Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-01-05
GERMANY KEEPING
HER ALLIES IN FIGHT
Austrian Officers Captured by
French Are Heartily Sick
of the Struggle.
IN UNKEMPT CONDITION

BY the Associated Press.
ITALIAN ARMY HEADQUARTERS
IN NORTHERN ITALY, Friday, jan
uary 4.-The officer commanding the
400 Austrian prisoners captured in
the recent French success on Monte
Tomba, gave the correspondent an OPP
portunity today of going among them
and talking freely with officers and
men on war conditions, and what the
enemy still could do in carrying on the
struggle.
A more miserable lot of human beings
would be difficult to imagine. The Of
ficers were in even worse condition
than the men. Their clothing was rag
Eed and the tinseled characterization on
the uniforms was gangrened with rust.
Make Miserable Appearance.
The officers were unkempt and had
not been shaved for a week. Their red
hands looked like pieces of raw beef
steak. None had overcoats. as all were
wearing light trench uniforms when
the French swept around them. Yet,
despite this misery they put on a sur
prisingly bold front and any one think
ing they are crushed is closing his eyes
to facts
The correspondent met the prisoners
on a road leading to the town where
they are being rounded up preparatory
to being set to work or sent to prison
camp. Small detachments We're
stretched along the road for some DIS
lance. each group being guarded by
ried spades and picks instead of guns.
All Ages Among Prisoners.
All ages were seen among the prison
ers. There was a boy of eighteen and
a man Of fifty with a gray beard: A
coating of trench mud made them look
had stout boots, leggings and over
coats. Some had shawls and blankets.
Their headgear consisted of battered
helmets and caps with heavy hoods.
They tramped along sullenly to large
courtyar6s where food was being dis
tributed. Each man got small tin of
meat and a large chunk of bread. The
correspondent tasted the bread and
found 1t better IN quality than that he
had been getting in first-class restau-
rants. The prisoners ate like ravenous
animals and said 1t was the best food
they had had in weeks.
French Methods Surprise
The correspondent was told by the
prisoners that the method of the French
attack was an entirely new experience
for them. as they seldom had under
gone such murderous artillery fire.
Most of the men were Moravians, Dali
matians and Galicians. The sudden
French charge after the artillery fire
bowled them over before they had any
chance to offer resistance. Concerning
the war they all expressed themselves
as heartily sick of 1t, and said that the
Germans were keeping the others IN
the fight
tiers it was seen they were chiefly Hun
garians with some MoravianS and Dali
matians and one Gaiician. They were
very cold and their first request was
for warm food.
We have not had warm food for
days" said their spokesman, stocky
young Dalmatian officer.
And our own French soldiers did not
have warm food for nine days after
they arrived here" said the command
ant He explained that fuel was almost
impossible to get, and with no coal and
little wood hot food was almost out of
the question.
The eommandant told the omcers that
be permitted to come and shave them
and clean their boots and uniforms.
Their Country May Hang On.
Asked about the war the officers gave
Americas entry into II as an instance
that all the world was against the CEN
trail powers. One officer said the food
supply was running low. but it was
better off in Hungary than in Austria.
They thought, however. that Austria
Hungary could hang on Asked about
the ragged condition of their uniforms
one officer said:
Yes. we are ragged and look like
mi
hghting?"
The officers were very anxious to
know when they would be removed to
prison camps in France and seemed
gratined to learn that they probably
would 60 through Paris within two
weeks. After taking turns in getting
warm around the camp fire. the ofyIcers
returned to their quarters.
A German artillery omcer, who was
captured with the Austrians. was given
quarters by himself. but the command
ant said that another German would
soon arrive to keep him company. The
German, while deferential and civil,
maintained complete silence on the war
HIS uniform and equipment looked in
better condition than that OF the Aus
tro-Hungarian officers, but they were
badly run down.
There were three successive air
raids this morning on Padua. lasting
from to o'clock. A number of
bombs fell in the center of the city.
a large palace on the main thorough
fare was demolished and there was
lesser damage within an area of about
two city squares Six persons were
wounded. including two women
United States Consul Carroll has ar
rived at Padua from his post at Venice
and presented to Mayor Count Ferri
10000 Tires from the American Red
Cross for victims OF bombings This
Is the first instaliment of 5000 lires TO
he distributed for this purpose. Con-
sui Carroll was in hotel a short dis
lance from the palace when it was
demolished by the bombs.
italian Official Report.
ROME. January 5.-The statement IS
sued by the Italian war department to-
day follows:
Yesterday. in the mountain zone, we
made concentrations Of fire in the La
garina valley. on Coldeila Barretta and
In the Cismon region. There was in
creased activity of the enemy's bat
teries against our positions on Mont
Altissin1o. to the east of Lake Garda
nd against our lines of co,r,munica-
ton on Monte PaIlone and Monte
Bomba.
French patrols captured prisoners on
Monfenera and the British artillery
made very successful counter bat
IL -