WESTERN OFFENSIVE READY

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 31 January 1917, Page 5

WESTERN OFFENSIVE READY

HUGE STOCKS AND TRANSPORT FAOSLSTSES SATISFAGfSBY SETTLEMENT IN GREECE ALLIES’ DEMANDS COMPLIED WITH GREAT PEACE MEETING IN VIENNA AN APPEAL TO ENEMY COUNTRIES

ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

ENEMY SUCCESSES CLAIMED. BRITISH AND FRENCH ATTACKS REPULSED. LONDON, Jan 29. A wireless German official message states: “Wc repulsed three English waves of attack with heavy losses, north of Armenticres. “Repeated French attacks on Hill 300 were unsuccessful.

PREPARATIONS FOR OFFENSIVE COMPLETE.

GREAT STORES OF MUNITIONS AND MATERIALS. NEW ROADS AND RAILWAYS. Received 5.45. ! PARIS, Jan. 30. Correspondents insist that the French preparations for. an offensive are so complete that they are able to attack on a big scale wherever and whenever they choose, thus restoring the element of surprise absent at Loos, Champagne and the Somme; where the Germans were aware of concentrations of troops.' The French have now prepared vast j stores of ammunition and material, and ! laid great lengths of new roads and ■ xailwys.

THE LE TRANSLOY ATTACK,

J-K ASTONISHING PERFORMANCE. LONDON, Jan. 30. Mr Gibbs, Jn a brisk narrative of the surprise attack on Le Transloy on Saturday, says tbe objective was an important slope running to a ruined village, before which picked enemy troops were strongly entrenched. The whole operation was carried out with astonishing case, and 350 amazed Germans ■were bundled into London omnibuses and taken to internment camps before they quite realised that the attack had commenced. There wore no wire entanglements —only one or two shivering sentries. The Germans evidently believed that the British were equally anxious to remain in peace and quietness. There was no preliminary bombardment. At 5.30, after a terrific crash of artillery, Britishers scrambled over No Man’s Land. It took four minutes to cross one hundred yards of frozen quagmires, pock-holed with shellholes. No Germans were above ground when the British reached the enemy lines. The utter lifelessness of the place was curious and uncanny. Not a single machine-gun spat bullets of death. When the dug-outs were challenged Wurtemburgers came up dazed. The officers explained that they thought was a morning strafe. They had no idea it was an attack, and they asked, “How did you got here so quickly?” A few Germans who found time to recover, from the stunning blow fought pluckily until overpowered. The British went on another five hundred yards and dug in in the frozen ground. Others took possesion of dug-outs. Our artillery smashed counter-attacks, thanks to absolute observation of German movements from the higher ground won during the Somme battle.

german attack fails,

Received 9.15. LONDON, Jan 30. A French communique states that a grenade attack hy the Germans in the region of Hill 201 was smashed up by artillery fire. A coup-de-main north of Dadonvillers failed. Our artillery is active at East Seppoes. in Upper Alsace.

ENFORCED ALIEN LABOUR ORDERED.

Received 9.15. COPENHAGEN, Jan 30. Jjperman newspapers announce that tne general of the Ninth Army Corps has ordered enforced labour amongst enemy aliens.

GERMANY WILL FORESTALL ALLIED .OFFENSIVE.

I LONDON, Jan 29. j The “Exchange Telegraph” pub--1 lishes an article by Lieut. Puaux, formerly editor of “Le Temps,” and now attached to General Foch’s staff. The article points out that the old tradition with regard to winter quarters no longer exists, and also that Germany’s internal condition does not permit her to await the Entente’s process of exhaustion. o She is certainly feverishly preparing for a great effort, and her only hope of victory is by striking the Allies a stunning blow. It is useless for her to try and keep back her troops for the autumn, owing to the spectre of famine. We must expect victory or a confession of defeat. Germany must lose the game if she fails to obtain a satisfactory decision before June. Lieut. Puaux rejects the supposition that there will be German offensives at Salonika, Italy, or towards Petrograd, and only the West Front is left. The difficulty is to say where the German offensive will start. Certain indications suggest that Germany will immediately and simultaneously employ all her available troops, it will be a decisive objective and her rapreme effort. She may attempt to break through at the Anglo-French junction. The one thing certain is. that though her attack upon Verdun was a surprise, this one will not be.

