FRANCE WILL NOT TOLERATE DECEIT

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1293, 5 April 1918, Page 5

FRANCE WILL NOT TOLERATE DECEIT

P\ CZERNIN AND HIS PEACE ALLEGATIONS i * ■ W~ DENOUNCED BY M. CLEMENCEAU AS A LIAR By Cable. — Press Association. — Copyright |A. & N.Z.) (Eec. April 5, 8.25 a.m.) PAKIS, April 4. M. Clemenceau, interviewed regarding Count Czernin's X peace allegations, merely replied: Count Czernin has lied. *>\ MOVE BY AUSTRIA DOOMED TO FAILURE. JA. & N.Z.) (Bee. April 5, 8.50 a.m.) NEW YOKK, April 4. Count Czernin's speech is regarded as a peace drive and an * attempt to force a wedge between the British and French. » The move is doomed to failure. \ The "New York Times" says:—Count Czernin is deluded if lie thinks he will accomplish anything by such a speech. The Allies are determined that Alsace shall be restored. We have not ceased fighting, and will not listen to peace talk until the German power is utterly crushed. The "New York World" says:—The Allies have further evidence in Count Czernin's speech that he is owned body and soul by Berlin. The "New York Herald" says that the speech is an unmistakable sign that the German offensive is breaking down. Count Czernin, Austrian Prime Minister, stated that M. Clemenceau had asked him a few days before the offensive started whether he wanted to negotiate and on what basis. Count Czernin stated that he replied that he •would gladly negotiate forthwith on the basis of the status quo regarding Alsace and Lorraine. The French Government thereupon declined any negotiations. He concluded: "We tried everything to avoid a new offensive, but the gigantic struggle has now begun. Our armies will show the Entente that the French and Italian aspirations against our territory will be terribly avenged.'' L MEANING OF LULL IN THE WEST. g NEW AND FORMIDABLE ATTACK COMING.' (A. & N.Z.) (Rec. April 5, 11.30 a.m.) PARIS, April 4. A semi-official statement says:—The present lull is due to the fact that the Germans lost 300,000 in killed and wounded, and also to the difficulties of bringing up their artillery, owing to the badness of the roads. As soon as the Germans have regrouped their divisions and torought up their material, they will launch a new and formidable attack, but the Allies, who are reinforcing, will be able to meet the blow. GERMAN ATTACKS SOUTH OP THE 30MME. (A. & N.Z.) (Rec. April 5, 12.45 p.m.) LONDON, April 4. German attacks occurred south of the Somme. The British fell back in the Hamel region. H u ATTACK MAY COME ON A NEW FRONT. (A. & N.Z.) (Roc. April 5, 12.45 p.m.) PARIS, April 4. M. Marcel Hutin says that, in view of the sacrifices involved in reaching Paris via Amiens, he believes that the Germans will bow attack on another front, probably towards Arras or to the \ north. [! STATEMENT BY M. CLEMENCEAU. [(United Service) (Rec. April 5, 12.45 p.m.) PARIS, March 4. M. Clemenceau has returned from the front. In an authorised statement, he says that the situation could not be I better. \ The battle will still be hard, but the Allies will win. £ AMERICANS BEARING THEIR SHARE. HEAVY GAS ATTACK REPULSED ON NEW SECTOR. (A. & N.Z.) (Rec. April 5, 8.50 a.m.) PARIS, April 4. '*• The Americans repulsed an extraordinarily heavy gas attack on their new sector. I, GETTING TO WORK IN REAL EARNEST. {A. & N.Z.) (Rec. April 5, 8.50 a.m.) NEW YORK, April 4. The Washington correspondent of the "New York World" i states that all the available shipping in the Atlantic and the Pacific will forthwith be used to transport troops. Exports will be cut down to a minimum, and the present J cargoes will even be unloaded. I Sailing ships will replace the coastal steamers, i A message published yesterday stated that President Wilson had decided that reinforcements should go to France at a faster rate than heretofore. It is stated that America will send the best-trained divisions direct to Prance, and the others to England for completion of their training. . GROUND FOR ALLIED INTERVENTION. f VIEW OF RUSSIAN SOCIALISTS AND CADETS. (Reuter) (Rec. April 5, 11.30 a.m.) PETROGRAD, April 4. A conference of the right whig Socialist parties and Cadets at , Moscow adopted a resolution as follows:—: That as the terms of the Brest Litovsk Peace Treaty do not allow Russia to organise resistance to German imperial- . ism, the Allies have grounds for an attempt to organise the 1 defence of Russia; such step, if undertaken by all the Allies, would enable the organisation of the internal forces of Russia, .. but Allied occupation, punitive expeditions, or interference .(. with Russian internal affairs must be avoided. ENEMY MASSING AGAINST ITALY. \ SIXTY AUSTRIAN DIVISIONS READY TO STRIKE. £A. & N.Z.) (Rec. April 5, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 4. Colonel Repington's comments on the latest reports state that there are 60 Austrian divisions on the Italian front, including 11 from the old Russian front.