GERMANY AND AUSTRIA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 146000, 5 December 1917, Page 3

GERMANY AND AUSTRIA.

TERRIBLE CONDITIONS. IN THE AUSTRIAN EMPIRE. (Received Dee. 5. 8.30 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Dee. 4. Official reports, via Jassy, describe tire terrible privations in Austria. Ihero is no harvest in Istria, Dalmatia 01 Bosnia, and riots continually occur m Hungary and Bohemia. Rioters at Budapest seized a munitions factoiy, and thousands wore killed before the revolt was suppressed. Many deserters have fled to the mountains and have become outlaws. HINDENBURG BREAKING DOWN. LUDENDORFF DOING HIS WORK. (Received Dec, 5, 8.30 a.m.; AMSTERDAM, Dec. 4. A wireless message states that, according to reports from the German frontier, alarming nows of Hmclenburg’s health has reached Beilin. It is represented that he is ovcrwoikcd and that his duties are now mainly performed hv General von Ludendorff. Arrangements have been made to allow Hindenburg as much rest as possible. HINDENBURG INTERVIEWED. ABOUT PEACE NEGOTIATIONS. COPENHAGEN, Doc. 3. The Ncuo i'reio Presso interviewed Marshal von Hindenburg, who said: «I won’t talk too much about peace, which is a delicate, plant and bear being touched constantly'. I can t interpret the Bolshevik message as a peace offer. We mnsfhavo guarantees that the Government has the power to carry out the result of negotiations for an armistice. With the other belligorents it is different. A prolonged discontinuation of submarine action would favour our enemies. Me want a peace which will bring durable conditions, secure our frontiers, and free economic development. Unquestionably America is taking the opportunity of the war to fulfil her desire to create a big army, which it was impossible to achieve in peace time. ’ Ludehdorff, on being interviewed, said; “The war won’t end in a draw, but in our favour.” Regarding a settlement with France, in view of AlsaceLorraine, Ludendorff said; “Perhaps wo can secure a decisive battle. The submarine war has achieved all that was expected of it.” AMSTERDAM, Dec. 3.

Interviewed by a Vienna newspaper regarding the Russian armistice, General von Ludendorff said there must he security that the Russian Government possessed power to enforce results of the negotiations. A general armistice was difficult, as submarine activity would have to bo interrupted, so that the Entente could improve its position, while no supplies reached the Centra! Powers. The armistice must therefore bo short, otherwise the military situation would suffer. Field-Marshal von Hindenburg, also interviewed, said America would not send the newly created army to Europe immediately and thus render herself helpless in case Japan desired to square up old accounts. ' Regarding the submarine war. it was not a question of starving England within a few months, but inclining her towards peace. Submarinism had cut England’s import supplies and rendered her unable to get Australian wheat.

Hindenbnrg added that tho local rebuffs on the Western front were accounted for by tho fact that Germany was carrying out a great offensive elsewhere.