ITALIAN OFFENSIVE

Southland Times, Issue 17938, 18 May 1917, Page 5

ITALIAN OFFENSIVE

PROGRESS NORTH OF GORIZIA 3,375 Prisoners Taken GERMANS LOSE HEAVILY ON WEST FRONT Reduced Submarine Losses AMERICAN DESTROYER FLOTILLA REACHES ENGLAND The Allies’ War Aims ANNEXATIONS AND INDEMNITIES ESSENTIAL The Socialistic doctrine now being carefully fostered by Germany that the peace terms should be based on a policy of "no annexation. no indemnity,” was voiced in the House of Commons by Mr Philip Snowden, and drew from Lord .Robert Cecil a vigorous and convincing reply. The short and the long of It Is that the Allies are as determined as ever that Germany shall pay the price for her crimes. The devastated countries must be restored and rehabilitated, German colonies will not be handed back, Poland will bo liberated. Alsace and Lorraine will revert to France, Italy’s frontier on the Austrian side will be corrected strategls positions that will destroy Germany’s power for evil may be retained, and reparation must bo made for such unlawful acts as the sinking of peaceful ships. There Is a price to pay for running amok, and the Allies have not weakened in their determination to exact It. On both the British and French fronts the Germans have made powerful efforts to regain some of the ground lost recently, and to hinder the preparations for a further advance. The weight of tbe attacks yielded momentary success, but counter-attacks restored the positions In every case. The German losses are reported to have been extremely heavy. The British also made some progress along the Hlndenburg line beyond Bullecourt. Italy has launched an important offensive with excellent opening results. Progress has been made along the Isonzo, north of Gorlzia, and also to the east of the latter town. No lees than 3376 prisoners were taken. The submarine figures for the past week are the most satisfactory we have had for some time. The shipping movements show an increase over the previous week, yet the number of vessels sunk shows a great reduction. The British offensive from Salonika has been coritinned, considerable progress being made on both the Vardar and the Struma fronts. Mr Roosevelt Is determined to carry out his project, and whether Congress approves, or not, will raise a contingent of volunteers and lead them in the field. A flotilla of American destroyers has arrived in England to cooperate with the British Navy. If the Council of the Workmen’s and Soldiers’ delegates represents the views of the army and the workers In Russia generally, the outlook Is Indeed unsatisfactory. The Council Is prepared to support a Coalition Ministry, but the conditions Insisted upon are unfavourable to the prosecution of the war on the lines agreed upon by the Allies. 1918 th Pay ot the War (By Telegraph—Press Asan. —Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Aaaoctettoa).

WESTERN THEATRE fOWESrm OEBUAH ATTACK FAXES WITH SEVERE DOSSES. nOOKEBS SSTONP BHUHW®*' (Australian & NJS. Cable A«m & Renter) LONDON, May 17. Received May 17, 910 P- m - Sir D. Haig reports; After a heavy bombardment along both banks of toe Scarpe the enemy launched a powerful counter-attack early In the morning between Gavrelle and the river, and pressed forward under a destructive fire from oar artillery and machine guns. The enemy for a abort period, by weight of numbers, forced us back from our forward positions, but our immediate counter-attack regained all the ground, Inflicting exceptionally heavy losses. A number of prisoners were We progressed on the Hludenburg line north-eastward ftf Bullecourt, and repulsed a raid south-east of Ypres. FRENCH OPERATIONS. STRONG GERMAN EFFORTS DBF BATED WITH KEAVT DOSSESLONDON, May 17. Received May 17, 9.40 p.m. French commurvhiue: The Germans continued their attacks north and northwest of Laffaux Hill, and as far as the Solssons-Laon railway. They were sanguinarily defeated, despite the strength of their effectives and the violence of the attacks. We brilliantly counter-attacked at some points where our line was momentarily bent, recovering the whole of the lost ground. The Germans lost heavily in attempting to arrest our progress by fresh attacks, which were shattered by our curtain of machine-gun fire. IN AFRICA VANDfeRVEHTBR SUCCEEDS HOSKINS. (Australian & N.2. Cable Assn & Reuter) LONDON, May 16. Received May 17, 6.40 p.m. Official: General Vanderventer has succeeded General Hoskins In the Bast African command.

