The Dominion. SATURDAY, FERUARY 13, 1915. A STAGGERING EMPIRE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2384, 13 February 1915, Page 6

The Dominion. SATURDAY, FERUARY 13, 1915. A STAGGERING EMPIRE

Tee drift to disaster in' Austriar Hungary is quickening its paee. This fact is made evident by messages which appear in our cable columns this morning. Statements regarding military _ dissensions and racial fends within this conglomerate Empire must be received with a certain amount of reserve; but the indications of popular disaffection and separatist tendencies are too strong and too numerous to be brushed aside. It is not too much to say that the Dual Monarchy is being, shaken to its foundations by blows from without and discorcf from within. The country is on the verge of commercial collapse, the food supply. is failing, and the gulf between the domineering German-Austrians and the other elements of the population is growing wider and deeper every day. _ Cable messages now tell us that, racial jealousies -ire causing dissensions in the army, and that Polish, Bohemian, Rumanian, and Italian soldiers are surrendering to tho Russians in large numbers. One correspondent states that "the great wish of all is that the war should be ended." The mass of the people have had enough—and more than enough j but the machinery, of government is in the hands of the Germanic section, and nt is almost impossible for the rest of the Empire to give effective expression to its desiro for peace, Germany is not. going to allow Austria-Hungary to' drop out of the struggle if she can help it. German influence dominates the government of the Dual Monarchy, and tho army is to a large extent officered and controlled by Germans. The widespread elements of disaffection would find it extremely difficult to organise themselves into a vigorous movement. The majority of the people seem to realise this, and they feel that they can at present do nothing but look on helplessly and hopelessly, and await the ruin which they are powerless to avert. The spur of famine and oppression may, howover, rouse them out of this lethargy of despair. A friendly neutral in a letter to I he Fim.es states that a distinguished and well-informed Italian, who was recently in Vienna, informed him that tho Austrians fully realise that they have been sacrificed by the Germans, 'and that they will be thoroughly defeated before .long. They admit that they are going to lose Galicia, Bosnia, and Herzegovina and that Hungary may possibly separate. The anti-German feeling in Hungary is even more bitter than in Austria, and the possibility of a desperate attempt to throw off the Germanic yoko is very real. Latest information indicates that the' oountry is threatened by famine, and that discontent may develop into rebellion. It is also stated that a number of Hungarian deputies have petitioned the Austrian Foreign Minister (Count von Burian de Rajecs) in favour of an early peace; but-in view of the fact that the Count was practically placed in Lis present position by direction of the Kaiser the petition is not likely to receive sympathetic consideration. However that may bo, the more fact that it has been presented is a significant indication of tho trend of public feeling, and must add to the uneasiness of tho Emperor Francis Joseph and the Kaiser regarding the state of affairs in Hungary. The Hungarians entered the struggle in a half-heart-ed spirit. As a matter of fact-they really, had no choice, but were thrust willy-nilly into the arena of conflict b,v tbfi Austrian Empsvor mi) his .advisers, who wore ttemsel'ves ia a

largo measure the victims of Gorman intrigue. March 15 will' be tho sixty-seventh anniversary of tho Kossuth's declaration of the independence of Hungary. With this thought in his mind a Hungarian now residing in London wonders whether history will repeat itsolf on March 15, 1915. He does not.think that a hundred thousand men would be required to fight Hungary's cause this time. "Five thousand would be enough," he says, "to march against Budapest from tho Southern plains, present their demand to the Government, or overthrow it, as the cose might be, and no doubt tho other million Magyars now in arms would join them in all haste." This is no doubt a rather fanciful picture, coloured largely by the writer's own hopes and ideals. Still it gives an interesting glimpse of what Hungarians are thinking. It shows that the aspiration for independence is at work, and should a favourable opportunity present itself a determined effort may be made to convert the idea into reality.. The intense bitterness of tho feeling in Hungary is well illustrated by the tone of a letter recently received at The Hague from a lady in Buda-

pest. These malefactors (the Aubtrians)," she.writes, "always put in the first lino the Hungarian and Croat regiments in order that they may be massacred, a fact which rcjoiccs Vienna." Tho Hungarians know that they are being used as a catspaw by the Germans. They have more to gain than to lose by the victory of the Allies. The triu'mph of the Germanic peoples is not going to benefit Hungary. Indeed, it would increase Austria's power.oi" oppression. The Hungarians recognise all this, but the way of escape has not yet revealed itself. The Tisza Government bars the way to separation, and the desire for peace and independence has not so far been able to produce an organised movement strong enough to hope for success.