AUSTRO-GERMANY.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1918, Page 5

AUSTRO-GERMANY.

GERMAN DEMANDS,

AUSTRIA RELUCTANT TO ACCEPT. Received Aug. 21, 5.5 p.m. Amsterdam, Aug.' 20. German and Austrian newspapers are very uneasy. They doubt whether any real agreement was reached at the recent conference at German headquarters. Newspapers in Vienna indicate that Austria has not yet submitted to the German demands. The Germans are trying to drive a hard bargain, but the Government hesitates to accept. The Lokai Anzeiger states it has been decided that Courland, Esthonia, and Livonia shall be joined to Prussia under a Prussian duke, probably one of the Kaiser's sons. Lithuania is to become a kingdom under Duke Uracil, while Finland's king will probably be Duke Adolf Friederieh of Mecklenburg.

Thp Vorwaerts declares that the Polish question is still unsettled.—Press Association.

GROWTH OF " DEFEATISM."

AN' INCREDIBLE CHANGE. Received August 22, 1.20 am. Rome, August 20. The Giornale dltalia says that "defeatism" is progressing alarmingly in Germany. The popularity of the military idols is disappearing. e The change from the truculent spirit since last month is almost incredible.— Press Assoc.

WORKING-CLASS DISCONTENT

SERIOUSLY INCREASING. Received August 22, 1.20 a.m. London, August, 20. The Central News' Hague correspondent states that the German workingclass discontent is seriously increasing.

An agitator named Dreese, a friend of the Bolshevik Joffre, has formed a workers' soldiers' association.—Press Assoc.

ADVANCES TO TURKEY. Received Aug. 21, 715 pm. Berne, Aug. 20. Germany has consented to make large new financial advances to Turkey.—AusN.Z. Press Assoc.

A DISASTROUS EXPLOSION. Berne, Aug. 20An entire petroleum train exploded on Thursday at the station of Erlan (Hungary), causing imuiease damage to telegraphs and telephones. Communications betn een Budapest and northern Hungary were interrupted.—Reuter.

OZEOHO-SLOVAK UNION. Washington, Aug. 20. A manifesto issued by the Czechoslovak National Council at Prague outline* a programme for the union of the Ozncho-Slovaks into one nation. It declares that Bohemia shall rise again from the grave and take her place amongst the free lands.

Cieeh newspapers counsel aptience, as German machine-guns are ready to suppress the Bohemian independence movement. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc-