The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 1916. AUSTRIA’S PLIGHT.

Southland Times, Issue 17783, 12 July 1916, Page 4

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 1916. AUSTRIA’S PLIGHT.

One indisputable tact in connection with the present military position is that Austria is in a serious plight. Whether the hearts of the Austrian people were ever in this war is open to doubt. All along Austria has been Germany's catspaw. The breach between Austria and Serbia, which caused the Russian mobilisation, and gave Germany an excuse for war, would not have occurred had Austria been allowed a free hand. Germany took care that the breach was not healed, because she was determined to bring war about. Members of the Government of Austria - Hungary are certainly informed as to the facts, and probably the people also know them well enough. it is questionable, therefore, whether the Austrians and Hungarians, knowing that the war is Germany's war, have any great enthusiasm for it. They would have been keen enough had the armies of the Central Powers marched without interruption from victory to victory, but they probably see no reason why they should suffer prodigious losses and endure great privations simply to further the ends of Germany. The opening of the war brought heavy disasters upon Austria. Hundreds of thousands of men were lost in great battles in Eastern Galicia and Southern Poland, and in the first nine months of the campaign Russia conquered almost the whole of Galicia, and nearly all the Carpathian passes. On the Dunajec lines the invaders were threatening Cracow, and from the Duklow and other passes in the Carpathians they were looking down upon the Austrian plains. Austria and Hungary were then seething with discontent. The Government responsible for the war was unpopular, the military commanders were unpopular,

Germany was unpopular, and the people were ready for peace. To restore the morale of the nation, re-establish the Government in public confidence, and repair German prestige von Hindenburg and von Mackensen launched the great offensive of May, 1915. Galicia was recovered, the Russians were thrown out of Poland, and the Austro-Germany army settled down on lines well within the territory of Old Russia. The cuds which the German and Austrian commands had in view were admirably served, and when Bulgaria joined the Teutonic Powers and Serbia was conquered, the Austrians and Hungarians were no donbt again satisfied that whatever . losses the war. might' entail would he amply compensated by territorial gains. . Before the winter of 1915-16 was over the Germans entered upon the great offensive at Verdun, and the failure there possibly enabled the Austrian Command to shake itself free to some extent from German control. The Austrian Chie£-o£-Staff, Konrad von Hotzendorf, resolved to carry into effect a design which he is known to have entertained —a vigorous offensive against Italy. That offensive was launched in the Trehtino between the Adige and the Brenta on 15th May. For-a time it succeeded, and the Austrians poured down, upon , Italian soil. Soon, however, the Italians rallied, recovered much of the ground lost and inflicted heavy punishment upon their enemies. While the Austrians were thus entangled Brussiloff attacked strongly in Vblhynia, and cut up the armies of von Botbmer and Pflanzer. Disaster after disaster has overtaken the Austrians-They-'have suffered losses equal to those inflicted upon them by the Russians in the first great battles of Lemberg arid Lublin, and once again the outlook has become dark and threatening. Austria's military record is one of which the nation has no reason to be proud. -The Austrian armies under the leadership of their own officers bav,e always been in difficulties from which it has been necessary for the Germans to rescue them. They bare been exposed not only to the attacks of their enemies, but to the contempt of their friends, and it is not at all surprising that there should be a popular demonstration against the Government and a clamour for the retirement of Konrad von Hotzendorf. As it happens the Germans are not at present able to come to the assistance of their dismayed allies. Von Bothmer and Pflanzer have to get out of their difficulties as best they can, for as von Hindenburg is himself attacked he can send no reinforcements to the broken right wing, while the Germans on the Western Front have their hands full with the fruitless struggle at Verdun and the Anglo-French offensive in Picardy. It is not easy to see where the Austrians can look for relief, nor is it easy to see what means the Government will find of restoring confidence and regaining its popularity. Austria at the present moment is In a bad way, and from the German point of view is rather a source of weakness than one of strength.