RUSSIAN CRISIS BUXIUkOPP’S RESIGNATION. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) (United Service.) PKTROORAD, May 16. Received May 17, 6.40 p.m. The immediate cause of M. Mtliukoffs resignation was a difference between the views held by himself and the Provisional Government on the question of the reorganisation of Cabinet. PROPOSES COALmOS GOVERNMENT WORKMEN’S AND SOLDIERS’ ATTITUDE. MOVEMENT CONDITIONALLY SUPPORTED. UNSATISFACTORY TERMS SUGGESTED. LONDON, May 17. Received May 18, 12.15 am. The Daily Chronicle’s Potrograd correspondent reports that an extraordinary meeting of the Council of the Workmen's and Soldiers' delegates decided by 41 to 19 in favour of a Coalition Ministry on the following conditions: — Firstly, foreign policy, the chief aim being the earliest possible conclusion of a general peace without annexation or Indemnity; the right of all nationalities to determine their own fate. Secondly, a decisive measure for the reconstruction of the army on a democratic basis, strengthening the fighting force for the defence of liberty. Thirdly, radical social, economic, and firvtncial reforms. Fourthly, the holding at the earliest possible moment of a convention of the constituent assembly in Petrograd. Fifthly, Socialist representatives In the Provisional Government to be responsible to the Council of Workmen’s and Soldiers’ delegates. NAVAL MATTERS AMERICAN DESTROYERS ARRIVE. TO CO-OPERATE WITH BRITISH NAVY. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association). LONDON, May 16. Received May 17, 6.40 p.m. The Admiralty reports that a flotilla of United States’ destroyers, under Rear-Admiral Sims, has arrived to cooperate with the British Navy In proseen ting the Allied cause. This additiot Is of the greatest value.

ITALIAN CAMPAIGN VIGOROUS ITALIAN OFFENSIVE. PBOGBESS ALONG TBE ISONSO. ALL COUNTER-ATTACHE REPULSED 3375 PRISONERS TAKEN. (Australian & N.Z. Cable Assn & Reuter) LONDON, May 16. Received May 17, 5.50 p.m. Italian official: Our vigorous offensive on the Julian front has been resolutely continued. The infantry established themselves on the heights on fhA eastern bank of the Isonzo, northward of Garlzia, which had been transformed into a formidable fortified position. On the left wing our columns forced the passage of the river, and captured Bombres Village. We captured In the centre the heights north-east of Plava, and stormed the villages of Sag era and MeagomUa. We also carried the crests of Mount Cueco and Mount Vodios. Our right wing progressed considerably on the steep slopes of Mount Anto. Pierce counter-attacks were repulsed. We conquered, eastward of Gorlxla, strongly fortified heights northward of Dlvoli. insistent counter-attacks were beaten off. We took prisoner 3375 men, a mountain battery, and much war material. SUBMARINE OPERATIONS GERMANY'S BLOCKADE. THE ADMIRALTY’S return. (Australian & N.Z. Cable Assn & Reuter; LONDON, May 16. Received May 17, 6.40 p.m. The Admiralty has Issued the following return in connection with the submarine blockade for the past week; — Arrivals 2568 Sailings 2552 Sinkings— Over 1600 tons 18 Under 1600 tons 5 Unsuccessfully attacked . 19 Fishing boats sunk .... 3 The figures for the previous week and the aggregates for the past eleven weeks are as follows; — Last week, 11 weeks. Arrivals .. .. 2374 26,217 Sailings . . .. 2499 26,861 Sinkings— Over 1600 tons 24 234 Under 1600 tons 22 194 Unsuccessfully attacked .. 34 207 Fishing boats sunk 16 87 ITALIAN SUMMARY. LONDON, May 16. Received May 17, 6.40 p.m. Italian official:— Arrivals 680 Sailings 562 Four steamers and seven sailers were sunk. AMERICA’S ENTRY THE LOAN TO RUSSIA. MB ROOSEVELT’S CONTINGENT. MONET FOR BELGIUM. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association). WASHINGTON, May 16. Received May 17, 3.20 p.m. The Russian loan is conditional upon all the money being spent in the United States. Mr Roosevelt intends going to France whether Congress approves or not. He presently plans to raise volunteers In New York State and lead them on the battlefield. The United States has extended a credit of £9,000,000 to Belgium in monthly instalments, THE BALKAN STATES TBS BRITISH OFFENSIVE, LINE ADVANCED FURTHER. (Australian & N.Z. Cable Assn & Renter) LONDON, May 16. Received May 17, 5.50 p.m British Salonika official: We advanced our line south-west of Eras tail on a front of 5000 yards to a depth of 600 yards. We consolidated the positions, and occupied the village of Kjupri. On the Struma front we captured advanced trenches south-west of Broekoj along a length of 3000 yards. Our casualties were slight. GENERAL NEWS THE ALLIES’ WAR AIMS. SPREAD OF SOCIALISTIC PROPAGANDA. THE “HO ANNEXATION, VO INDEMNITY” POLICY. ALLIES’ PURPOSE UNCHANGED. CERTAIN ANNEXATIONS INEVITABLE. INDEMNITIES FOR RAVAGED COUNTRIES. SAFEGUARDS FOR THE FUTURE. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association). LONDON, May 16. Received May 17, 6.60 p.m. In the House of Commons, on the third reading debate of the Consolidation Fund Bill, Mr Philip Snowden moved a motion welcoming the Russian Government’s repudiation of Imperialistic conquest, expansion, indemnities, or aggrandisement, and calling upon Britain to join with the Allies In restating their terms of war settlement. He declared that Britain must come into line with the new democratic policy of Russia, which was concentrating towards peace, thus voicing the desire of all belligerents. If the democracies and Socialists in the various countries adopted the same attitude revolution would not be confined to Russia, but would come to every country. The people in one of the Allies’ countries were on the verge of revolution. Allied diplomacy, following undemocratic methods, had welded the German classes together. The Government ought to regard the Socialist Conference at Stockholm as a heaven sent means of extricating the nations from an awful position.

