Evening star., 1918-07-01
Won SEYDLER COMMANDED
TO "CARRY ON IN AUSTRIA
Emperor Charles, However, Fails to Tell
Premier How to Meet Polish Oh
iectors to His Policy.

I ander Wekerle, the Hungarian pre-
! mier, caused a sensation in parlia-
ment Saturday with declaration
regarding the Austro Hungarian
losses in the last Italian offensive.
according to a Budapest dispatch re-
| ceived here today. The premier said
that during the last few days ex-
citing rumors were being circulated
regarding the losses. These rumors.
he declared. were much exaggerated.
The Austro-H Hungarian armies were
withdrawn on the Piave front In or
der to spare lives, he declared. since
they must have sustained very great
losses had they held that line.
But. how great are our losses?'
interrupted Deputy Zlinsky.
The number Of prisoners taken
was recently stated to be 10000" the
premier replied. II must. however.
correct that statement. The truth is
while $4,000. italians fell into our
hands. In the case of an offensive
and a retreat this figure cannot be
termed excessively high. Much sad
der Is the loss we suffered in dead,
wounded and sick-mostly sick. In
the tenth and eleventh italian Of
fensives we lost 10000 to 100000 men.
Now, however, our losses are similar,
about 100000 men,"
Produces Great Excitement.
Great excitement in the chamber
marked this declaration. The premier
continued:
II am obliged to record this regret
three bridges thrown across the
collapsed and then both of the others
were carried away with it. This flg-
ure includes the fallen. the slightly
wounded and those brought back as
ineffectives."
A great uproar interrupted the
premier and there were cries Of
They were all Hungarians." When
quiet was restored Premier Wekerle
continued:
II mention these figures in order
to describe the situation with perfect
sincerity; also because our enemies
will certainly portray these losses in
an exaggerated fashion and perhaps
also our public opinion.
There are rumors circulating that
on this occasion also Hungarian
troops were called upon in excessively
large numbers and that the losses
fell upon. them only; Therefore l
must point out that thirty-three Hun
regiments participated in the entire
offensive and retreat. or Al per cent
age Hungarian and So Austrian.
In the entire advance and retreat
the italian losses amounted to 150.-
900, far SURPRISING our losses in dead,
wounded and sick.
"a report also is being circulated
that our losses were due to lack of
ammunition"
Explains Food Situation.
The deputy here shouted: Lack of
food"
The premier replied to this by de-
claring that "our army never was so
we'll provided with ammunition as
during the middle Of June"
"1t is true" the premier added.
that of three bridges thrown across
the Piave. the uppermost unfortu-
nately collapsed and then both of the
others were carried away with it.
Thus unsurmountable difficulties arose
in bringing UP provisions during the
sensational retreat. which was fol-
lowed according to the regular plan,
and only few troops who remained
behind and covered the retreat fell
into Italian hands. The entire retreat
was carried out in such an orderly
and unobserved manner that the
Italians continued their attacks on
our former positions.
IF. despite these regretable events,
I draw deductions from the whole it
is not to be doubted that we inflicted
important losses on the Italians and
prevented them from sending a con-
siderable part of their troops to the
western front. which in the interest
OF the common conduct of the war is
undoubtedly the objective which 1t
was our duty to attain. This aim, too,
we attained"