"THE WAR IS OVER"

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 22 November 1916, Page 5

"THE WAR IS OVER"

SAYS THE NEW YORK TIMES # AUSTRQ-GERMAHS CERTAINLY DEFEATED \ , WHAT ARE THEY FIGHTING FOR? ALLIED TROOPS IN MONASTIi / , FLOWER DECORATIONS ON THEM GERMANS MAKE SUPREME EFFORT IT IS SANGUINARILY REPULSED

a "sensational statement

. “THE WAR IS OVER.” ATJSTRO-GERMANY DEFEAT CERTAIN. WHAT IS THE FIGHTING FOR. Received 9.15. NEW YORK, Nov 21. The New York “Times” states that the war is over it is only liecessary to stop fighting on the road along •which, Germany hoped to rise to dominancy, through the extension of her influence in the East, the humbling of England, and the subjection of Europe, which is no longer open. The defeat of Austro-Germany is as certain as if an acknowledged treaty was now “in existence. It is only necessary ror the Powers to ascertain the real objects wherefore they are fighting. These can be embodied in the terms of peace and the permanent international agreement.

THE MAYOR OP YPRES.

WINS A LIBEL ACTION. Received 8.55. - LONDON, Nov 21. r 'to the King’s Bench, Rene Colaert, Mayor of Ypres, sued the Pall Mall Gazette and the Manchester Guardian for libel on alleging that Colaert Was a traitor who should be shot for concealing arms and ammunition at Ypres for the Germans. A verdict was given by consent for £I3OO damages and costs.

POLISH AUTONOMY.

DISCUSSION' IN PRUSSIAN DIET. HINDENBURG WANTS COMPULSION. Received 8.50. AMSTERDAM, Nov 21. After an angry debate in the Prussian Diet, by 180 to 104 it was agreed that Poland must give Germany permanent military and economic guarantees; also that the German character of Prussia’s eastern- provinces must he maintained. The minority ’included Poles, Progressives, Socialists, and Danes. Stroebel, the Socialist, declared that the so-called liberation of Poland was merely annexation, and Avould intensify the war. Hindenburg, in writing to Hollweg, stages compulsion is necessary in order to solve the food problem. For the supply of war material they must fully utilise labour. Everyone should spare what he could to feed the troops and munition workers.

SWAPPING GERMAN GENERALS.

LUDENDORFF REPLACES MACKENSEN. Received 8.55. BUCHAREST, Nov 21. A wireless states it is rumoured that Falkenhayn has recalled Mackensen, replacing him with Ludendorff, who is taking over the southern front.’

A BRITISH M.P

CALLED UPON TO RESIGN. LACK OF PATRIOTISM. Received 8.55. .Nov 21. A public meeting at Hanley carried a resolution of indignation at Mr. Outhwaite’s lack of patriotism, and calftng upon him to resign; also asking the Mayor to call a meeting with a view to request Mr. Asquith to legislate the removal of Outhwaite from the Constituency, whose views he no longer represents. , .d&J s

RUSSIAN POLITICAL CRISIS.

THE HAND OF THE HUN.

A GERMAN PLOT. LONDON, Nov JJI. The “Daily Chronicle” says the Russian political crisis is explained by a speech by M. Mlliukoff, leader of- the Constitutional Democratic Party, which was suppressed, but mimeograph copies of which are now being circulated in Petrograd and Moscow. The speech revealed a plot by proGerman members of the court to foster the idea of separate peace with Germany. In this many Ministers were implicated. The effect of the speech in the Duma was extraordinary. Ministers did not dare to face M. Miliukoff’s attack, only the war and naval Ministers remaining in the Duma hall. M. Petropopoff, the new Minister for the Interior, leader of the pro-Ger-man party, is aiming at a Russo-Ger-man peace and defending the interest of banks which are closely connected with the Deutsche bank. • M. Petropopoff represents the Russian bureaucracy, which fears that the crushing of Prussia will mean the end of bureaucratic power. The bureaucrats are chiefly recruited from the Baltic provinces, and are more allied to Prussia than Russia. The War and Naval Ministers have now openly dissociated themselves from their colleagues and proved themselves ready to co-operate with the Bloc to prevent a patched peace. The War Minister indicated that Generals Alexieff, Rusky and Brusiloff held the same view, showing that four million bayonets are now behind the progressive Bloc in the Duma.. The Bloc has another strong weapon in the food problem, which demands immediate settlement. Further political problems are awaited with anxiety. It is possible that M. Miliukoff will be prosecuted.

FRANZ JOSEF’S ILLNESS

HAS LUNG INFLAMMATION. Received 11.10. LONDON, Nov 21. A bulletin from Vienna states: Emperor Franz Josef is also suffering from lung inflammation, his temperature being 100. Nevertheless he is not in bed.

