GENERAL WAR NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 17966, 6 March 1917, Page 2

GENERAL WAR NEWS

EARLIER CABLES THE ANCBE EETEEAT. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) BERNE, March 4. Private advices state that the retreat on the An ere has created a deplorable impression throughout Austria. Austrian correspondents at German headquarters, With a view to reassuring the public, talk vaguely of the imminence of a German surprise coup. ROME, March 4, Gorman papers admit the extraordinary power of the new Anglo-French heavy artillery. FRENCH REPORT. LONDON, March 4. The French communique states : Parties penetrated the enemy’s second line trenches south of Nouvion between the Meuse and Aisne and did great damage. There have been violent artillery duels north and south of Etain railway on the Woevre. The French air squadron bombed hangars at Crescans, a powder factory at Bons Les Hants, blast furnaces in the Woelfling district, and Saure.bruck, and the railway station at Delone. THE ALSATIAN FRONTIER. GENEVA, March 4. The Gazette de Lusanne says the German staff anticipates a French offensive in Alsace and professes the expectation of a French violation of Swiss territory via Damyant, Povientruy and Charmouille for the purpose of executing a turning movement. The German Alsatian frontier is now a mass of fortifications and every farm and village is full of soldiers. ARMING AMERICAN MERCHANTMEN THE BH.L BLOCKED. WASHINGTON, March 3. The Senate continued the debate on the bill empowering the President to arm merchantmen. War with Germany was on the lips of nearly every speaker stonewalling the delegation of power to proclaim war on the President. Senator Stone amazed listeners by stating that he had confirmation from the Navy Department that if the bill were adopted they would place small submarine chasers aboard merchantmen, and that when the danger zone was reached the chasers would be lowered, their duty being to seek submarines and sink them on sight. The Senate adjourned sine die without passing the Armed Neutrality Bill. After the sine die adjournment of Congress the President took the oath of office for the second term. The ceremony was of the utmost simplicity, and took place in the President’s private office. It will be repeated in public tomorrow, when the Presndent will deliver his* inaugural address. Before the adjournment seventy-five members of the Senate and ninety-six members of the House signed a manifesto declaring thaz they favoured the Armed Neutrality Bill and regretted the rule permitting unlimited debate prevented the passage of the measure. INDIGNATION AND DISGUST. WASHINGTON. March 4. The most intense indignation prevails at the minority’s action in preventing a vote. Expressions of disgust are heard everywhere at the effort to force an extra session. Senator Hitchcock declared that the bill was defeated by twelve men, the most reprehensible filibusters on the history of civilised government. It Is now confidently expected that Mr Wilson will arm ships on his own responsibility. SUBMARINE DEED; LONDON, March 4. As proof of the comparative collapse of subroarinlsm Marcel Hutln states that 142 vessels entered French ports on (February 24, 126 on the 25th, 160 on the 26th, and 276 on the 27th, whilst the average for the first week of the blockade was 108. The British front has been extended to Roye. IN MACEDONIA; SALONIKA, March 4. Brisk operations are proceeding on the Italian sector where fighting continues. BPS STAN SUCCESS IN PERSIA. LONDON, March 4. Russian official ; Our Persian detachments took the offensive in the direction of Bidgar and occupied a village two miles south-west thereof. We captured Hamadan on Friday. ITALIANS REPULSE ATTACH. LONDON, March 4. Italian official ; After violent prepara, tory artillery fire the enemy attempted to storm positions eastward of Gorizla, but were driven back with heavy loss. A DESTROYER DOST. LONDON, March 4. The Admiralty reports that a destroyer was sank with all hands in the North Sea on March 1. Probably she was mined. DRIVE AGAINST IT AX IT EXPECTED. NEW YORK. March 4. The New York World’s Rome correspondent states that the Germans are planning a great Teuton drive against Italy in the spring. Mackensen, Hindenburg and Falkenhayen will lead the reinforced Austrian troops. Several German officers are now organising in the Trentino. Italy is fully aware of the plans, and confident of her ability to combat them. GERMAN FABRICATION. LONDON, March 4. The German War Minister, in the Reichstag, alleged that German prisoners in France were ill-treated and forced to work in the shell fire zone. He declared that his offer of negotiations remained unanswered and therefore he announced that reprisals would be taken. It is officially explained here that France replied to the German Note refuting the accusations and offering on a reciprocal basis to permit the American Embassy to visit prisoners and to refrain from employing prisoners in the fire zone. Germany did not reply to this Note. The document* show that the Germans first compelled French prisoners to work within range of the French guns. Her present threat of reprisals is evidently Intended to cover her own misdeeds. GERMAN ATROCITIES. LONDON, March 4. A Petrograd telegram states that Senator Kriutsoff, president of the commission of inquiry into German atrocities, vouches for the following story. Sixty Russian non-commissioned officers, imprisoned at Manhelm in October last, refused to go to North France to do military work. Thereupon, by orders of the officers, the German soldiers beat them with their rifle butts for half an hour till till they were merely a mass of bloody flesh whereon the officer who was mounted walked about. the yarrow dale prisoners. COPENHAGEN, March 4. Two American doctors, released with the Yarrowdale prisoners, state that 480 of the captured crews were imprisoned at Neustreliz and subsequently transferred to Karlsruhe. The camp was situated in the centre of the town between two railway stations, which the FTancoBrltlsh airmen constantly bombarded. The camp was established for reprisal purposes. The prisoners include highlyplaced Anglo-French officers. GENERAL ITEMS. NEW YORK, March 4. The New York Sun’s London correspondent says he learns on reliable authority that the United States may exV pect within a fortnight a terrific outbreak of the German plolrcrs’ work unless the "frlghtfulness” scheme is checkmated. WASHINGTON, March 4. It is announced that Britain stops her shell contract with the United States after March 31, her home output being abundant.

