UNITED STATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1915, Page 7

UNITED STATES.

RUPTURE WITH AUSTRIA PENDING. MUNITIONS WORKS DESTROYED. Washington, Dee. 10. A diplomatic rupture with Austria is .impending unless Austria disavows the /sinking- of the Ancona. Now York, Dee. 10. An explosion in Pennsylvania destroyed the Tiethelehem Steel Company's plant engaged in making munitions. Several men were killed and fifteen injured. The destruction at. Hopewell, Virginia, due to the explosion at the Dupont Powder 'Works, lias rendered 25,000 people homeless. The infuriated people lynched a negro who was caught looting. Martini law has been declared, and suspected persons with German sympathies have been arrested. Munition shipments to the Allies will suffer heavily.

A PRO-GERMAN SENATOR. Washington, Dee. 10. , Senator Hoke Smith, in Congress, demanded >tliat Britain cease to interfere with American shipping, lie alluded to Britain's increased lawlessness and her trampling on neutral rights, pointing out that the United States was not a dependency of Britain. He said that Germany was quite as good a friend to the United States as Britain was.

PEACE TALK. THE POPE'S LETTER. SEVERELY CRITICISED. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, Dec. 10. The Times correspondent at Rome says the Pope's letter has been most unfavorably received here, except in ultraclerical circles. Many sincere* Catholics are dismayed at the Pope's attitude, choice of language, peace references and complaints of inconvenience at the Vatican all indicating prospects of an active revival of the Rome question. The Tribuna says it is impossible to imagine a peace that does not favor one side, seeing that the war broke out because one belligerent alone aimed at unjustly overpowering the enemy; therefore peace cannot be concluded until these aims are completely frustrated. The Giornale d'ltalia publishes a conversation with Monsignor Tedesehi, one of the Pope's under-secretaries of State. He said it was unfair to criticise the Pope for not condemning certain actions, because he needed a proper invitation. Interrogated, Monsignor Tedesehi said the Pope was willing to adjudicate on any specific point if the parties submitted it beforehand for a verdict.

The Giornalc suggests that the belligerents should ask the Pope whether the invasion of Belgium was legitimate.

GERMANY. PRESS COMMENTS. ON THE SITUATION. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, Dec. 10. The Berliner Tageblatt says it is plainer than ever that the Dardanelles undertaking is hopeless. It would have been abandoned long ago if it had been as easy to get out of the jawa of the lion as to get in. England's attempt to conquer Mesopotamia has completelv failed. The Vossielie Zeitung; discussing the future of Serbia, says the prevailing Hungarian view that it would not be wise to incorporate Serbia in AustriaHungary is increasing among Slavs to a daugerous extent.

THE DARDANELLES. ACTIVITIES RESUMED, VIGOROUS ARTILLERY ACTION. Rome, Dee, 10. Advices from Salonika state that important activities have been resumed on the Gallipoli Peninsula, and that many German sections are passing through Bulgaria towards Turkey. Amsterdam, Dec. 10. There is vigorous artillery lighting at the Dardanelles. AFRICA. TREATMENT OF JIEfiKLS, Capetown, Dec. 10. Mr. Merriman's amendment, recommending' clemency to rebels in individual cases, to Mr. Hertzog's motion proposing an amnesty, was carried by 81 votfcs to 26. T(ie minority consisted of Nationalists.