ARMISTICE CONFERENCE BEGUN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 64, 8 December 1917, Page 9

ARMISTICE CONFERENCE BEGUN

DIRECT DEMANDS AND EVASIVE REPLIES PROCEEDINGS ADJOURNED FOR A WEEK London, December 6. A Russian official report states: "The 'Armistice Conference opene<J on December 5 in the presence of military representatives of German}', AiistroHungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria. We insisted at the outset on full publication of the proceedings, which are being conducted in the Russian and German languages. Our delegates made a declaration of their peace aims. The enemy delegates represented that that was a question for politicians; they, as soldiers, were empowered only to negotiate an armistice, find could add nothing to the declaration of Count Czornin and Dr. von EJihlmann. Our delegates, taking note of this evaeive declaration, proposed immediately addressing all the belligerents and the States not represented at ihe conference a proposal for a general armistioe. The enemy delegates replied evasively that they did not possess such powers. We proposed that they should ask their Governments for authority, and this was accepted; but no reply has up till now been communicated. We proposed an armistice on all fronts; and the retirement of the Germans from Mohn Island. The enemy delegation proposed an armistice from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Our military experts are now examining this proposal, and the negotiations have been adjourned till to-morrow. "The enemy, in rejecting our armistice, said that such demands could 1 only be addressed to a conquered country. Our delegates replied that they were aiming at a generaJ democratic peace, on the basis established by the AllRussia Congress of Soviets. The enemy again replied evasively that they were authorised only to negotiate with the Russians, in view of the absence of Russia's Allies. Wo replied that wo wish to draw all 'belligerents to negotiate a general peace. The Germans agreed to the prolongation of the armistice to twenty-eight days, beginning- on December 10. We requested that the next meeting should be held in Russian territory, with an interval of seven days in the negotiations, to enable our delegates to return to Petrograd."— Aus.-N.Z. Cable- Assn.-Reuter. THE GERMAN REPORT.' ■ (Reo. December 7, 7.45 p.m.) London, December 6. A German official report states: "The Central Powers and Russia have agreed on a suspension of hostilities between December 7 and 17."—Aue.« N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. STATEMENT BY TROTSKY i Stockholm, December 6. M. Trotsky, in a speech in. the Petrograd Circus, 6aid: "If we must make a truce by ourselves, we will tell the Germans we regard it as inadvisable to transfer tirops from the Russian to other fronts, because we propose a loyal truce. We do not wish the French and British to lie crushed. The Lettish and Courland territories shall themselves decide about their connection with another country, and the Germans ought to respect their choice."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. A SHAMEFUL LIE REPUDIATED London, December 6. An Austrian official report states: ''The Comniander-in-Chief of the Rus-sian-Rumanian troops between the Dniester and the Black Sea has initiated armistice negotiations." , % The Press Bureau reports: "lliere is no truth whatever in the shameful Austrian official statement that the Rumanian troops have made overtures to tho Austrian Commander-in-Chief for an armistice." A Rumanian official report states: "The artillery prevented enemy attempts at fraternisation in the region of Tisaleasiret."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. ALLIED CONCESSIONS TO RUMANIA (Rec. December 7, 8.45 p.m.) Paris, December 6. The "Matin".states that the Allies' War Council is considering the question of making ample and immediate concessions to Rumania.—"The Times." ' - RUSSIAN GENERAL SNUBBED. (Rec. December 7, 7.45 p.m.) Paris, December 6. Tho "Matin" states that the Rumanian Government has snubbed the Russian general Tcnerbatcheff. who advocated that the Rumanians should participate in the armistice. He wae informed that he had no authority to speak on behalf of the Rumanian troops.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ' • A DEFJANT GENERAL. '. London, December 6. The "Daily Chronicle's" correspondent at Petrograd elates that General Parsky, commanding the 12th Army, refused to take part in the peace nego-tiations.—Atis.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

