Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1914-11-20
WILL WAGE WAR TO :. -
EXHAUSTION POINT
DURATION QUESTION OF MEN
AND MUNITiON, SAY 'f n
FRENCH EXPERTS. 49,.
New York WOrld.)

| \ANCW lolh Vol AosI
Several of the leading military ex-
perts of France have been interview
ed by The World correspondent as to
their views concerning the probable
duration of the war and it's future
character.
From the opinions obtained it will
be seen that the experts are unani-
nous in the view that the war prob
ably will be waged to a point Of ex-
haustion, and must consequently be
long drawn out. But as to when the
point of exhaustion is likely to come,
none of the four experts who con-
sented to speak on the subject would
hazard definite opinion. All agree
that the economic and financial fac
tors are of final importance, for 1t is
taken for granted by all these ex-
perts that the military operations of
the war can only end in one way
namely, the complete triumph of the
allies. t+3
Col. Bossonnet, who writes for the
Temps, refers the solution of the
problem to a question of men and
munitions. 1t was, he says, largely
due to deficiency in respect of mu-
nitions that the French retreat to the
Marine had to be made. 5a5,-i
1.-THE allies are now better off in
both these respects than the Ger
MANS" said Col. Boissonnet, land
will continue increasingly to be so.
Apart from the French reserves we
can now expect constantly fresh
supply from England and her depend
encies. The useless expenditures of
ammunition on both sides at the be-
ginning of the war was enormous,
but there is now greater economy on
this head.
A "War of Trenches" ,yas 4.
1T is likely, consider, that the
retreat of the Germans will grow
faster as they are. pushed further
back. Once driven from Northern
France their next line Of defense will
be that of the Mouse, along line
extending from Brussels through
Liege and Namur down to Sedan and
Verdun, while their third and last
line of defense will be along the
Rhine and Moselle, from Cologne
through Mainz and Treves to Metz.
II believe it will be war OF
trenches throughout, and for that
reason a protracted one, but while
the economic factors are Of ultimate
Importance the great present factor
is the supply of artillery and munir
lions. The policy Of violent attacks
is too expensive in human life, and,
it is the object of the allies to econo-'
mize our men as much as possible"
Gen. Humbel, who in forty-seyen
years. service has been through thir-
teen campaigns, says he is no prophet.
but he considers the war will be one
to the point of exhaustion, and its
duration must depend on factors
which cannot be foreseen, but mostly
Of the economic kind. At the pres
emit moment neither side has q SUM-
cient supply of trained officers left, 50.
many have been killed, wounded, or
captured already. 100
Gen. Humbel thinks the allies Will
reach Berlin before the Russians, the
latter being delayed by the fact that
the Russian railway gauge is differ
emit from that of Prussia. He indor-l
SEES the opinion of Cen. Boissonnet
that the next line OF German defense
will be that of the Mouse. followed
by that of the Rhine and Moselle.
Expects German Retreat.
aa Gen. Cherfils, who is writing for
the Echo de Paris. says that the dura-
ton of the war will chiefly depend on
the success of the Russians, but al
lowing for progress on their side sim
liar to that of the allies, another
three months should see the Germans
out of France and Belgium. At the
same time there are many other fac
tors to be considered, but chiefly the
economical factor. 4stNasa 1