THE CENTRAL POWERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17320, 21 May 1918, Page 5

THE CENTRAL POWERS

MOPPING UP BULGARIA.. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. AMSTERDAM, May 18. A Budapest official message states that the German-A astro-Hungarian Military Convention provides for unified command of tho two armies in troops, reserves, and armaments. AUSTRO-GERMAN ALLIANCE. STATEMENT BY COUNT HERTLING. neuter's Telegrams. ! AMSTERDAM, May 19. Count Hertling, German Chancellor, interviewed by the Berlin correspondent of the newspaper Az Est, said he rejoiced at the German-Hungarian comradeship in arms, which had secured the better protection of Hungary's frontiers and other guarantees against a Rumanian attack. Count Hertling dwelt on the beneficial effecta of the new Austro-German alliance, I which, he declared, was " not aggressive, but was designed to secure oar place in the eun." The Chancellor added smilingly: "If the world is ever united in an international peace league, Germany will unhesitatingly join. Unfortunately, present conditions give the smallest hope of euch a league. Our desire is to win and preserve peace. We are now fighting for our existence and the peace which we long for. I am optimistic enough to believe that we will have peace this year, although the Entente statesmen 6till talk of crushing the Central Powers. It might have been thought that the attacks on Mr Ldovd George, which, after all, indicate the strengthening of the peace idea, would have created a better basis for peace; but this was not the case." Nevertheless, tho Chancellor said that he was firmly confident that further events on the west front would bring nearer a 6peedy end of the war. ASPIRANTS FOR THRONES. Renter's Telegrams. AMSTERDAM, May 19. Vorwarts states that the various German courts are most excited regarding opportunities of obtaining a throne in the East, and agents are journeying in all directions on behalf of the competing claimants. 'As there will be at most six thrones to distribute, and as the German dynasties number 22, Vorwarts suggests filling the thrones -with Turkish princes, otherwise German unity may be imperilled. GERMANY'S FUTURE. ADDRESS TQ FARMERS. A PESSIMISTIC FORECAST. Router's Telegrams. AMSTERDAM, May 19. (Received May 20, at 8.20 p.m.) The Bavarian agrarian leader (Dr Heim), addressing the Farmers' League at Munich, said the cattle and other stock had been decimated, and the soil [ exhausted. It would be self-deception to ■ believe that pre-war conditions would ever [ return. Rebuilding would take decades, and Germany would be unable to export goods, which were needed at home. Salvation lay between free trade and compulsory State control.