IN THE AIR.

SEAPLANE RAIDS. ON BULGARIAN COASTS. ft THREE VILLAGES BOMBED. LONDON, Nov 20. An ‘Admiralty report states that British seaplanes and aeroplanes successfully bombarded Karjani, Pravista and Serrultos, on the Bulgarian coast on Saturday.

BRITAIN’S FOOD PROBLEM

RESTRICTIVE REGULATIONS ENFORCED. LONDON, Nov 21. The Federation of Trade Unions in a manifesto opines that rationing will not improve the situation. The limited purchasing power of wages prevents the majority of workers indulging in extravagance in food. The Board of Trade has issued a regulation the general effect of which is to prevent any increase in the price of milk above present prices. This docs not apply to condensed milk. A second regulation requires flour to contain from 72 per cent, to 78 per cent, of wheat milled according to variety.

THE BALKAN CAMPAIGN.

THE MONASTIR BATTLE. ENEMY’S HEAVY LOSSES. ROME, Nov 20. It is estimated that the German and Bulgarian losses in the Monastir region were 30,000. GERMAN STORY. REINFORCEMENTS FOR MONASTIR AMSTERDAM, Nov 20. 'A German communique says: “New German forces have reached Monastir. THE FALL OF MONASTIR FAR-REACHING EFFECTS. 7000 PRISONERS AND 100 CANNON TAKEN. BULGARS IN DISORDERLY RETREAT ALLIED FORCES STILL ADVANCING. Rceived 9.45 LONDON, Nov 21. The Chronicle’s Athens correspondent, referring to the far-reaching effects of the fall of Monastir, states that already more than one-third of New Scrvia has been freed from the Germans and Bulgara.

Seven thousand prisoners wore taken in eight days, fifteen hundred of whom were Germans. Nearly one hundred cannons have been taken since the beginning of the attack on the KajmacKalan. Heavy losses have been inflicted on the enemy. The Allies losses wer c comparatively light. The Servians fired one million shells in ten days. The Kenali lines were frontally impregnable, and jMonastir was won up in the bleak mountains by the splendid Servian artillery and infantry. When Hill 1212 fell, the enemy was compelled to abandon” Monastir, retreating in disorder on the whole left front, abandoning the dead and wounded, as well as booty. Beyond the Cerna on the right bank, the veteran general Stephanovich captured several heights, and is now driving the demoralised ( v enemy without halt towards the river Ought, in a few hours threatening the exits of the Babuua Pass. His left wing carried Garondista, and is advancing along the hills on the right bank of the Cerna. Statarovina has also fallen, while his centre, advancing along the road from Vetorinik, should now be before Vcr,bsko, near Cerna, inside the Cerna loop. General Mashitch’s first army is sweeping on, having taken Pcrnik, north of Ivon and Jarotak. The finest triumph was the capture of Hill 1378, in the. Upper Morichovo mountains, giving command of the route towards Prilep, on the left. General Vassitch’s third Servian army is clearing out the foe from the mountains east of Monastir, with the aid of the Franco-Eussians, who have also advanced.

The Servians are now within a few hours ’ march of Prilep.

NORTH OP MONASTIR. j VIOLENT FIGHTING CONTINUES. ! Received 8.55. | j \ • •. | ATHENS, Nov 21. Violent fighting continues north of Monastir. I — ] JUBILATIONS AT MONASTIR. j FRENCH CAVALRY HORSES WREATHED. RUSSIAN INFANTRY GARLANDED BY THE REJOICING POPULATION. Received 11.10. 1 LONDON, Nov 21. When the Allies entered Monastir the inhabitants flung wreaths of flowers on the horses necks of the French cavalry, and they garlanded the Russian infantrymen. The enemy during the night set fire to the barracks, and the first act of the Allies was to extinguish these fires and arrest spies who were hidden in houses. The battlefield was covered with the enemy dead and shattered guns. It is estimated that the Allies’ artillery lired a million projectiles of all calibres, completely destroying the enemy defences. As the German-jßul-gars retreated they set fire to villages they passed through. Their new line of defence prepared over a month ago, is a regular 'line of double trenches with wire entanglements. The German-B’ulgars are still holding on firmly to rearguard positions in the Cerna loop. The Bulgars, at noon on Sunday, held the firing line 21 miles from Monastir. ITALIANS CO-OPERATE. LONDON, Nov 20. The Italians co-operated at Monastir, prisonering 200 on the eastern [slopes of Baba Mountains.

THE MONASTIR VICTORY.

