THE GERMAN RETREAT

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 6 March 1917, Page 5

THE GERMAN RETREAT

CLOSING ON BAPAUME EXfIiAORDINAY AMERICAN POSITION '■■—l SENATE HAS NO POWER TO PROTECT THE NATION OWING TO AN OBSOLETE LAW NEW SENATE SUMMONED

ON THE WESTERN FRONT. A TURNING- MOVEMENT GENEVA, March 4. The Gazette de Lausanne states that the German General Staff anticipates a French offensive in Alsace, and professes expectation of the French violation of the Swiss territory via Damvant, Porrentruv, Charmouille, in the extreme north-west of Switzerland, for the purpose of executing a turning movement. The German side of the Alsatian frontier is now a mass of fortifications, and every farm and village is full of soldiers. BRITISH STLLL ADVANCING ONDON, March 4. Sir Douglas Haig reports —We attacked and captured the enemy front and support lines eastward of Bouchavesnes on a 1200 yards frontage. We heavily repulsed several counter-attacks The enemy continues to yield ground •eastward of Gommecourt, where we advanced to a depth of 1200 yards on a frontage of two miles.

BRITAIN’S MAN POWER 500,000 MEN WANTED Received 9.25 LONDON, MarehS Mr Neville Chamberlain, speaking at Whitfield’s Tabernacle, haid he had no. doubt that voluntaryism would provide sufficient men workers. There were already enrolled one hundred thousand, but we were determined to get five hundred thousand. GREECE. COMPENSATION DEMANDED A COUNTER CLAIM. Received 9.25 ATHENS. March 5. The French Minister discussed with M. Lambros the payment of damages arising out of the events of the ISt of December. M. Lambros preferred counter claims'for damages, allegedly due to the Allied occupation at certain parts of the city.

FRENCH SUCCESS PARIS, March 4. A communique says—There is violent artillery activity, east of the Meuse. { A German attack at Cohriers Wood, after an intense bombardment, reached our first line, but the enemy were completely ejected by our fire and counterattacks. Our line was maintained. WEATHER FAVOURS THE GERMANS

RUSSIAN POLITICS THE DUMA OPENS LONDON, March 5. The Daily Chronicle’s Pctrograd correspondent says that contrary to expectations, the session of the Duma has not yielded a sensation. Appeals by the district commandant, the president of the Duma and M. Milliukoff resulted In complete order at the "opening. This was a distinct gain, because the reactionaries aim rt securing a dissolution, "•'hereas it is mp c t important that the Duma should be able to raise its voice at the necessary moment. M. Galitzin did not declare the Government policy, and M. Protopopoff did not appear. A debate in the political situation showed that the relations of the Government and the country were unchanged. The internal crisis drags on. No concessions have been made to public opinion. Nothing has occurred to modify last session’s indications as to the policy of the Government. M. Milikuoff reaffirmed the need of victory and approved the Allies war aims. He outlined the Note of President Wilson and added —If we do not conquer with the Government we will conquer in spite 'of the Government, but we will be victorious. M. Cresnky (the Labour leader) referring to Constantinople, urged the Allies to abandon their Imperialistic schemes.

LONDON, March 4. Mr Gibbs writes —The weather still favours the German withdrawal. Owing to thick fogs the airmen arc helpless and the gunners are handicapped when direct observation would be most valuable. It is doubtful if anything sensational will occur for a few days. The only sensational thing yet has been the withdrawal itself The truth is simply that at the start the enemy decided to withdraw and made plans carefully in order to frustrate any British plans to deal a knock-out. The withdfawal also saves men by shortening the line. The movement was timed remarkably well. The Germans utilised the hard frost, over which guns and materials were moved, the last to go being the men when the ground was a quagmire. The German scheme is undoubtedly to d«lay our advance to the utmoit. The enemy hopes to impede our progress by

belts of barb wire and strong bodies

, of picked troops with machine guns, : %tlso masses of heavy guns east of Bapaume. They are holding Bapaume as a pivot while the troops swing back. However, the enemy’s hopes are not certainties. Their position is full of

