CRISIS IN GREECE

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 310, 7 October 1915, Page 5

CRISIS IN GREECE

KING AND PREMIER DISAGREE ,v- - VENEZELOS AND CABINET RESIGN GERMAN AGENT QUITS ATHENS BALKAN TANGLE CLEARING “S® ROUMANIAN TROOPS MOVING TOWARDS BULGARIAN FSOHTIES for ELSEWHERE EVERYTHING SATISFACTORY S3.i~SS

THE BALKANS.

BULGARIA ON VERGE OF CIVIL WAR. 4,000 SOLDIERS DESERT. OVER-RUN WITH GERMANS. LONDON, Oct. 6. A Bucharest telegram suggests that Bulgaria is on the verge of civil war. Four thousand desertelrs have crossed the Roumanian frontier. King Ferdinand is continually conferring with the Parliamentary’ leaders, who manifest a desire to re-open negotiations with the Allies. This, however, Is impossible. as th e Allies definitely informed Greece that all negotiations for tihe cession of Macedonia or Greek territory were broken off before the landing at Salonika.

' The Bulgarian clergy are Russophile, and this adds to King Ferdinand’s alarm. Meanwhile the Bulgarian army remains completely in the power of German officers. The Ministry of War and the railway services are full of Germans

Bulgarian Generals are unwilling to accept thie pofet Jof Cpmmandler-in-Chief because they would be under German orders. King Ferdinand therefore commands the army, with. General Jekofr a s Chief :cf Staff.

BULGARIAN PREMIER’S SOPHISTRY.

A GERMAN PUPIL. (Times and Sydney Sun Cables). LONDON, Oct. 6. M. Radoslavoff informed American reporters that Bulgaria had adopted armed neutrality because events were tending towards a conflagration in the Balkans. The resumption of the Ans-tro-German offensive against Servia and the movements of troops in neighbouring States, compelled mobilisation. This wa s not an aggressive action, but the Serbo-Greek refusals to r* cognise Bulgarian rights in Macedonia were obstinate and serious.

STORMY COUNCIL MEETJ'I3.

LONDON, Oct. 6. Sofia messages state that upon the reception of the Note, King Ferdinand was highly alarmed, and convoked a Council of the Crown. There was a vehement deliberation for several hours and the Council broke up without arriving at a decision. M. Saved: concluded [his speech by declaring: Every Bulgar who breaks from the Russians commits treason towards his country.

GERMAN LOAN TO BULGARIA.

AMSTERDAM, Oct. 6. Germany has Sent Bulgaria two and a half millions sterling for the families of reservists, in order to allay disaffection among the troops.

TU RCO-BU LGARI AN AGREEMENT.

HOW BULGARIA BENEFITED. ATHFJYS, Oct. G. Immediately the Turco-Bulgarian agreement was sijgnecl Turkey evacuated the fortresses on the Bulgarian frontier and transferred 80,000 troops, mostly untrained recruits, to the fortified line between the capital and the Dardanelles. M. Radiosilaroff, the Bulgarian Premier, told a prominent politician; s ’lt would be better for u s not to gain an inch of territory than to see any extension of Greece and Servia.” *

A CRISIS IN GREECE

PREMIER VENEZELOS RESIGNED. KING CONSTAjNTI)NE INTERFERES. (Reed 8.55 a.m.) ATHENS, Oct 6 King Constantine informed Venezelos that he was unable to pursue the Cabinet’s policy to the end. Venozelos thereon resigned. It is reported that there are three thousand German officers in !n; Bulgarian army. The population of Sa'onika ovafiou-ffi the Allies’ troops, tjhe l at ter starting towards Serbia. Baron Schenck. chief of Go man Propagandists in Greece, has hurriedly quitted Athens, going towards So; a. VENEZELOS’ CABINET RESIGNS. (Reed 8.55 a.m ' NEW YORK, OR. 6. Reuter’s Loudon correspondent states that King Constantine ha -4 accepted the resignation of the Ye teten.s Cabinet, and that Roumania is despatching troops to the Bulgarian Rentier, besides taking other extraordinary military measures. He itor adds; According to Petrograd Press advices Bulgaria has ‘rejected the Russian demands and has sent an ultimatum to

Servia concerning Macedonia '

CABINET’S RESIGNATION ACCEPTED. PREMIER YENEZELOS EXPLAINS. / KING FAVOURS COALITION. ATHENS, Oct. 5. The King accepted t)he Cabinet’s resignation. Yenezelos, interviewed, said that after clear declartions in the Chamber on the Cabinet’s policy, which were otherwise well known to the King, the latter informed him that further cooperation between tlhem had been rendered impossible. He believes the King favours a Coalition Cabinet.

