DURATION OF THE WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 February 1916, Page 4

DURATION OF THE WAR.

"WILL LAST THREE YEARS. 1 - EARL i KITCHENER REPEATS FRbDICTIOX. On the occasion of his recent visit to Athens, Earl Kitchener repeated hia prediction that the war will list for three years, according to a statement made for publication by M. Baluhchics ' the Servian Minister to Greece. Lord Kitchener declared, says the Serbian diplomatist, that the preparations of the ■Allies will continue uptil the end of the second year of war—that is, until August, lSllti—and that the third year of war. unitl the autumn of 1917, Will be devoted to crushing the Germans and the Powers connected with them. M. Baluhchics added: "Lord Kitchener talked to me of the Russian army. In the spring Russia will have under arms no fewer than 7,000,000 men. Wait two or three more months and yon will a«e, The Servian Army lias lost'all ii» field artillery, but its mountain artillery ii •intact, ttnd nothing will bo wanting m the way of equipment when the momeut' comes to drive our enemies out of Scrvia. The Servian nation is herioe and patient. Of all our enemies the Bulgarians are the most barbarous; they have committed horrible and indescribable atrocities in occupying Servian territory. . . . Even if no mistake* had been made by the Allies in dealing with the Balkan situation other prctextl would have been found for refusing Greek aid to Servia. We have known for a long time the intentions of icrlajii influential Greeks whom I prefer not tn name. The faults of the Allies do not suffice to.explain the refusal of Greee* to perform her treaty obligation* towards Servia. Greek indecision still exists among the Greek people, and some striking victory jn another urea of war or the speedy arrival of 300,000 Allied troops in Salonika is necessary to impress them. We are still bound to Greece by a treaty of alliance, and I must admit that the' Greeks have given us every support and have provided us with al possible facilities; in short, they have done everything except intervening actively in the war on our side.' 1