The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-25
FRONT FIRM,
ASSERTS ARCFIDUI<E FREDERICK


! OF war Practically the same
..,a,,ions would exist II man9uvres
40 being conducted on q large scale.
-ssre are a good many distinguished
asrsrs in evidence and trains filled
ash soldiers are constantly arriving
| and departing.
Tbere IL no excitement, however, no
n,,Ing or fretting. but. on the con-
cary a tranquility and . businesslike
CAV Of going about things which makes
~, more like an every day AFFAIR than
az tragedy which It 10
7, u only when one stands and
..fehse the Red Cross trains and auto
s,ssports. with their loads Of wounded
IA msimed humanity. that the misery Of
n vhole thing becomes apparent. II
4 AMY then that the civilian observer
"a understand what nerves Of steel
go men must have who are now
S,e.,ng the operations in the field.
rr,sedy, however, has its elements OF In
ts,est and I recall having listened sym.
realistically TO a young princess who
nd become broken in health while
sunlns wounded soldiers at the front
sad who though hardly yet recovered
n exceedingly anxious to get back to
bw post.
But I am getting ahead Of my story.
n order 70 get to headquarters one must
esny with him . very formidable look
M document and must submit II to
frouuent examination. When he has
arrived no may see much or nothing, ac-
eseding as he impresses those who are
rlaesd in charge Of him during his stay.
must have made a fairly favorable i'm
sresson, as I saw a good deal and was
treated with exceptional courtesy and
consideration.
On the evening Of my arrival I was
Invited 10 dinner in q wonderful castle,
located about twenty miles from the
had centre OF military movements ana
surrounded on all sides by the foothills
O. the Carpathlans. On arriving there
! found that the Archduchess Isa-
bella, the wife OF the royal commander
IN chief. was also a guest. and that she
wished TO see me and to talk over my
prUrsmme can never be sufficiently
grateful TO this gracious lady who took
No in hand. treated me during my stay
member OF her distinguished family
and arranged for me interviews which
n one but a royal parsonage could think
q arranging Her brother-in-law the
A-chduke Karl Stephan. had told me in
Vienna that she had the best head
among the royal women OF Europe.
have many good reasons TO know that
hr heart is as good as her head and
that her wishes and desires are treated
With marked consideration by Austrian
caliy.
Al the dinner I met a good many
iisnsuehcd soldiers. princes. counts.
barons and others of the titled nobility.
rho arc proving in this crisis the truth
" The old axiom "noblesse oblige." The
ccnr'rsation naturally turned upon the
var and | was surprised at the modera.
TOT ard al the absence OF bitterness
manifested in speaking OF the enemy.
70 the plain Russian rank and file they
Md a good many tributes during the
course Of the evening. The prevailing
opinion seemed to he that the latter
vr1 rather poor on the offensive. but
'ha. hey had few equals when 1t came
70 lying down and holding a position.
Sme o. the Russian officers, from thel-
point OF View. had acted very badly.
The had looted chateaus and castles
" their furniture. pll:e. linen. &c. and
many Of them had paid more attention
70 punder than 10 the real business OF
va
w 'IN 'uSNtChS lleN ldu nolnlng
tn' 'h" most supreme contempt. Officer
aver officer assured me that they repre-
sE''ed The very poorest branch of the
russian service and they were practi-
ally worthless from military stand-
p'nt young Hungarian comma nder
" cavalry division had had good
3'ai % 10 with them during the early
'aseS Of the war. and his chief r,Src.
va that ne could never get close
cough 10 them to have what might be
.a.cd real tight
Ih'} viii neither attack" he said.
nor VA, to he attacked. Their horses
rt sha.i and hardy and as they can
I'VE On Little or nothing are very useful
wartime The men. however. are a
error only 10 the civil population and
'o1-combatan,s. They are really
oAiag more OF less than brigands.
zoe foe il loot!ng and terroriz!ug
90 men, women ana children. They have
r'a'ed ne villagers in some parts OF
ra'ira with great brutality. but this
'eE Oh only after the main Russian
T"' mad passed and when there was
10 enemy IN sight.
Our soldiers are positively glad to
H'- brush with these far famed and
"-C' ''e'ratc1 troopers Of the Russian
'Nfp''. 'or hey know that they are ar
- o"drds and will hy at the first
* % r"d! resistance. Yes, ] want to
".ea' :. their forte is looting, outraging
"''h'elfSs womanhood and butchering
,y'-tcH.t'ants. | would ask nothing
use lNaH 60 have my single division
'"Nd.. pittei against all the Cos
''.'. ".o ar" now at the front, and !
- '"s ,I'c.y certain that my troopers
.''1 com, forth victorious from the
.H.1gg'er"
~ me morning | was informed that.
.Huhe Frederick, commander in
'el OF all the Austro-Hungar!an forces.
''4.I receive me at IL :45 and that
- her 70 the throne would receive me
"et IN the day. Promptly at the hour
Hpolh''d J was present at the head
quarters and was ushered into the pres
o' g'.zzled old soldier whose face
F"s ~Foug resemblance 20 that o!
zen Won llndenburg. Germsny's great
w nero AT tho present moment. He
eosHed me with the utmost cordially
so spoke with considerable frankness
'le military situation. giving me per-
MISSION before ! departed to reproduce
's remarks for the benefit OF my Ameri-
'sn leaders.
may ne permitted TO add too that
we Archduke entertsins no doubts as to
Wv sblity Of the Austrian forces to hold
we RUSSIANS in check or that the ulti-
"s's outcome on the eastern frontier
wa be favorable to Austro-German
inns ! think the reader, however, will
Se'er 70 ind these views expressed in
'le Field Marshsl's own words
lou may say in the first place that
vf soldiers in the field are animated
W me most admirable spirit Of pa
,,H' devotion and that in this war
national defence there Is, throughout
we nation Al large, and particularly
.smong the Austro-Hungar ian rank and
Inc utmost and most comp'ete