EXCITEMENT IN GREECE.

ATEHNS, October 6. There is excitement in the coastal towns over the landing of the Allied troops. The French consist of white troops. The first step will be to guard the Ghevgheli-YelSes railway, which is exposed to Bulgarian attack. The troops encamped outside the town pending their departure up the country, in order not to interfere with Greek mobilisation, which is going on smoothly. Parliamentary circles are perturbed, though the majority of the Deputies admit that it would be suicidal for Greece to shrink from her obligations. M. Yenezelos, in the Chamber, maffe a clban breast of the political situation and defied his opponents to say that he could have followed a different course. The main theme of the debate wan the Greco-Scrbian treaty. Goumaris said the alliance was invalid because Servia had agreed to cede to Bulgaria part of the conquered territory, which was the basis of the treaty. Greece wouSd act imprudently if she provoked the hostility of the Central Power?. M. Yenezelos received an ovation at. the close.

GERMAN PRESS HOWL.

AMSTERDAM, Oct. 0. German newspapers utter a howl of protest at the lauding. They conclude that Germany is now justified in grabbing Belgium by the throat.

ROUMANIA,

MOBILISATION NOT NECESSARY.

| LONDON, Oct. 0. The Times correspondent at Bucharest says that the Premier received a J deputation asking for immediate mob- | Lisalson to prevent Roumania being I surrounded. M. Bratiano replied that I there was no need for the country to change its attitude.

WILL ROUMANIA COME IN?

BALKAN TANGLE CLEARING

LONDON, Oct. (5,

It is now anonunced that the Russian Note only reached Sofia at 4 o’clock on Monday afternoon. The time limit has expired, but there is scarcely time for a reply. The British and French Ministers notified M. Radoslavoff that they will withdraw with the Russian Minister if the Note is rejected. The chief anxiety is as to wheth-

er Roumania is going to co-operate, otherwise there is intense relief in Britain and France that the Balkan tangle is clearing up, and the Allies have been spared the unpleasant task of putting pressure on Greece.

ATTACK ON SERVIA,

BIG. AUSTRO-GERMAN ARMY.

ROME, October 5,

The Corriora della Sera states that General Mackcnsen has arrived at Temesvar. It is reported that a hundred thousand men have been transferred from Bukowina to the Servian frontier, and that Germany is withdrawing large forces from the Carpathians, leaving a small nucleus.

RUSSIA TO ASSIST SERVIA,

ROME, October 5. Russia will shortly send fw'ensy thousand troops to assist Servia.

THE ARABIC SINKING,

AMERICA DISSATISFIED,

WASHINGTON, October 5. Following upon a conference between President Wilson and Mr. Parsing to consider Count Bernstorff A latest Arabic Note, it lias been announced that Germany lias failed to satisfy the Government's requests that Germany disavows the sinking and assumes liability therefor. It is stated that final refusal to moot the American view may lead to a rupture of diplomatic relations.

The naval officers assigned to examine the metal found on board the Hesperian are virtually convinced that a mine wrecked her.

Mr. Lansing has anonneed that Bernstorif has disavowed the sinking of the Arabic, and promised compensationfor the American lives lost.

APOLOGY AND COMPENSATION.

GIVEN BY GERMANY. (Reed. 9.10 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Oct 6.

The Arabic question is now settled on the basis of Germany apologising and paying compensation for American lives

The administration is preparing to

negotiate with Britain over alleged interference with trade. A new American Note i s being prepared, contending that the British Government must show that goods of neutral destination destroyed or seized, are intended for Germany and the assumption that all foodstuffs going to Germany are intended for army purposes is not justified.

TWO STEAMERS SUNK.

(Reed 8.55 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 6. The steamer Sailor Prince has been sunk. An unknown number of survivors were picked up. The steamer Haydon was sunk, and the crew are reported as saved. PLENTY OF MUNITIONS NOW HELD BY RUSSIANS. COMPLETE CHANGE OF POSITION (Reed 8.55 a.m.) PETROGRAD, Oct 6. Newspapers announce that the Russian armies have enormous quantities of munitions and bold strategical positions, consequently there is a complete change'. A communique states that the Russians occupies German trenches near Friedrichstadt and captured a number of villages in the Lake region eastward of Vilna, also southward cf Prapet, after strenuous fighting

A BIG APPOINTMENT.

