GERMAN DISCOURAGEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 16050, 29 February 1916, Page 6

GERMAN DISCOURAGEMENT

XO BEAL PROGRESS. Prom a high 'diplomatic quarter Router's Agency learns that telegraphic news has been received l - through various channels concerning tho position in Germany, which, taking into account the sources of the infomiation and the circumstances of its receipt, places it entirely outsido the category of the many stories purporting to email ato from Germany. Although in many respects similar to the Tenons with which all arc familiar since the,' beginning of the war, ; h differs in this—that it, comes not merely from individuals who may have been visiting the enemy countries, but from diplomatists, who have carefully collected and 1 considered tho intelligence before transmitting at to their Governments. Another significant feature is that news of a confirmatory character and cm precisely the same lines is to hand from places as far apart as Holland, the United {States, Scandinavia, and Switzerland. _ Much of tho information Is of a confidential character, and cannot be published, but v-s* its to show that ■G^vrmanv is Tfry disheartened, •vnA realises the necessity for a smashing blow against Mm Allies. as:t lha-t at tin early date. Xot'AirhsrjmcvJi-: apparent victories oa shown an the mac. its impression is coining groin'd th?.i ar'i.--;* 'id month* of war tho Central F:;-v.'-rr -ju-o, fact, mak-ir" •/-■’ r--.l progress towards a. victory. In spite of tha attempts of the sa'Aoetuo*, this u: p aily coming home to the people, su’d except, perhaps e,. Berlin, the country is signs joentel and moral fatigue . it ik fbab one o? favors iu this siiuatimi is the exwteuca of {.ho blockade. —On the "Wester;:- Freni.— An in!cresting fact is that iViucs Billow. Prince HaUfcldt, Count Dnnner-smasck. and others who* are not associated with tho extreme military pirtv. and consequently were somewhat under a. cloud, nro all at Lausanne, where they are extremely active, and said to be iu communication vifh 'tho Emperor. Generally speaking, tho Germans reooguise that their chance of a successful offensive on the west has gone, but- t-ha question of a new offensive in that quarter is being stronglT debated. This part of tie theatre of war is looked upon ns the soeuo of the womb anti-Gorman spirit, and the conclusion is stated to hare been reached that It is best to make a really smashing blow there. This, however, it is lelfc, cannot be attempted in tho form of a general offensive unless a satisfactory result is certain. Tho fear of Russia, it is stated, Sa becoming very meat, and the Germans are extremely appiehensive of what is in store for them m tho near future, knowing, aa they do, the new strength of the Tsars armies, and their strength in tho matter of arms and equipment. In the Balkans it is admitted that what has been achieved is in reality nob of much value as helping forward a victorious termination of tho war for tho Central Powers. There is, too. a strong and growing party in Germany greatly averse from despatching German troops to other theatres than tho eastern or western fronts. There is no objection to sending German officers to Asia, although it is admitted that there is a great shortage of officers, and that those with, tho new classes are very unsatisfactory, but a strong objection exists to to despatch German troops to Aria. —Sweden's Changed Opinion From Sweden, a country well calculated to know" the situation in Germany, comes the information that a great change is apparent in tltete sections or Swedish public opinion which believed in a Gorman victory, ami that the financial position in Germany ia causing a great diminution in tho confidence that formerly existed. Moreover, it is declared that the Germans arc beginning to realise that their attempte to sow discord among the Allies are doofhed failure, and that the determination of the allied Powers to continue to a victorious cud is stronger -than ever.