KAISER ISSUES A PROCLAMATION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2653, 27 December 1915, Page 5

KAISER ISSUES A PROCLAMATION

"TO MV HEROIC SERBIAN PEOPLE" PECULIAR REASONS FOR INVADING SERBIA Br Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. December 26, 5.5 p.m.) The Kaiser has issued the following Proclamation:— ' ® ecem ' lor "To my noble, heroic Serbian people "It is unfortunate, but it is necessary, to put our two nations into conflict The fault ivas not yours, oh, heroic Serbians, but your Government's, which allowed itself to be deceived by the perfidious Allies. Do you wish to continue the disastrous policy of sacrificing yourselves to the Allies, who have been youT ruin? You had been fighting for three years. Your, valour has demonstrated that you are worthy of liberty, and therefore we come noti'as enemies, but as friends, for the purpose of reorganising your national liberty and guaranteeing your rights. We invito the population who abandoned national territory to return to their homes, their customs, and their labours. When they return they will find that our,promises will not fail." SERBS IN THE DEEPEST DISTRESS AND DESPAIR. , ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.). ; (Rec. Decern!) or 26, 5.5 p.m.) , London, December 25. "The Times" correspondent at Rome says that the Serb refugees- are arriving'in the deepest distress and despair. ■ They attribute their misfortune to the mistakes of the Allies in not realising the exigencies of the military situation till the last. Tho military staff_ wore confident of their ability to hold the north front, and were ignorant of 'the difficulties attending early AngloFrericli assistance. . °. The Serb troops are mettlesome, But an organised stand is impossible. The bulk of the Artillery was destroyed at Ipek. The spirit of the men is unbroken, and with rest and food they will 'be again good fighters. Probably 130,000 will reassemble. The present situation is unfavourable to reorganisation. The'Buigars are concentrating to push through Elbassan towards Durazzo, and the Austrian advance by the Matja Valley is dangerous, as it niay possibly cut oit the remnants of the Serbian Army and prevent its joining Tip with tlie Italians at Valona and Durazzo The .Austrian submarine activity adds difficulty to getting supplies to Scutaria for the Serbs coming southwards. Meanwhile the Italian base at Valona is a rallying point for the Serbs. , PITEOUS SUFFERINGS AT MONASTIR, ("Times" and Sydney '"Sun" Services.) (Rec. December 26, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 25. "The Times" correspondent at Salonika reports piteous sufferings at Monaster, brought upon persons evaffihgthe vigilance on the Bulgarian frontier. Since the Bulgars stopped the free distribution of American flour* there lias been hideous famine. Thousands are foodiess, and hundreds are dying of starvation. MONASTIR IS . FAMINE-STRICKEN. (Rec. December 24, 11,35 p.m.) . , . _ Salonika, December 24. Monastir is famine-stricken. Thousands are without bread and without the prospect .of getting any._ The Mussulman poor are the worst sufferers. Deaths from starvation occur daily.