WITH THE ENEMY.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15512, 12 February 1916, Page 9

WITH THE ENEMY.

GERMANY'S ARMIES

ESTIMATES OF LOSSES

COLONEL REPIXGTOX'S FIGURES CRITICISED.

("Times" and "Sydney Sim" Services.* (Received February 11th. 5.3 p.m.)

LONDON. February 10

The' fignres regarding Germany's "man power,-' compiled by Colonel Itepington, military correspondent of "The Times," have aroused a controversy amongst military critics. The "Evening Standard," the leader of the optimists, claims that Colonel Repington has under-estimated Germany's losses by 1.000,000. and quotes Mr Hilaire Belloc, the Swiss critics. Colonel Fcylcr, and others in support of its arguments.

The principal attack is directed against Colonel Repington's statement that Germany's losses during January were 36,000 men. The critics point out that tha Germans were engaged in three theatres and in bad weather during January, when the French alone captured 1300 unwounded men in Alsace. .

Tlic critics admit that the whole policy of tlio Allies depends upon the extent of German manhood, since the Allies, when capablc of defining their plans, deliberately embarked upon a war of attrition.

Colonel JLopington said that the .complete German losses, as shown in casualty lists, had been 2,627,125, including (about) 36,000 in January, 1916. He said it was safe to estimate that 25 per ccnt. of the wounded men never returned to the firing-line. Deducting 790,000 from the returns, and adding 630,000 as the floating population of the hospitals and sanatoriums, the net German losses bccomc 2,500,000. He held, therefore, that 2,800,000 men formed the still available reserve in Germany. Of these, probably 800,000 were guarding communications or engaged iti garrison duties. If the Germans lost 250,00U men a month, their power of reinforcing their armies would end. irt September ; but if we wont fighting Turks. Bulgarians, and what-not and destroying only 36,000 Germane a month, the war would be interminable. KAISER'S SOLDIER SONS. PRINCE OSCAR WOUNDED. (Received February 11th. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, February 10. It is reported that Prince. Oscar's wounds arc not serious, but it is improbable that he will again participate in the Avar owing to heart weakness. His morganatic wife is at his bedside at Marshal von Hindenburg's headquarters. Prince Oscar, fifth son of the Kaiser, was born on July 27th, 1888, and was morganatically married on July 31st, 1914, to Countess 'Ina Marie Bassewitz (Countess Ruppin). CROWN PRINCE IN DANGER. HIDING FROM FRENCH AVIATORS. (Received February 12th, 12.30 a.m.) BERNE, February 11. The German Crown Prince was visiting the Alsatian front, and had arrived at Saint Lousis, near Basle, when suddenly French aeroplanes from Belfort appeared. The people made a terrified rush indoors, and the Crown Prince took refuge in a cellar. He motored to Altkirch, when the airmen had passed on. WAR CAPTURES. COMPREHENSIVE GERMAN CLAIMS. (By Cable.—PreM A»oci*tion.—CopyrieKt.) NEW YORK, February 10. A German wireless message claims that Germany has ctapwired nearly J-500,000 prisoners, 9700 guns. and 3000 machine-guns, during the war. SKODA ARSENAL EXPLOSION HUGE HOWITZER BURSTS. BUCHAREST, February 10. Jt that a 20in howitzer was bein°- tested in the Skoda arsenal at Pilsen (Bohemia) last December, when is exploded during the initial tests. There were numerous victims.

ECONOMIC PRESSURE

PEOPLE'S SUSPICIONS AROUSED. NEWSPAPER •■•SOOTHING SYRUP."" Climes" and "Sydney Sun" Service*.) (Received February 11th, 0.0 p.m.) I .ONDON, February 10. The German Government's sensational scheme for- the confiscation of textile goods has greatly impressed German opinion,"and aroused suspicions regarding tho Government's confidence a-, to the probable duration of the war. A remarkable leader in the "Kolnische Zeitnng" discreetly refers to these doubts, and says they must not remain unanswered. "It is a mistake, says this paper, "to regard the new economic restrictions as proof that tho war is bound to last a long time. Even tho military authorities cannot sec the end. but the Army and tho people are i t complete agreement that God will lead us to the goal we all expect. We lack neither economic resources, men, nor armaments. The motto for us is. 'Keep cool and hold out." " A previous message said that striking evidence that Germany is feeling the blockade is the imposition of a new set of economic regulations, empowering the Government to take control of the whole of the products of the German textile industries, aud stringently regulating them, so as to retain sales of one article to one customer dairy. Accompanying these sensational measures are semi-official assurances that there i - no scarcity of raw materials, but that tho measures are merely precautionary. Inspired articles in tho Press soothingly seek to aliay public alarm by quoting economic articles published in "Tlie Times" as proof that England is ahead of Germany in the economic conduct of the war. and asking: "Shall England's patriotism shame Germany?''

THE FOOD PROBLEM

GERMANY'S HARVEST.

AGRICULTURAL DIFFICULTIES

(Rcccived Fcbruarv Ilth. 0.0 p.m.) LONDON, February 10. The Socialist newspaper "Vorwarts ' gives somo interesting details of tho harvest of 1910, which was unsatisfactory.

Tho cultivated area in Germany is decreasing, and tlic crops arc suffering owing; to inexperienced labour being substituted for the agricultural labourers who have been taken away.

The military strain ou the railways is causing a shortage of seed and artificial manure, while many manufacturing firms prefer tho more profitable business of making machine-guns instead of agricultural machinery.

The tone of tho article suggests that tho food problem is becoming more complicated.

THE HABSBURG DYNASTY.

MUST BE WIPED OUT.

AN OUTSPOKEN EXILE

(Received February 11th, 10.30 p.m.) PARIS, February 10.

Professor Masaryk, a former member of the Austrian Reichsrath, who was exiled at the outset of the war, emphasises the necessity for wiping out tho Habsburg Dynasty. If Germany was deprived of Austrian and Turkish support, she would be too weak to menace the Western Powers.

Had the Allies at the outset declared the Austrian Slavs liberated and the monarchy abolished, AustriaHungary would have been a millstone about Germany's neck, and the entire course of the war would have been changed.

It was u fatal mistake fo imagine that Austria would ultimately oppose Germany.

Pan-Germanism was rampant in Vienna and Budapest, where its adherents outnumbered the Czechs and Slavs. Germany's one aim was supremacy over Central Europe with the object of effectively holding the Allies in. check. If the Habsburgs •were' wiped out. Germany's dream would be shattered and the "Berlin to Bagdad" scheme would be a thing of the pa6t, and she would never again be able to devastate Europe.