MARSHAL HAIG’S REPORT,

LONDON. Jan 29. Fir Douglas Haig reports: We raid-

'd the enemy lines north-cast of Vermclles and bombed their dug-outs. Inflicting many casualties. We entered their positions north-east of Armsntferos and reached their third line an -1 destroyed their dug-outs, killing man--.here and in their trenches.

BELGIAN DEPORTATIONS

BELGIANS REFUSE TO WORK. Received 9.50. AMSTERDAM, Jan 30. The Echo de Melge states that 10,000 deported B'elgians at Soltau are refusing to work.

PEACE OVERTURES

GEEAT PEACE MEETING AT VIENNA. APPEAL TO WOMEN OF ENEMY COUNTRIES. Received 5.45. VIENNA, Jan. 30. A great peace demonstration of women resolved to appeal to women of enemy countries to declare their desire for peace.

PRESIDENT WILSON MAY TRY AGAIN.

TWO POSSIBLE COURSES. Received 5.45. NEW YORK, Jan. 30. The World’s Washington correspondent says Entente envoys expect the President will make another move towards peace. They consider there are two possible courses: first, he may formally invite official discussion by belligerents on the principles of his peace speech; second, he may invite the belligerents to send representatives to confer with the United States with a view to adopting general principles on a basis for an armistice pending actual peace treaties.

BRITISH FOOD PROBLEM

AN OFFICIAL DENIAL. LONDON, Jan. 30. Official.—Mr Anderson’s statement that England will shortly.- be r« + ioncd was unauthorised and is incorrect.

GREECE.

• • THE AMENDE HONOURABLE... AN INTERESTING CEREMONY. Received 8.45. ATHENS, Jan. 30. Tlie members of the Cabinet and United Athens Garrison attended at Zappelon esplanade, and the Allies’ flags wore grouped under the peristyle, where the Allied Ministers and chief oflicers stood. The Greek troops then lowered their flags to those of the Allies defiled before the peristyle, bands playing the Allies’ national anthems.

ATTEMPT TO INSTIGATE MOB LAW

POPULACE OVERAWED BY BLOCKADE. Received 9.15. ATHENS, Jan. 30. All Ycnczelists have been released. The Royalist Press attempted to instigate mob law, but the populace, frightened by the blockade, remained calm. The Royalist clique are losing heart, and are anxiously hoping for some German victory.

GREECE GROWN DESPERATE.

WHY CONSTANTINE COMPOUNDED LONDON, Jan. 30. The Chronicle ’s Athens correspondent says that the censorship holds up all but colourless news. It is evident that the blockade is being severely felt. Disturbances have occurred at Patras, where there were “ breadless ” demonstrations. The people raided cafes, smashed the King’s portrait, and cried “Long live the Entente and Vcnizelos and down with the tyrants. The so-called “blockade bread” contains only 30 per cent of white flour. It is in general use, and is used even in the royal household. Business is at a standstill and there has been no European mail since November. It is definitely stated that the Kaiser advised King Constantino to accept the Allies’ ultimatum, as the Germans were unable to despatch a force to the aid of Greece. PARIS, Jan. 30. The Greek Foreign Minister announces that the judicial authorities have ordered the dissolution of the Reservist Leagues, th e members of which have been already disarmed.

RELATIONS SATISFACTORY

RETURN TO NORMAL CONDITIONS Received 11.40. LONDON, Jan 30. An official telegram from Athens states that Prince Andrew of Greece led the cavalry in the march at the last ceremony of saluting the Allied flags. The public were not admitU but the behaviour of the crowd in tin streets was excellent. All other demands of the Allies are being met. The satisfactory relation between the Allies and the Greek Government may be regarded as indicat ing a return to normal conditions.

