Thinks War Will End in August, Next Year

1916

Russian Field Commander Praises Roumania as Ally — Expects Allies to Win.

RUSSIAN ARMY HEADQUARTERS (on southern front). — In an interview with a war correspondent Gen. Alexis Brusiloff is quoted as saying:

"It goes without saying that I felt deep joy when I heard that Roumania had declared war on Austria. My left flank, now resting on the Roumanian army, with which it has virtually brought itself into contact, is now undoubtedly secure.

"The Roumanian army is a strength with which one must reckon. It is under good leadership, an excellent spirit animates it and it is subjected to remarkable discipline. Its body of officers are well learned, serious and competent. Above all, the Roumanian army has magnificent artillery which, it uses with perfect skill.

"During the last two years Roumania has had plenty of time to accumulate great quantities of ammunition and that is a capital point, because artillery plays in modern war a role not only enormous, but preponderating, and any nation without the help of powerful artillery would in vain expect great military success.

Sees Fall of Austria.

"If you consider, moreover, that Roumania in taking part in the war closes naturally her boundaries to German and Austrian buyers, who formerly found on her territory huge quantities of corn and maize, you will admit that the armed intervention of Roumania, who proudly enters the lists, is an event of the first order.

"To my mind, the Austro-Hungarian empire, assailed from all sides, will not be able to stand much longer before the hordes of enemies who are hurling themselves against her and are only preparing to increase the vigor of their blows.

"The present war is a war that it is impossible for us to lose, and altho a huge work remains to be accomplished, its successful result is already in our hands. The game is already won. I said so two years ago, and I did not change my mind one year ago when the penury of ammunitions obliged us to undergo great trials.

Compares War to a Lottery.

"We must consider that for the Allies, the present war can be compared to a lottery in which every number has to win, only we must go on until the end and not have the weakness to think about a premature peace.

"Now you will ask me when one may suppose that true peace will be signed, a peace which the Allies will be able to accept with the joy of an entirely fulfilled task. I am not a prophet, the future is in the hands of God, but if had absolutely to make an hypothesis I should be inclined to think that the month of August, 1917, might see the end of our memorable work."

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 3.