DURATION OF THE WAR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1641, 23 November 1916, Page 3

DURATION OF THE WAR.

BELIEF OF BRITISH OFFICERS AND CEH MAX PRISONERS. The following message was published in the Xcw York Evening Post on 19th October: — BRITISH FRONT IN FRANCE, IStb October. The war will last another year, according to the prevailing opinion among the British soldiers and their leaders. It is also the opinion of the Germans, if the views of prisoners count for anything. Before the grain! offensive started a high authority informed the correspondent. of Hie Associated Press (hat Hie German line would not be broken this summer, and that slow operations, wearing down the Germans, would he. inaugurated, and would probably last through another summer. With the approach of winter conditions, which make 'military movements difficult, this officer recalled his prediction, and, speaking of: the situation to-day, he said:—

“We know what the. German resources were and what ours were, ami the lime required to force a decisive victory for our arms is a matter of calculation.”

German prisoners taken during (he summer invariably spoke of peace being a certainty in the autumn. They regarded the Somme thrust as a iinal ctforl of Hie Allies for a decision, and that, alter it, peace would be much'. Their tone has been entirely dil'terent of late. They recognise (hat it is a light to a finish bet ween the man-power and resources of the two foes, and that an ultimate decision will come from the fearful attrition on the Western front, which now will know no intermission until the end. The Germans are determined to make every village on (he Western front a fortress, which will yield only when reduced to powder by shell lire; and every gully and crater a machinegun post to secure their (lelensive against a critical defeat.

CONTE XTR A TIM i A(! AIN ST ROUMANJA. At a period when the weather is adverse l<> offensive operutions elsewhere (he (.lermans are apparently I'oiH-entratiug every possible man and gun against Roumania. The view of the British officers is (hat tin; Germans hope to ('rush Roumauia so that when they have, to faec a common Allied offensive in the spring they may not have to defend the Immense length of tho Roumanian frontier in addition to what they have to defend this summer. It is a general remark among (he British that never has the morale of: (lie prisones varied more than now. '•You will notice that we are always taking prisoners, and that the Germans get very few ot ours, said a staff officer. “Though small parties of our men arc bound to get into hazardous positions in tin’s kind <u. intricate operations at close quarters, they die rather than yield. This shows their morale and rim temper of the situation. Rome Germans have never iought hotter, and some have never taught so badh as in ilie last few weeks. 1 o-day. for example, twenty Germans practically I brew up their hands and walked into the British lines. But the soldiers who look I heir prisoners or their commanders had no illusion that these prisoners typified the condition of the German army as a whole. There wore othei Get - mans who wore ready to tignl nilh that ferocity which expects no quarter.” However, whether it is a German who throws up his hands on ihe approach of a British charge or tho survivor of a score who fought to (he death, the opinion us to Ih* dnration of the struggle remains (he same. All believe that the war has entered a stage where no compromise is to he expected and where victory will go to the side with the ability to stick longest.