The Foreign Minister, Don Aguilar, denies that Mexico has received any proposition for an alliance from Germany. liONDON, March 4.

The potato crisis is unabated. Many markets including Covent Garden, are almost without supplies. Retailers in many towns have restricted purchasers to the smallest quantities. The Paris official journal states that in 754 communes liberated from the enemy 46,263 houses were partially or completely destroyed, excluding over thirteen hundred churches and other public buildings. In 147 communes between fifty and one hundred per cent, of the houses were destroyed. The Anglo-French-Itallan mission to Russia has returned to London. Members expressed satisfaction at the results. The King and Queen entertained Mr and Mrs Massey, Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, and the following New Zealand officers: Major Griffiths, Captains J. Duncan, Christian M. Jones, Chaplain Dobson, Lieutenants R. Wood, Jacobs, Hewitt. Liesler, Pile, Morgan, Tipping, Skell, Cordham, Carywright, Fryer, Clayton, J. Walker, H. Gray and S. Mac Donald. BERNE, March 4. Newspapers state that the German General Staff, the Kaiser, von Hindenburg, von Ludendorff, and von Falkenhayn have assembled. AMSTERDAM. March 4. The Kaiser gave a lengthy audience to Herr Zimmermann, who later attended Dr von Bcthmann-Hollwes’s conference with Foreign Office officials. The German committee for assistance to war widows and orphans has refused the American gift handed over by Mr Gerard, amounting to half a million marks. The money has been deposited in a German bank for the duration of the war. The Echo de Beige states that 1000 deported Belgians have been repatriated in an emaciated and exhausted condition. Six deaths occurred on the homeward journey, and several were removed to the hospital. THE HAGUE, March 4. Reports from Berlin state that the German Minister in Pekin has warned the Foreign Office that China is likely to break off diplomatic relations unless the blockade policy is changed. STOCKHOLM, March 4. Owing to inability to reach a fresh agreement between the masters and men 95,000 labourers in the Swedish iron works stop work on Monday. PETROGRAD, March 4. The cotton crop of Central Russia in Asia is estimated at nearly 3,000,000 tons The acreage has decreased owing to the increasing cost of production, the people finding it more profitable to grow wheat.