CONDUCT OF THE WAR

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 11, 14 January 1916, Page 5

CONDUCT OF THE WAR

A national party wanted CABINET OF 3 OR 5 COMPULSORY SERVICE BILL SECOND READING CARRIED MONTENEGRO BEING OVERRUN ASSISTANCE TOO LATE SERVIANS OCCUPY CORFU ISLAND

THE MONTENEGRIN CAMPAIGN. MONTENEGRINS SHORT OF AMMUNITION. AMSTERDAM, Jan. 12. An Austrian communique announces the capture of 26 guns at Lovtchen. ROME. Janauary 12. The fall of Lovtchen was due to lack of ammunition. As the position commands Cettinje, the Montenegrin capital has been transferred to Podgoritza.

THE CAPTURE OF LOVTCHEN. ANOTHER CASE OF TOO LATE. SOME BITTER COMMENTS. LONDON, Jan. 12. The Daily Chronicle's Milan corresponden says that the capture of Mt. Lyotchc-n wrings from us hitter, sorrowful disillusionment. The Press and the great mass of th e people will consider it equals a grave national defeat. The Seeolo says that Montenegro was left with 25,000 defenders, and and she now refeembles Serbia. It is now fe'ared that the Austrians wiO sweep over northern Albania. "It is another exasperating instance of being too late," says the paper. SERBIANS SENT TO CORFU. FRENCH TROOPS LANDED. ASSURANCES TO GREECE. ATHENS, January 13. The Entente has notified Greco* that in order to save the Serbian army from starvation, it has transferred it to Cofu. A French force has landed to make preparations, but this must not be regarded as occupation. French troops have occupied Achilleion. Fourteen warships of unknown nationality are cruising around the island.

(Corfu is 42 miles long and from 31 to 20 milts broad, being shaped something like a sickle. It is situated at the entrance to the Adriaie Sea, separated from the rnainU r Greece and Albania by a channel two. miles to twelve miles broad). SERBIAN CHILDREN POR GERMAN FIELDS. ONLY OLD PEOPLE AND BABIES LEFT IN SERBIA. PARIS, January 13. The Echo de Paris says able-bodied Serbian children are being transported to Austria and Germany to work in the fields and factories. Only the old and the babies remain in Serbia. GERMAN FOOD SUPPLIES. STATEMENT IN THE REICHSTAG. AMSTERDAM, Jan. 13. Herr Delbruck, in the Reichstag, said that German food products wouhT last till next harvest. The Food Supplies Cimmittec'.s report states that Germany will not permi herself to be starved, and will end the war beeorc she secures a complete victory. Herr Liebknecht, the Socialist member, failed to ascertain information £» to the treatment of the inhabitants of occupied district, and finally left the Reichstag as a protest.

IN BESSARABIA. RUSSIAN ATTACKS REPULSED., LONDON, Jan. 1.1. A Vienna communique claims that the Russians on Tuesday made six attenixAs to penetrate the’ lines in Bessarabia, bu were rpulsed and beat a disorderly retreat. Eight hundred dead Russians were found in front of one Austrian battalion, RUSSIA’S RECUPERATION. AN OPTIMISTIC DESCRIPTION. ’ LONDON, Jan. 13. The Times’ Petrograd correspondent optimistically describes the recuperation of Russia and her splendid armies at the front. A high officer states that Russia is able o go an long as she is wanted to. The' technical) serviceare constantly improving and the on*put of muniions doubling. He is confident of the strength and readiness o*» the country to endure' any rials. The people are determined to vanquish their inveterate Teutonic foe. SOUTHERN OFFENSIEV SUSPENDED. THE OBJECT ACHIEVED.

