GERMANY AFRAID TO DENUDE THE EAST

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 112, 15 May 1918, Page 5

GERMANY AFRAID TO DENUDE THE EAST

AS FOODSTUFFS WOULD GO TO THE AUSTRIANS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Rec. May 15, 11.35 a.m.; . . LONDON, >May 14. The Morning Bar is corresV pond-ent eays it is believed Mackensen could provide as a maximum 600,000 : men, bat this would, denude the Russian front of every man. The correspondent 'le&rns- that the Aiistriaxis. are unlikely to agree to the German demand to send men- from the Tyrol but are determined to maintain their forces there in readiness tor an Italian counter-offensive. Germany's reluctance to withdraw armies from the Russian front is easily explained. Ger- i many would then be powerless to en- ! force her claims for food supplies | •which she. hopes, bys fair or foul means, j to extract from t"he occupied provinces, j In the event of a German withdrawal f these supplies: would probably fall into j th e lands of the Austrians, who are j much nearer absolute famine than the | Germans.. Austria regards Russian j grain as -a,. most important factor. Un- j doubtedly. Austria, in the absence of ! German troops, would secure the bulk I if not all the 450,000 tons of wheat J which the Ukraine promised to deliver : to the 'Central Powers jointly. Aus- j tria regards the question as vital. She j mast secure additional, foodstuffs before I August because her own supplies are' dangerously near exhaustion. COLONEL REPINGTON'S VIEW. 'Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Renter.) . (Rec. Mav 15. 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, May 14. Colonel Repington, writing in the Morning Post, says the German attack may be expected this or next week. It is uncertain /whether the Austrians will be able to-comply with the German -desire for a concurrent attack on Italy. Owing to the of the season, the , Italian. rivers' are still flooded. A mysterious element is the "whereabouts of Mackensen's divisions, which were on the East front when the German attack began. Colonel Repington's view is that the idea that an oversea attack against Britain may be revived is improbable. THE OTTAWA STATEMENT. WASHINGTON" OFFICIALS PUZZLED. FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENT BY LORD READING. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) : (Rec. May 15. 8.50 a.m.) WASHINGTON, May 14. Officials are puzzled at the Ottawa statement, attributed to the Britisn Cabinet,- regarding the utilisation of j the American forces. j Lord Reading (Ambassador Extraordi- i nary to Washington) says:—"The state- i ment is diametrically opposed to all tne i information received By the Embassy. 3 am quite in the dark as to the origin of the statement; but I am convinced it was not' issued with the knowledge of Mr. Lloyd l George or the War Cabinet." (Military officers point out that there have been two distinct schools of military strategists since the German drive. One school favoured the immediate utilisation of American troops, and tne other favoured a complete strong force before striking a blow. STATEMENT BY M® BAKER. {Australian and N.Z. Cable Association WASHINGTON, May 13. Mr Baker stated that the American forces in France would be actively engaed in battle now, and regularly m •future. ~ BRITISH BOMBING RAIDS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association I and Renter.) LONDON, May 14. Sir Douglas Haig's aviation report states, that flying wag - impossible _ on SnSETay. until evening, when the visibility waa. excellent. We _ dropped eight tons oft bombs in the neighbourhood of Menin.' Armentieres. and La Bassee, and also on- Bruges docks. We brought down six enemy machines. One British machine isl missing. Our night fliers dropued fourteen tons of bombs at night on Marcoing and Chaulnes railway stations!, &e Bruges docss, and Bapaume

and Peronne. One British machine did not return. A French communique states that there is nothing to report except a somewhat lively reciprocal bombardment, notably on both banks of the Avre. HOSTILE ARTILLERY ACTIVITY: {Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter.) LONDON, May 13. Sir Douglas Haig reports : —The hostile artillery has developed considerable activity north of Serre, and is also active on the southern portion of the British front and in- the sector north of Kemmel. BRITISH RAID. 'Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Rec. May IS, 11.25 a.m.) LONDON, May 14. ! Sir Haig report:^:— We/ | successfully raided northeastward of Robecq. i We repulsed' with loss an enemy party westward of Merville. Tliere was hostile artillerying in the ] Somme and Ancre sectors. I - i GERMAN STATEMENT OF AERO- | PLANE LOSSES. I (Australian and N.Z. Cabl~ Association.) and Reuter.) (Admiralty per Wireless Press.) (Rec. Mav IS, 11.25 a.m.) LONDON, May 14. j A Germa n official messago states that the enemy lost during April, 271 aero- j planes, whereof 122 fell fc'ehind the German lines. The Germans 'lost 123. i