South Wales Weekly Post

FRENCH OCCUPY CORFU. ———— ———- I PERIL OF MONTENEGRO I ITALY'S REMARKABLE ¡ INACTION. I MYSTERIOUS EXPLOSION AT, LILLE. fRANC E -< I (Press Association War Special.) I PARIS, Wednesday, 11 p.rn. I Tonigilt's official communique skvs Two enemy aeroplanes threw eight shells In Dunkirk, causing only insignificant ma- terial damage. To the north of the Aisne our trench guns overthrew the enemy works to the west of Soupdx. In Champagne our artillery effectively bombarded the German trenches to th 3 north of Maisons de Champagne and to the east, of the Butte de Souain. In the Argorme the Germans exploded a mine on Hill 285 (Haute Chovauchee), which produced an enormous crater, arourid which eome lively combats with grenades took place the whole day. We strongly organised j the southern edge of the crater. Between the Argon ne and the Mouse the enemy attempted an Attack with suffocating gas in the region of Forges. The necessary pre- ventative measures were taken in time, and our fire easily stopped the euemy from leav- ing his trenches. On the heights of the Meu.~e. in the neigh- bourhood of Calonne, our art-illery tire ere- ated an explosion and a fire in the enemy's taeaohes, and destroyed machine-gun j aheltere. In the Vosges our artillery destroyed a j German work in the sector of the f echt. DARINC BRmSH RAID ON TR"CS- PRESS i>L xtEAL. Wednesday. The following telegraphic dispatch has J been received from the General Heaaquar- j tars in France:— Wednesday, 9.22 p.m. Lut night a raid was c?r??d out ?oy our,' "E on hostile tnmches east of -Armen- fierts. About 20 of the enemy v ia dis- posed of. A machine gun emplacement in their line was blown up.. The party then returned to our trendhes bringing back two prisoners. Artillery on both sides has been active to-day about Vermelles, Wieltje, and Pil- kem. FIRIHC HEARD AT ROTTERDAM. iPress Association War Special.) ROTTERDAM, Wednesday (received Thursday). Sounds of heavy artillery firing have been heard here at short intervals from a south- westerly direction.

MAGAZINE BLOWN UP., r 40 I I STORY OF ENGLISH I  "PLOT." I I AIR RAID THE LIKELY! CAUSE. I (Press Association War Special.) I AMSTERDAM, Wednesday. I The comrnuni-que issued in Berlin to-day j says :— To the north-west of Le Mesnil the Fre nc-t attacked our positions over a front of about 1,000 metres. The attack eclipsed and I the en?my nud?r our fire tried to hum" back to his trenches. Repeated attacks failed under our gunfire. I Yesterday a munition magazine in a. case- mate in the southern enciente of Lille wag blown up. and the adjacent streets were Pri- ously damaged. The rescue brigade up to! yesterday evening found 70 dead and 40 I seriously wounded inhabitants. The popula-l tion of the town believee that the disaster I must be ascribed to an English plot. The Red CraM flags which were some tim« ago removed from the neighbourhood of the> r&Uway station of Soiwns were yelterday hoisted again, when our fire on the yard was resumed. DUE TO BRITISH AIR Riino AMSTERDAM, Wednesday. The Yaar Dias Agency announces that a German munitions magazine has been blown up south of Lille as a consequence, it is be- lieved, of a British air raid. V--

CERMAN AEROPLANE OVER DUTCHi TERRITORY. I (Press Association War Special.) I AMaitKDAfll, Thursday. ) Aocording to the Echo Beige the Ger-! man aeroplane which was seen last Monday flying over Selzalte and crossing the frontier 'appeared a.bo Sas Van Ghent. Dutch sol- d?er? opened fire upon it, but the German machine, which was of the Aviatik type, es- caped unhurt, owing to its great altitude, and travelled in the direction of Terneusen.