BRITISH FOOD PROBLEM PRICE FIXING PROBABLE Received 9.25 LONDON, March 6. The Daily Telegraph says Lord Davenport will probably take important and far-rcaching steps this week regarding food supplies and prices, to meet traders who request higher prices in view of the restrictions on imports. Lord Davenport has decided that, in the event of officially scheduling prices to take prices as they were prior to Mr Lloyd George’s speech as a standard, unless there is good reason to the contrary. It is fully expected that the fixing of retail prices will further hit the small suburban shopkeepers, who already find it difficult to get supplies

danger. The British front was known to have

been recently extended south of the Somme. A French communique on the Bth of February still mentioned Deniecourt, north of Ablaincourt. Sir Douglas Haig first mentioned Ablaincourt on Thursday. It was then the southern most point hitherto mentioned in the British communiques. The British line now covers the whole of the attacking point in the Somme offensive. The Anglo-French junction when the offensive opened was near Maricourt. It now extends to Roye.

A GERMAN ATTACK.

Received 10.20

LONDON, March 5.

A French communique states that after intense bombardment in the region .of Cauriers Wood, on the right bank of the Meuse, the enemy violently attacked on a front of three kilometres, between Chambrelte’s Farm and Bezonvaux. The repeated as|aults between Cauriers Wood and Be TOnvaux failed. The enemy obtained a footing in our advanced elements north of Cauriers Wood, but our fire smashed all attempts to penetrate the wood, with heavy enemy losses.

ON THE SEA

destroyer mined .

SUNK WITH ALL HANDS,

LONDON, March 4,

The Admiralty reports that a destroyer was sunk with all hands in the North Sea on Thursday last. She pro--Ny struck an enemy mine.

AMERICAN AFFAIRS

POWER TO ARM MERCHANTMEN,

Received 9.25

WASHINGTON, March 5,

Tbirty-thrco Senators have given a pledge to amend the rules, thus preventing filibustering. Messrs Taft and Wykersham have made statements contending that President Wilson possesses the power to arm ships.

THE OBSOLETE LAW

IS NOT MANDATORY

Received 9.40

WASHINGTON, March 5,

In a later statement. President Wilson amended his reference to the old statutes which -he now reads as foxlows: “May raise insuperable obstacles and may nullify the President’s

power.”

The Senate minority is comprised of six Republicans and fiv e Democrats When the Senate meets on Monday for the inaugural ceremonies, an attempt will probably be made to amend the rules, meanwhile the matter is not being discussed, much to the disappointment of the public, which expected the President to act on his own responsibility. The New York World, and other newspapers vehemently condemn filibustering. Although the Chinese Cabinet decided to sever relations with Germany, the President did not approve of the Premier resigning.

Cyril Brown, cabling from Berlin, says the news regarding the German plot was received in Berlin with inmost calmness. Newspapers say it is a betrayal of Germany’s offer of an alliance with Mexico, and has been made capital of by President Wilson. The press contends that Germany is within her rights in proposing an alliance. A law of 1819 forbids merchantmen attacking warships of an unhostile power. The' Federal Trade Commission nas fixed the price of news print paper at 50 cents per hundred pounds. A WOULD-BE ASSASSIN,

Received 10.20

NEW YORK, March 5

At Hoboken, Fritz Kolb was arrested in a hotel, the room being filled with bombs and explosives. The police assert that Kolb confessed to making attempts on President Wilson’s life. AN EXTRAORDINARY POSITION. CONGRESS POWERLESS TO ACT. THE PRESIDENT CHECKMATED NEW YORK, March 4. The President has issued a statement that an old law prevents him from arming ships, unless authorised by Congress. NEW SENATE SUMMONED.

NEW YORK, March 4. President Wilson has called a special session of the new Senate for Monday. Received 9.10. NEW YORK, March 5.