KORNILOFF'S ESCAPE LIKE A PAGE FROM A ROMANCE. Petrograd, December 6. Genera! Korniloff, after escaping from confinement, rode at the head of a Turkoman cavalcade, and galloped off towards the "Ukraine, with Generals Deninein and Markoff. It was a romantio escape. Staff officers presented tho Commandant, Bykoff, with a Judge's order commanding Korniloff's immediate release. The Commandant doubted the validity of tlie order, but the Turkomans heard the debate, placed Korniloff at their head, and galloped into the night. They are presumably travelling the 600 miles across the Steppes to the Don.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. HOW THE BALTIC'FLEET VOTED. Petrograd, December 6. The elections in the Baltic Fleet resulted in the following voting:—Bol-sheviki,-29,660: Revolutionary Internationalists. 19,561; Socialist Revolution. ary Centre, 1245; Non-Socialists, 1254.— Cable Assn. REIGN OF TERROR IN CENTRAL RUSSIA London, December 6. The "Daily Chronicle's" Petrograd correspondent states that Lenin's agrarian decrees, with the help of local agitators, have provoked a. now outbreak of violence in the central districts of Russia, where wholesale destruction of manors, barns, farms, and live stock, valued at many millions sterling, is in progress. Peasants and soldiers frequently fought over the spoils.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. A TARTAR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY. Petrograd, December 6. The Tartars in the Crimea ane displaying extraordinary energy, and have summoned a Tartar Constituent Assembly.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. GERMAN CIVILIAN PRISONERS RELEASED. London, December 6. A message from Haparanda states that German civilian prisoners released by the Russians have arrived at He) siugfors.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ■ RUSSIAN CAUCASIA LOYAL TO THE ALLIES (Rec. December 7, 7.45 p.m.) ■■''■''■.' Copenhagen, December 6. Ihe Russian Legation at Teheran telegraphs that the Caucasian Adrainistration and Army Command are opposed to the Bolsheviki. A Russian deputation is negotiating with the British Legation at Teheran for a continuation of the war against the Turks, but the Caucasians need financial help.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. NIHILIST REVIVAL AGAINST THE MAXIMALISTS (Rec. December 7, 7.45 p.m.) Rome, December 6. _ A telegram from Petrograd mentions a revival of Nihilism in Russia. It is directed against tbe Maximalists.—Aus.-N.Z, Cable Assn. STATEMENT IN THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT MR. BONAB LAW DECLINES TO BE DRAWN. (Rec. December 7, 9 p.m.) Til™ , „' „,„ • London, December C. In tbe House of Commons, Mr. Bonar Law stated that the munitions and , guns we bad sent to Russia had 1 been used against us and our.' Allies ie_declined to make a statement as to tho steps the Government was taking ,o increase our man-power at. the front in view of the release of enemy troops from the Russian front.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. HEAVY FIGHTING ON ASIAGO PLATEAU ENEMY SEVERELY HANDLED DOUBLE ATTACK AT MONTE MELETTA •» Ti r m■ i , ~m London, December 6. An Italian official report says: 'The enemy, with a formidable array of artillery and increased forces, yesterday attacked on the Asiago Plateau Wβ firmly held up the first, assault. The enemy gained some positions, but did not weaken our lcsistance. The enemy carried out a double attack at Monte S™ I •? irTll ■ v P n IS th £ tii:st of tl,ese iissaults «n ih * southwestern slopes of Meletta di Gallic The second attack, between Monte Mondarecar and [two words missing] all night, and resulted in the occupation of some trenches, causing our withdrawal from the advanced lines. We destroyed five brigades at Zenson. on the Piave, and inflicted losses on the enemy in a bend of the river."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Rec. December 7, 7.45 p.m.) ■ * . T , ~ „ . London, December 6. An Italian official report stake: "The enemy, after the failure of his frontal attack, attempted to carry from the rear, with crushing numerical preponderance, a strong point on Monte Meletta. We resisted stubbornly, constantly counter-attacking, and only yielding ground when our reinforcements had garrisoned the rear-line defence. We repulsed with heavy loss a powerful attempt by the enemy in the Upper Brenta Valley."—Aus.-N Z Cable Assn.-Router. BRILLIANT WORK BY THE ITALIAN MOUNTAIN TROOPS i ...„.", , . Rome, December 6. A semi-official message emphasises the splendid Italian resistance in the mountain fighting'on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Austrians lost 50 per cent, of their effectives. The enemy guns were brought up. and the attack fwas accompanied by a hail of lachrymatory and emetic gas shells. Then the mortars opened gaps in the and masses of Austrian infantry advanced on the Meletta line. Most of the attackers fell back in disorder under the Italian fire, but the Adrians made a desperate effort at Monte Moiidarecar, and forced a small Italian retirement. The battle was continued fiercely during the night; numberless attacks being made without regard of life. Two German brigades were supporting the Austrians. Altogether the Kalians counted five divisions on a front of over_ six miles of the most difficult and mountainous country.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. THE ENEMY'S REPORT ' ■ _____ -'■'■■. ' • / . (Rec. December 7, 7.45 p.m.) . London, December 6. A German official report states: "The Austro-Huhgarians e.termed and maintained strong Italian positions at Monte Meletta, taking 11,000 prisoners and 60 guns."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. . . ) TERRIFIC AUSTRIAN LOSSES. (Rec. December 7, 9 p.m.) London, December 6. The correspondent of. the Milan journal "Corriere della Sera" states that there were terrific Austrian losses at Monte Sisemel on December 5. "The mountain was covered with corpses. The advanced masses arc largely using one-man machine-guns.and grenades. The Italian infantry drove back the artillery, thus completing the repulse."—United Service.