Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-10-25
Prisoners Captured by Brit.
ish Tell of Desertions
and Mutiny.
OFFICERS LOSING
THEIR CONTROL
Deterioration in Morale
Of Teuton Army Fighting in Elan.
dsrs-soidiers and Citizens Uniting
in Demand For Ending Of War
Germany Short Of Horses and Can
vass With Which to Make Tents.
lBy the Associated Press.l

Win the BrltLSn Armies III ETduCo
and Belgium, Oct. decentralization of
positions won in Mondays attack was
being rapidly completed today under
a bright sun, which is mitigating some
what the difficulties Of the work in the
morass like ground. Active artillery
fire marked the night in the region to
the east and north of Ypres.
The. British big guns have never
ceased to pour a devastating fire into
the German positions along the Flan-
,ders front and the enemy has respond
ed vigorously.
Shortly before dark last evening the
enemy launched a counter attack
against the British to the south of
Houtholst forest, near the junction
with the French, but this wasNrepulsed
with machine gun aDd rifle fire.
Both the British and French were
holding their positions in this difficult
territory on the edge of the forest.
The assertion in the Gefman state
ment that the British on Monday also
attacked on both sides Of the Gheuve.s
and were repulsed is entirely erroneous.
as no such attacks we're made. The
British offense was confined to opera
tions along q narrow front several
miles northsof GheIveH.
German Soldiers in Rebellion.
The reports that British troops had
found a German officer who had been
executed by his own soldiers, his body
having the arms bound behind the
body, has been confirmed.
! The incident occurred In redoubt
south of Poelcapelle during the recent
fighting. There were fourteen German
soldiers and young officers holding this
place. When the British stormed the
redoubt the Germans surrendered and
the British found the dead officer with
five bullet wounds in the body. The
reason for his execution was that the
men desired to surrender and he re-
fused to give up his stronghold with
out struggle.
: This affair is likely to substantiate
statements Of German prisoners that
officers along the Flanders front are
losing controLof their men.
Desertions Frequent.
There is no doubt that there has been
a very considerable deterioration in the
morale Of many Of the German troops:
in this region. But the German fight
ing machine is recognized as still being
a powerful one. One non-commissioned
officer belonging to the Tenth Bavarian
division, who was captured about the
middle OF October, asserted. as had
had other prisoners before, that the
officers were losing their grip on the
men. He said that desertions in tho
rear were very frequent and cited the
case Of thirteen men OF his own COM
pany who had deserted a fortnight be-
fore, declaring that they were going
home.
" Some Of them were arrested on the.
way but others actually reached their
lhomes. -Four Of these men were
brought back to the company as prison
ers, but the officer did not know If any
of them had been punished. He added
that this was not an exceptional case.
Citizens Demanding Peace.
An equally interesting case was made
by an officer Of the guard reserve divi-
sion, who had joined his regiment in
the middle Of October. He declared
that the morale in Germany was very
bad and civilians were raising an out
cry as to why the war was being pro-
longed. Turnout the country, he said.
there was talk Of an end to the Hchen-
zollerns and the establishment of q
republic. The morale in his own divi-
sion he characterized as bad, altho for
merly it had been good.
This officer further said that the
authorities had called up the 1920 class
in Brunswick. Germany was suffering
from d serious shortage Of horses ana
:..er., was d great scarcity Of canvass
as a, result Of which the manufacture
Of tents virtually had ceased. huts be-
ing erected instead.