SERBIANS GREAT TRIUMPH. ALL ENEMY STRONGHOLDS TAKEN. LONDON, Nov 20. The “Daily Chronicle’s” correspondent at the Serbian headquarters says heavy rain and fogs hindered Thursday’s operations, which were .energetically resumed by a northward push on Friday, fine weather resulting in the capture of Hill 1212. The Serbians in the evening carried the crest of this formidable position from the east. Others, assisted by a French contingent, drove off the enemy on western slopes. The entire mountain, whose strength is only second to that of Kajmackalau, is in our possession. Only Hill 1378, also eastward of Monastir, remained to be captured before the Bulgar-Germans were completely ousted from the mountain ramparts barring the road. The attack on Hill 1378 began on Friday, and was quickly successful, enabling the triumphal reentry of Monastir. ■ Received 10.30. LONDON, Nov 21. A Serb communique states: We continued pursuits of the Bulgar-Ger-mans from Monastir and captured more villages. The enemy, who is reinforced, is offering serious resistance.

THE ROUMANIAN CAMPAIGN

RUSSIANS STILL RETIRING. PETROGRAD,, Nov 20. A Russian communique says; "Roumanian attacks in. the region of Kimpolung were unsuccessful. The Roumanians advanced northward in the region of Albehst. Enemy attacks south of Rothcn Thurm Pass were repelled. The Russians continue to retire in the .Tiul Valley owing to the pressure of superior forces.” CARPATHIAN CONDITIONS •FAVOUR GERMANS. LONDON, Nov 21. Conditions in the Carpathians struggle do not admit of full defensive preparations. Deep ravines and dense forests cover the approach of the attacking columns, and the Germans are able to choose points of attack. Falkenhayii is perpetually seeking to turn the Roumanian defences by outflanking manoeuvres. As" the frontier is of immense length he is able to throw his strength against any of the six passes. General Avaresco, one of the best generals of the-Entente, continues to hold up Falkenhayn’s main attack at Predeal/ which aims at the priceless oilfields if the Germans succeed in debouching on the Wallachia plain. Bucharest is strongly fortified and the centre of a formidable system of defence in Moldavia.,/,*

AUSTRO-GERMANS PUSHING ON. LONDON, Nov 21. A German evening communique says; The Austro-Germans are approaching Craiova, the capital of western Wallachia. ROUMANIA IN SORE STRAITS. INTERVENTION ILL-TIMED. LONDON, Nov 21. The Daily Telegraph’s military correspondent says Roumania is sorely beset. It is now apparent that the moment for intervention was chosen with complete disregard of strategic* needs. The Roumanian army might have been used with decisive effect if employed at the right moment, but intervention was f> positively perilous in August, 1916, when the German armies were still intact with their, reserves,, whence the German commanders were able to organise an invasion of Roumania, while upholding the British, French and Russian armies by means of rearguard tactics on a gigantic scale. Either the Entente’s general staffs laQhed a single directing brain, or there was a want of candour between the Allied Cabinets.

GREECE.

HOSTILE DEMONSTRATION. LONDON, Nov 21. The Chronicle’s Athens correspondent says: As a counter-blast to the students’ pro-Entente manifestation, a serious disturbance occurred on Saturday, when several thousand reservist rowdies paraded, spreading terror and compelling tradesmen to shut their shops. The attache at the Austrian Legation cheered the rowdies. It was noteworthy that M. Gounaris signified his approval from the balcony of his home. Despite successive cabinets’ promises to dissolve the reservists, the league is as active as ever. Fresh gatherings have been arranged. Several persons have been wounded. REASON FOR EXPULSION. LONDON, Nov 21. Mr Jeffries, at Athens, says the immediate cause of the expulsion of the Central Powers ’ Ministers was the discovery that Baron von Gracy, the German naval attache, was engaged in espionage.

ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

WHAT THE' GERMANS THINK. DIARY REVELATIONS. CLEAR THAT GERMANY IS LOSING. LONDON, Nov 20. A message from British headquarters says: The best index of what the Germans are thinking is found in captured letters and diaries. A Bavarian writes that the British aviators and gunners are greatly feared. A soldier in the Sixty-sixth Infantry writes that for a whole week the awful British fire has never ceased. It is dreadful. The one question is ‘ How long ? ’ ’ A soldier of th e 3rd Ersatz Regiment says: “This is wholesale murder. It is' quite clear that Germany is losing.” GERMAN STORY. SUCCESS AT GRANDECOURT CLAIMED . AMSTERDAM, Nov 20 A German communique says: “We threw the English out of the western part of Grandecourt.

