday (Saturday) by announcing by means of what appeared to roe a monoto- nous wail from steeple tops. Embarleci at 8 p.m. and went towards the station for I XiW1, special orders being received to keep us on the movo. No destination waa known I r. Enemy Aeroplans KillsAustrians. < uai arrival at JMish we had a shock in the afternoon whilst resting on a straw bed placed in a "shed used as a hospital. An aeroplane was flying over us, and it dropped several bombs on our building, killing nine Austrian prisoners who had been captured by the Serbs, one boy, and seriously injur- ing a woman. Moved on, we Left Nish, and arrived at-Maladnavitz at the end of Octo- ber. Whilst having breakfast there was another air raid. Rombs fell in t-litrsquaxe where we were asked to have tea. Dry bread and coffee were the only things they had to offer. An aerial battle of great di- mensions between the Serbs and the Aus- trians was taking place all the morning, and bombs and sneUs from the contestants were dropping dangerously near us. Our next move was to Valyevo, but before we left, wo heard that one of the Austrian aeroplanes had been .brought down six miles out of the town by fire from the ground. I We heard in the train that the Bulgarians had entered the war arena on the 6th Octo- ber, and were against 1bø AHies. At Val- | y?-o, where wc> arrived after a lQng..tm4n? i??-o? ey, we were too tired tp know Wh?t we were doing. We found out later tihat we had been placed in a camp in the fcentre of a former battlefield, and our services as nurses were required for typhus patients. The place was called Valion, and was fixed up as a camp hospital. Whilst here we egaiai had the expBrienoe of night raids. Our hands were now fully occupied, and we thad enteric cases and wounded coming in daily. On Saturday, October 9th, we visited the trenches and looked for souvenirs, of which wo found many, such as cartridges, portions of shells, and knives. Also met some wild dogs that locked like wolves. II An Exciting Time." I October 10th.—From this date our ex- citing time really commenced, and the in- cidents will ever remain engraved in my memory. It was on a Sunday, and we re- ceived instructions at s hort notice to pre- pare to leave Valyevo as the Germans were i in Bedgrade. We were told the Allies w er,, coming and our position was getting frcm bad to worse. The director of affairs, as he was called, asked us to remember we wer2 British, and to behave as such. Iho majority of us (so went the diary) were women and inclined to appreciate danger to a certain extent, but we did not show signs o,?, fa l ter, Ther or falter. There was immediat-e activity, and the wounded we were looking after were removed into huts for safety. The boom of the guflt1 was getting nearer. Spent an uncomfortable night. October lltb, 1.30 a.m.—Aeroplane fly- ing over the hospital and camp. Another lot ffiJwounded soldiers arrive. Called awav from dinner. (Sister Clement here ex- plained that she had nothing to do with fever cases when wounded arrived, as she was generally trained, and wounded were j her first care.) The sights were horrible. Some of the poor fellows' faces were almost blown off, and some had no legs and arms, and were dying. The awful part of it was there was no provision for the poor fellows. There were no beds, and no food but bread and that of poor quality. (Note.—Our next article will treat of Sister Clemenit's experiences in the hands of the enemy.)

CARDIFF S C H OOLGIR L' S ARAB BABY. DISGUSTING CASE: MOTHER AT THIRTEEN. "I think when you have heard the facts you will say that this is one of the most horrible and disgraceful cases you have had before you for a very long- time," said Mr. George David to the Cardiff Stipendiary on W edmsday. Mr. David appeared for a youthful com- plainant, Bessie Izzett, wilo summoned Said Noman, an Arab boarding-house keeper, in respect of her child. Mr. Harold Lloyd de- fended. Complainant stated that she lived with her parents at Bute-street. She would not be 14 years of age until August next, and the child was born last December. Until last July her father carried on business ae a boardtng-bouse keeper in partnership with the defendant, but the defendant then start- ed a business of his own. She was still attending school when the defendant first took advantage of her. Defendant put his hand over her mouth to prevent her from, screaming "He said he would kill me," alleged com- pla.in?nt. "He had a dagger. I was afradd to toll my people anything about it." An order was made for payment of 5s. per week until the child attains the age of 16 years, together with 10 guineas costs, in- C)Ildinp advocate's fee.

I NEW SWANSEA PROBATION OFFICER. Mrs. C. Tucker has resigned her Dositiou a.s female probation officer for the borough, of Swansea, owing to ill-health, and on Thursday morning Mrs. Martha, L. Osman was appointed to succeed lior bv the magi- strates. The now officer came from London to Swansea some time ago, and is engaged in ChuwH Army work in the town.

