AUSTRO-GERMANY.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 January 1918, Page 5

AUSTRO-GERMANY.

ARMY DISArF'ICTiONO KX'riUE companies :j(iot me:; deserting in thousands, DRASTIC MEASURES TAAiIJ, Uult<al Pri>«». •Received Jan." 50, fc.s p.m. New York, Jan. W. The United Petrograd correspon* dent reports that wholesale disaffection* aie spreading throughout the Austro* German army. Entire Austrian companies hare been shot for aynmathifling with Russian Soe-tallsm. thousand~arined Germans nave joined the fast-growing number of deserters. Hindenlmrg is strenuously endeavoring to put down insubordination, and lias orelayed a thousand to be ihat for rcfuaingfto obey their officers.

STRIKES IN AUSTRIA. WAR INDUSTRIES CLOSET SERIOUS RIOTING AND PDXAGIIttJ, Received Jan. 20,11.40 p.m. Berne, Jan.-lff. The Neue.Freie Press reports that th« strike movement is general throughout lower Austria, Trieste and the Trietf* valley . All war industries in Vienna and its neighborhood are shut, and there art 10,000 strikers in the Wiener Neusttdt locomotive and munition works. Machine, metal and transport workers form the principal body of strikers. Very serious rioting has occurred in Vienna, Gratis and Salzburg. Over eighty stores, food and clothing shops, and several restaurants in Vienna were pillaged! The police intervened. Many on both sides were injured. The garrison refuted to march against the strikers. Tiiu whole of Bohemia is in a state of commotion, .Soldiers fired on the riot-ertwat Prague and Palsen. ~ THE b fARVATION PINCH*.. STOMACHS AND NERVES AFFECTED, / New York, Jan. 18. Mr. Grasty, cabling to the New Yorlc Times, states: "I find ever-increasing eridcnce in 'Holland and Switzerland that, Germany is feeling the pinch of starve* tion. The strict enforcement of tha' blockade is affecting the Germans' stomach and nerves, therefore they will shortly make a last desperate effort. ITiei Allies' military leaders believe they will strike hard on the Franco-British and Italian fronts, and will utiliso all their submarines, send cruiser U-boats to American waters, and use deadlier gases and bigger guns." Mr. Grasty adds: "But the Allies are thoroughly'prepared to meet the onslaught cQflfidently and '"»« fliuciiingly."