GERMAN PUBLIC ALARMED.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 64, 15 March 1916, Page 5

GERMAN PUBLIC ALARMED.

HOLLWEO'S OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN, DEPRESSING RUMOURS IN MUNICHAN ENORMOUS BAVARIAN SLAUGHTER. ROUMANIA APPOINTING COMMANDERS. BULGARIA WILL DESERT GERMANY. i-. - t j IF GERMANY FAILS AT VERDUN. RIOTS IN SEVERAL GERMAN TOWNS. ■ ■ "j v verdun will show to bulgaria. >V WHETHER GOD IS FOR OR AGAINST THEM. BULGARIA WILL NOT HESITATE TO DESERT GERMANY. IP THE VERDUN ATTACK FAILS. BERLIN AND VIENNA KNOW IT. (Reed. 9.45 a.m.) ' ' • BUCHAREST, March 14. It is reported that Radoslavoff, the Bulgarian Premier, declared to a group of Deputies that the result of Verdun would show whether God ;was for or against us. He believed that Bulgarian politicians would not ihesitate to desert Germany if jthe attack fails. Berlin and Vienna were fully aware thereof.

RIOTS IN SEVERAL GERMAN TOWNS. CAUSED BY THE FAILURE AT VERDUN. MACHINE GUNS USED TO QUELL RIOTS. (Reed. 8.45 a.m.) i ROME, March 14. ! The Oorritere Delia Sera states that the German failure at Verdun has caused disturbances in Berlin, Dresden, and Frankfort, and machine guns have been used in some towns to quell the riotous crowds. ;"V; DEPRESSING RUMOURS IN MUNICH. [ENORMOUS BAVARIAN LOSSES AT VERDUN. THE WAR MINISTER'S APPEAL. * NOT TO LOSE CONFIDENCE OVER VERDUN FAILURE. (Reed. 9.45 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, March 14. There are depressing rumours in Munich regarding the enormous Bavarian losses at Verdun. The. -War Minister, in a speech in the Chamber, said they must not lose confidence owing to a small mitecarriage at Verdun, where develop- , ments will require a long time. GERMAN PUBLIC FEELING UNSETTLED. - > THE CHANCELLOR AVOIDS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN. GOVERNMENT ACTION NOT ENDORSED BY PEOPLE. (Reed. 9J45 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, March 14. The German Foreign Affairs Committee assembled on .Wednesday. They are endeavouring to get an interview with Von Bethmann-Hollweg to discuss the war. Hollweg, as Chancellor does not attend the committee's meetings, thus Prussia is not represented. Many protests in the. Reichstag have been pressed gaging public opinion. George Berhhard writing to the Vossiche Zeitung, s ays the committee's » meeting may be regarded as a sign of German opinion and states except .Jj. Prussia desires to confer, the Chancellor is attempting suicide. The present conference but gives Hollweg ah opportunity to dispel rumours which axe greatly alarming public opinion. It is reported that the Government ihas taken a decision that is not meeting with the people's approval. Plain speaking is necessary to explain to Hollweg where his tactics are leading. Berhhard alluded, to submarine warfare, war ambitions, and America.

< CHANCES OF TURKISH INSURRECTION LESSENING. THE SUSPECTED HEIR APPARENT WON OYER. "WITH PROMISE OF A LARGE PENSION. AUSTRO-GERMANS CONTROL CONSTANTINOPLE. (Reed. 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 14. Mr. Jefferies, correspondent at Salonika states that the latest information from Constantinople lessens the probability of insurrection. There are ten thousand Austro-German troops in the city, and Turkish control has vanished. The Young Turks suspected the heir apparent and won him over with a large pension: VERDUN IS IMPREGNABLE. SEVENTY MILES OF "WIRE ENTANGLEMENTS. p.. ' BRITISH FLEET TO PLAY IMPORTANT PART BRINGING GERMANY TO HER KNEES. (Reed. 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 14. Frederick Villiers, the Western war. correspondent, the only English correspondent that visited Verdun, states that the defences are impregnable. There are over 70 miles of barbed wire entanglements outside the town He thinks the war will last some time. The British fleet have to play a more important part in bringing Germ'any to her knees.