ABERAVON DISTRICT SHIRKERS. In connection with the Aberavon recruit- inr area. which incliides Aberavon, Port Talbot, Margam, and the Dnffryn and Afon Valleys up to Glyncorrwg and Blaengwynfl," embracing a population of 35,000, the number of grouped men this week since the re-opening of the Derby scheme has been only 50, which Is very small considering the large number of known eligible young shirkers who are in the district. a number of whom openly declare that they &re on the look-out for some of the good jobs which will be vacated by those irho have joined. During the ftt part of the, "Vxby group aoheme 2,030 re en were fI'our:oe. id previous to the Derby eoheme S>000 were TOP DOG." ( OUR POSITION ¡ TO-DAY. GERMANY READY FOR BEATING. | (Reuter's ■Srecial Servins.^ I BRITISH HEADQUARTERS, FRANCE, Jan. 11. B„i.tti. ng at lunch to-day in the hospitable headquarters of a certain division, where the roar and rattle wavering along the fight- ing line necessitated talking in sustained crescendo, the following statement was made to me:- Anyont3 who reaiiy believes that the position is the same to-day as it was a year ago, because the line is very much the same has no knowledge of the truth. Then we were desperately hoid.ng bark the German push for Cala's. To-day the Boches are 'Touching Offensively opposite the iop-dog. wOnd",rètlg w hen he will make his next spring. Germany wiii have to get rid <p her other adventures before she can tali l"ut preparing for another offensive in i; lenders. "h-e truth is that we have now got Ger- many ready for beating. Top-dog, and the n,t inove on the board to us: that is the position to-day on this front, and none know it oott: than the Boches themselves. We know their dispositions aiu! strength facing us to a nicety, ju.t as I have very little doubt thev know nuiv. Whon 'We Are Ready. It is because ot this knowledge that they ask uotrrrg better than for us to leave them ajone; t-o carry on the trench business in a passive way. But this is not top-dog's game. I cannot, naturally, give vou any- thing approaching- to definite figures, but I think you may t ike it fht we outnumber the Geamans. e can taKe their first- line trenches any time ire want to. But. strategy has to look considerably byond the business of bi.exkn.ig through,' which a good niany folks at home really seem to think is the only thing necessary to finish the struggle. The break through is I h Coming ail right, but not until we art ready to move definitely from this not uncomfortable chateau. It has become a Eurt of stock phrase now to say that for every shell the enemy sends us we return him two As a matter cf fact we often do a great rLw.i more than this. Then, again. n->t only do we out- number them in our fie id and heavy artil- lery, but there is a growing confidence on the part of our gunners that our weapons are better than theirs. The enemy has, in fact unmistakably passed its zenith, and is now on the down grade.. I e are still steadily soaring. I think it iS well that people at home should know the truth, because they will then face more cheerfully the big burden they are hemg asked t? -houM-r. We have J reached our present position at colossal cost and sacrifice. But we must not relax one tithe of the efforts by which this has been attained. That is the price of ultimate victory.

MASSACRE OF AMERI- I CANS,. I COUNTRY ONCE AGAIN EXCITED." j (Renter's Foreign Swcial WASHINGTON, Wednesday. The massacre of 60 Americans at Chihuahua has created excitement through- out the capita. The murders were dis- cussed in the House of Representatives. Mr. Lansing states that the Americans in Chihuahua were warned to leave the country II and promised steps towards the punishment of the murderers. '?= —— 

AUSTRIAN AERIAL RAID. I (Press Association War Special.) I AMSTERDAM, 'Vnesdá. I An official communique issued ?tyib. I Navai Administration at Vienna to-day jj states:— On the afternoon of the 11th inst. a squadron of seaplanes attacked Rimini! and successfully dropped I-)ornV,r, on a.m- 1 munition and sulphur works, the railway station, and anti-aircraft batteries in. spite of heavy fire from several anti-air- ■ craft guns. All the seaplanes returned safoly.

STATE AS COLD MINER. JOHANNESBURG. Wednesday. A combined meeting <>: the Nationalists and Labour Party to-day passed a resolution calling on the Government to work the Eastern Rand gold areas for the benefit of the St1.t.e, and oeaee further leasas.- (Eeuter.) I

(TTE. SW ANSEA DETECTIVE. Richard Oullen, corporal, WAS charged at I Swensea Police Court, on Thursday with deserting from the 21st Welsh Regiment, p,incé December- 7th. Defendant admitted the offence. Detective W. Francis gave evidence and said that in consequence of a oommuoica- tion received on December 7th, 1915 ho made inquiries, an d at 2.1G on Wednegday aftern<x>n he saw prisoner in Rrynsifi-terrac.c He said to hnn. Hi.llo, CuJlen, you have been in the 21st Welsh?" Defendant .aid. Oh, no." He told witness he was in the Navy, and produced a card. Witness took him to the station, where he admitted he a dewrter, and said that if witness would let him go he would go back. Defen- dant w,n remanded to a'-vaifc an escort, and l the magistrates awarded Detective Francis the rum 1(V bn

