AUSTRO-GERMANY.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1916, Page 5

AUSTRO-GERMANY.

FEVERISH TRANSPORT ACTIVITY. FRANZ JOSEF ILL. ' .' Received Nov. 19, 5.5 pm. Rotterdam, Novels. Olfag to the pressure caused by the transport of provisions and war material, general railway transport in Germany ■ has been, suspended for three days. This lias weakened the Bourse. Reports'state that the Emperor Franz Josef has a serious cough, is very weak, «nd receives only two or three visitors daily. Amsterdam, Nov. 18. The Vossiche Zeitung states that ■ Franz Josef will, on the anniversary of j ; accession day (December 2) announce that in future he will exercise certain sovereign powers jointly with his heirapparent. > A TERRIBLE CRISIS. ..) HINDENBURG'S LETTER TO EOLLWEG. " Rcuter Service. \ ■Received Nov. 19, 5.5 p.m. Amsterdam, Nov. 18. Field-Marshal von Hindenburjr, in a ;lctter to Herr von Bethmann-Hollweg, says that Germany is facing a terrible crisis, and that great changes arc neces":sary to meet it. He denounces the food department's failure tp cSequately feed ,t)ie munition workers, the greed of the agrarians in retaining their products, ' and the sluggishness of the officials, who fail to realise that this is a life and death war. INCREASED POOD FOR MUNITIONERS.

deceived Nov. 18, 5.5 p.m. Rotterdam, Nov. 18. ! 'An important feature of the German J consists of a measure to obtain increased supplies of food for munition and industriarworkers in the • winter. Every private interest wll be ; sacrificed to increased production, and munition workers will have the first t call on foods, especially fats. t. ■ PUTTING THE SCREW ON THE v. POLES. t - Berne, November 17. 'Herr von Bethmann Hollweg, addressing the Grand Committee of the 'Reichstag, said Germany's promise to create a new Kingdom of Poland was : only conditional. Its fulfilment depends upon the success of the scheme to raise a Polish army to fight for Germany. If an insufficient number of Poles enlist ' voluntarily Germany would introduce compulsion. If the Poles resisted, or projected a Polish army unsatisfactory to the General Staff the Kaiser would annul the promise to create a new kingdom. Times Service. Amsterdam, November 17. A Vienna telegram announces that in order to conform with international law and give the new Polish army a belligerent Power status, it is necessary to • embody Polish troops in the German , army. P.eutei Service. German papers state that the enrolment of Polisa volunteers will begin on November 22. The Germank says a Vice-Regent will be appointed until a King is elected. ' BISK OF RUPTURE WITH AMERICA. London, November 17. Baron Bnrian, who is visiting Bt-rim, is ?aid to have conferred with Herr von Bcthmann-Hoiiweg as to whether there ; was a ri»k of a rupture with the United States by continuing the submarine policy. Germany lias just received a ver- ' Vial warning" that President Wilson's > patience is almost exhausted.