AUSTRIAN ARMY VETERAN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 61, 1 August 1914, Page 2

AUSTRIAN ARMY VETERAN.

A RKL'OIIT CONTRADICTED. "IF RUSSIA INTERFERES." By Telegrapa—Press Association. Christchurch, July 29. It is not generally known Unit Herr Zimmerman, .the well-known violinist, is a veteran of the Austrian Army, and saw active service in her campaigns. Tilis morning when a rupurter called upon him he. found' Hecr Zimmerman anxious to refute the allegations made by some B!av* to a newspaper representative :u Auckland. "To say that the Slavs don't want to go and assist Austria is ah rubbish," lie exclaimed. "If I biiii tliat young man here I would horsewhip him to assail the honor of Hi- army like that,' 1 lie added. It was .cry wlrongy Why? In liis time in Ji.:::gary, out of the 100 men in the army 40 could not read or write when they joined the colors, but it made men of tliein. It trained and educated them. ]n reply to a question, Herr Zimmerman said' that he served from 1878 to IiSSG, and held a lieutenancy in the infantry. He was wounded in '7'.) at Sarajevo. Some years ago he got his discharge. Asked to express an opinion regarding Austria's preparedness for war lie sail that he knew from information received that the artillery was without doubt the very finest in Europe. In any campaign with Servia or Russia the artillery would be the. most important branch. The infantry, especially the .Jagers, was good, the Jagers being among the finest sharpshooters in the world. They were small men, hut full 01 grit. Not much could be said about the cavalry, but it was well known that the Hungarian Hussars were hard to beat in horsemanship. "If Russia interferes," added Her Zimmerman, with emphasis, "'she will get absolutely the biggest hiding she ever had. "The Hungarians haven't forgotten the revolution of '4B when Russia helped Austria. Even if France comes in, wo have no fear whatever. The Triple Alliance is good. If there is no interference, Servia will get a thrashing in a few days, aiul all the trouble will be; over. Austria has her hemmed in. Yes; there has always been feeling . against Servia. Even in my university days we disliked the Serbs."