I I t RUSSIA j sommonomonow I MASTERS OF ALL POSITION3. RUSSIANS FIRMLY I FIXED. AUSTRIANS REPORT I SIX ATTACKS. PARIS, Wedji. £ J;iy. I. Ludovic Nandeau telegraphs to oho "Petit Jouinai" from Petrojiad under date I ■January U as follows: — All the enemy's go outer-attacks have failed. The Russians remain masters of all t.he positions they j > e captured. Both sides ai, c vl-gor,.iu.Lly entrenching themselves. During the night the enemy attempted nothing at anv point and ali Wa5 quiet. I (Press Association War Special.) PETROGRAD, Wednesday. To-day's Russian commuiiique says: — Western Froait.—BetvfceTi Olai and Wei a. small pa,ity of Germans tried to cross to the right bank of the River Misso, but they were dispersed by the fire of our ali,axd !K* Ll. Our soouts made vigorous' reconoais- sauces near Lake Kangetrt, before Tenauk, and east of Peankauen, during which they had hand-to-hand encounters with ni'inerl- cally superdior enemy forces, whior; re- peatpdly ended to our advanta.ge. Our scouts in the region of the PoneviesJi rail- way line cut two rows of barbed wire en- taaglements and then used hand grenades and dislodged the Gervians from their trenches. There is no change on the rest of the iron t. HAIL OF SHELLS." AUSTRIAN REPORT OF I BITTER FIGHTING." (Press Association War Spe-oial.) I AMSTERDAM, Wednesday. The comuuiLuque issued m icnua tD- I cia-v says :— the batt lefield on the Bessarabian fron- tier was again yesterday the scene of bitter fighting. Shortly after noon the enemy began to pour a bail of shells on our positions. Three hours later the first; infantry a t tack was begun, and was fcil-, lowed by IOU. others, up 10 ten in the i e-entug when the enemy columns, attack- ing in close formation, tried for the sixth i time to penetrat.e our lines. j Assisted by the excellent fire of the; I artillery, our brave- defenders repulsed all attacks. The retreat of the enemy occasionally degenerated into a disorderly flight, and. his losses were great. Before the sector! of one battalion SOO dead Russians a.re b'?g- i The North Moravian Infaatry Rfgiment' and the Honved regiments especially dis- e.n.-I the Honved reg'nient,, espoetally di?-

LLANKLLYSENSATION I  COURT MARTiAL COURT MARTIAL ORDERED. PROMINENT OFFICER-CITIZEN CONCERNED. I The uii pleasant rumours affecting two weE-kncwn oaaceis of the :¿j!.j.tl1 Welsh Regi- men. which have been in circulation throughout West WaJes, have culminated in an announcement that a. court-martiai i is to be held 0.1 Exiday. j The nows j'ias created a profound sensa- tion in Llaneiiy, of which twn one of tne J oUioirs concerned is a well-known and popular citizen. The charge agziiauvt them is one oi insobriety, and is said todate back to August. A com-t of inquin-y has j been held i-n the matter. It is said that Mr. Jennings, solicitor, Llaneiiy, h&'> briefed Mr. Llewelyn Wil- -iams, h..C., M.P., and Mr. Trevor Hunter for the defend.

—————— MUMBLES GIRL'S SAD Ii FATE. EVIDENCE AT SWANSEA I INQUEST. CORONER ON "MOST DANGER-1 GUS PRACTICE." The Swansea Borough Coroner (Mr. J. C. Morris) held an inquest at the Coroner's I Court, Swansea-, on Thursday, touching the death of Eleanor Delahev John, the young lady who met her death under tragic cir- carnstanoes on Tuesday last by being run over by th £ Mumbles train at Wesicross. Deceased lived with her parents at 5, Ckd8 Gate, Mir. Samuel John (the father), a, joinerr, identified the. body a.s that of his daughter, who was 16 years laxt Christmas Day. She was engaged at the Walter-road Post Oltioe. Mr. Charles Clement, P--oar-Wit- lane, Weatc-rosfc, who was a passenger c*n th** 7.1,; train from Swansea, said decease* got out. j at, We^t-c^ross. Deecrihing the manner in which she alighted witness sa,id that as de- ceased was preparing to jump off witness's wife said, Oh, dear, don't jump off until the train stops." Before, however, it aotu- aillv stooped, deceased jumped off, and, stepping too sh ort, fell under the carriages. About THREE CARRIAGES PASSED THE I SPOT J 1- .9'1 .1 h- before the train couia no puueu up. The tra.in stopped a. little before its usual plice and it was quite clear that no one, save perhaps the poor girl herself was to bliai-n,, certainly not the Miss Bronwen Ridd, 39, Gloucester-) place. Mumbles, lace-maker, thought her; late companion fell off the train. She had got down two stops, a.nd appeared to turn round to speak to witness when she, slipped. It w as the practice to step down two steps whilst the train was in motion. Th« Coroner observed that this was a i Most dangerous practico, and advised witness to discontinue it. Proceeding, witness said the late Mi?s! John had her back to the engine, in order to speak to her. They had been warned on the way down that evening about get- ting off when t?le train was in motion. The Coroner trusted that this would be a ]"¡;on to Miss Ridd. Fe was afraid j many deaths occurred like this. 1 (Proceeding.)

