Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-14
AUSTRO-HUNGARy
VERY TIRED OF WAR
High and Low, Rich and Poor,
Pray for Slaughter
to Cease.
HARASSED ON EVERY SIDE
Roumania Pressing for Millions
She Exacted as Price
of Peace.

Especial Cable to The Times Dispatch.1
LONDON. February 13-An American
who has Just returned from Austro-
Hungary says 1t is only necessary for
one to stay there a few days to SEQ
plainly that the inhabitants are thor
oughly sick and tired OF the war
men, women and children, high and
low rich and poor This observer gave
an interview on condition that he re-
main anonymous.
las the Austrians look back to those
first days In August. when, with an en-
thusiasm amounting to positive frenzy,
they declared war on little Serbia:
bands banging through the streets,
orchestras on the sidewalks wildly fld-
ding. men yelling. boys throwing hats
In afr-as they look back over that
turbulent scene. they find in the cold,
gray dawn Of reality much solid food
for thought" he said
ITO add to the difflculty-one which
Austria never really thought seriously
of-there Is Roumania. who has not
been at all kind OF late Last summer
she served notice on her western
neighbor that the price OF peace was
W 100000. Austria protested wildly,
but finally gave $40.00O,0Oo on account.
which, however. did not make much
difference, because 1t was borrowed
from Emperor william: but now, that
Is to say, during the last ten DAVIS.
Roumania has been pressing her claim
for the remaining $40. 600. 600 in a man.
ner most distressing to Hungary In
short. Roumania is thinking very Sc
riously of taking Pennsylvania Great
quantities of natural gas, silver. coal
and petrol have lately been developed
thing to do with the idea. but that OF
course. Is n detail Roumania, never
theless. has become very annoying.
BLOODY WAR MACHINERY
CANNOT BE STOPPED
But the perplexing feature of the
whole matter, from the standpoint
here. seems to be that the bloody piece
| or machinery that they were so easily
able to set In motion last August will
| not stop running now-it keeps wildly
running on"
| Every Austrian officer have talked
! to has been loud and outspoken in the
| cause OF peace. One cavalry captain.
whom I met on the train leaving
Vienna. frankly admitted he had seen
enough. He was then on his way to
st. Morttz, where his wife had villa,
and where he expected to spend the
winter. His place had been filled by
German officer. as was the case with
many others.
! las to the Austrian as n soldier. 1t
can be said that. leaving out his Of
! fcers, he starts even with the best
! European armies. His equipment is
good. He wears II warm, gray uniform
similar to the German. only without
the headgear. stout boots and short
| leggings. He carries OH his back a
! ftrst-rate kit, and his rifle Is good.
| The bayonet, although not as good as
the British. is, in my opinion, far bet
/ ter than the French. The Russian
bayonet. on the other hand is much
too long and thin. The Austrian SOL
der will obey orders. but his officers.
for the most part. know little concern
| ing the art of war
The hungarian peasants, on the
other hand. especially those from the
east, are no more fitted to be soldiers
than are school children. They have not
| the vaguest notion concerning the
simplest use OF the rifle, and fail n
silly victim to this most obvious tricks
of the enemy
Time after time they have allowed
hostile troops 10 ride close In on their
| outlying detachments, sometimes
| dressed AS Austrian soldiers, carving
| friendly flags. and on occasions even
disguised as women. An ill-conceale led
| machine gun. which should have fooled
no one, then opens rs deadly stream
! upon the surprised soldiers, who in
variably rush into assembly, when the,
| real carnage takes place The Hum
garian is OF too trusting a nature even
| TO make Il good warrior
There have been no operations
| against Serbia of any Importance for
some time, Notwithstanding press dis
patches to the contrary: the forces i'm
the south have been brought north to
strengthen HindcnburE's lines So
Serbia is practically at peace, whilst
Austria is at war And that is wha,
hurts.
HER ONE RAY OF HOPE
is SEEN IN FRANCE
I'm this dark hour Austria sees only
one ray of hope, and curiously enough.
that ray is France, Germany has
proved her undoing. and Italy is drift
ing farther away each day. There Is
no one else TO turn to- This idea is
not OF the street, but comes from the
higher places: OF that am sure. Re
peatedly during my travels through
Austria lately 1 have been sounded by
/
ing concerning the French contingent.
At first was inclined to treat the
matter lightly. but find that they really
consider the idea as quite possible.
Austria, France and Germany side by
side for the culture and peace OF
Europe Serbia. Russia and especial
~ England, shall perish with the un
righteous.
Tho Austrians are, I think, taken as
a whole. the most credulous people in
the world. High and low, rich and
poor. they will believe anything tncy
hear.
There Is fine story. tho truth Of
which you must he very careful not
to doubt in these parts. concerning
n Prussian general OF high command.
| who for the last ten or fifteen years
has busted himself making a vast mine
/; field for the silly Russians to walk
! over. When about three army corps
we're in II. tho general In person pressed
the button, and the enemy went skv