PETROGRAD, Jan. 12. The Russianas’ offensive on the southern front has been suspended for the present, having achieved its object by diverting German forces from France and the' Balkans. The enemy has. brought up reinforcements, and it is therefore inexpedient to press further. HUGE AUSTRO - GERMAN LOSSES FROM 70,000 TO 100,000 IN THREE WEEKS. PETROGRAD, Jan, 13. The Austro-German losses for three weeks is from 70,000 to 100,000. The enemy’s efforts to dislodge us from Chartorysk failed, HIGH COMMISSIONER’S REPORT. The High Commissioner reports: LONDON, Jan. 13, At Olayveysk a German attempt to cross the Missey failed.' Bayonet fighting east of Plakarien "was to Russian advantage. Two lines-of -enemy wire were cut on the'railroad at Ponievetz, and the . Germans chased out of the trenches. ITALIAN SHIPS MINED. NEARLY ALL ABOARD SAVED. LONDON, Jan. 12. The Italian ships Brindisi Cittadol and Palmero were mined in, the Adriatic. Nearly all aboard were saved. DEPOSITING AMERICAN SECURITIES. . BUSY TIME AT BANK OF ENGLAND.

LONDON, January I>. There was a great rush to the Bank of England to deposit American securities. To assist the exchange the Bank was compelled to extend its hours. FOOD ACTIVITY IN GERMANY. SOCIALISTS DISSATISFIED. , PARIS, Jana. 13. Th Matin says the food agitation in Germany is becoming a great conspiracy. The Socialists acknowledged the supply of provisions is sutheient but their distribution is unequal, /

DURATION OF THE WAR. ECONOMIC PRESSURE TELLING. AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW. MELBOURNE, January 13. Sir Edmund Barton has returned from 'a visit to England. He declares that it is recognised on. all sides that an inconclusive peace is only another name for a renewed war under far more difficult conditions. The reasoned opinion of the United Kingdom is solidly in favour of fighting till the job is completed. Asked what were the opinions on the chances of an early termination of the struggle, Eir Edmund said that amongst the public men of importance whom he met it was the general opinion that economic pressure on the Central Powers was becoming very strong. GERMAN MILITARY EXPERTS’ VIEWS. LONDON, January 13. The Socialist, Gatike, a’great military critic, writes in Yqrwaerts warning people not to heed the press assertions that British compulsion is intended to bluff the Allies, as there is the surest proof otherwise. Mr. Lloyd George has staked his whole political future and great popularity on compulsion. The British are determined to fight to the bitter end. Discussing military objections to shert-officered new troops, Gatike asks: Where were the preliminary formations for the Australasian and Canadian levies? Within limitations the masses were weapons of good subtitute and quality. Th e Australians, who made such a poor appearance in Eigypt, were unable to storm the strong Turkish positions at Gallipoli, but did duty for months, maintaining themselves between it he rocks and water. — (Times and Sydney Sun Services). •

MASSACRE OF AMERICANS, BY MEXICAN REVOLUTIONIST. (Reed. 8.20 a.m.) WASHINGTON, January 13. In connection with hooting Americans in Mexico, an outrage regarded as reprisals by Villa’s partisans in revenge for the United States recognising Carraza, and thereby making him all-powerful, the British Vice-Consul at El Pgsa ha s obtained a statement that Villa personally led th e massacre party. An eye-witness, who escaped, say s the party of 28 stopped and boarded the train, lined up its passengers on the track, and shot down 18, including a Canadian. They looted the train, taking £14,000. Other sources state that after Villa’s defeat in the late revolution, he threatened the Americans then refuged in the Sierra Madre mountains, and he was awaiting an opportunity to carry out his threat. INTERVENTION IN MEXICO THREATENED BY SENATE. WASHINGTON, January 12. Following upon the murder of 18 Americans, who were shot by the followers of the Mexican bandit Villa, the United States Senate is considering armed intervention in Mexico in conjunction with the South American countries. Mr. Lansing( Secretary of State, has telegraphed to the Government of Mexico, formally demanding punishment of the bandits. EXPORT TO NEUTRALS. LONDON, January 13. Mr. Gwynne, editor of the Morning Post, speaking at the Constitutional Club, deplored l the Government’s ineffective conduct of the war, and he proposed, as a remedy, an appeal to patriotic Commoners to form a national party, which would petition the King-to remove the 22 members of the'Cabinet and appoint either three or five :of a Cabinet, a part of whose programme to be is no peace unless the Dominions and Allies agreed to the terms. There should be prohibition against Germans becoming partners in British firms, or being domiciled in the Empire for 25 years; a tariff of five per cent against Germany with an additional one per cent for every month the war continues. The Daily Mail’s commissioner says, many traders in Denmark including reputab’e firms, do not consider themselves bound by the non-export agreement on the groundg that it was extorted by threats. Moreover, the agreement thwarted exportation from Denmark to Sweden and vice versa, then transhipping to Gemany. The money guarantees were of little value since German banks were willing to take np the guarantees. Innumerable tricks were employed to circumvent the agreement; oil fat wag exported by hipping it with one sardine in a tin of oil as sardines, or- as soap containing the specified"quantify of fat. The German Minister * was al ways readv with veiled threats to persuade the Danish authorities to grant export permits.