PENNY A GLASS MORE. INCREASE IN SWANSEA SPIRITS PRICES. A meeting of the Sr Ltieeustd Victual- Association was held at the Cameron Hotel, on Thursday afternoon, to confirm the executive's proposals to increase the prices of Ipirits bj Id. a glass, and bulk spirit-i 4d. ,), I spirits IA a pint. The increases a-re in consequence largely of the Immature Spiiit.s Bill, the t..roops' requirement-, and the shortatco in the output from the distilleries. The local wholesales have already raised laria- + the retailers.

I BALKANS. I I f.EGH SEIZE miFU I SERBIAN TKOOPS ARRIVE. » .i PROTEST FROM THE | GREEKS. (Tfeuitrer's War Ser,ioe), ATHENS, Tuesday (delayed). A French force has landed in Corfu for tive provisional occupation of the island. (.Note.—Corfu, the largest and most mwtflern of the loniaji Isles, bag an area of 274 square miles amd a, population of 99,67L It formed part of the Ionian Republic from 1815 to near the shores of Southej"ri Albania and Northern Elpdmis, it is a. position of considerable strategic im- tXM-t'M?, ?apeciaJIy wt the pnæ.nt juncture. Tbw--e is s?ro??g suapMion that enemy sub- m&rmes h? e b&e? making Corfu their base, and an Athene conespoaid?nt reported as recently as ?s:, Sa.??rday Umf, the Britigh Gov&nmmt had notified the Greet Govern- ?menf, that it was intended to take over the German Emperor's villa at Ac-hilioion on the island, and use it at a hospital for wounded Seros. It has be-en aJJeged that the Kaiser's N-il:a was made a supply depot for U" boats). (Press Association War Service). KO.Uh, Tuesday (delayed). A telegram from Corfu of* to-day s date saV8 ;In order to pJ'?pare for the annva.1 of Serbian troops in the( island a Fron?h warship this morniug landed a detachment of troops here. Fourteen ships of unknown natianality are cruising around Corfu. (Central News \\Tar Service). HOME, Wednesday, 7.20 p.m. Acoordang to an Athens telegram to the Tri bi aie. the French flag now floats over the Aohilleion at Corfu. A Serbian de- tachment, has alEú landed. The French have occupied Cape Sidari to the noi-th of I Cofu. The Greek Government has pro- tested. CUTTING ENEMY'S  UNES. I FRENCH BLOW UP IMPORT- I ANT BRIDGE, (Reuter's Foreign Special). SALONIKA, Thursday. 1 As a. precautionary measure, the French have blown u,p a big railway oridge over the river Struma at Demei Hissor, on the Salonika and tfcnstaintinople mil way (east of Salonika).

iN OUR HANDS. MESOPOTAMIA POSI- TION. ISHEIK SAAD TAKEN BY BRITISH. (Rtuter Foraign Special.) i DELHI, Thursday. An official communique issued here states that General AyJrner's force earned the Turkish positions élt Sheik Saa-d on January 9, and is concentrated thare. The Turks w'e retiring northward alcxn<r the TIgris. ° Oonfusing Messages. (Note.-—Mr. Austen Chaniu^rlain toid Parliament on Monday night that General Aylmer reported all attaclj. on the Shedk SéJ,d position which failcl to make pio- gresa, on the st-ii. On the 9th, however. General Aylmer telegraphed that the enemy was retreating, that he was in pur- suit, and that heavy rain wa*j hindering the pursuit. War correspondents stated ex- plicitly that the Sheik Saad position had .been abandoned by t'le Turks.) Now we have a fresh official report re- porting a battle at Sheik Sa-ad on the 9th uiie captu.re of a position which the Turks ero .v-i.id some days a.go to have evacuated during the 9th. The only thing that is dear is that Shcik iiaad is in our hands.