W THE PROBLEM OF MEN. till BIG QUESTION COM. ING. -v_. Dealing with the calling up of single mow the military expert of the "Morning Posb" j says :— The men of the groups and classes now called up, assuming that they begin theif training in April, will, under normal con- dition-R, be ready for the field by the be- ginning of November. Behind them W4 have the ma.rried men who have been at* tested, estimated by Lord Derby to amount, after all dÐd, to about 487,0G0. Judging fixani what appears to have hap- pened in the case of the unmarried men. this figure will be subiect to further large deductions. There is in fact no certainty so far as an outside observer can foresee. But the maintenance of the Army at fall strength is one of a few things in which certa-inty is essential. It is-also a matter in which prospect«vc requirements can be estimated with a fair degree of exactitude. After eighteen months of war there should be ampl e st?ti?tic? for IGre?(?asting the pro- table rate ci waf-t?ge involved in any pI of opera.tion on which the Allic ? PF.Z Council may have decultd and it. is the business of t.he Government to devise means for Providing trained drafts u to ma-Kf g<?fi thjs wa?tt?e, a# well am 10? ?ivin? pn'?ct to any expansion of the Army already existing which ma.y be judged necessary io ensure the stuccess of the opera- tions. Is it ce!1:arin that we are making the most of our l-esources within the maximum limit of a,ge laiid down for military service? Has a. correct balance been struck between the respective requirements of the industrial and fighting armies? Arc men over the age for military f-ervice. and those who have been jotinn"- unfit or otherwise exempted, being utilised according to their capabili- ties to replace in the ranks of labour meg who might then be employed in the Army! Is there no waste of labour? Are all bandyi fully employed, or are their working capa- bilities restricted by trade union rules? a-U our l'eoourøes be^n sciciv tificallv organised, are the va-rious Govern- ment Departments concerned pulling loyallv together, or are we following our cue. tomary rough-and-ready methods, each Department playing for its own hamd? We do not pretend to answer these ques- tion. but only to suggest them. They am already pressing1 questions, and they will be. come more pressing aa time goes on. A good deal ha.s been sa,id about the need loir economy in expenditure, a need which ha4 long been plain enough in view of the gigan- tic cost of the war. The need for economy in men, though perhaps less immediately evi- dent. is not less rea-l. Assuming that the groups and classes noll called up will all have come under training during April, what is the next step proposed? Presumably the married men who have at* tested will be taken. They will suffice f-or a few more weeks —four or five weeks, judging from the calls which have been made o^ the unmarried. And what then? There arf several courses open which need not be specif fled. Another is to raise the maximum agf for enlistment. There are various objection4 to this course, of which one, which may not be obvious, is the iinadaptability of m who are no longer young to entirely new com ditions. They are unsatisfactory and difficult to train. And what results should we obttai as regards numbers ARsuming that men over forty have bee« used, as far as possible, to release Y-ggi men from essential employments, the yiel4 would not be large. Hence, before theee othef possible courses are adopted it would bd well closely to scrutinise the lists of exemp- tions and to ensure that there is no waste of eligible recruits. The "industrial establish- ment" should be M definitely fixed as th* "Army establishment," and there is no valid reason why it should not be. But it is a, big business, and there is no time to lose in seeing to it.

"STICK IT. WELSH." HONOUR FOR ANOTHER NEATH MAN. Neatli has every reason to be proud of her sons, who ¿!!1"e upholding the noblest. tra.ditions of the Empire in this colossal war. It was but yesterday, writes Hotspur." that I had the pleasure of recording the fact that Sergeant Russell, of the 6th Welsh, had been recommended for the D.C.M., and, to-day I am able to record that Private Alf. Pascoe also of the 6th Welsh, whose home ii at lo. Brook dale-street, Neath, has been similarly honoured by his comm.anding offi- cer. l-rs, Pascoe, the proud mother of a brave lad. received the welcome news from hor son on Thursday. In his letter home, Private Pascoe writes of the pleasure he experienced on learning that his brother, S,N= 01 ned the colome. I wih I had you by my side," con- tinued the writer, for I know your will is strong enough to enable you to fight, as I have been fighting for the last 13 months to save the dear ones at home. We mean to up- hold that famous old i war-cry, Stick it, Welsh-6th Welsh We have gone through much during the la-st 13 months, but we are wilting and eager to go through it all again. so that we may achieve a great and glorious victory. And now for great news. Tell thp boya at Neath that I have been recommended far the D.C. M. And they called me a boy when I left Neath. Thank God. I have been enabled to prove myself a soldier and a man. "I am expecting a few days ileave, and-J need hardly say how delighted I shall be to see mother and all of you again."

COUNSEL ABSENT. SWANSEA LICENSING BENCH'S COMPLAINT. The adjourned Licensing Sessions for the Borough of Swansea. was held at Swansea Police Court on Thursday morning The magistrates on the bench were: Ald. T. Merrolls (Mayor1. Ald. Dan Jones, Lr Nelson Jones, Messrs. F. vEdwards, W,. Thomas, J. W. Jones, Richard Martin and R G. Pro- thero. Mr. Jenkin Jones (magistrate* clerk), M. J. W. Thorpe. Oa.pt. Alfred Thomas (chief constable), and Supt. Roberts were aloo,poe- iIJI_nt. Crumble from the Bench. Mr. Glynn Morris applied for an adjourn- ment in the cases of the Flintmill Inn. Upper Btrand, and the Boro' Arms. Wind-street. Mr. Marl ay Raruson (counsel in the case). he Eiaid. was in London with some cases- The Chairman said the Bench had decided that in future no second adjournment would I be granted. They felt very sore about it. Counsel in cases should be there on the fixed day, and this would be the last occasion on which a second adjournment. Would be granted. He hoped that. solicitor^ and others practising at the court would remember it. and also convey his remarks to counsel named. An application was aiso made on behalf of Mr. Mov Evan* (solicitor) in the case of the Dillwyn Arms, and the applicant said he was in the same position with Mr. Samson. The Oha.-irman applied the same remarkfl here, and addressing the chief constable, said- "Arc you ready to go on with ycAr case?" Chief Constable: Yes, sir I The police are ready." Chairman: ] understood you were not ready, and I was going to applv ths same re- rnar-ks to N-ou. Chief Oonstabler The police are rea4. The court WU adjourned until X&œi1