Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-10-20
BRITISH SOLDIERS AND
THEIR LEADERS THINK
WAR WILL LAST YEAR
Troops in France Abandon Idea
of Compromise and Realize
Side Will Win That Can Stick
to 1t the. Longest
BY FREDERICK PALMER.
Correspondent OF Associated Press
with British Armies in France.)

Copyright, 1916. by the Associated
Press
BRITISH FRONT IN FRANCE. oct.
1S.-(Via London, oct. ls.)-The war
will last another year. according to the
consensus of opinion among the British
Sc Idiers and their leaders. 1t is also
the opinion Of the Germans. if the
views OF prisoners count for anything.
Before the grand offensive started a
high authority informed the correspond
cnt of the Associated Press that the
German Zine would not be broken this
simmer and that slew operations, wear
ing down the Germans, would be in
augurated and would probably last
through another summer. With tho APP
proach OF winter conditions, which
make military movement difficult, this
officer recalled his prediction and SPEAK
ing of The situation today he said:
I'VE know what the German resources
were and what ours were and the time
required to force a decisive victory for
our arms is a matter of calculation"
German prisoners taken during the
summer invariably spoke OF peace he
ing a certainty in the autumn. They re-
gsrded the Somme thrust as a final eff
fort Of the allies for a decision and
that after 1t peace wouN be made.
TONE pII FERENT NOW.
Their tone has been entirely different
CT late. They recognize that II is a
fght 10 finish between the man-power
and resources of the two foes and that
an ultimate decision will come from
the fearful attrition on the western
front which now will know no inter-
mission until the end. The Germans
are determined to maize every village On
the western front a fortress which Will
Yield only when reduced by powder and
shell fire and every guliey and crater
a machine gun post TO secure their
defensive against critical defeat
At a period when the weather is al
verse 10 offensive operations elsewhere
the Germans are apparently concentrat-
ing every possible man against Ru-
mania The view of the British officers
is that the Germans hope to crush Ru-
mania so that when they have to face
a common allied offensive in the spring
they may not have to defend the i'm
mense length of the Rumanian frontier
in addition to what they have had to
defend this summer.
1t is a universal remark among the
British that never has the morale or
the prisoners varied more than now.
you will notice that we are always
taking prisoners and that the Germans
get very Few Of ours" sai6 a staff Of
ficer.
FEW BRITISH SURRENDER.
Though small parties of our men
are bound to get into hazardous posi-
lions in this kind of intricate operations
at close quarters they die rather than
yield. This shows their morale and
the temper Of the situation. Some Ger
mans have never fought better and
some have never fought so badly as in
asst few weeks.
To-day. for example, twenty Germans
practically threw up their hands anG
walked into the British lines. But the
soldiers who took them prisoner or
their commander had no illusion that
these prisoners typihed the condition
of the German army as a whole. There
were other Germans who were ready
to fisnt with that ferocity which eN-
poets no quarter"
However, all believe that :he war has
entered a stage where no compromise
is to be expected and where victory will
go 20 the side with the ability TO stick
the longest.