WITH THE ENEMY.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15767, 7 December 1916, Page 7

WITH THE ENEMY.

ABUSINCx BELGIUM. snur for. Holland. (By Cable.—Prww Association. -Cnpy-risht.T (Australian and N.Z. Cabl« Association.) AMSTERDAM. December 5. The Foreign Minister, replying to a question, stated that tho Dutch Government sent a Note to Germany protesting against tho Belgian deportations. It jwinted out that tho Dutch authorities in 1914 encouraged Belgian fugitives to return to Belgium after making a Convention with Germany guaranteeing the personal liberty of returning Belgians. The Dutch Government therefore hoped that tho fugitives deported by Germany would be sent homo. Germany's reply, tho Minister added, was unsatisfactory, and diplomatic conversations wore proceeding. SWITZERLAND CAUTIOUS. REFUSAL "TO PROTEST. (Beater's T«kgr»m«.) (Received December 6th, 7.5 p.m.i BERNE, [December 5. Tho Federal Council rejected resolutions by the Cantonal Councils protesting against tho French and Belgian deportations, as such resolutions would involve an investigation which it was i not within Switzerland's province to make. APPEAL TO THE WORLD.

LONDON, December 5. Belgian workmen, threatened with slavery, are appealing to the world'.-, neutral workmen to move in their behalf. They point out that 500.000 deportees who wero forcibly rendered idle are being forced to carry out' German military work or mining in Germany, for which they are paid threepence per day. PROSPECT FOR BRUSSELS. AMSTERDAM, December 5. The "Telegraaf" states that preparation" are on foot to deport at least 50,000 men from Brussols and its neighbourhood. MORE THIEVING RAIDS. AMSTERDAM. December 5. Having seized all the copper in Belgium tho Germans have requisitioned 850,000 kilos of zinc from the Prayon and Vicllemontaguc factories. APPEAL FROM MAETERLINCK. NEW YORK, December 5. Maurice Maeterlinck, tho Belgian dramatist, in a message to tho American people urging America to placo herself at tho head of a League of Neutrals, with a policy of action and not protest to force Germany to cease her inhuman policy, mentions that 40,000 Belgianß under forced labour at tho point of tho bayonet are digging German trenches ',at the back of Soissons. They work in the first lino trenches under fire. VON JAGOW'S RESIGNATION. (Australian and N.Z. C*fc"i* Association.) (Received December Gth, 7.5 p.m.) BERNE, December 5. Maximilian Harden, in "Die' Zukunft." states that Dr. von Jagow left the Foreign Office because he disapproved of the submarine policy and the deportations of Belgians and Fronch. COURTING HUNGARY. FAR-SIGH7ED GKRMAX?. and N.Z. Cabl<. Association.) (Received Dccemljer oth, 5.5 p.nO LONDON, December 6. The "Daily TclegraphV Hungarian correspondent states that General von Falkenhayn and several of his generals aro learning the Hungarian language as part of the German policy of iiigratiation. It is hoped that this will lead to the political domination of Hungary after the war. The Hungarians are suspicious, and declare that dependence upon Germany is undesirable, and will only be a change of masters. They want complete political and economic independence, and if the Entente agreed t 0 further this object it would create sympathy on the part of a large portion of the Hungarian nation. GERM AN EX ULTATIONS. BERLIN, December 5. The "Vossische Zcitung" states:— "We, all feel that tho events of recent weeks have brought the end of the war considerably nearer." COAL AND STEEL. COMPARISONS OF PRODUCTION. Tiroes."; LONDON, December •">. During the debate on ih<- German Mass iZvy Bill, Dr. von Uclfferich stated that Germany':! coal production at one timv sank v> ntir-hali of what it. was ai th<> beginning <>I the war. '10-d:'v it had risen to !.'0 ix-r cent. Tin- peace production of steel wa» reduced at first to a

third, but now it had been raised to 83 per cent. The English coal industry, which was always greater than theirs, excelled in lDlO'tho peace time figures. Her stee] production decreased coniiderablj-. MR GERARD'S RETURN. ißeceived December 6th 7 p.m.) NEW YORK. December 3. Mr Gerard has sailed for Berlin. DESIRE FOR PEACE. FEELING IX GERMANY. ; Australian and y.Z. Cable AsEOciationJ (Received December 7th, 1 a.m.) NICW YORK. December 5. Tho German censor has permitted Cyril Brown, th'e Berlin correspondent of the "New York Times,'' to send a message emphasising the -widespread peace movement in Germany, -where an overwhelming majority is in favour of an early peace. The correspondent quotes the "Berliner Tagcblatt" and the "Vossichc Zeitung - ' as saying that the prospects of peace axe brightening, but Count von Rcventlow distrusts a peace not secured through a German medium. ✓ THE POPE~ATTITUDE. (.Received December 7th, 1 a.m.) NEW YORK, December 5. The Rome correspondent of the "New York Times" states that Cardinal Bourne informed the Pope that the feeling in England -was such that it would be useless to attempt any serious peace movement now. Tho Pone is therefore convinced that a move by President Wilson and the Pone would be inadvisable at present. I