HUN EXHAUSTIVE EFFORT

GREATEST COUNTER EVER MADE COMPLETELY CHECKED BY ALLIES. WITH APPALLING SLAUGHTER, received 9.15. LONDON, Nov 21. An Exchange Telegraph message states a powerful counter-attack by the Germans north and south of the Somme last week, resulted in'sanguinary defeat. Considerable forces were employed at Ablaincourt and in Chaulnes Wood. The attack later extended to north of . the Somme, ..between Les Boeufs and Bouchavesnes. After a series of furious assaults the enemy finally captured some advanced ele ments in the village of Pressoire and on the outskirts, of St Pierre anc Vaast Wood at a cost of very heavy losses. The operations resulted in an absolute check of the most violent effort yet made by the Germans on the Somme front.

THE GRANDECOURT ADVANCE. SOME TROOPS ADVANCE TOO FAR ORDERED TO RETURN. LONDQN, Nov 20. Mr. Gibson, at the British headquarters, says the attack on Saturday started at the Stuff and Regina trenches after a bitter snowy night. All the weather conditions were against an attack, but the snow was of some use, the gleam enabling platoons to keep in touch. The principal success was gained qn the right,, where a famous formation, who are never lacking where hand-to-hand work is to be done, reached a Grandecourt trench. There was savage bayonet fighting before the trench was captured, but the position was too far ahead of the remainder of the British advance and the men were ordered to return. PARIS, Nov 21. There is considerable hostile artil- ' lery fire north of the Somme and at Douaumont. ENEMY HEAVILY SHELLING. I Received 10.30.

LONDON, Nov 21. General Haig reports that the enemy heavily shelled us south-west of Grandecourt. We raided trenches at Gommecourt, Rochincourt and Ypres, WEST FRONT FROZEN. EARTH COVERED WITH SNOW. Correspondents at the British headquarters say that the weather has been freezing for three days. Water and roads are frozen solid, and the whole earth is blanketed in white The British and Canadian troops responsible for the latest gains achieved them with unusually light casualties. The only serious resistance was encountered south of Grandecourt, ENEMY ATTACKS REPULSED, LONDON, Nov 21. An Italian communique says; the enemv attacked northwards of Mount Volkojnjak, on the Carso, and occupied a trench. Otherwise they were repulsed with heavy losses. ENEMY CASUALTIES TOTAL 30,000 London, Nov shrdlu 12343 LONDON, Nov 20. It is estimated that the GermanoBulgar losses in the Mouastir region total 30,000, -i,

THE VENIZELIST POLICY. NATIONAL ARMY’S WISHES. CONSTANTINE’S ADVISEES MUST GO. Received 9.5 LONDON. Nov 21. M. Venizelos, in outlining his policy states the National Army wishes to wipe out the stain placed on the Greek nation by disregard of the Servian treaty obligations. The movement is not anti-dynastic, though.there is open conflict with the Crown, owing to the system of despotism set up at Athens. We have no intention of settling the constitutional question )jy Torce of arms, but when the war is terminated we must safeguard national interests; a national defence movement will see what guarantees can be obtained against possibility of a certain number of persons around the King, imposing upon the Crown a policy calculated to drive the country to national suicide. The danger of civil war can only arise if the Greek people after the war are prevented from the expression of their decision freely.

GREEK MINISTERS OBDURATE. ADMIRAL DU FOURNET’B NOTE. Received 5.55 LONDON, Nov 21 The Chronicle’s Athens correspondent has reported that four Ministers decided to refuse to voluntarily surrender to the Allies ’ deportation order. Admiral du Fournet informed the Government he would insist on obedience, and declines responsibility of the consequences of a refusal.

ON THE SEA.

THE SUNKEN ARABIA. LONDON, Nov 20. Passengers by the Arabia assert that when the submarine discharged a torpedo the gunners -hit the periscope, the submarine dived, rose again, and fired a second torpedo. The “Morning Post’s” Washington correspondent described President Wilson as greatly perturbed at the piracy campaign. Germany is feverishly building super-submarines' to destroy all food ships without immunity to American vessels.

RIMUTAKA NOT DELAYED. CHRISTCHURCH,, this day. The New. Zealand Shipping Company has received a cable stating that the Rimutaka was not detained at Newport News, and will sail from there on Saturday. (A cablegram stated that the R'imutaka was delayed by the State Department of the United States for consideration whether she would be allowed to proceed on her voyage because she was armed for defensive purposes.) DEUTSCHLAND ACTIONS. SECURITY LODGED IN AMERICA* Received 9.15 NEW YORK, Nov 21. Bonds have been lodged at New London for security in actions against the Deutschland. There is now no longer any legal restrictions against her departure. GREEK STEAMER SUBMARINED. NUMBER OF VICTIMS' UNKNOWN. Received 11.10. ATHENS, Nov 21. The Greek steamer Spasis was submarined not far from the scene of the submarining of the Angeliki. One was drowned, and it is feared there are more victims. THE DEUTSCHLAND. ONCE MORE GOT CLEAR.

Received 10.30. NEW YORK, Nov 21. The Deutschland has sailed.