ALLIED CONFERENCE AT PETEOG-RAD.

PETROGRAD, Jan 30. Lord Milner has arrived to attend the important Allies’ Conference. The other British representatives are Lord Revelstoke, Generals Sir Henry Wilson, Hanbury and Williams, the Director of Munitions, and the military attache at Bucharest. France will be represented by M. Doumergue, Colonial Minister, and General Castlenan Italy by Signor Scialoja, Cabinet Minister, and General Laderchi. The British, French, and Italian Ambassadors will also attend.

ALLIED REPRESENTATIVES WEL COM ED.

PETROGRAD, Jan So. Lord Milner, Sir Henry Wilson Lord Revelstoke, General Castlenau, and other French and Italian delegates were heartily welcomed at Petrograd, where they attended a military and political conference similar to those held in London and Paris.

IN MESOPOTAMIA

EXPEDITIONARY FORCES PROGRESSING RAPIDLY. LONDON, Jan 28. An official message from Mesopotamia states: .We now hold the Turkish first and second lines south-west of Kut-el-Amara, on a front of 4300 yards, the third and fourth lines on a frontage of 600 yards. We counted 950 Turkish dead, and more were uncounted. We took 127 prisoners.

CLUB FOR LONELY OFFICERS

Received 9.15. LONDON, Jan. 30. Lloyds are loading in a movement to establish in the "West End a residential chib for lonely overseas officers, with two hund-v" 1 bedrooms and reading and smoke rooms.

ON THE SEA.

TUB GERMAN RAIDER. THE YARROWDALE ARRIVES. COPENHAGEN, Jan. 30. Twenty-six Swedish, Norwegian and American seamen and the Belgian crew of the Yarrowdale have arrived after a month’s internment at Neustrditz. They describe the new raider as a vessel of 12,000 tons, which is so excellently disguised that it is impossible to discover anything unlii the ports are 'opened,, disclosing S,he often carrier-; sails, hiding the deck. She is armed with four large and two smaller guns and four torpedo tubes. She is munitioned and provisioned sufficiently to keep at sea until April. The ship is quite new and bears the name Moewe. She frequently feigns distress. The Yarrowdale was brought to Ger-> many around the Faroes, along the Norwegian coast to Skan, thence through the Kattegat Sound to Swinenwende.

ALL ARMED MERCHANTMEN TO EE ATTACKED.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29. The German Embassy has made an inspired statement to the effect that German submarines will attack without warning all British merchantmen armed fore or aft. LONDON, Jan. 30. The Mothcran, of 7054 tons, has been sunk.

FURTHER SINKINGS

Received 11.40. LONDON, Jan 30. Sinkings: Norwegian, Argo, mined and nine lost at Hallbjoerg; British Cambrian Range; Portuguese, Tozdod ouro; Norwegian, Tberesdal (1752 y Fulton (1030).

THE FOUNDERED SUBMARINE

AFLOAT FOR FIVE DAYS. Received 11.40. CHRISTIANIA, Jan 30. The crew of the sunken German submarine state that for five days they endeavoured to keep afloat, until only the tower remained above water. They sent up rockets, attracting the attention of a Norwegian ship.

ENEMY’S FOOD SHORTAGE.

Received 11.40. AMSTERDAM, Jan 30. Herr Batocke, in a recent speech, declared the supplies would suffice only by the most careful distribution and economical use. Calculating potatoes into the value of corn., there would be during the current year two million tons of corn less for human and animal consumption. The assets from Roumania would only gradually improve the conditions owing to transport difficulties.

INCIDENTS OF THE WAR

ENGLAND'S MUNITIONERS. WORKING AT HIGH PRESSURE. LONDON, Jan 30. The Employment Exchange is advertising for 8000 women between the ages of eighteen and forty, to fill shells The wages will be about twenty-eight shillings daily.

GERMAN MUNITIONERS

LONDON, Jan 30. Groiter has ordered the maximum speed to be used in all the German munition works. He has mercilessly closed all the other industries, refusing to hear protests, and declaring that the army has no time to argue. It must have shells.