STRANDED TURKIS,H SUBMARINE. REPORTED DESTRUCTION BY! THE RUSSIANS. (Press Association Wa.r Special.) -.T;t!"nT"t'<I;.rt. raniuiiKAi), Thursday It is stated on good authority that from prisoners captured on the sunken steamer Carmen, it wa,s possible to obtain interest- ing information regarding the object of the despatch of two gunboats from Constanti- nople 1;?it December. Tb? mmboats re- ceived orders to bring off ? Turkish sub- marine, which had grounded near the shore. They were unable to ca.rry out the order because they were sunk by Russian torpedo boats under the command of Captaiai Prince Trubetzkoy. Acting on the information given by the men of the Carmen, Rus^ac torpedo boats approached, on January 10th, to the spot where the submarine was said to have have grounded. They discovered the sufe. marine near the mouth of the Helen and destroyed it with gunfire. The same day the torpedo boats saatk two Turkish aailimr ships with cargoes ot coal. Five men of the crews of these ships were made pri- soners. I Note No mention of the destruction of the submarine has been made in the Rus- sia.n naval communiques, which usually re- cord the sinking of every Turkish schooner or ketch.)

TWO OLD LADIES SUFFOCATED. l r -I I A-  ,?,- .i wv viu j-vosanna (Jal- lag.lian and Ellen Hargreaves, were suffo- ca.ted in a fire early on Thursday morning at Belfast. The fire broke out in the bedroom "f a house occupied by the old ladies, and the police, who discovered the outbreak,' made gallant blit ima, liling attempts to i rescue them. When the fire was subdued: Hargrcavps wm found lying near the door. She had evidently made a despairing attempt | to escape. Gallaglmn had died in bed. Both victims had been suffocated. fn!m!n-

A committee of Liberal members who are in f.'?'cu? of a national pn?cy for vi.?r'?'? prosecution 01 the war,has been fo'med, with Sir Frcd?ncJ: Caw? as cha?x- j man. At Swansea Police Court on Thursday, Matthew Power, private iiai the 2nd Welsh Regiment, and ( lr;rhv Wilson, private in the 7th Rovad Mumpers, were chs-rged with being absentees from t-beir reginient, and r,.wqj2,do4 to await ftsaori*.

MTE^EWS JEO- PARDY. i 10 *——— i 1CAPITAL DOMINATED FIRST TIME IN HISTORY. Independence Men- aced. I II The ¡.a of Mount Lovchen, 'wthin artil- Icry range of Cattaro, ?ntai?s serious conse- qu?nces for MontengrQ, Th" Tim? comments By jt, ?trrti?iegro is pLtC?d pract?calh' at the mercy of the enemy: and tor the first time in her heroi( Iiistcrv her independent existence is gravely dmperilled. We do not know whether King Nicholas will elect to continue the unequal struggle, or whether he will seelc to make terms with the invaders. The latter alternative must at least be reckoned among the possibilities of a situation which may ent.-i.il serious conse- q u Iloes. The Austrian communique reports rapid progress in Montenegro, east. and west. The Basjak height, south-we»t of (ettinje, has been occupied there is also progress in Montenegro territory in the east and north- east. Italian Press Mortified. Messages irom Rome indicate that the Montenegrin resistance has lost its tradi- tional vigour, but there are still natural obstacles to a rapid Austrian advance. One message refers to German troops being em- ployed either with the Bulgarians against Albania or with the Austrians against Montenegro. Commenting on the fall of Mount LoY- chen, the Giornale d'Italia says — One of the enemy's principal aspirations is now realised, since the only vulnerable point of the Dort of Cattaro ha.n been occu- pied. In the schemes of the Aufdrian Foreign Office the conquest of Lovchen is intended to neutrnJcisethe Italian oecupa- tion of Valona (tM Albanian port farther south), but ts scheme. depends not on a momentary possession, but on the final out- come of the war." Public feeling in Italy is n.aturaHy deeply stirred by this event, which looms very large in the Italian people's view. The newspaper comments are bitter. The newspapers comment on the fail of Lovchen (says the Milan correspondent of the "D?ly 'MaH.") Th" Se,colo state-. with bitterness that Montenegro was a bin- j doned like Serbia to its own forces ?hjle it was possible to protect it by sending modern artillery to Mount Lovchen, which would have also ensured* the itayan positrons )t Durazw). This was the special duty of Italy. who had for thirty years considered it in her interest to prevent Austria from occupy- ing Lovchen, as Cattaro would thus become a formidable pontion.