ROUMANIA APPOINTING ARMY COMMANDERS. THREE ARMY CORPS IN READINESS. (Reed. 9.30 a.m.) BUCHARjEST, March 14. It is officially announced that Generals Averseu, Coteseu and Presau are the nominated commanders of the three Roumanian army corps. WOUNDED ARRIVING NIGHT AND DAY. i APPALLING SIGHTS AT THE VAUX OPERATIONS.' MEN CLIMB OVER MOUNTAINS OF CORPSES. GERMAN DIVISIONS COMPETELY WIPED OUT. THEY ARE AWAITING SUPPLIES FROM METZ. PARIS, March 14. The assaulting forces at Vaux grew tired of climbing over the bodies of their fallen comrades. The assault Avas spent before the horror of these mountains of corpses. Thousands of dead cumber the sinister slopes of Vaux. The ferocious struggles were so terrible that whole brigades of Germans ceased to exist. The 7th and 37th divisions, which bore the brunt of the fighting at Bethincourt and Goosehill, were severely handled, and, possibly, like the 11th reserve division, must be replaced. The 3rd German 'army corps suffered so severely at Vaux and Douaumont that the few emerging from the fight were sent to the rear. The 18th corps and the Bavarian division lost whole battalions. Telegrams from neutral sources report that an enormous number of wounded are arriving at Aix la Chapelle night and day. Telegrams from neutral sources say the lull in the fighting is due to the Germans awaiting supplies from Metz. Troops from home depots in Germany are flocking to Verdun, and the struggle will be renewed in a few days. French airmen are performing splendid feats in Watching enemy supply trains and reserve formations; espying gun positions; raiding at night time lines of communcation; and blowing up munition depots. BOMBARDMENT INTENSE WEST OF THE MEUSE. GERMANS GATHER BETWEEN FORGES AND CROWSWOOD THEIR ATTACKS ALL REPULSED WITH BIG LOSSES. GERMAN STRATEGIC POSITIONS BOMBED. • PARIS, March 14. A communique says: Bombardment westward of the Mouse is increasingly intense. The fire of batteries caught gatherings of the enemy between Forgesand Crowswood. v Activity of the opposing artilleries is moderate on the right bank of the Meuse. After lively artillery preparation the Germans eastward of Seppeis attacked trenches we had recently retaken. They were stopped by .our curtain of fire and had to retire with appreciable losses. A communique says: Six of our aeroplanes dropped 130 bombs on the strategic station of Breules, northward of Verdun. Numerous aerial combats took place elsewhere in the district, the advantage being indisputably on our side. Three German aeroplanes were brought down: one in our lines and two in the German lines. PROGRESS OF EVENTS IN THE BALKANS. ROUMANIA VOTES IMMENSE WAR LOAN. I " HUGE PREPARATIONS IN BESSARABIA?-. BULGARIA REFUSES HELP TO GERMANY. , THE BULGARS ARE SHOCKINGLY TREATED. BUCHAREST, March 14. Parliament has agreed to the .War Office vote of sixteen millions sterling. Roumanian advices report great preparations in Bessarabia, the mission being an offensive against 'Bukovina. A large number of troops and immense quantities of munitions have been brought in. Germany asked Bulgaria to send two divisions to the French front, but Bulgaria refused owing to Roumania's uncertain attitude. Deserters state that Bulgarian soldiers 'are shockingly treated. They are not allowed to write letters home, and i fthey groumble at the food they are ordered 25 blows on the naked back, while they aer shot if their offence is more serious.

"DER TAG" DRUNK WITH ENTHUSIASM. THE GERMAN FLEET COMING OUT. NOT ONE IS TO SURRENDER. ALL SHIPS NOW UNDER STEAM. LONDON, March 14. The "Daily Mail's" correspondent In Rotterdam says: Germany's can-al-bound fleet is preparing to move. For many weeks I have been receiving information, and am now able to state that the fleet will attempt to justify its proud title. The famous toast of "The Day" is being drunk with an enthusiasm that heralds imminent action; An unwritten order is: "No German ship shall surrender." The best German inventive mind s i a re employed perfecting a huge fleet •of super-submarines, but the efforts are hampered by insufficient sailors. German travellers report that a'] the warships at Kiel are under steam.

A GERMAN WIRELESS. AEROPLANE SUCCESSES CLAIMED AMSTERDAM, March 13. A G.erman wireless says: Our airmen successfully attacked French railway station and positions on the ClearmontVerdun line. We destroyed three enemy aeroplanes in Champagne and one on the Mouse. FIJI AND ANNEXATION. WOULD PREFER NEW ZEALAND. I ■ TF SHE MUST LINK. SYDNEY, March 14. The Hon. H. Hedstrom, a member of the Fiji Legislative Council, who lias? arrived here, denied th e cabled statement of the Australian Prime (Mr. Hughes) that a desire existed for Fiji to be merged in Commonwealth, and added that if it was Fiji'sfate to < be annexed to either Australia or New i Zealand, it would rather be annexed [, to New Zealand.

