The Washington herald., 1918-01-30

Britlsh' French and Italian money de-
clined.
This meant that at that moment the
neutrals were betting Germany would
win the war.
There was not a military observer
In Europe who did not expect heavy
operations before Christmas.
The blow must be struck before
America could make even a fair be-
ginning at getting an army into Eu-
rope, and, more important still. be-
lore the presence of large numbers OF
americans could stifren the morale OF
tne French, whom the Germans be-
IeVed 10 be In bad way physically
anu morally because OF their cruel
losses.
But Christmas came and went. New
rear passed. January was slipping
away. ana still no drive. Weather
conditions prevented it, some said
100 much snow; too much mud"
etc. doubtless there were plenty or
potn; BUT they were not what de-
layed the drive.
Why the Drive Wasn't Driven.
Back of these DELAYS stand tuo ra.-
sons-reasons as big as mountains in
Importance to the allies cause and in
menace 70 the Kaiser's. These rea.
sons are:
one-The unexpected attitude of Mr..
Lenine. Of Russia.
TWo-The unexpected attitude OF the
hungarian troops when the news was
broken to them that they were to leave
the calm East and go into the fierv
West.
When the armistice was arranged
with Russia the Austrian and Hum
garian troops thought their Job ended
| Indeed. 1t appears that the whole
Eastern front thought the war was
over. or practically over, when Rus
,sia declared for a separate peace. 1t
is not surprising that the invitation
to step out OF the safety zone and be
killed had in II some Of the elements
of shock
The Hungarians protested at first
In whispers to one another. Then some
OF the bolder ones began to talk out
loud.
Presently the protests became al
most roar, in which the folks at
home Joined.
The newspapers Of Hungary almost
unanimously expressed sympathy with
the troops and condemned the plan
Hungary's Job was in the east.
She had finished It. She had no
business in the west, they declared.
Here was the seed of revolution.
II was the seed of the only kind
Of revolution that can ever be sue
cessful in the central EMPRESS
revolt in the army. The Kaiser
was counseled to go slow.
At the same time Mr.. Lenine and
his associates developed an inde-
pendence for which Germany was
totally unprepared. The Kaiser
was not to work his will with Rus
STA as he had most certainly count
ed on doing when he gave the ex-
lied Lenine safe conduct by special
train from Switzerland through
Germany back to Russia.
Magyar Regiments Are splIt Up.
The order to delay operations in
the west was given. The whole
sale movement of men and guns
from the east to west was stopped.
Obviously Germany could not
strip the Russian front of troops
with Mr.. Lenine acting as he was.
And, worse still. the Russian peo-
pie in mass were showing hostility
to German peace plans and symp-
toms of a desire to return to en-
tente war making.
1t was equally obvious that further
attempts to move the Hungarian
troops while In their present mood
would be dangerous. Suppose they
should mutiny? 1t would not be a
matter OF a few companies who could
be machine-gunned into line. Unrest
Is always contagious. Better wait a.
CONTINUED ON PAGE NINE