Steady pressure

No check on Allies advance

Enormous German losses

Russia resumes the offensive

Possibly it is true that the Germans are strongly reinforcing themselves in Belgium and France but whether we believe this or not, it may be quite certain that they have shot their bolt.

We have seen the end of the beginning and early in the new year we shall see the beginning of the end.

Germany is bound to have two or three million more men in the field but the allies will put a similar number of more into the field.

There the resemblance ends, our new soldiers will be as good as those already fighting for us. The Germans. Have left their worst til last.

Assuredly so far as real fighting is concerned 1915 will see the end of the war. If in five months Germany loses a million and a half men, what will be the total for 17 months?

There are other factors at work besides the steady pressure of the allies east and west.

There would appear to be considerable justification for those who hold that the beginning of the end of the Great War is to be seen in the weakening and manifest wavering of Austria Hungary.

Hitherto the dual monarchy has been the subservient tool of Gemany but things have gone badly and now the second power of the Triple Alliance, which is a triple alliance no longer, is showing very evident signs of dissatisfaction.

Austria has been placed by her big and bullying ally , in the way of getting most of the kicks. Her troops have been put into the forefront when there has been very heavy fighting and when any glory has been forthcoming the Germans have promptly laid claim to it.

In order to prevent the Russians getting into Silesia the richest district in Germany, Austrian forces were withdrawn from Bosnia to help the Germans with the result that Austria sustained a humiliatingly crushing defeat at the hands of the Serbians.

The defeat bids fair to affect Germany very unfavourably for the signs of disaffection in the dual monarchy are becoming very plain and particularly so in Hungary whose people can see the likelihood of an early Russian invasion without any compensation whatsoever.

Austria forced the war at the instigation of Germany and it is on the cards that it will be brought to an end by Austria making the first overtures of peace.

The next serious move made by Russia will carry her armies irresistibly into the plains of Hungary.