BRITISH PREMIER INDISPOSED. (Reed. 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, March 14. Mr. Asquith is suffering from bronchial catarrh and did not attend the House of Commons to-day. WOMEN AS DOCK LABOURERS. (Rood. 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, March 14. Leyland's, the shipowners, are employing fifty women as dockers. The Liverpool union i s protesting. RUSSIANS DRIVE TURKS BACK. PETROGRAD, March 14. A communique says: We drove chs Turks back in the region of th 3 rWof Kalapotamos, and captured eight guns near Kennanshah. i

< PORTUGAL'S DECISION. i WELCOMED BY ALLIES. BRAZIL TO LEND ALL THE HELP SHE CAN. (Times and Sydney Sun Services). LONDON, March 13. The "Times," in a leader, says: 'Portugal's entry into the war is welcome to the Allies, particularly to England. She has learned how Germany treats weak States whose rights stand in the way of the Teutonic de- ' sign. Therefore she has deliberately taken steps which led to a declaration of war." The Portuguese Minister at Paris says the rupture of the diplomatic relations between Portugal and Germany simply confirms the situation existing between the two countries since the beginning of the war. The Republic is too young to complete the programme of military defence voted before the war, but had made the greatest efforts recently to do so. RIO DE JANEIRO, March 13. The declaration of war by Germany 'against Portugal has excited public opinion. There have been enthusiastic street demonstrations in favour of the Entente. A leading newspaper says that the great majority of Brazilians will help Portugal and th e Allies all they can. MORE DRINK IN WARTIME.

MARKED INCREASE IN GREAT BRITAIN. WAR THE INDIRECT CAUSE. (Times and Sydney Sun Services). LONDON, March 13. The United Kingdom Alliance publishes figures showing that the national expenditure on drink in 1915 increased 10'S per cent over the 1914 figures. The individual expenditure was £4 4/11. The Alliance attributes the increase to the extraordinary high war wages, the abnormal development of shouting, and the unprecedented disturbance of the normal family life, resulting in a deplorable increase in drinking among women.

! MORE GERMAN CULTURE.. LONDON, March 13. Aeroplanes recently dropped a great quantity of sweets, which, .when examined by a bacteriologist, were found to contain a great quantity of infective microbes. THE EASTERN CAMPAIGN. TESTING RUSSIAN LINES. i PETROGRAD, March 13. General von Hindenburg's troops on the frozen Dvina are unusually active. Russian experts predict that the Germans are testing the line, with a view to the resumptio nof the offensive, at the points where it was stopped by the winter.

BOMB FOR GOVERNMENT. AT THE EAST HERTS ELECTION. BILLING MEANS BUSTLE. (Time s and Sydney Sun Services). I LONDON, March 13. The result of the East Herts byelection, in which an aviator named Billing defeated the Government nominee (Henderson), was v. he'avy reverse for the Government, who sent influential Unionists and Liberals to support Henderson, while Billing had no party organisation. Billing appealed for more efficient defence against air raids, and urged the necessity for regaining supremacy in the air. The "Evening News" says the result was a bombshell for Downing Street. It was a plain warning that the country is weary of the indecision and inaction of the war machine.

IN GERMAN AFRICA. BRITISH ATTACK ON PORTRESS. THE GERMANS IN RETREAT. (Reed. 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 14. General Smutz cables that 'an action commenced on the 11th at the Kitovo Hills, west of Taveta, and resulted in an obstinate struggle. A formidable obstacle was the densely wooded steep hills which the enemy were holding in strong force. The positions were taken and retaken several times, but in a final bayonet attack between nine and midnight by two forces led 'by Colonel Freeth and Major Thompson secured a hold land held on until reinforced in the morning, when the German and native troops were seen streaming away towards Kaha, in a south-westerly direction. While the •Kitovo was in progress th 6 mounted brigade cleared the foothills northeast of Kilimanjaro, where the enemy forces were cut off by the rapid British advance. Simultaneously a strong column under General Stewart appeared in the rear of the main German concentration. The enemy is retreating southwards towards the Usambara railway.

IN FLANDERS. YPRES AGAIN PROMINENT. MINE AND GRENADE FIGHTING. LONDON, March 13. Sir Douglas Haig reports that the enemy sprung four mines near the Hohenzollern redoubt. Grenade lighting ensued. There were few casualties and little damage to our trenches. There is a heavy artillery bombarcment by both sides about Ypres. AMSTERDAM, March 12. A German communique states: AVe exploded mines, occupying the crater-north-eastward of Neuville.

! THE TERMS OF PEACE. AS GERMANY WOULD HAVE THEM. SUBMITTED TO PRESIDENT WILSON. REFUSED OONSIDERATION BY THE ALLIES. WASHINGTON, March J 4. It is authoritatively stated that Colonel House submitted to Presiden Wilson the following German peace terms:— Return of German colonies. No indemnities on either side. Polish autonomy. The partition of Montenegro, Serbia, and Albania among Austria. Bulgaria, Greece, and Russia. Control of Persia. German evacuation of France and Belgium. England to be neither a gainer nor n loser, but Turkey to be freed from British influence. Colonel House reports that Germany no longer expects to retain Belgium o: get indemnities. It is reported that the Allies f.re unwilling to consider peace.