GERMAN SOCIALISTS MISLED,

Received 9.50. AMSTERDAM, Jan 30. Herr Schiedemann, speaking at Berlin on Sunday, opposed annexation, and declared that the Imperialists caused the war. The .Socialists granted war credits in 1914 because the Chancellor stated that the war was not one of conquest. They must now prevent the greedy Pan-Germans changing the policy.

OUR MINISTERS AT HOME.

AN APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE. SIR JOSEPH WARD AT EASTBOURNE. LONDON, Jan 30. Sir J. G. Ward, speaking at a War Loan meeting at Eastbourne, said: “The war is not going to be won by silver or golden bullets, but they required the copper bullet.” He urged that a greater effort should be made to obtain the support of the Kingdom. He added the Dominions had already contributed over 700,000 men, and they would provide a million, and go on until their efforts in conjunction with those of England wore successful.

IMPERIAL UNITY.

THREE VIEW POINTS. BY SOUTH AFRICA, AUSTRALIA, AND NEW ZEALAND. Received 9.5. LONDON, Jan 30. The quarterly review contains three contributed articles giving the South African, Australan, and New Zealand viewpoint of Imperial unity. The Australian writer says it is unlikely Australia will accept a situation committing her to a policy wheren her people will have no voice; yet every sentiment repels the notion of separation. The South African writer dwells on the increasing sentiment in South Africa. which is against any re-construc-tion that will reduce the existing selfgoverning rights. The New Zealand writer finds marked differences of opinion in the methods to bring about a closer union. Seme consider that although the present co-operation stood the strain of the present crisis, it is doubtful whether it will suffice for the future. Nearly all agree that Canada is the crux of the situation, and speculate about the position when Canada’s population exceeds the Motherland’s. Most of these who favour the change are chary of committing themselves to details. Very few New Zealanders will agree to surrender their present autonomy for a more or less nominal representation in the Empire, fearing the silken ties will be replaced by galling fetters. There is a concensus of opinion among New Zealand jurists that any proposal to substitute a written constitution for Dm present unwritten one. should not, be adopted light-heartedly. ■ More frequent meetings of the Imperial Conference would remove irritations like the double tax, together with an interchange of army and navy officers. Cheapened cables would great!}- help the unifying process.

LATEST CASUALTIES

LONDON, Jan. 29. Brigadier-General Walter Long, the eldest son of the Eight Hon. Walter Hume Long, Colonial Secretary, has boon killed in action. The Eight Hon. W. H. Long is the seventh Cabinet Minister to lose his son in action.

THE CLERGY AND THE WAR

Received 9.50. LONDON, Jan 30. The Bishops have refused permission to clergymen to enlist in the army on legal ground. Many clergymen are now offering for the national service scheme, in which the Bishop of Salisbury strongly encourages them.

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

BREACH OP CONTRACT. Received 9.15. SYDNEY, Jan. 31. Meredith and Co., of New Zealand, secured a verdict for £241, the full amount claimed, from Foley Bros., for alleged breach of contract in connection with the sale of chaff.

NO CONFIDENCE MOTION,

BRISBANE, Jan. 31. In the Assembly the leader of the Opposition gave notice of a no-confi-dence motion because of the Governments’s incapacity in the conduct of public business.

RETURNED AftfZACS

MELBOURNE, Jan 30. Mr. S. A. Whiteman, of Rabaul, has written to Mr. Hughes suggesting that returned sodiers, and especially those disabled, could be profitably placed as small planters in the coastal territories of New Guinea and the neighbouring islands. It would be necessary to subsidise them for six years until the cocoanuts bear. They could then be left to enjoy life.

DAYLIGHT SAVING

SYDNEY, Jan 30. Alderman Auburn, of the Municipal Council, in supporting a resolution protesting against Daylight Saving, advanced a surprising aspect by assert ing that the statistics showed an increase in immorality, red plague and illegitimacy since the introduction of the Early Closing Act.