"FOR THE yg GREAT PICNIC." SWANSEA RIFLEMAN'S FOOT- BALL SIMILE. LEADING WELL AT HALF- TIME. A member of the 11th Rifle Brigade, ■writing to the "J)aily Post," says: Yourt papers are mudh appreciated br the Swan- te.t. I)ov." m our company. We have had seven months in France, so have got quite used to the galae now. We have not yet dropped across t-he Swansea Battalion up to the time of writing, but have heard that they have been in fz" instruction in the part of the line t-hat we ? held foi some time, and, I ?Lie?'c, .gave every satisfaction. | The trenches a.re in a terrible condition ivvvme to 00 much wet weather—absolutely Un to our waists. In fact, we have been tndinking of sending, through tiie medium of your paper, for bath rag costumes. We nave been out. of the trenches during the Christmas holidays for a much-needed rest, after months of hardiJiip. We hope the good people at home will get the houso in order, as the half-time score ha,g gone up and we are leading well. We are now following with great interest jI the raising of "Swansea's Own, and hope it will soon be brought up to strength, so as to be able to join ua in time for the great picnic.

-=- SWANSEA DOCKS MEN'S AID. j RED CROSS NECESSARIES II FUND. The committee appointed by the Swansea Chamber of Commerce has now made a start, and is daily adding to .its list names of those who promise weekly, or monthly contributions. It is not generally known that the ;per capita" grant allowed by the War Office is not adequate to cover the expenditure of the Hospitals, and it consequently devolves upon those responsible for the organising of the make good any deficiency. The commit/tee may be Mked to assist in providing other necessaries than those of fruit, vegetables, tobaoco. and cigarette?., as arranged for, and it is their earnest wish to be able to do so. Anyone desirous of help- ing the movement by taking a collecting book, and working a district, should oom- municate with Mr. H. S. L. Cook, hon. secretary and treasui'er to the committee, Easfe Burrows, Swansea.

OLD SWANSEA C.L.B. SOLDIER. I The sad news bus been received by his mother that Slrgt. Ben Price, 18th 1 King's Roval Rifles (C.L.B. Battalion), hasoeen killed in action. The letter con- veying ?#e sad intdligence wa-s sent by Sergt. Bryn Richards, and say that "Ben. whilst brave- ly defending his trench, received a nasty bit and died i n s t a ntaneously." Sergt. Price was an exceedingly popular young man, and was closely connected with the Church Lads' Brigade, hav- ing served in the St. Gabriel's Company for nearly 12 years. Whilst in that com- pany ho diatJu?n shed him'?t by winning various medals and clasps, and held the silver cup as the crack shot. of the company. Deceased was one of the found- ers of the Swansea Junior Imperial lie ague, and sat on VarIQUS committees in connection with the Conservative party at Swansea. He has two other brothers serving their King and Country, Pte. Harry Price, 2nd Devons, and Driver Stan Price, R.F.A. R. t' A.

ADDITIONAL RACING FIXTURES. "I .1 The p,ing uaienaar announces me following additional fixtures: March 5. Lingrfield; March 10. Windsor; March 31. CI)Ilv,-Il Park: March 24, Gntwick; Mavob ,1. Hawtbom Hill- Two days' Taoins in -each casa. I