Mr H. B. Lees Smith, secondng the resolution, said it would do no harm to enter into negotiations. Mr Ramsay Macdonald urged getting into confidential communication with the Russian Workmen's Council, to see if they could establish the Council’s sympathy In facing the grave danger of Russia making a separate peace. Lord Robert Cecil, In replying, said the Allies would adhere to their original war alma. Peace must justify the sacrifices that had been made. The Allies did not desire political annexations, but annexations emancipating enthralled peoples. It was Impossible for the Allies to negotiate with Germany at the present moment. What did the plea of no annexation mean? Arabia had declared its independence, but Turkey proposed to again place Arabia under Turkey's rule. There had been a terrible slaughter of Armenians, and similar atrocities In Palestine and the German colonies in Africa. Britain would not have, gone to war to rescue the natives from this.

misrule, but having- rescued them should we hand them bach to Germany? If the war was successful such action would be abhorrent. Within these limits Britain did not oppose the policy suggested by the phrase, “no annexation.” Everyone was agreed regarding the position of Poland, the Italian Irredenta, and Alsace and Lorraino.

As regards no indemnities! W hat about Belgium? BTc Snowden interrupted: “We have repeatedly stated that it is essential that any settlement must provide for the restoration of Belgium’s independence and reparation for damage,”

Lord Robert Cecil; "Does that cover Serbia? What about reparation foe peaceful merchant vessels?” Be certainly was not prepared to rule out reparation. It would be ludicrous to nntfr into negotiations with Germany

till the spirit characterising Dr Von Bethmann-Hollweg*B speech had been exorcised. In order to ensure a durable peace there must be annexations and the emancipation of enthralled peoples. Possibly the retention of strategic positions would be necessary to safeguard the future. Be did not believe there was any difference of opinion between the British and Buatian democracies regarding war aims. If the Government can secure peace based on justice, chivalry, respcot for obligations, and respect for the weak, they would gladly co-operate with any members of the Bouse in erecting barriers against a recurrence of so devastating a war. SSOWDEH'S MOTION NEGATIVED. LONDON, May 17. Received May 18, 12.15 a.m. After further discussion the closure was carried.by 238 to 32, and Mr Snowden’s amendment was negatived without a division. RAVAGES OP VENEREAL DISEASE. 98,000 CASES ZB THE ABUT. LONDON, May 16. Received May 17, 5.50 p.m. Sir Wm. Osier, Regius Professor of Medicine, Oxford, lecturing, said that the most recent figures showed there had been 98,000 cases of venereal disease in the British Army. Public opinion was thoroughly aroused as to the serious nature of the ravages of this disease. TBE ENGINEERING STRIKE. BUNTSTEB DECLINES TO NEGOTIATE (Australian & N.Z. Cable Assn & Reuter) LONDON, May 16. Received May 17, 5.50 p.m. Official: Dr Addison, Minister of Munitions, declined to receive a deputation from district representatives of the strikers unless they were accompanied by trades union executives, and at the latter's request. POOD SHORTAGE IN GERMANE. GIFTS TO the TROOPS DISCOURAGED. LONDON, May 16. Received May 17, 5.50 p.m. The Press Bureau states that German divisional orders captured on the West front say that rations for the troops are ample, and warn relatives not to send them food, as there is already a shortage In the interior.