AUSTRO-GERMANY.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1917, Page 5

AUSTRO-GERMANY.

KAISER'S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE. WILL MAKE FINAL PEACE OFFER. FATE OF SERBIA AND ROOJANIA. I. Berne, Dec. lfl. A telegram from Berlin states tliat the Kaiser, in a Christinas mesasge to the German people, declares that be will make a final offer of peace, and its rejection will impose on the enemies all the responsibility for the bloodshed in lfl] 8. The None Freie and Fieichspost state thnt the Central Empires will impose such peace conditions on Serbia and Roumania tliat both henceforward will be economically dependent on Germany and Austria. . TIRPITZ'S HOPES. CONCILIATORY PEACE REPUDIATED. v Received Dec. 17, 7.55 p.m. Amsterdam, Dec. lfl. Admiral von Tirpitz, speaking af Berlin, repudiated the idea of' a conciliatory peace. Referring to the construction of a Channel tunnel, he said it would be necessary for Germany to retain Flanders, Antwerp, Ostend. and Zecbruggc, and also take Calais and Boulogne. Germany would not part with Flanders. She must also retain Bviey and Longwy as essential to her trade. He added: "We know how to impose such conditions upon our enemies as will guarantee that Germany will secure all the raw materials now lacking." \ AN OFFICIAL REPORT. I*HE USUAL SUCCESSES CLAIMED. Beeeived Dec. 17, 5.55 p.m. London, Dec. 16. Wireless German official: We advanced our lines to the park at Polderhoek Chateau. English attacks at Monnehy and Bullecourt failed. The Austrians stormed positions southward of Col Caprille and took several hundred ■prisoners. An armistice was signed at Brest Litovsk yesterday. It begins on December 17 and ends on January 14, and unless a week's notice is given the armistice continues automatically. It extends to all land, air and naval forces of the common fronts. Peace negotiations will begin immediately. MUNITIONS FACTORY BLOWN UP. Received Dec. 17, 7.55 p.m. , Copenhagen. Dec. lfi. The Sven Sfcadabladet reports that a big ammunition factory, mainly of zeppelin and aeroplane bombs, was blown up near Kiel. A number of persons were killed and the buildings were entirely demolished. '

KILL! KILL! KILL! I :i GERMANY'S NEW HYMN OF HATE. London; Nov. 15. An Amsterdam message says that the Fatherland Party's competition for a new Hymn of 'Hate for Germany pro-* duced 3000 entries. Most of the efforts were condemned on the ground tliat they were not sufficiently patriotic. At Turin, before the offensive against Italy began, German soldiers were incited by the distribution of the new hymn, which says: "Sons of Germany, the great hour has come. Neither women nor children must be spared, for the children of the vanquished '• may some day vanquish yours. Forward! Shatter, destroy, thrust, burn, kill, kill, kill!" EXPLOSION AT ZEPPELIN WORKS. Paris, Dec. 16. A Zurich message reports an explosion at the zeppelii> works at Friedrickshafen. Many were k injured.