COMPULSION OR I POSSIBLE DEFEAT. I I PREMIERS GHAVli APPEAL.. I ONLY THIRTY-NINE Ii OPPONENTS. The second reading of the Military Service Bill was carried in the House of Commons on Wednesday evening by a majority of 392, the figures being:— For the Second Reading. 431 Against 39 The debates on the Ifilit-axy Sen-ice Bill have pMduced from two or three old mem-I bers of the ?lloll,.e tll;i,t are likely to be remembered as among the most suc- cessful in their career. Those (says the Tiiiies Parliamentary correspondent) who had the good fortune to hear Mr Balfour last week and Sir Edward Carson on Wednesday may congratulate themselves upon having he-fird these statesmen at their very best. On Wednesday there was such another j experience, and Mr. Ellis Griffith, jn doing justice to his theme, has done justice to him- self as well. Irony and humour, the familiar weapons of Mr. Griffith, are effective enough 011 the ordinary Parliamentary occasions, but when a man is very muoh in earnest he ho- comes direct and plain, concise a.nd precise, ?nd no method of controversy is f'verap-! pMcmted more tha.n that by the 0;? Commons in its great moments. So it was both with Mr. Griffith and the House. One of his most effective passages was It had been said that a great many crimes j were committed in the name of liberty. A great many fallacies had been uttered in the debate in the name of liberty. (Tai-i gh ter.) The liberty hon. members talked about would mean anarchy and no State. To compel men to join Trade Unions was liberty, but to com- pel men to join the Army was treason. (TJlmd cheers. ) There followed a somewhat cynical can- I fession by Mr. Dillon that he would have continued his opposition to the Bill if only it had been opposed by half the Liberal party a.nd a solid and united Labour party. Sir John Simon was much milder in his second reading criticisms than he had been in hiis opposition to the introduction of the Bill, and he added very little that was new i to the arguments with which, from one quarter or another, the Bill ha.d already been assailed. He did, however, give the coun- tenance of his authority to the most insidious critiicsm expressed by M". Anderson—name- ly, that the provisions of the Bill might be used to institute industrial compulsion, The Prime Minister himself, who had como in during the speech, took the oppor- tunity of replying to the criticisms and ob- jections of his former colleague, and did not spare him. Like the House, he found i Sir John Simon to be academic and ap- I patently and iff event to. actualities. We are at war, he drily reminded tne ex-Home secretary, Mr. Asquith claimed agaiii that his pledge ] had preserved the voluntary system. But | his main point was that of military neces- Bity. "On behalf of the whole of my colleagues, I say to the lIonso and to the country," he declared, "that unless you poos this Bill we cannot do our part in the prosecution of this war." He repeated this intimation later in another .form—"Unlefefc the House will give 113 the opportunity of 1 fulfilling my pledge-I do not say it will ma.ke the difference between success and failure in the war, but I do say you will be disabling as front carrying out our obliga.- tions to the country and to our Allies." This was one of the three outstanding points [ in the Prime Minister's final appeal to the j House. The wond was his treatment of the criticism that the Bill threatened in- du.strial compulsion. As Sir John Simon knew, he said, nothing had been further from the intention of the fromers of the By.1 than that it should be used for such a purpose. But. to put the niatt-or beyond all doubt, the Government wit esneaered in Devising machinery and safeguards which would make the use of the Bill for such a purpose impossible. Mr. Asquith's third leading point was a gravo suggestion that the House should read the Bill a second time with general consent. He believed that there were both in the House and the country the conditions of general consent, and at this moment the House could not strike a. more effective blow at the enemy than by reading the Bill a second time without a division. The House of Commons is hardly ever quite silent, but during these last moving sentences of the Prime Minister's appeal the silence in the Chamber, save for his own voice, was abso- lute. MR. PRINCLE'S WITHDRAWAL. ( There was a definite and encouraging re- ?pt??lse to the appeal ,of the Pnme Minister at that after-dinner hour when the House I' of Commons g?tiiej? llf together a.gam for a contusion wory of the beginning m Lts day. At that particular hour the House, after pru?ntged lassitude, again becomes I Moy'-ded, animated, and expectant of big speeches or events. In a crowded Chamber. I with all the leading sta,temen for an audi Mict-, Mr. Pringle a.nnounMd the withdrawal of his opposition to the Bill, and the an- nouncement. suggesting as it did a with- drawal comprehending mote, than one vote, was vociferously welcomed by the House. As the hour ot adjournment approached it wps noticed that Mr. Arthur HenderM-n. the Minister for Education, sa.t on the Bury bench between the Pr-rne Minister and Mr. Bonar Law. and that he was taking notesf or. the honourable and responsible tusk of winding up the del ate for the Gov- ernment. Mr. Henderson had a magnificent audi- ence, and the speech was worthy of it and the occasion. To Mr. Henderson the choice j W.4A Between compulsion and possible defeat, j and lie spoke accordingly. VVe had to put forth all our resources and we had to en- courage our Allies, and these things we could only do by this limited measure of compulsion. He deuied that the Bill men- aced the privileges of labour, and claimed, indeed, that labour and democracy were bound' up with tthe cause which the Bill sought to serve. Mr. Asquith was deeply moved by a speech which was pitched to the ioftiest note of patriotism, and he patted Mr Henderson warmly upon the arm as the Labour leader resumed his seat. Mr. BonM' L?w, too, offcrfd cordial con- gratulations, and t?e whole Hou?e cheered *— T —

THE WEST CROSS FATALITY. Disclaimer from Deceased's Companions. Miss IJoris JohM, Eden House, Castleton, Mumbles, writes: "Will you please correct, an error in your ieoort, of the distressing: accident to our dear friend Nellie John on the Mumbles Railway last Tuesday niffht. In it you say she jumped off the train while it was moving. She did nothing of the kind. She stood on the foot- boa.rd while the train was slowing down enter- ing West. Cross Station. She turned round to give 118 a parting- in- junction cO be on the nine train in the morn- ing, and in turning: she lost her balance and fell. The paragraph m last night's "Post" has caused deep distress to all her friends, and especially by us. her three g-reat chums, Ilp whose behalf I write. did not try to dissua.de her, M we knew ghe had no intention of itunping off.

