A PINCHBECK NAPOLEON

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2302, 9 November 1914, Page 7

A PINCHBECK NAPOLEON

.• —0 AUSTRIAN DOUBTS OF GERMAN SUCCESS. % ISveri at. the beginning of the war grave doubts, according to Reuter's correspondent, are known-to have been entertained in the highest • quarters in J Austraia regarding the final results; In Court circles and amongst the members of the. Imperial 'Family there was considerable perturbation at _ the tremendous consequences following AustriaHungary' b Note to Servia,';with such startling rapidity. It was said that thoEmperor William must have completely lost his head, and imagined himself a second Napoleon, but, on the other hand, tho yoUnger elements. at Court, including even, it is declared the Archduke Charles Francis Joseph,; Tieir to thu throne, appeared quite willing to follow in the wake of Germany, confident that the Emperor William would pull everything through. » Austria-Hungary's,.first' great disappointment was the defection _of Italy. The Emperor Francis Joseph is said to have felt very keenly on the subject, asking ovory day, "What about Italy ?'., Iti official quarters tho utmost reticence was maintained, and tho ilewspaperß were told to keep silent also. The Press censorship is stated by the correspondent to be extremely severe. The newspapers are required to submit proofs of every single sheet to the censor before they are .published, and quite frequently, items which have been passed in manuscript are struck out when tho proofs are submitted, so that tho .journals appear with many blank spaces. The. consors\ are all army omcers, and their work appears to be carried on in a very indefinite manner. What is permittee! to be published one day is forbidden the next, so that editors are greatly perplexed .to know vhat to do. All war news at first was limited entirely to the meagro roports of the Austrian General Staff and the official telegrams from Berlin. Softie time afterwards, whon a few special war corres--1 pondcuts had gone to the front, then papers were allowed to publish colourI loss reports describing the scenery and the fine weather, varied occasionally with vague references to lighting, chiefly laudatory of the valour of the Austrian troops ant? recounting special deeds of heroism.