The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-03-29
HIGHEST STATE
deficiency IN
GERMAN ARMY
NAN WHO HAS BEEN TO THE
FRONT RETURNS AND WHITES
HIS OPTIMISTIC IMPRESSIONS
~ EXCEEDING STRONG WORDS
" AssocaArEp -

Wht&M 3 cannot explain, writes cor
respondent % the Frankfurter zeitmng
who has recently been making a round
of the German trenches 10 Belgium
I and Northern France. lie aar parti
eai@Eiy Impressed with the work which
the German authorities have accom-
E pushed Ia the occupied dystricts -
both BeiNtum and France where
when cur powerful army shall break
E over TIE eorder into the interior of
France All the railways and rnaHp.
~ observes have baen brought 20 tho
highest efficiency for that objective
/ lie continues:
The pause has been used 70 The
utmost advantage The North ~
France and Belgium have been trans
I formed into German border province.
whose granaries. ammunition depots
I and bases for the provision 81 war
supplies are OVERLOOKING and ready. a.
sign, 20 send thousands ~ tons 60
/ the front. while the hospitals ana
transports Cor the wounded are mar
/ telinusly organized. Al the wnrike
4 pre pa rations IN the west have been
/ placed on . new and extraordinarily
strong footing
In many respects these prepare
items surpass even our German mo-,
Utilization. Here in the depots yon
feel how this preparation for war
has been thought out IN the most cnn-
/ centrated way An unprecedented
+ energy g. devoted - lf While greater
+ and greater masses 81 men are being
+ hurled against ear wail outside with
/ only wave noR and then breaking
i over the dam while our trenches are
/ sending the stormins parties home
again with bloody cost sli the time
i oar inner fortress Is being more heav.-
+ III armed until she signal time for &
new offensive can 10 given Kitchen
+ ers millions and the new French
/ army have never alarmed as al
+ though we must not underestimate
+ them But II Is one of our charac-
teristios % look only to the front and
/ e. believe only IN the existence ~
what We can clearly perceive
4 Before ] went % the front All ar-
/ counts and stories ~ the Wal left me
/ unconvinced Even when passed
through the trenches In front ~
/ Rheims. where the front 81 the tow-
/ ers ~ the Cathedral SIN stand out al.
/ most unin5ured when J walked over
the heights which / heard the thun-
der ~ the cannon by Ypres. where the
/ trenches are driven right IT'D ~ the
toun. had a lively desire ~ criticise
/ Why had We not held on Is these
/ towns We we're once ~ them. why
/ had We not closed the sup between
I our right wing and the North Sea Is
/ the days when Antwerp was being
/ taken. So that Calais and DunklrA
might now be in our possession. What
/ has happened In the woods 81 the Ar
I gonne and on tho Marnee
When ! began g. talk about ms
/ doubts and Is complain and began I'D
4 question this person and that ia order
+ 90 gain Information ta convince the
I Phliisunes al home. they simply put
a map In my hands which was mark
"a with = blue pencil round the broad
plain 81 Rheims
il MAS then invited 20 regard with
my own eyes our excellent positions
on the plateau which oTerIooks the
/ Aisue I Was shown the crest or the
/ hin Ia front ~ Arras on which our
I front leans. the KemmelberE. the cen-
! ter of our enrmy~s position in Flanders.
/ the high roaG IN the west Ia front ri
Ypres. behind the protection ~ which
I the beaieged city "a hidden. The whole
/ position was carefully explained, and
I I was invited % say whether ! could
+ devise any better positions which
could render our front more secure
I and more favorable in view of the
i whole line ~ battle IN the west and
/ the east
Even this much knowiedEe Was
/ worth a visit 70 the front But some
/
/ fuily long pause mean II would not
be SURPRISING s someone 10 the
/ trenches or in the villages a. the
base or in the dspots. were % COM
+ plain 81 the drsggsng ~ the war Mil
lions &C men accustomed 20 work
I with their brains and hands. who had
\ their roots IN their nusy lives and
devoted AL their strength 70 their
work. have become al ~ once divert
/ "a 90 other tasks The thunder ~
the cannon and the flash of the rifles
/ are al that they have 10 think about.
/ A mound - earth or the face ~ a
i companion ls their solitary company.
I week after week and = great desire
I burns within them II ouly they say
I we could come oslt % our holes are
should have done with those fellows
Il opp0site* They envy their comrades
I in the East where there IL movement
I marching and storminE- They 90 not
I notice thar the deeds ~ Hlndeuburg-s
army are also. perhaps, due a. them.
/ But they are AL 81 one mind. III n
CIR duty 70 wait ard = patient and
therefore we DO it' Should not those
a. home. safe and dry ard well-fed.
VINO declare the WAITING % - too
Ions. feel ashamed
II Il have seen the trenches. the end
less labyrtuths 81 underground pas
i saEes and refugees the guns and the
II obstacles Ia front 81 them. the men AZ
T their work and how with incompara-
ole calm and self possession they
4 complete and protect their labor with
/ every possible plan and provision. And
n have come % she unnltsrAble c0nvse-