The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-07-18
Y. NJ. q. A. IN WAR.



Blue Ridge. N. c., July 13.-Fresh
from his work in Austria among the
Russians and Serbian prisoners, and
after having left Austria, travelling
with the American embassy on the
special train just after the break be-
tween Germany and America. Mr.. A.
A. Ebersole. Associate Warwork Sec
retary of the International Commit
tee of the Young Mems Christian As
sociation. gave the following interview
at Blue Ridge. North Carolina, at tho
close OF his address last night (Sun-
day. to the army Young Mems Chris
tian Association School and to the
Secretaries' Summer School OF the
City Young Mems Christian Associa-
tons. numbering in attendance two
hundred persons.
"You ask me just what Is the sit
uation In Euhope and how long is the
war likely to lest. In answering that
OFT repeated question. one who has
Just come from Europe hesitates. be-
cause there are so many factors that
enter into the situation. II were to
judge entirely from what I saw my
self and heard In Austria, I would say
that 1t would seem impossible that
they could hold out another year.
am betraying no secret when say
that Austria is becoming depleted, not
only in her food supplies. but In ev-
erything else that is essential to car
ry on the ordinary activities of coun-
try's life. Stores are empty, many
OF them being closed permanently
and others opening only for certain
hours of the day. simply because
they have nothing to sell. Every avail
able man Is being used in the army.
So great Is the demand for men at the
front that they have found 1t neces-
sary to call in men past the age of
fifty. farmers who have never carried
gun. to act as guards In the va
rious camps. It was almost pathetic
to zoe these mon try to do their duty,
and yet one could not help but feel
that they were utterly out of place,
and many of them broken hearted
men. because of the first time in their
life. they have been torn away from
home relationships. and are having
to do military service. Just what
Austria's military strength is at the
front. OF course even those of us who
npent the better part of the year NOV.
Ing back and forth across the coun-
try from one OF the prison camps
where we worked to another. It is i'm
p9saibls to tell. What we do know
= that the supply. both Of men and
material. throughout the country is
being completely exhausted"
"T,ut. having said that much. one
Immediately must add that. Austria
has already endured 30 much and
held out against overwhelming odds
so long and so hravely that it is
hard to say how much longer she
may endure. and then. too, 1t must
not be forgotten that Austria, at ev-
cry point where she is about to
break. II Immediately reinforced by
Germany. with her seemingly mex
haustible resources. Germany! the
marvel of the age-Who can estimate
her power? simply stood in amaze
n,ent. as I often did. and watched
trainload after trainload passing
through Austria to one or the other
forts on the South to SEE the stall
wart men In the rank and file of her
army. well fed. cheerful. hopeful. op-
timistic. every last one Of them. In
this respect. one noticed a marked
constrast between the armies of the
two countries. The Germans seem to
continue to be In a better condition
than the Austrians. Somehow. we
can hardly conceive 1t. Germany still
succeeds in providing adequately for
her troops and over and over was
assured by those who seemed to speak
with authority thrt even with her
tremendous loss. she Is able to mus
ter In each year enough men who
have just come to military age to re.
place all Of the men that she had
lost. so that she has today, after
three years Of war. as large and az
efficient army as she had at the begin
ming
How long will the war last?" Per-
sonally. I do not estimate to give an
answer. but 1t is my candid and in
ncrmost opinion that 1t is likely to