Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-26
ALLIES SOMME DRIVE
FAILURE, VON KLUCK SAYS
Continued from Page One


been terrible" continued General Won
Kluck. "They have been much greater
than ours, The English had to put new
men into each attack. Their losses must
exceed ours by at least 100000"
"Is that many for the large army of Eng
land is reported to have?" he was asked.
"The decisive thing is always to have
plenty of men," he replied but when there
is n great offensive like this Anglo-French
movement and little progress is made; when
the losses are great and no progress is
evident. the spirit of the troops weakens
and that weakens' the offensive"
"It is reported abroad that Germany is
facing a great military crisis now that the
Allies are attacking on several fronts and II
is even rumored that it will not be long
before she will collapse" he was told.
"You can see for yourself that there is no
crisis" the general replied Eight weeks
have passed since the Anglo-French offen-
sive began. The preparations for II must
be called immense. England brought
armies that might never have been expec-
ted of that country thanks to Kitchener s
labor-and 1t was Kitchener's labor.
France, despite her serious losses at Yer
dun, had put the last reserves of her 30
fighting years (meaning 80 classes) together.
The industries of France. England. the
United States and Japan worked fevershly
TO supply the Allied armies with tremendous
amounts of war material for a general
offensive on all fronts.
THE moment of the attack seemed we'll
chosen, because Germany during the weeks
before was supposed to be suffering under
shortage caused by that blockade. Before the
possibilities OF a splendid harvest became
known TO the Allies they became convinced
that only great military success was
needed to bring the wavering spirit OF Ger
many-wavering, as they supposed-to her
knees.
WASTE OF MEN AND MUNITIONS.
''The battle of the somme has now ragged
for several weeks. Despite tremendous
use OF ammunition and repeated stores Of
human material, the result OF the general
offensive is now unimportant when compared
to the great waste of physical and moral
force The German front on the Somme
stands unshaken, despite the hardest for
ward and backward fighting, where the OPP
posing armies are locked in struggle like
two stays,
"A change has taken place in the former
victorious tone OF the French press of a
few weeks ago. The French newspapers
now exhort their readers TO be patient and
not 10 expect too much.
ION the front Of the German army and
throughout the country confidence and be-
lief in victory grows. A dispatch from YER
dun spoke OF the moral power OF the Ger
man troops. This is the same on all fronts
and IT is this spiritual force, as every ex-
pert historian Knows tnat is the decisive
thing that will end the present struggle"
The conversation turned toward Field
Marshal French, who was Won Klucks op-
ponent In the battle OF Mons began to
make notes OF the generals remarks.
please don't write that" he said. Dur
ing the war we must not talk OF our op-
ponents. 1t is always best to speak we'll
even OF our opponents. but there are many
things about the story Of this war that
conelusively written. would constitute a
whole library"
How long do you think the war will
lastT' was one question i put TO the gem
eTal.
1T can last years or days" was his reply
The end OF the war will come as suddenly
as an accident A Swiss newspaper sized
up the situation correctly recently when II
said. Europe lacks courage for peace"
General Won Kluck Is now 10 years OF
age. But despite the fact that he has been
wounded seven times and still carries
bullet in his right arm, he Is ready 70 go
back to the front II necessary, he said.