IN THE SPRING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 76, 1 April 1915, Page 4

IN THE SPRING.

When tho last mails loft England tlio opinion was being expressed that Germany was much occupied in attempting to arrive at some approximation of the numerical strength of the fresh armies which Britain and France would bo able to send to the front in tho early spring. It is admitted that Germany is making a supremo effort, which the military leaders assert will culminate in the smashing of the Allies both west and east, when tho sun shines again in Flanders and the snows melt in the Balkans. But, as one correspondent puts it, “the announce- ' ment has not the bombastic ring of former utterances. From asseverations of irresistible force the Germans have turned to assertions of im--1 movable objects. They admit—though 1 not in so many words—that they have lost the offensive, and that they are l on the defensive.” Interviewed by an American journalist, Von Moltke, in much humbler mood than a few months ago, merely gloomily stated that “Germany would stick it out to the last.” The vagaries of the Ger- ' man mind are almost beyond coucepI tion. For instance, a noted professorial example of “kultur” now bursts forth with the statement that “if Germany is defeated it will be impossible to get any indemnity from I her, because practically the last man would have fallen and the resources of , the country would be utterly exhausted and the last penny spent. This must be made clear to our enemies.” If this poor fool only possessed the saving grace of humour! How differently the saner newspapers are 1 viewing the situation as compared with their attitude three months ago is evident from an article which appears in tho Frankfurter Zeitung. which paper devotes an analytical leading arV ‘ j

■ tide to discussing the question of our new armies in order to assure itself that Germany can match us man for man. “If we listen to the English, they are to collect about one million soldiers by the spring. We will not dispute this assurance, and we will take it to bo true that the six armies, the names of whose commanders were 1 published recently, really already exist l in England. The English, with their training in sports, have proved themselves to he good soldiers. They learn in practice quickly what was I wanting in their, perhaps, defective training, and hitherto at any rate they have been splendidly equipped. Nevertheless, the million of which we have I spoken* is an empty figure, which need not frighten us. It may be that a whole army will be sent across the Channel, hut the present military position does not allow England to intervene on the continent in the way that would he necessary to sati|fy the hopes of France and to give a decisive turn to the campaign in the west.” Germany to-day, utterly discredited throughout tho world and dimly realising that complete defeat is her certain portion, is straining every nerve to make the fall as light as possible. How gladly would she call off the game at almost any price.

r • K: THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 1915.