Peace Negotiations Collapse

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 41, 24 January 1916, Page 5

Peace Negotiations Collapse

ENEMY FORCE DEFEATED

Russian Success in Bessarabia

AIR RAID IN KENT

ONE DEATH. REPORTED

CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

been attended to in a thorough manner and the chances of much damage therefrom are dwindling daily. If all accounts be true, we do not on this side of the world hear of even a small percentage of the aerial strips that the Kaiser's machines are making to England.

The news of the position in the Balkans, particularly with regard to the plight of Montenegro, is very conflicting, but an admission by the Frankfurter Zeitung, which information can be relied upon as semi-offi-cial, throws much light upon the present situation. We learn after all . the previous statements about what Austria had done and "was going to do, that "some difficulties have arisen in the progress of the negotiations; r.u<l that other journals are 'gently breaking the news of the collapse.'' So the Montenegrins are not going under without further lighting—v»ry many of us did not think they would take the bump lying down. Latest news also states that King Nicholas is with his family at Brindisi, and that the defence of his country is being arranged by one of his generals and three members of the Government. In view of the cable 1 on Saturday that the Queen and her daughters were on the move, and that no mention was made of His Majesty, we prefer for the time being to believe in Nicholas's loyalty to his people and to the Allies than to class him as a renegade. There is some hint of double-dealing by this Monarch, but then this. is always to be'expected from enemy sources, whose name is legion, and who never fail to send something down stream to try and spread doubt and discontent over Allied waters.

A highly instructive commentary in social and economic conditions in Vienna is given by one of the latest issues of the well-known organ the Neues Wiener Tagblatt. A feature of the charitable organisations of the Austrian capital has always been tho work undertaken by the Committee for the Feeding of Poor Children, which lias just presented its report on its activities during the first year of the war. The following account is summarised from the lengthy report of the proceedings appearing in the Neues Wiener Tagblatt:—ln the first half of the year 1914—that is to say, before the war began—the committee served, on an average, 1500 meals a day. As soon as»the war broke out the Burgomaster, Dr. Weiskirchner, had several consultations with members of the committee in view of the distress which it was feared would be brought about; and the result was a carefully-con-sidered plan by which the scope of the committee's work was considerably extended. With the aid of tho City Magistrates and the educational authorities, it was found possible to open a number of branch supply departments in the poorer districts of Vienna; and within a few weeks of the outbreak of hostilities, when the collaboration of-" other charitable bodies had been secured, the extended operations of the committee were in full swing. No fewer than seven' new kitchens had to be arranged for in various quarters of the capital, in addition to the shops and schools from which meals were served.

For the faith that is in Russia she is to be sincerely commended. After the very* severe experiences of last summer, when her army sagged under

the great weight of the Hunnish hor-

des that swept across her territory, P she is coming back into her own.. The news of the fighting at various points along the line, particularly in the centre and in Bessarabia, has during the past f€jw weeks been all that could be wished for, for it must be remembered that a beginning in the offensive has to be made with care as well as determination. An Austrian communique admits that they were driven out of the front trenches in the fighting a,t Bessarabia, which adds another to the growing list of reverses that the enemy has had to suffer of late. In the Caucasus campaign, too, the

From 1.500 meals served daily before the war, the figure rose steadily to three, five, six, eight, twelve, and fifteen thousand. In October of the present year 480,000 meals were --s----tributed; and the figure for November is estimated that more than half a million—a new average of 17,000 a day. Altogether more than four million meals were given out in the first twelve months of the war. The Neues Wiener Tagblatt adds that it is impossible to imagine what the poorer families in Vienna would have done without the efforts of the committee, and expresses the hope that the organisation, "which is carrying out a social duty rather than a charitable work," will continue its labours after the war.

Turks are in precipitate retreat, the v Cossacks having sabred hundreds, while the forts are under bombardment by the Russian artillery. The Czar of All the Russians knows, if anyone does, what is in his Army, and that he is going to see the thing through is evident from his words to a representative of France that: "If only one Nation holds out, it will be Russia." The statement that a definite agreement with Japan as to the future of the Near East will shortly be announced is very satisfactory at this stage.

The Mesopotamian campaign is being prosecuted with vigor, but the .weather is altogether atrocious, and operations have been hindered which we would like to see carried out as soon as possible, namely, the advance to the relief of General Townshend and his troops in Kut-el-Amara. After severe engagements of a rearguard nature, General Aylmer's force is within six miles of his objective, but the enemy is very busy, and to try and rid himself of their unpleasant attentions a fixed battle has had to be fought at Essin, where, it will be remembered, the Turks concentrated after being pursued by the British forces. The accounts of the battle are definite, but unfortunately only as to the casualties being heavy on both sides and to the bad weather preventing any success being' followed up, thus necessitating General Aylmer taking up his position some 1300 yards from the enemy's trenches. We could all wish for something more progressive in ajfese operations, but it is foolish to tose hope of the ultimate relief of Kut-el-Amara and the bravo garrison. And "at the same time, there may lie nothing in the report of the concentration of 3000 Moors at Constantinople for a march to Bagdad under the direction of Genua.'! officers.

Again an ail raid upon the east of England is reported, this time Kent suffering from the invader. One death only is the result, but a few people were injured and some fires were started. The defence of the East Coast town 3 from air attack is stated to have