LONDON, October 0. Sir- Archibald Murray has been appointed Chief of the Imperial! General Staff. (Sir Archibald Murray has been Sir John French’s Chief of Staff in Prance). •' . ... . ... , ... t*

WESTERN BATTLEFIELD.

ALLIES FIRST OBJECTIVE GAINED.

OUTLOOK FOR SECOND PHASE.

LONDON, October it,

Colonel Repington, the Times military correspondent, writes: It may be said that generally the first objective of the British in the north, and the French at Artois, and in the Champagne, have been arrested. , Accounts from the Champagne suggest that only a small part of Hie French armies attacked. The second phase will begin when the time for the continuation of the offensive is ripe. In the interval, gains will be secured and time allowed for the German reserves to be exhausted by the customary counter-attacks. Great sacrifices are necessary to gain great ends. This is particularly necessary when Germany is displaying lassitude and gloom, owing to the prolonged war and their terrible losses. These demonstrate emphatically our power not only to maintain the strength of our troops, but to continually place new forces in the field until the army of the vile enemy drop out.

MURDER OF BELGIANS,

PARIS, October 0,

Details have boon received of the execution of Belgians in Liege on June Sth. A woman denounced 25 for giving information to the Allies. One woman was persuaded to confess on the promise that the culprits would Pc treated leniently. Nevertheless, eleven were sentenced to death. Volunteers were callted for the firing squads. Non? were forthcoming, and the men were then chosen under threats. The condemned arrived in waggons >at daybreak accompanied by priests, and placed with their backs to a wall. Posts were driven into the ground, to which they would be tied if their courage failed.

Louise Frenay was ordered to shot first. The soldiers hesitated, unaware that they had to shoot a woman. When ordered to fire, some aimed aside and some low, with the result that the woman was wounded m tlip legs. An officer ordered the men to reload, but they flatly refused. The officer then called up a non-com., who shot the woman with a revolver. The rest of the sentences were rapidly carried out.

OUR WOUNDED IN ENGLAND

(Eec. 8.55 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 6

If friends of Australian and New Zealand wounded officers in London could see whore they are quartered they would fee! no anxiety on their account. The majority are now in the Wandsworth Third London General Hospital, which is set in beautiful open grounds, wherein new huts are erected, some of iron, others of stucco lined, with fibro-cemcnt. They have bright attractive interiors, and the inmates read or a walk in the grounds is taken. They have motors, and free concerts and other entertainments weekly. On the outside the wards are connected with the hospital by long glass-enclosed corridors. Captains and lieutenants from each State are in a ward at the extreme end of the corridors; it is christened 1 ‘ Tipperary, f ’ because the Australians say it is a “long way to go. ” (Reed 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 6.

Dotted around the hospital grounds are revolving huts for open air treatment, which are turned according to the direction of wind and rain.

Most wounded New Zealand officers are progressing well. Major Dawson is able to do temporary duties at Weymouth; Major Schofield, with a shrapnel wound, is on leave; Major McLean, a chest wound, is still in hospital; Major Luxford, chaplain, has lost a leg; Capt. Hardham, Y.C., injured lung, is convalescent. Seven thousand wounded Australians are now in England, many of whom have lost a limb. Two artificial limbmakers have been brought from Victoria, Twenty soldiers at Harefield alone have lost a leg. Artificials are to be made cf Government material, it being estimated at a third of the usual cost.

RECRUITING AT HOME,

VOLUNTARY SYSTEM ON TRIAL. LONDON. October 0. Lord Derby, at Lord Kitchener’s request, has undertaken the direction of army recruiting. Lord Derby, speaking at a recruiting meeting at Rossendale, said he accepted the directorship of recruiting because of his personal loyalty to and friendship with Lord Kitchener. Personally ho advocated national service, but he would do his best to make the voluntary system a success. The .lotion of the Trades Union Comgreys would have the effect of putting every man on his mettle to prove that the voluntary system is inadequate. If ultimately he considered recruiting war unsuccessful, he would not hesitate to resign unless other methods were adopted. , .<i- . ... • .jf,

ARMENIAN MASSACRES.

WARNING TO TURKS.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5.

The United States has decided to inform Turkey that unless the massacres of Armenians cease, a break in friendly relations wilJ probably occur.