The Dominion MONDAY, JULY 29, 1918. GERMANY'S FAILING PARTNER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 265, 29 July 1918, Page 4

The Dominion MONDAY, JULY 29, 1918. GERMANY'S FAILING PARTNER

. . The serious military problems with which Germany is now grappling on the Western front give her rulers evident_ cause for anxiety, but it is a. fairly safe assumption that they are not less troubled and concerned over . the condition of their principal war partner, the ramshackle Empire of Austria-Hungary. Tho heavy check sustained by tho German armies has given rise to some speculations regarding the policy Germany may bo expected to adopt on finding herself no longer able to prosecute tho offensive on which she is now gambling. It has been suggested, for instance, that, failing better things, the Germans will exhaust the possibilities of a defensive stand in France and Flanders, perhaps on a. line much nearer their own territory than that they now hold. Obviously, however, the questions raised are political as well as military. In estimating Germany's prospects in a future defensive campaign account has to bo taken not only_ of the military possibilities of holding elaborate defences against attack, or of exhausting and foiling the Allied armies in a Scries of retreats, but of the moral effect of such a change of policy on the enemy armies and the civil populations behind them. Even in Germany the effect of such a changois likely to be great; in AustriaHungary it may easily be overwhelming. In such a test tho Teutonic alliance would bo no stronger than its weakest part; and evidence that the Dual Monarchy, at least, is quite incapable of bearing such a strain as a prolonged defensive campaign would impose seems to bo all but conclusive.' The change just made in the Austrian Premiership is the latest of many indications of the ever-increasing difficulties that arc being met by the corrupt Government of Austria-Hungary in giving effect to its policy—a policy in which slavish subservience to Germany goes hand in hand with savage repression of the races comprising a majority of the population of the Monarchy who rightly regard its subordination to Germany as the badge of their own political slavery. The substitution of Baron von Heinlein for Dr. von SEiDLßiras Austrian Prime Minister ■presumably means only that one obedient servant of the Pan-Ger-mans has retired, baffled and discouraged, and given place to another. The event is significant, not as promising any immediate change in Austrian policy and war aims, but as an indication that it, is becoming more and more difficult for even the most pliant instrument ,of the party which stands for aggression and plunder abroad and for unscrupulous political tyranny at home to enforce and apply its ideas-. Dr._' von Seidler's position as Premier of Austria was clearly defined. He whole-heartedly approved of the arrangement under which Austria-Hungary is in effect annexed to Germany as the principal sten towards the creation of a solid Middle European block. In an address delivered a couple of months ago to a conference of party leaders from which Czech and Southern Slav representatives absented themselves he said, amongst other things:

Our entire military and political situation has reached a climax. The next few months ivill bring hip; .decisions. I sim firmly convinced that tho decision on tho battlefield will bo in favour of Austria and her allies. Our economic, especially our food, conditions are very serious, but not at all desperate. To hold on now to a final happy decision is the vital question for the State.

This is an all but plain admission that the only hope of keeping the Dual Monarchy together in its present shape and in its'present relation to Germany is contingent upon the achievement by the Central Powers of _ a speedy and decisive military victory. Since Dk. von Seidler made the statement quoted, the armies of the Dual Monarchy have suffered ruinous defeat in an offensive against Italy, and the prospects of a German victory on the West front are now visibly waning. No doubt a full explanation of his resignation appears in these events and in tho intensified unrest they have occasioned in Austria.

There is no reason to expect any hold departure, in policy from Dk. vox Seidleh's successor, but it does not. seem on that account less likely that a day of reckoning is approaching for the party of oppression and

misrule in the Dual Monarchy. Prospects nuclei - this head am measured by the extent to which its corrupt rulers have deliberately and habitually violated sound principles of political justice and equity. It has been said quite truly that Aus-tria-Hungary bears equal responsibility with Germany for plunging Europe into war, and that the only difference between them is that Germany was out to rob the, world, while Austria did not wish to clisgorgo long-stolen goods. The Germans And Magyars of the Dual Monarchy cast the die for war because they hoped to find in war a means of finally crushing the aspirations of tho Slavs—aspirations which could not be satisfied without making them a much stronger political force than Germans and Magyars combined. It is the appropriate punishment of these vile plotters that the measures by which they hoped to finally silence and crush tho Slavs and other subject races of the Monarchy have served instead to enormously stimulate and intensify the demand of these races for independent freedom. The recently concluded convention under which Austria-Hungary virtually became a dependency of Germany was a normal outcome of the Ger-man-Magyar policy which from first to last has been based upon direct defiance of tho Slavs and other oppressed nationalities. The result of that' policy is partly seen to-day in Russia and in all the theatres of war where former Slav subjects of the Dual Monarchy arc doing their utmost to promote the Entente vie-, tory which they rightly identify with the realisation of their own political aspirations. Even greater results may be looked when the illusion of German invincibility has been destroyed and the Teutonic Alliance- is visibly fighting only to stave off or modify defeat. Meantime DR. von Seidler's retirement takes its place with other evidence that the policy, of suppression by violence for which he stood is being found ever more difficult to enforce.