The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-20

officers and noncommissioned officers is
 scarcely an army, according to present
 day standards. They may send them over
 to attack us, but 1 think We are strong
 enough to drive them back with bloody heads.
 "The proposed landing in Belgium-we are fully prepared for any attempt In this direction, the sooner it comes the better.''
 There was nothing boastful in General Von Falkenhayn's manner, These state- nents were made with confidence in the preparedness of the German army and in it's ability.
 What effect upon the German conduct of the war" was asked, has the British blockade and contraband policy exer- cised?"
 Practically none at all,' he replied. I "Of food we have enough. Have you ob- served any scarcity in Germany? We may have to husband certain things and | be sparing with our wheat consumption, l but our war bread (referring to the bread made from the prescribed admixture of rye and potato meal to wheat flour) is quite as tasty and nutritious as the regl- lar wheat bread.
 "The problem of feeding the civil popu- lations of Belgium, Poland and the oc- cupied parts of France, particularly such cities as Lille or LodZ, presents some diff licuties, but for ourselves We have enough.
 Copper Embargo AS for the embargo on copper"-Gen-
 eral Von Falkenhayn laughed-"we have
 no copper underground it is true, but
 above ground we have more than enough
 for all military needs If our regular sup
 plies become exhausted, we need only
 draw on the enormous quantities of man.
 ufactured copper already in Germany. In our cables for transmitting electric cur rent, for instance, we have couple of
 years supply.
 British interference with copper ship ments, it seems to me. is a heavy blow for America, but for us, it is nothing" General Von Falkenhayn used the vigor-
 ous south German expression for utter indifference.'D
 How long do you think the war may
 last or can last? Lord Kitchener's three
 years?"
 Tt can last indefinitely for us. I see
 nothing that can force us to stop fighting. Food and materials? We are amply supplied Our strategic position is good Human material? Do you know that the
 recruits of the 1914 class are to be called
 to the colors? October 1915, is the normal
 date. l was occupying myself with this question yesterday. Does that look as if there is any lack of soldiers? We have more troops in Berlin today than in peace times. They still need training. however
 No men are sent to the front without ade-
 quate preparation.
 .Enthusiasm You have been at the
 front and know there Is no slaclening in
 the zeal of the men for their task. We
 can go on indefinitely.
 And if in this war, in which Kalmucks,
 kamchatkans, Turcomans, Senegal ne-
 groes Indians and what-not have been
 brought in to maintain in the white mans
 Europe the so-called balance of power;
 if in this war to crush nation whose offense is that, through industry and
 hard work, it has prospered and is pros-
 porous, should go down, We shall go
 down with honor, fighting to the last ditch and the last man. And how far does Germany wish to
 carry this war-until the other side is completely crushed?" Until they are so defeated that a pos
 sibility of repetition of this unprovoked
 attack upon us is completely eliminated" he declared earnestly. What about the new clouds on the
 horizon-Italy and Roumania?
 Those are questions we should address tc the imperial chancellor or the foreign
 secretary"
 But under certain contingencies. they
 might become questions of interest to
 the chief of the general staff" "Out of the question:. was the em-
 phatic reply 'I cannot believe that these
 two states, which have been united to
 us for 20 years by ties of alliance, should
 suddenly array themselves in the ranks O. our enemies. l consider that utterly
 impossible