STRIKES IN GERMANY

Waikato Times, Volume 88, Issue 13463, 18 April 1917, Page 5

STRIKES IN GERMANY

Work Stopped lo Berlin end Hamburg HONOURS FOR NEW ZEALANDERS By C*bl«.—Press Association.—-Copyright GREAT FRENCH OFFENSIVE LAUNCHED DESPERATE BATTLE ALONG SOISSONS-RHEIIHS FRONT. OVER 10,000 PRISONERS ALREADY TAKEN—MUCH MATERIAL SECURED. (Australian and New Zealand and Reuter.) Received April 17, 9.13 p.m. LONDON, April 17.

A French communique states: "After artillery preparation lasting several days we attacked this morning-, between Soissons and Rheims, the German lines on a front of about 25 miles. A desperate battle ensued on the whole front, on which the enemy had collected very large forces and numerous guns. "Everywhere the valour of our troops overcame a vigorous defence. We carried the whole of the German first line positions between Soissons and Craonne. We carried a second German position south of Juvineourt, four miles east of Craonne. Further south we carried our line as far as the western outskirts of Bermericourt, and as far as the Aisne Canal between Loivre, five miles, and Courcy, four miles north of Rheims. "Violent counter-attacks were repeatedly made north of Yilleaubois, but all were broken by our Are, with considerable enemy losses. "Prisoners taken by us counted so far exceed 10,000. We also captured a considerable quantity of material." The communique also states that fresh progress has been made on the plateau east of the line between Barisis and Ouincy Basse, north of Soissons, in the Upper Coucy Forest region. A communique issued this morning stated: "The artillery duel was violent last night on the whole front, including Soissons, on which front, after a violent artillery preparation, our detachments penetrated the enemy lines at several points." GREAT ENTHUSIASM IN BRITISH LINES. GERMANS REPORT AN ATTACK ON 25-MILE FRONT. y Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. Received April 17, no p.m. LONDON, April 17. Reuter's correspondent at British headquarters says the news that a great French offensive had started this morning ran through our army like wildfire. It evoked the greatest enthusiasm. A German official report states: "A great French attempt, with the fardistant object of breaking through on the Aisne, commenced after 10 days' massed fire. A bitter fight is proceeding around our foremost positions. The French are making a frontal attack 25 miles wide." An earlier German report stated that French attacks near Yauxaillon and Chivres failed. Intense artillery combats were fought between Soissons and Rheims, where infantry fighting developed on wide sectors. Between Soissons and Verdun the enemy lost 11 aeroplanes. A French communique reports artillery fighting between St. Quentin and the Oise, and an intermittent cannonade on the rest of the front. French detachments reached the enemy's second line at six points on the plain of Alsace, and inflicted serious losses."

AUSTRALIAN SUCCESS AT LAtiNICOURT

MOST SANGUINARY EVENT IN THE WAR. PRUSSIAN GUARD PANIC-STRICKEN AND CUT UP. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) Received April 17, 10.30 p.m. LONDON, April 17. A vivid account of the Australian success at Lagnicourt is given by Mr Philip Gibbs. He describes the episode as one of the most sanguinary in the long tale o f slaughter. Before daybreak the enemy heavily attacked in masses, and achieved a brief success against the Australians. Charging waves of Prussian Guards drove a deep wedge into our positions. The Australian staff officers swiftly prepared a counter-blow, and at 7.30 a.m. companies of Australians, with irresistible spirit, swept forward, forcing the Prussians to retreat obliquely. They became panic-stricken under the shower of shrapnel, and the greatest disaster resulted because they were cut off by their own broad belts of entanglements. A most, appalling slaughter followed. Corpses were piled upon corpses in long lines against the tangled mass of spiked wire. The cries of the wounded rose in long tragic wails high above the roar of ride-fire and bursting shrapnel. Quietly and grimlf the Australians shot continuously until over 1500 German corpses lay before tiie position. "A dire fate has followed the Prussian Guards throughout the war," Mr Gibbs adds. "This massacre was the worst episode in their history. It will be remembered in Germany as a black and fearful thing." Router's correspondent says the Germans were caught at Lagnicourt in their own wire, which hcfd not been cut in the direction in which they were forced back. While they ran wildly up and down, trying to find a passage, our men, firing with deliberate aim, shot them down in hundreds. The intensity of the rifle fire has not been equalled since the days of the Marne. Many of our men fired 100 rounds. Finally, the survivors in desperation surrendered. , ~ •> „ •.

BRITISH AND FRENCH MAKE REPRISALS FOR FLAGRANT ATTACKS ON HOSPITAL SHIPS. »

SOUADROX OF AEROPLAXES DROP BOMBS OX FREIBURG. (Australian and New Zealand and Reuter.) Received April 17, 10.30 p.m. LOXDOX, April 17. An announcement by tlie Admiralty states: —"Owing to attacks by German submarines on hospital ships, in direct and flagrant contravention of the Hague Convention Xumber 10, a large squadron of British and French aeroplanes carried out a reprisal bombardment of the town of Freiburg on Saturday. Many bombs were dropped with good results. In spite of many air lights, all the machines except three returned safely. Freiburg is the principal town in the Grand Duchy of Baden, and has a population of about 85,000. It is the principal centre of the trade of the Black Forest. Situated 12 miles east of the Rhine, it is 24J miles east by south from Colm,tr, in Alsace-Lorraine.