THE WHY OUT. ft ——— -——— LABOUR MINISTERS REMAIN. THREAT OF THE WELSH MINERS. As a result of the Prime Minister's meet- ing with the Labour Party oil Tuesday, it wan decided that the Labour members ot the Government-—Mr. Henderson, Mr. braco, and Mr. Uob^rts—.should defer thoir ■re-sign;)tions until after the general meeting of the Labour Party at Bristol on January 25, as the whole question compulsion aud the party attitude wi.il have to be discusscl at that gathering. It was well known that the Labour Minis- ters did liot themselves wish to resign, fofl they are in full agreemc it with the policy t, the P C) I .C Y of the Government, but they had felt that they were bound by the decision of the Labour Congress last week. Events have shown more and more -'le?rly that this COB- gress did not really represent Labour r,?,,pre,,ient Ja b our The way out now found for the Labour Ministers is a happy one, more especially as iliA. Compulsion Hijl will have passed by the time the Bristol meeting is held. The welsh Miners' Threat. hxciitement has been caused throughout South V\ ales by the disquieting resolutions passed by a conference of the South W alts miner's (as reported in our 5.30 edition). It was decided by n larg e majority to oppose at the Miners' Federation of Great Britain conference the Military Service Bill. Then it was decided, by 162 against 83, to vote at to-morrow's conference for down-tools policy in the event of the Com* pulisory Bill being pased into law. n was further decided, hv 127 to 109. that before a down-tools policy be adopted a. ballot of the miners of tlio United King- dom lie tak en. I "OVERWHELMING." THE BRITISH MiN E RS" MAJORITY, J IAGAINST THE COMPULSION BILL. j The Miners' Conference on Thursday j'1 Txundon decided to accept the districts' re* oort which s hows an overwhelming majority against the Military Swvioe Bill, and to ca-.It a further conference to consider futuret action in the event of the Bill being pa^cL i VERY FINE LANGUAGE! '4 III,, rress Association was also autliori4 j tatively informed that the decision of the* miners conference does not mean in any, sense that there has been a weakening of th miners' opposition to compulsion in any. form. The decision wa.s arrived at practi- cally unanimousl y on the ground that the miners do not consider it necessary to. flatter this or any other ( abinet by mean., of a strike, but they believe the Govern, ment will realise the necessity in this case, as in previous cases since the commemce- ment of the war. of consulting tl*» miners before the Bill becomes law, in the event of the Prime Minister consulting the exeou- tive committee of the Miners' Federation; before the passing of the Bill, the national conference may be called immediately fat.. loiWang any snob interview. C

WHEN CALAIS WAS IN DANGER. HOW SIR DOUGLAS HAIGk WAS INJURED. Mr. Will Irwin. the famous cllrr4 spoudent, in describing in the New Torlj Tribune" the fighting at Ypres October 31st, 1914, sa.yg: On that day the Germans made their mosf desperate attempt to brealt through. Thei did, in fact, break the line, a.nd seemed tq be pouring towards Calais with a cleat field. In the hour of the greatest danger sq shell struck General Sir Douglas H i g'ti hea..dl:iuarteTB. burst inside the bouse, ana killed or wounded ervery one of the stjir. Sir Douglas Ifaig stood just outsit t.h. explosive area of the shell, but the shoolj knocked him over and rendered him rNCONSCIOUS FOR AN HOUR- That w- the point when General Freuoy came personally to the litie, and made t1 dispositions ending in the thrust (j Gheln velt, which rolled the Germans back to tbi positions which they had oocupied th morning. As Sir John Frenoh oame up Sir Douglgj" Haig was just returning to consoiousnes Refusing to go to the hospital, he ac^or.k I psnied his chief to the line. Dazed, stat gering on his feet like a. groggy priM. fighter, he helped to make the new dispoal. tions a.nd to rallv the men-