GENERAL ITEMS.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1915, Page 5

GENERAL ITEMS.

NOTES FROM THE TIMES. A FRONTIER (PROBLEM, London, Dec, 15. A German wireless telegram quotes the Tageblatt as stating that Bulgaria is offering Greece to create a neutral zone five miles from the frontier, not to be occupied by Greek or ißulgar troops, but permitting the Austfo-Germaas to pursue the Allies. GERMANY WANTS PEACE. The Voasiche Zeitung says it is true that Germany wants peace,- but slie wants her enemies to declare that they are prepared to negotiate peace on the basis of necessity. The Tagetrtatt ig not satisfied with Herr von Bethmann-HoUweg, but admits that he has not closed the door to peace.

HAMBURG A DEAD CITY. The Hamburger Fremdenblatt urges that the Orient express, instead of running from Berlin to Constantinople, should start from Hamburg and make it the world's greatest commercial city. New canals and railways ought to be built along the Elbe, Weser and Rhine to facilitate German trade from north to south as the result of the opening of the gate to Bulgaria and Constantinople. London must abandon her claim to be the ruling centre Of the wbrld's tfade. THE TIMES .CRITIC AGAIN.

Colonel Repington says that life temporary misfortunes we are suffering are entirely of our own contriving. It Was not the Germans* who compelled its to send a military expedition to the Dardanelles, to plunge into the deserts of Mesopotamia in blissful ignorance of what awaited us, and to inunure ourselves in the Salonika trap. It was the higher direction of the war in London that involved us, wasted half a million men, tarnished the glory of our arms, and half ruined our prestige. Kevertheless the position in sound. Exasperation against the English is the keynote of every Gelman discourse. This" is due to the fact that we have brought the German plans to nought. There is a strong probability that they will endeavor in the West to recover their lo3t initiative, and appearances point to an attack oh Egypt in January, when the Belgrade-Sofia railway has been repaired. Four German army oajg will join up with 350,000 Turks, vigor and decision are indispensable the successful defence of Egypt and "th« (aula line of communications «*»t v