GREECE STILL HOLDS ALOOF.

Wanganui Herald, Volume L, Issue 14744, 25 October 1915, Page 5

GREECE STILL HOLDS ALOOF.

THE KING OPPOSED TO INTERVENTION SUGGESTED PRESSURE BY THE ALLIES. Press Asaociation.--Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, October 24. The British Government communicated the proposal to cede Cyprus to the Greek Government on Sunday. Part of the proposals had been under consideration for some time to induce Greece forthwith to fulfil her obligations under the Greco-Servian treaty. The British Note clearly informed Greece that the fulfilment of tile treaty obligation entailed the cession of Cyprus without prejudice to other eventual advantages which the Allies might share with Greece. The correspondents of the Chronicle and Daily Telegraph in Rome assert that German influence in the Greek court remains the most serious obstacle to an understanding with the Entente. The King strongly opposes intervention, especially tlie idea of Greek troops fighting the Germans. He foresees no eventuality sufficient to justify the abandonment of neutrality. ROME 1 , October 24. Dr. Dillon says there is a lively but friendly interchange of views proceeding in Athens between the Zaimis Cabinet and the foreign ministers. Nothing definite has resulted from this diplomatic tournament. Internal ferment is increasing, and has been intensified by the hatred of the Bulgars and the fear of their treachery. M. Zaimis contends that Greece js an independent State and is entitled to maintain armed neutiality and the Entente oughf not to interfere. This is right, in view of Greece’s friendliness. The Allies contend they relied on the Greco-Servian treaty as essentiaT to■ Balkan equilibrium. Entente diplomats are prepared to guarantee that Allied armies will be interposed between the Austro-Gerffian invaders and the Greek army. The Entente ministers point out that the expeditionary forces are at the mercy of the Greek Cabinet, which, in the event of deciding not to fight, Bulgaria, and maintain friendly relations with the AnstroGermans and Turkey, ought not to object to demobilise, farco-Bulgarian and German Ministers emphasise that the Bulgarians have not 'designs upon Greek territory. It is doubtful whether spontaneous Greek eo-operntion can be longer hoped for in view of King Constantine’s plighted word to the Kaiser, but Greece may yet be constrained if the Entente nations in the desperate stnicgles fo>- their lives are ready to employ more potent means than the argument of invasion.

FIGHT WEATHER AS WELL

510 A 1)8 THAT ARE QUAGMIRES. MOTOR CARS NO GOOD. LONDON, October 14. The war correspondent of the Chicago Daily News with Field-Marshal von Hindenburg’s army writes: “Over gSPYe-studtted battlefields and abysmal roads we have come to *he now lines where the victorious German advance has been driven back by the Russian army, and where, again, the German efforts to surround the Russians have not succeeded. “It must be admitted that the Russians are still showing surprising ability in retreat and recuperation, and are still far from—the expected state of paralysis, despite their terrible losses. ‘‘The new plans of the Germans on the Eastern front are the greatest secret; but I do not believe the reports ‘hat they are planning to go into winter quarters. "The scenes here are Indescribable. The deep-ploughed roads are bottomless with mud, but they carry a ceaoeless tide of traffic eastward. The troops are fresh and vigorous, and heavy ammunition and food supply columns are sent forward, the whole array overcoming all obstacles. Halt of the time they are crossing fields near the sunken roads. “The real tragedy of the picture lies to the westward, where the traffic of weary columns goes on, prisoners, wounded, the worst cases in ambulances and others in springless carta. “We know from personal experience that the German offensive means the moving, feeding, and supplying of millions of troops on the eastern front. Not only are they fighting the Russians, but the. roads and the weather. Motor cars cannot travel here, only horses. Yet transportation is almost more important than soldiers in fight ing a retreating foe rather than a stationary one. General Ruszky is apparently fighting harder than the Grand Duke did.”