New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-01
Force of 100000 Men
at the Start Almost
NOn-ExiStent.
LOSS FOUR TIMES
MORE THAN STATED
New Leyies of Boys and Middle
Aged Men Sent to Front
Without Training.

London, March 1.-The hungarian
CORES pendent Of "The Morning Post
in a dispatch from Budapest, says that
the original first line army OF 2,OOO,oOO
men with which Austria Hungary began
the war is now almost nonresident.
These seven months have cost the
Dual Monarchy four times as many men
as they are willing to admit officially.
Not 100000 but 100000 men have
been killed, wounded or taken prison.
ers. OF these 100000 of the wounded
are gradually being sent back TO the
front, some of them, however, be-
fore complete recovery. Accordingly
IL can safely be said that the trst line
army of the first 100000 has been en-
tireiy broken up already and that only
a small number are capable OF stu re-
sisting the hardships of warfare.
The new renforcements have com
paratively small military value. The
spirit OF the army, however, has by no
means been broken, and one may eX-
pect some very good work from 1t yet,
for the machine itself IS sound and
perfect. Only its man-power is begin
ming to give way.
The only hope in Austria-Hungary Is
that the Russians are no better on
though how much justification exists
for such hope one must wait until next
April to see. At the present day the
army Of Australia Hungary, with its
forces in the field and under train
ing, consists of between 3,5OO,OOO and
100000 men. That is the limit OF her
military powers.
Corruption in the Army.
As in every other state institution
Of the Dual Monarchy, the army is ex-
ceedingly corrupt. What bribery and
influence can do in 'exempting the rich
and the high born from military SER
vice is everywhere visible. In Buda-
pest young, able-bodied men enjoy LIE
on the Corso or travel as the news
paper correspondents Of favored gov
eminent organs, while bankers sons
whose fathers subscribed to the war
loan on condition that their sons be not
called upon to serve and thousands OF
other parasites are seen.
A new business developed on great
scale when the war broke out. Those
whom the newspapers appointed war
correspondents were exempted from
military service, and thus rich
youths have been offering large
sums Of money to the Austro-
phile press for a nomination. Some
poor papers, indeed, have done
GOOD business out Of this and have
half dozen war correspondents work
ing for nothing or even paying a
monthly salary to the proprietors for
their positions. Under such circum-
stances naturally the third and fourth
levies of boys seventeen years old and
men of forty-fve years are pitiable
sight, for the medical examination IS
confined 70 two questions-one regard
ing consumption and the other as to
lameness.
Questions as to sight, physical weak
ness, general fitness or mental powers
never arise at these examinations. Men
are ushered in before the doctor in
groups of twenty, and under the pre-
text that there is no time for thor
ough examination each man Is at once
passed over to the recruiting room for
enlistment. He gets twenty-four hours
10 settle his civilian affairs and make
his will and is then taken TO the other
end of the country for training. Be-
fore the town halls and the public
schools where these things go on wom-
en- and children are standing with AM
ious and weeping eyes, and the scenes
are indescribable.