The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-13
WEAKNESS
LIES IN OFFENSIVE
soldier's Letter Says They
Haven't Enough Men for
Big Victories.
eEES WARS END SOON
so,ci1i corrsspondence to TBE suS


p,Ris. May ?i-Any attemp; to form
an oplnion as TO how long the war will
.or,lnue is frustrated at the outset by
the diffculty In gauging public opinion
a, eruau The rarc Americans OF
csutrals who arrive In Paris from Ger
many bring back very varying accounts.
Nm, All agree that at present there is no
material want In the country and that
10 SUNNY Of soldiers not yet sent to
mo front seems unlimited. An Ameri-
can whose official position prevents his
name being given, who REACHED Paris
las, week said to THE SUNS correspond
snt
ut is impossible to discuss the war
.,b a German. He has no interest In
q. causes o. whether his country is to
h,ne or MOI. all he considers 10 tlAit
nj, country is fighting against three
others and making a good fght Of II.
TIE addition Of another enemy will not
disconcert him but will only make his
determination 10 conquer all the
stronger
The Austrian army Is now generalled
nv German officers. under the roininal
ehefship Of the heir apparent. But tie
Austrian army has been much maligned
ard has done far better than reports In
the allied press have allowed. Promo
tons and appointments IN the Austrian
army before the war were greatly q
matter OF family and society interest
and pull. and many incapable men held
high positions.
when Won Hoetzendoi was appointed
Generalissimo he took a list OF Generals
70 the aged Kaiser and asked that they
should he retired. The Emperor has
-. ,.-1aY F,.1tav fAr thx .,Ap
who is to suffer ,even when IL Is his
own fault aud asked for reasons.
SeptusgcnnriRn Generals.
Ger. Won H~oetzendorf said that all
these Generals were too DID. Emperor
Franz Josef asked what their ages were.
and AZ most OF them were In the seven
ties the eighty-year-old sovereign said he
really could not consider their age too
great for active service. II that was all
there was against them, and so all re-
tanned their commands"
TIE Suns correspondent remarked
that the French authorities seemed to
count more on the moral effects OF
italy's adhesion than on the material
assistance gained thereby. They seemed
10 think that public opinion in Germany
would argue to itself, Here is n Power
that has been neutral nearly ten months.
During that time II has studied the
question which side looked like winning
and now having made up it's mind has
thrown It's lot In with the Allies against
us' Such 4 testimony to the probability
that the Allies are winning must. ac-
cording to French opinion. have a deep
effect on the PEOPLE OF Germany.
~ do not believe it," said THE SUNS
Informant German public opinion, as II
exists. has been so drilled that Ger
nany's rulers can do what they like
With II. l'aly's adhesion to the cause
Of the Allies has been foreseen and
provided for. The effect that Il will
have on public opinion will be to arouse
bitter anger against Italy for. what
Germany Is convinced Is its treachery
and betrayal OF its allies. The Idea
that Italy has acted on reason and no,
been bought will never occur to Ger
man public opinion"
Predicts Wars End This Year.
A letter has been published which
was found On a Bavarian cavalry officer
takeE prisoner on May 9. 1t was written
BY an officer stationed In a fort near
CuSaaven'ard gives an interesting side
'f-'H va 'lAAiA'i eAfiohS NV . .
circle II is dated May I (three weeks
before Italy's definite decision) and con-
talns the following passages:
u hope your fine successes at Ypres
vii continue and that at last we can
occupy the last strip OF Belgium and
thus open before us the road to the
French coast. You believe the war will
f'lsh soon. My personal conviction Is
mat We shall not reach a definite re-
suit until Italy has taken sides with
one or the other.
u believe that. for the defensive. We
sre strong, very strong even, but that
TO- the offensive we lack sufficient re-
serve forces, or 10 put II better, masses
o' men necessary to drive an eventual
victory 10 its limits.
! do not believe that the war will
iasl TIL next year. but II will continue
w very late in the autumn"