President Wilson’s statement at the termination of the session disclosed a situation unparalleled in the history of the country. H e said, in the immediate presence of a crisis fraught with subtle possibilities of national danger than any Government had ever been faced with, the Congress has been unable to act as a safeguard for the country or vindicate an elementary right. The Senate is unable to act because eleven senators objected.. The Senate has no power whereby a debate can be limited, and therefore, it has proved impossible to extend power to the Shiping Board or increase the gold reserve to meet the needs of a new situation. If they called an extraordinary session the Senate’s paralysis would remain, as the majority is powerless. Thus, amidst a crisis of extraordinary peril, when only definite and decided action can make the nation safe and shield it from war by the aggression of others, action is impossible. The impression abroad will be that other governments can act as they please, as ther e is no fear of our Government acting. The explanation seems incredible. The Senate is the only legislative body in the world which cannot act when a majority wishes. A little group bf wilful men have thus rendered the great government ( of the United States helpless and The remedy lies in altering the rules so that the Senate will b e able to act. I believe the Senate can be relied on to do this and save our country From disaster. What has rendered the situation graver was the discovery that while it had been thought the President could do much, what lie had asked the Congress to do was impossible, because certain old statutes raised an insuperable obstacle, virtually nullifying his powers.

AUSTRIA AND GERMANY. ZIMMERMAN’S FATAL ADMISSION U.S. WILL SUPPORT ARMING MERCHANTMEN. WASHINGTON,, March 4. The small group opposing the Bill consisted of pacificists, of opponents of granting the President war powers and opponents of arming munition ships. Herr Zimmerman’s cynical admission as to the authenticity of the Note to Mexico and Japan caused widespread resentment, and there is now little doubt that the country will support President Wilson if he decides to arm ships, as an overwhelming majority in both Houses favour this course.

AMERICAN SENATE OPENED. WILSON’S INAUGURAL ADDRESS. AN IMPORTANT UTTERANCE. Received 11.35. WASHINGTON, March 5. President Wilson, in his inaugural address, said the blood of all the nations was now fighting. This made America’s composite and cosmopolitan people no longer provincial, but they were affected as to their mines, their industries, commerce, and social action, by the great world currents. America, however, demanded nothing for herself that she was unwilling to give to other nations. She was deeply wronged upon the seas but refrained wronging and injuring in return. She was now compelled to stand firm for armed neutrality, but may be drawn on by circumstances to a more active assertion of her rights.

America in peace or war stood for principles. All nations were equally interested in the world’s peace; in the political stability ,of free peoples, and were equally responsible for their maintenance. The essential principle of peace is the actual equality of nations in all matters, rights or privileges. That peace cannot rest upon the balance of'armed power. ; Governments were not drawing their powers from a Just consent of the governed, and ought to be supported by common thought. The purpose of the powers of the family of nations is that the seas ought to be equally free and safe for use by all peoples under rules set up by common agreement and consent, and , as far as practicable, equally accessible to all. That national armament should be limited to necessities of national order and domestic safety; that one State ought sternly to discourage any thing likely to encourage revolution in other States. it:/.

INCIDENTS OF THE WAR. CHINA’S FIRM ACTION LONDON, March 5 The Morning Post says the Chinese Cabinet decided to break off relations : with Germany and subsequently declare war. The President agreed subject to I Parliament’s approval. BULGARIA AND AMERICA LONDON, March 5 The Balkan Press Agency announces that the Bulgarian Minister at Washington has been instructed to demand his passports. MORE GERMAN INTRIGUE. PUNTA ARENAS, March 5 German intrigue has reached the Straits of Magellan, where the Consul and wealthy Germans organised and financed a seven week’s strike by shepherds and farm labourers, thus preventing the shipment of mutton to England. —a*— SPAIN FRUSTRATING SPIES. SHIPPING NEWS FORBIDDEN. Received 10.20. MADRID March 5. The Government has prohibited the publication of shipping arrivals, departures, and losses, in order to hinder the activities of spies. GERMANY MUST ACCOUNT FOR EMPLOYING FRENCH PRISONERS. Received 10.20. PARIS, March 5. Regarding the German employment of French prisoners behind their lines, the Government has given Germany a brief period within which she must reply.