We may learn the decision to-day. At the latest we shall learn it to-morrow. Of that we are assured by the fact that a time-limit has been imposed upon Germany. Her acceptance or rejection of the terms has to be notified within 72 hours of the receipt of them by the envoys on Friday last. Pending the announcement of her decision, the pursuit of the retreating and harassed German armies in France and Belgium continues. The British, French, American, and Belgian armies, with the assistance, doubtless, of Italian and Portuguese troops, are taking a heavy toll of the enemy forces, whose difficulties have been increased by the severance of the lateral line which constituted their main channel for the conveyance of supplies to them. Germany sought to secure an avoidance of this punishment by a request for a suspension of hostilities during the period that will elapse before her decision concerning the terms of armistice reaches the Allied Headquarters. To have granted this request would have been to sacrifice the military advantage which the Allies possess at the present time, and which might have been less pronounced at the termination of the 72 hours’ grace if there had been a provisional cessation of hostilities. Everything points to the conclusion that the day for which the whole world is longing is at hand. The abdication of the Kaiser and the collapse of the Hohenzollern dynasty unquestionably remove one obstacle to the acceptance by Germany of the Allies’ terms. The military party in Germany has been overthrown and the power has passed into the hands of those who acknowledge that a continuance of the war on their part would be useless.
"Forsaken by her allies", the Imperial Chancellor has said in a proclamation couched in terms, the dignity of which it would be churlish to deny, "Germany cannot carry on the struggle against the growing superiority of her enemies."
Upon the evidence of this document and upon other evidences of the existence of a chastened spirit in Germany, we may confidently accept the view, expressed without the slightest reserve in a message from Paris, that it is certain that the enemy is about to capitulate.
Precautionary measures at port
The authorities in Port Chalmers have now awakened up to the fact that it is time to take precautionary measures against the spread of the epidemic. It is stated that the waterside workers have had to work on board a vessel on which 20 cases of influenza have been recorded, and that practically nothing was done to protect the men from infection. When the ferry steamer Maori arrived on Thursday for her annual overhaul there was no restriction placed on the liberty of the crew, who were allowed to go ashore unchallenged. Yesterday, however, the local authorities took action. The Mayor (Mr Tait) arranged with the Railway Department to have two carriages set aside as inhaling chambers. One of these will be stationed on the wharf for the use of the waterside workers, while the other will be placed on a convenient spot for the use of the general public. The streets will be sprayed with suitable disinfectants at regular intervals until the outbreak has been successfully combated. — ODT, 11.11.1918.
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
