ENEMIES TALKING OF PEACE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2910, 24 October 1916, Page 5

ENEMIES TALKING OF PEACE

GERMAN AND AUSTRIAN FOREIGN • MINISTERS CONFER

AUSTRIA'S VANISHING

RESOURCES

Außtraliau-Kew Zealand Cable Association.

Zurich, October 22. The "Neue Wuerzburger Zeitung" states that Baron Burian de Rajecz (Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs) and Herr von Bethmann-Hollweg met at German Headquarters to discuss the best means of a speedy peace. Numerous peace meetings are being held without hindrance throughout- the Central Empires.

DWINDLING ARMIES AND MAN-POWER

Rome, October' 22. •Semi-official.—Austria-Hungary has already called xip her man-power to a greater degree than any other country. The General Staff up to April had summoned 7,400,000. About three million men are now probably available, including 300,000 still in training. Approximate accuracy of the estimate lias been formed by studying the numbers of the march formations, or unita formed to replace losses and incorporated in combatant units since the beginning of the war. Hitherto twentythree march formations, each averaging 215,000, have been absorbed. Hence nearly 5,000,000 men have been necessary to maintain the fighting units up. to strength. Of these 5,000,000,. about 600,000 represent soldiers recovered from wounds, etc., and returned to duty, while the remaining 4,400,000 represent losses, ■ prisoners, killed',wounded, missing, invalids, and convalescents, only a small part of which 1 will be able to return to the firing line. Austria-Hungary can only now uEa' to make good tho losses the small leav-. ings of the repeated medical revisions,, and have recourse to youths of •seven-'; teen or men above fifty-one. The major* ity of the latter up to fifty-five years/ are already in tbo auxiliary services. TOLD IN A GERMAN DIAKY. London, October 22. i A German corporal's diary captured? on tho Sffmme vividly describes the' terror caused by British airmen, joint*, ly with tho. artillery. Others write dejectedly, declaring that the war is. sheer hell, and that there'is no further l object in fighting. N "