THE WESTERN THEATRE.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15454, 6 December 1915, Page 7

THE WESTERN THEATRE.

THE ADVENT OF WINTER. RATX AND SNOW IJIPEDING OPERATIONS. Usy C«'o,c.— Association.—Copyright.) (Received December sth, 5.50 i).m.) LONDON, December 4. The T-reneh and German communiques state that rain and inist aio impeding operations on the West front. GERMAN GUN DESTROYED. (Received December otli, 11 p.m.) PARIS, December 5. An official communique says:—"Our artillery destroyed a heavy gnu near Wionville.'' TIIE FRENCH ARMIES. GENERAL JOFFRE IN SUPREME CO MM A.N D. PARIS, December 3. General J afire has been appointed Commander-in-Chief of tho French Armies in France and the. Balkans in order to secure unity of direction. NO REST IN FLANDERS. ALLIED ARTILLERY SUPERIOR. ROTTERDAM, December 3. German wounded at -Ghent say that the Allies' guns do not give tnem a moment's rest. Tho roads in Flanders, o.ving to tho frost, aro almost impassable. and great discomfort prevails in the trenches Shells pour in like hailstones, and the German.'* are outfought and outranged in artillery. Tho Germans are making great efforts to drain the Yscr trenches. TIIE COST OF LIVING.

PIiICES FIXED IX FRAXCE. ("Received December oth, ~>.o p.m.) PARKS. December 4. The Chamber oi Deputies has passed a I'.ill fixing maximum prices for provision.-;. PRISONERS OF WAR. TIIEIR TREATMENT IX GERMANY. ("Times" and "Sydney Suu" Sen-ices.) LOX'DOX, December 3. In the House of Common;:, Lord Robert Cecil saw] that tho consensus of opinion wns that tho condition of prisoners in Germany was bettor than it had been, but it was still far from satisfactory. tfOK CONSPICUOUS BRAVERY, (• EORGE.S CAR PEXTiER DECORATED. PARIS, Dccombcr -T. M. Georges Carpcntier, the wellknown Ixixer, has been awarded • the War Cross for calm and conspicuous bravery during fog and rain oh September -'oth, \\ hen flying over tho German lines at an altitude of (iOOft. He made several flights with remarkable sang-froid, never returning without accomplishing his mission, although his machine was riddled with bullets and shell splinters. THE PEACE CRUSADE. OFFICIAL. IHSCOURAGEMJEXT. WASHINGTON, December .'i. The State Department intimates th«t if Mr W. J. IJrysm asks for passports to 'belligerent countries with Mr Henry Ford's Ipeace party, it "will not grant them. The Washington authorities are. taking steps now to discourage the wholo .scheme, although they are pointing out that Mr Ford's party are merely tourists, to whom no objection can be taken.

IN GERMANY. PEACE TERMS. TO BE DISCUSSED IN THE REICHSTAG. (By Ciblc.—Press Association.—Copyright.) AMSTERDAM. December 3. The Reichstag has. in response to the demands of the Socialists, allotted December t'th {is the day for tho discussion of peace conditions. A DISINGENUOUS STATEMENT REASON FOR THE DISCUSSION. i Received December 4th. 5.15 p.m.) LONDON, December 1. A German wireless message says:— "The discussion of peace terms ill the Reichstag has been necessitated because nobody in Germany understands ■why the Entente, after their diplomatic defeats in the have not begun peace negotiations. The debate wiil probably disclose that our enemies are still blindly believing in tho starvation of Germany, and other illusions. Our peace conditions will be dictated by our successes alony the whole line, but our enemies will probably regard our proposaJs fK a sign of our weakness and weariness."' (Rervived December sth, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 4. The "Daily Telegraph" in commenting on the German wireless 3ncssa.ge, sees in it an indication that Germany feels that if any bargain is to be made on tho strength of her successes over her whole, line, it must V*? made before her successes begin to be reversed.

COPENHAGEN, December 3. Dr. Lindhoek, the well-known philosopher, writes:—'"There is no longer any enthusiasm or public spirit in Germai.v. The people in the theatres even hiss thp uar songs. The reason

is that 900.0C0 young men have been killed, and many -wounded aid blinded. Germany's debt is growing, and iter industries have been greatly rcduced, despite Gorman victories.'' The Berlin ' Lokal Anzeiger'' states: —"The Reichstag rejoices in the present military situation. Unfortunately, w n are not reassured regarding tho future, considering tho number of our enemies. Our Government is always ready to make pcace, but our enemies jirefer to double their forces in order to vanquish the German Empire. They refuse to confer with our emissaries iu neutral countries."

A CHANGE OF TONE. FREEDOM OF THF. SEAS BY TREATY. '"T:rrj*»" and "Sydney Snn ' Serrice*.) (.Received December 4th, 5.5 p.m.i LONDON*. December 3. The "Frankfurter Zeitung" is changing its tone. It says that Germany has accomplished every objective except the destruction of Britain's seapower. and suggests that the "freedom of the seas" shall be secured by treaty.