THE COMPULSION BILL. READ A SECOND TIME. ONLY 39 OBJECTORS. LONDON, Jan. 10. In the House of Commons the Compulsion Bill was read a second time, and a motion to reject it was negatived by 431 to 39. The division was -received with applause. The minority included Sir John Simon, Messrs. Burns-, Thomas, Outhwaite, Jewett, Trevelyan, and Byles. THE DISCUSSION. LONDON, Jan. 13. During the discussion of the Compulsion Bill, Sir John Simon said the House, had to consider whether National unity -was endangered. TheTe was nothing in' the Derby report to justify the assertion that Mr. Asquith ’s pledge should be fulfilled. It ought to be possible to find the persons who had not attested. The House had to consider how far the Bill approached industrial compulsion. He would resist the Bill because tire Government was strengthening the same system which had made Germany ; menace to the world.*

During the debate, Mr. Ellis Griffiths said the opposition came from the Nationalists and Labourites. H-i added ironically that compulsion for n man to jdin a trade union was a splendid example of liiberty, but to compel a man to join the Army was Henson. Mr. Dillon regarded the compulsion campaign as a conspiracy to drive out Mr. Asquith-and Lord Kitchener and Sir Edward Grey.

Mr. Asquith, in replying, agreed that the main object upon which a 1! were concentrating was to strike Germany down. But Sir John Simon in some parts of his speech appeared far removed from the actualities of the situation and lost to all sense of perspective. Mr. Asquith declared that there was no fear of general cons’iuption. The Bill was going to be eRw ried in the hope of maintaining and preserving the voluntary system. Jibe had not givCn his pledge that system would have been dead. He spoke for the whole Government when he said that unless the Bill was passed Britain would not obtain the men, and would be unable to play her par in the war and fulfil her obligations to the Allies. There was not the slightest intention to use the measure against industrialism. He hoped industrial workers would accept his assurance that the Government was eons-during safeguards to make any abuse on the part of employers impossible when the Bill operates. If those who were holding back would come forward of their own volition and place themselveat the service of the State they, would give us a new asset of incalculable value. After Mr. Asquith’s pledge, the debate waived. _ Mr. Pringle announced that he and his friends "withdrew his opposition. Mr. Henderson wound up the debate He denied that the Bill contained an insidious menace to industrial freedom. He appealed to the Labour Commoners to join the House in sem in. a message to their fellow-workmen and Belgium that their nov. of delivery was near. This statement was received with loud cheers, Mi. As quith patting Mr. Henderson on the back. PROPOSED NATIONAL STRIKE. LONDON, January 18. South Wales miners decided that the only method to effectively oppose compulsion was a national strike after a ballot by all British miners. There is no doubt that the National Conference of the miners to-day will pass an academic resolution against compulsion, since the delegates will not vote according to their personal opinions, but on the decision of the district conferences. It is hot likely that a majority will favour a national “down tools” policy. The vote of the South Wales Federation is regarded as a bluff,' particularly in view of the Merthyr election.

HOME POLITICS. SPEECH BY SIR E. CARSON. LONDON, January 13. Sir Edward Carson ,speaking at the Constitutional Club, said be would welcome a national policy which removed sordid party bickerings. All must recognise the loyalty and achievements of the Dominions. Lasting peace would ensure the Empire becoming a consolidated, harmonious and mighty whole. VICEROY OF INDIA, SUGGESTED APPOINTMENT OP LORD CHELMSFORD. LONDON, January 13, The "Times’'' opines that Lord Chelmsford will receive appoint men t is Viceroy of India.