AUSTRO-GERMANY.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1916, Page 5

AUSTRO-GERMANY.

; FICTITIOUS "INDEPENDENCE." V ARTIFICIAL POLISH ENTHUSIASM. Amsterdam.. Nov. fi. A German semi-official message states 'that demonstrations in Warsaw followed the proclamation of the independence' of Poland lasting till late in the evening. Thousands sang the old Polish National Anthem in front of the castle and town hall. General von Besseler, after ■.•carting th? proclamation, said he hoped the Polish army .would stand prepared for its protection. He denied the suggestion that the (ieimans wanted soldiers. It must be recognised that Poland had been a soldier country. With the exception of tlie semi-official messag.; published in the Nord Deutsche Zeitung the German newspapers do not comment. It is believed to have been forbidden, lest it should interfere with the artificial enthusiasm. It is pointed out that the proclamation effects only Russian Poland. HYPOCRISY OF PROPOSALS. A POLISH ARMY WANTED. Paris, Nov. ft. The Journal des Debats points out the liyprocisy of the Austro-Germnn proposals about Poland. Austria and Germany have not succeeded in agreeing about the settlement of the Polish problem, but as the troops are not sufficient to cover all the fronts it has been resolved forcibly to enrol the Poles able to fight. They have already taken a census and are now committing an abominable iniquity by promoting a conquered country -to the position of a friendly allied kingdom. A Berne wireless message says that during the consideration of, the scheme for granting fictitious independence to Poland in order to raise a, Polish army for Germany an Austro-German census of occupied territory showed that upwards of a million Poles would be available to be pressed or enticed into the service. Washington, Nov. 6. A Beilin wireless message asserts that there was indescribable entousiasin at Warsaw. Veterans wept tears of joy. Copies of the proclamation were distributed to the paraders in the streets. AUTONOMY BUT A SUBTERFUGE. SUPPLEMENTING ARMY AT EXPENSE OF POLISH HOPES, Received Nov. 7, 10 p.m. London, Nov. fi. Paris newspapers universally declare that Poland's autonomy is a subterfuge, designed to supplement the depleted armies at the expense of Polish hopes. The Chronicle's Amsterdam corespondent states that German newspapers have for months ingeniously .attempted Ito prepare the Polish feeling for flocking to the German colors in flattering and persuasive articles appreciative of the iPolish detachments. They emphasise the advantage of the creation of a buffer State protecting East Prussia, and significantly add: "We may not always have a Jlmdenlnirg to deal with the Russian menace." THE REAL PURPOSE RAISING 700,000 POLES TO FIGHT V FOR GERMANY. » Received Nov. 7, 8 p.m. London, Nov. 7. It is reported that Hindenlmrg Ims insisteJ upon the immediate raising ot 700,000 Polish levies. A SIGNIFICANT STATEMENT. Geneva, Nov. 0. A wireless- message states that Conn* Buriiin informed a Polish deputation that automony will not commence until after the war. AMERICA'S WISE DECISION Washington, Nov. 0. Officials say that the United States will not recognise the independence of Poland before the conclusion of peace. Its future must be settled by the peae> negotiations. MORE HUN VICTIMS London, Nov. fi. The. Daily Chronicle's Paris correspondent say.? ' the Germans have created special eouits in Alsace and Lorraine for the punishment of sympathisers with the Allies. The French language is forbidden, and Strasbourg prison is full of Alsatians for speaking French. During July the sentences in the Alsace and Lorraine courts totalled 3000 years. '■ POLICE TYRANNY. Amsterdam, Nov. 6. In the Reichstag, the speeches of Socialist Deputies exposed the police rule in Germany. They stated that, the system of denunciation by agents-provoca-teurs was in full swing. Suspected persons were deprived of their freedom without the possibility of stating their defence. Dr. Mehring, the brilliant historian, was arrested in this manner. Frau Rosa Luxemburg was imprisoned for many months in a cell reserved for prostitutes without being charged. In order to secure evidence the agents-pro-vocateurs offer recruits money and exemption from military service to supply information.