OCCASIONAL NOTE

Of the three “Minority” Socialists now added to the Berlin Government two, Herren Haase and Dittmann, were included in the famous “Twenty” who had the courage on December 20, 1914, to defy the discipline of their party group and vote against the War Credits in the Reichstag. Herr Haase was the President and official spokesman of the old Socialist Party before the war. As such he was summoned to see the Chancellor on July 26, 1914, and was by him told the secret of what was coming. From the first he expressed his suspicion and mistrust, and although he voted the credits on the famous August 4 – a vote which to him was, to use Prince Lichnowsky’s expression, a “sin against the Holy Ghost” – he advocated opposition consistently from first to last. A remarkable prophecy of Herr Haase s, uttered in the Reichstag in October, 1917, deserves quotation. “The Chancellor,” he said, “only shows that the water is already above the gunwales of the Government ship. At such a moment, when they see no issue from the misery of the war, they fly out against the men who fought the policy of the Government from the outset and prophesied that it would end in disaster. It will not be long, Herr Chancellor Doctor, before you see this policy smashed to pieces and the ideas for which we fight supported by an ever-increasing multitude not in Germany only, but in all countries inhabited by civilised men.”

BOMBAY WAREHOUSE DESTROYED

A disastrous and destructive fire broke out today in No. 5 warehouse at Prince’s Dock and resulted in causing damage to the extent of about half a crore of rupees. The warehouse was opened as usual this morning at 7-30, and the Warehouse Manager and his men were working there as usual. Nothing extraordinary was noticed till about 11 when the Manger saw volumes of smoke rising up to the sky from the south end of the warehouse and went to the telephone. By the time he returned the whole place from one end to the other was in flames. The Port Trust hydrants started working and were soon joined in their efforts by a fire engine which arrived within a few minutes, being situated at a few yards from the scene of the outbreak. Soon after many other fire engines arrived in rapid succession, and Mr. Greenop, chief of the fire brigade, took up operations. After strenuous efforts at about 12 the fire was brought under control. The warehouse was usually for storing piecegoods. The goods destroyed are covered by insurance. The cause of the fire is not known

COMRADES IN ARMS

The War Office announces that a conference of representatives of the Admiralty, the War Office, the Air Ministry and of the Australian, New Zealand, Canadian, South African and Indian Expeditionary Forces has appointed a committee with Sir Ian Hamilton as chairman to report as to the best method of fostering a spirit of comradeship and mutual help among all serving in the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force. They also appointed a committee with Lord Jellicoe as chairman to consider the promotion of comradeship throughout the Empire among all serving in the present war. The latter committee consists of two members of the Imperial forces and five members representing India, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

IS GERMANY PRETENDING?

The French press continues to issue warnings regarding the genuineness of the German conversion, emphasising the view that it is much too sudden to be anything else than bluff having as its object the weakening of the Allied resolve to enforce the armistice conditions. The press insists that there shall be no weakening in this respect. The French press insists that the Entente Powers must not allow German Austria to join Germany, or that if they do they must make the former share with Germany the war expenses and indemnities imposed by the Allies.

DUTCH SOCIALIST PROGRAMME

The Socialist leader, Troelstra, in a speech said the watchwood of the Dutch socialists was “revolution without anarchy.” He condemned the Russian Bolshevik excesses and said that the Socialists in Holland would act calmly but drastically. The Socialist Congress would meet on Saturday and Sunday to constitute a revolutionary authority and to decide the question of the formation of Soviets throughout the country and a Supreme Soviet. If they resolved thereon then that Soviet would immediately assume supreme authority in Holland.