The letter addressed by the Emperor Francis Joseph to the
Austrian and Hungarian Premiers on July 31st is singularly free from jubilation. His armies, in cordial association with those of their " glorious allies, heroically resist the constantly renewed attacks of superior forces," while his beloved peoples at home are making " every sacrifice required to secure a future honourable and permanent peace." He confesses to a fatherly anxiety for his }loyal subjects ; he shares their pain, privation, and distress ; and deplores ":the disturbance of the fruitful labours of peace and the serious deterioration of all conditions of life." Still, "leaning upon the edifying experiences of two years of war," he looks " with .erfect confidence to a future which is now gradually ripening," convinced that his brave peoples " truly deserve victory," and that the " mercy and justice of Providence " will not withhold it from them. The latest experiences on the Russian and Italian fronts are certainly calculated to continue this edifying process. The humiliation of having Hindenburg's control forced upon nearly the whole Austrian Army has been avoided, but that only means that the edifying experiences of the Austrians will accumulate the quicker.
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