PREMATURE REJOICINGS. CAPTUEE OF VEBDUN CELEBEATED. ATHENS, March 13. German and Bulgarian offieei-s in Phillipipolis triumphantly celebrated the capture of Verdun and the mqrch towards Paris. The shops were closed and the town beflagged, while troops niajrched past. ITALIAN OPERATIONS. TEEEIBLE EXPEEIENCES.' LONDON, March 13. The Corjriere Delia Serra states that all news regarding military operations has been forbidden for a few days. The bombardment on the Isonvco continues with the same intensity. Extensive movements are observed behind the enemy lines. We destroyed some enemy entanglements at Mont St. Michels and other sectors of the Carso. Bain falls continually, and trie communication trenches are • running streams. Some portions disappear altogether, and whole hutments slide down the slopes. Even armoured ramparts give way. Restoration work absorbs the greater part of the energies of bot-h sides.

MEMBERS OF DOMINION PARLIAMENT. INVITED TO VISIT LONDON. TO DISCUSS IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. (Reed. 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 14. The United Kingdom Branch of the Empire Parliamentary Association is inviting 32 members of overseas parliament to visit London in July, whereof Australia sends 10, Canada 10, New Zealand 4, South Africa 6, and Newfoundland 2. Delegates are to be selected by branches of the Association. They are to see something oifl the war • (organisation and /exchange opinions informally with fellow members of parliament. Lords Milner, Bryce, Burnham, Sydenham, Ha ( yes, Fisher, and Messrs Steel, Maitland, Amery, Beck and Crooks •are actively furthering the scheme. Mr. L'alfour, Bonar Law and Lancourt approve of the visitors receiving hotel accommodation and travelling facilities on this side, as the visit is strictly one of business. It is impossible to invite ladies. The visit would enable delegates to exchange views with the French, Russian and British parliamentarians, as well as to exchange views between overseas members of Parliament. THE COUNCIL OF EMPIRE. PROGRESSIVE INCOME TAX BILI PETEOCRAD, March 14. The Council of Empire lias accepter" l the Duma's Progressive Income Tax Bill.

. EMPIRE TRADE MATTERS. - RESTRICTION OF TRADE. BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND BRITAIN. (Reed. 5.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 14. Mr. A. Fisher. Australian High Commissioner, will be the principal speaker at a big meeting at the Mansion House on behalf of a Fight for Right movement, which is organising the moral and intellectual forces of the country on behalf of the AlMed cause.- . Mr. Hughes (Prime Minister qf Australia) proposes to depart for Australia on the 19th April. •. Mr. Borden arrives in England early in April. ' .-*:■'■ Mr. Hughes interviewed Mr; Runciman. who is leading the shipowners ' ■ scheme for organising, the" British nrex.-, cantile marine, in order to effectively - utilise the tonnage at the disposal -of" the nation. He is also negotiating a proposal for dealing with metals. ~'-*l

The opinion in Britain inclines tO'„ wards restriction cf traffic' from Axis-« tralasia to England in everything -excepting essentials. It is recognised this will be a blow 7 to Home:industries, but they must be prepared to .sacrifice business. Drastic restrictions in other traffic will enable a more rapid shipment of wheat. It is believed higherfreights are inevitable, owing , to the demand for tonnage from the River Plate to England. ' > . ■ The Globe, referring to Mr. Hughes' refreshing plain speaking, hopes.he will force Mr. Asquith and freetrade membqrs of the Cabinet to a decision on the tariff question. If they let Mr. Hughes put the unvarnished facts before the Cabinet it will compel a decision. H e will have an overwhelming majority of business men here behind him, with Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa rallying to his flag, and the miserable remnant of Cobdenism in the Government will perforce capitulate.

THE GALLIPOLI STRATEGIST DECOEATED EY THE KING. LONDON, March 34. General Sir C. 0. Monro has been awarded the Grand Cross of St. Michael and St. George for his services "• connection with the evacuation of Gallipoli. BRITISH-ITALIAN AGREEMENT. ! LONDON, March 14. An agreement. has been signed between British and Italian .financial groups, the former having a capital" of a million and tie latter of £400,000, to develop the economic relations of both countries. BIG GERMAN SUBMARINES. ALTEEED THEIE INTENTIONS. . ATHENS, March 14. Five German submarines of a thousand tons displacement entered or wer e about to -enter the Dardanelles, but went seawairds. , •