GIGANTIC EFFORT IN THE WEST

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2989, 29 January 1917, Page 5

GIGANTIC EFFORT IN THE WEST

WHAT THE GERMANS EXPECT FROM I THE ALLIES I ENEMY STRENGTHENING DEFENCES Vancouver, January 26. In an exclusive interview fo the Australian Press Association Carl von Wiegand, the American war correspondent in Germany, said he considered that the war will last throughout 1917. Fie believes the British and French will mako a gigantic effort in the West in tho spring. The Germans are planning most extensive defences. If tho Allies do not meet with success in the West they will transfer the offensive to other fields, most probably the Balkans. Germany was experiencing a most severs winter. There were privations and sufferings, but not starvation. The economio conditions hamper, but do not fatally affect, the military situation. Tho Tirpitzites' influence was greatly exaggerated. ExMinisters in Germany had no influence, owing to their excessive jealousy of their _ successors. Von Tirpitz was practically in exile. "I recently visited him at Saint Blassen, in the Black Forest, where he is living like a, hermit in a small villa."

Von Wiegand does noli think there will bo i ruthless submarining, because the "Big Four"—the Kaiser, von Hindenburg, General Ludendorff, and Betli-raann-Hollweg—do not. approve it, believing that such a campaign is likely to rupture relations with America. Germany launched her peaee-drivo for psychological and political reasons. Sho was not sanguine of success, but con-, sidered it worth while owing to the possibility of averting the threarteavd offensive by the Allies.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable 'Assn.