BRITISH CAPTURES FOR A WEEK

14,000 PRISONERS AND 194 GUNS TAKEN. Received April 17, 10.30 p.m. LONDON, April 17. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Since the morning of April 9th we have captured upwards of 1 i,OOO prisoners and 194 guns." The report states that heavy rain fell all Monday afternoon, and nothing of special Interest occurred. neuter's correspondent states that the captured Gin naval gun mentioned in the communiques is beina employed effectively against the Germans. Other booty included great quantities of Bin shells, bmni>i>, high explosives and steel rails. . _

PEACE MOVEMENTS

CENTRAL POWERS AND PEACE. RUSSIA APPROACHED. ' AUSTRIA NEARING THE END. (Reuter's Telegrams.) Received April 17, 7.15 p.m. LONDON, April 17. The Government of Austro-Hungary has authorised a statement which practically amounts to an offer of peace to Russia. The statement says:—''The monarchy learns from the Russian Government's manifesto of April 10 that.Russia, like Austro-Hungary, desires an honourable ' peace without desiring domination over other peoples. It may therefore he stated that Austro-Hungary and Russia are similarly striving for a peace guaranteeing the existence and the honour ] and the possibility of development of the belligerent States. "The monarchy is convinced its claims do not conflict with those of Russia. The latter has stated she is fighting only for the defence of the freedom of her people. Russia is no longer compelled to fight for that object. Therefore, it should not be difficult to establish an understanding between the Central Powers and Russia, especially as the Austrian Emperor, in agreement with his allied monarchs, desires to live in future in peace and friendship with the Russian people." Reuter adds that a pronouncement in favour of peace with Russia causes no surprise. It is well understood that only the German refusal to co-operate prevented the issue of definite peace proposals on the occasion of the recent meeting between the German and Austrian Jnonarchs. To-day's declaration suggests that Austria is reaching the end of her tether, and is seeking a separate peace with Russia. The resignation of Count Clam-Martinitz, the Austrian Premier, on the grounds of health, which was announced to-day, is probably conneetable with the new peace move.

AFFAIRS IN RUSSIA

SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNMENT FIVE GENERALS ARRESTED. (Australian and N.Z. and Reuter.) PETROGRAI), April 17. The General Congress of the Council of Workmen's and Soldiers' Delegates, which wag attended by representatives from all parts of Russia, passed a resolution appealing for democratic support for the Provisional Government so long as it continues to consolidate and develop the gains by the revolution and does not base its foreign policy an aspirations towards territorial expansion. By order of the local branch of the Council of Workmen's and Soldiers' Delegates, General Kuropatkin, Gov-ernor-General of Turkestan, and four other generals have been arrested in Tashkent, the capital of Russian Turkestan, on a charge of distributing arms among the Russians for defence in the event of attack by the natives. General Kuropatkin has telegraphed to the Prime Minister, asking for the command of a Grenadier corps at the front.

CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA

TURKS DRIVEN FURTHER BACK. SEVERE LOSSES INFLICTED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) LONDON, April 17. Reporting on the operations in Mesopotamia, General G. S. Maude states: "We continue to drive the Turks back. It is reported that the Turks are again in the Jebel Hamrin hills, north-east of Bagdad, whence they started on April 9th. The Turkish Thirteenth Corps suffered severe losses in the battle last Wednesday. We counted 315 of their dead on the battlefield."

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

CANADA'S WHEAT. unrestricted' trade with AMERICA. Received April 18, 1.45 a.m. OTTAWA, April 17. Canada has placed wheat on the free list, permitting unrestricted traffic with America. COST OF LIVING. INCREASE IN BRITAIN. Received April 18, 1.35 a.m. LONDON, April 17. It is officially estimated that the British food prices during the war have risen 94 per cent, and the general cost of living 65 per rent. ST. QUENTIN A CITY WITH A HISTORY. St. Quentin, an ancient city with 52, 768 inhabitants, is situated on rising ground on the right hank of the Somme. It carries on extensive cotton and woollen manufactures. St. Quentin was known to the Romans as Augusta Veromanduorum, and derives its name from the youthful martyr who introduced Christianity there in the third century. It afterwards became the capital of the Counts of Vermandois. In 1560 it formed part of the dowry of Mary, Queen of Scots, who derived a revenue from it until her death. In 1557 the Spaniards, with their English, German, and Flemish auxiliaries, under the Duke of Savoy, signally defeated the French under Coligny and the Constable Montmorency near St. Quentin. The battle. was fought on St. Laurence's Day, and it was in gratitude of this victory that Philip 11. vowed the erection of the Escurial. On January 19th, 1871, the French "Armee du Nord," under Faidherbe, was defeated near St. Quentin by the Prussians under General Goebin.