ROUMANIA MENACED.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5352, 8 February 1916, Page 5

ROUMANIA MENACED.

ULTIMATUM FROM GERMANY

DEMANDS REJECTED

London, Last Night. The outlook in Roumania has taken sudden importance. The Milan ‘‘Stedolo’s” correspondent says: A Roumanian representative telegraphed on Wednesday that Austria and Germany liad formally notified Roumania that they regarded the eventual election of two 'Transylvanian irridentist Parliamentary candidates at Galatz and Caracal; and secondly, the sale to , England of over eighty thousand waggon loads of grain as acts of hostility to the Central Powers which will take measures according. Roumania immediately replied that her constitution did not permit the Government to thwart the election of irridentists and it was only jiossibJe for Parliament to nullify'the election by declaring it illegal. Secondly the sale of grain was purely an economic question. Tlie Governmjent must necessarily safeguard its economic interests as the country could not be deprived of its sources of gain. The latest message states that the Bui gars and Turks are moving towards the Roumanian frontier.

A message from a German Miurce alleges that Roumania offered a compromise by supplying AustroGeminny with an extra consignment of a hundred thousand loads of cereeals. i

Confirmation of the presentation of the ultimatum is lacking, but a correspondent of the "Chicago Daily News” on tlie Roumanian frontier declares that Germany’s latest demands from Roumania include the most complete written guarantees of neutrality, favourable to the Central Powers and tho demobilisation of the army which : s entrenched on the Tran. svivnnian frontiers. scarcely fifty yards distant from the Austrian Landsturn. •The fact that new Russian guns are churning the Austro-German trenches has fortified M. Bratiano. Premier of Roumaiiin. in rejecting the demands. Tlie German Minister is beseiging M. Bratiano with propositions and menaces regarding the sale of grain to England whose cheque of ten millions has profoundly impressed the Roumanians. Tlie Russian suceosses are also a siVurce of gratification. The pro-German clique in Roumania seems to be permanently discredited. German election intrigues aroused the most violent resentment . Tli,. mighty destinies of civilisation ••'iv revolving round the fight ; ng at Czernovitz. which for the moment is the capital _of Europe. Here may shortly be decided the right to dominate the Balkans. The Russians are steadily advancing daily near Czernovitz. The enemy are receiving reinforcements from every available source, including two Bavarian army corps from the West' front, and also Mnckensen’s Serbia, army. Tlie writer concludes: The Kaiser presided at o Council of Wqr at Nish. Generals Mackensen and Jekoff (Bulgarian commander : n Ch : ef> attending. It was decided that the Bulgers would forthwith advance towards Salonika, but Bulgaria is newlv <ndiarr"s-cd regarding the. concession of territory by Turkey to Bulgaria arid also requires explicit guarnnteees of Roumanian neutrality before embarking on th<L Salonika adventure.” THE SALONIKA ATTACK. FRENCH ENCOUNTER BULGAK>. Salonika. Last Night. The first encounter since the Allies’ retirement occurred on tlie Doiran front on Sunday, when French patrols encountered the Bulgarians. There were a few casualties. Reuter’s agent at. Salonika reports that there js friction between the Bulgars and the Gentians in consequence of the German attempts to dominate them in the same way as they have the .Austrians and Turks. Them is most acute discord concerning the proposed attack on Salonika, in which the Bulgarians would he compelled to take the linn’s share of heavy losses. Even if the attack was successful, the result would compromise the Bulgarians’ military strength compared with that of her neighbours. TER Rll iLE REPRIS A 1 ,S. London. Last Night. Reuter’s agent at Salonika stipes tlie immediate and terrible French reprisals, which have practically laid waste to Potrich, are colon Lated to discourage a repetition of the Zeppelin attacks on Sakmika. BATTLE IN ALBANIA. ITALIANS FALL BACK. i Athens, Last Night. Sharp fighting with superior Austrian and Bulgarian forces in the vicinity of Alcssio compelled the Italians and Servians to fall hack. It is reported that the Rulgarans have occupied El Baesan. It. is stated that French detachments have commenced fighting the Bulgarians, but it is not known whether this prefaces an offensive, or is merely a reoonnaisnnoo. EXPI/OKION AT ARSENAL. Rome, Last Night. A terrific explosion occurred in the arsenal at Skodna. Three workshops manufacturing/ 12-inoh hydraulic guns were blown into the air and 195 employees perished.

CONFLICT IN THE WEST.

AGONIES OF POLAND

FAMINE AND PESTILENCE

ENEMY POSITIONS WRECKED

London, Last Night. Sir Douglas Haig reports: There were twenty-eight air combats on February 5. AVe brought down six machines. One of our machines did not return.

Correspondents at the British front state that the recent German attacks at Ypres, Loos, and Armentieres were purely local. It is difficult to guess tlie enemy’s purpose, but there is no reason to believe that they were a prelude to a general attack. Paris, Last Night. A communique states: FrancoBritish artillery bombarded the trenches at Boesinghe and silenced two batteries. Our bombardment of the Navarin plateau on Saturday produced excellent results. Trenches were wrecked and several ammunition depots were blown up. Reservoir’s of asphyxiating gas were demolished, tlie wind driving the gas into the enemy’s linee.

London, Last Night. Official: Four million Polish - speaking residents of the United States have cabled to Air Asquitli urging that Britain should not blockade vessels carrying provisions and clothing to the stricken districts in Poland, where famine and pestilence are rife. The message points out that diplomatic ways are too slow-, and death would wi n the race. 1 lie world cannot countenance the extermination of an entire nation in such excruciating agony. Air Asqtiith and Sir Edward Grey, in replying, state that they deeply s; mpathise. but that the distribution of American relief is impossible unless Austria and Germany prohibit tiie export of foodstuffs from Roland and guarantee that the native stocks oi foodstuffs will not be used to maintain the occupying armies. Tlie fact that this was not done proves that Austria and Germany will never cooperate in any work in the interests of the population of Poland. GERMAN WARSHIP AIINED. Copenhagen, Last Night. It is roport<*d that a large German warship was mined and sunk in the Cattegat. She sent cut distress wireloss messages, which soon ceased. . APPAAf MAY DASH OUT. Washington, Last Night. Lieut. Berg, commander of the German prize crew on board the British -nmer Appear, at Newport News, lias asked permission to take on board two thousand tons of coal. He is apparently preparing to dasfi out. ~ SWISS AfUMTION FACTORIES. London. Last Night. A French official wireless message states : Several important Neuehatel munition factories, employing hundreds of workers. have received threats that they will he blown up if they continue to deliver certain supplies to the Allies. DISORDER IN TURKEY. Athens, Lost Night. A Turkish Alinister has officially announced that Yussuf was found dead in his room in the harem of his palace, having cut the main artery of his left arm with a razor. Constantinople messages declare that there is great excitement, because it has been learned that Prince Yussnf was assassinated The authorities, fearing dsorder. are arresting numerous; high Turkish personages, who were friend* of Prince Yussuf.

A MER [CAN SITUATION. New York. Last Night. Germany’s formula states that the killing of Americans on the Lusitania wins without intent ou Germany’s part. Tlie destruction of the liner was an act of reprisal, and Germany a'gree-. that reprisals ought not to bo applied to neutrals; she therefore regrets that Americans were killed, lind offers reparation in the form of an indemnity.

' London, Last Night. The Hamburger Nachrichten says that Air Lansing's (United States Secretary of State) code of rules for Submarines considers only merchant ships and non-combatants, carefully protecting old men tottering to their graves and gouty women, but not considering the brave men on the submarines, the most valuable part of the human race.