The Washington herald., 1917-10-14
Fear of America Induces
Peace Talk from Germany
Allied People Expect Much of United States
Armies, But United States Gold Will
Be More Effective at First
BY JOHN l.. BALDERsTON.
Copyright. loI7. BY the Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicatel

by
Copyright, l3I7. by the Mcclure Newspaper
Syndieate)
London, Oct. l3.-The fighting season
of 1871 is drawing toward a close, and
II is probable that no further impor-
tant military events will take place
in the main theaters of action, east
or west, until the spring campaign Of
1913 opens. with American troops in
line ready to play their part in the
next act OF the drama of the world
war.
Public interest is shifting to the
military preparations of the United
States and the efforts OF the German
empire to make peace before the fun
weight Of her new antagonist can
make itself felt in the field.
Realization of the importance of the
coming efforts of a fully aroused
America came quickly to both camps
Of belligerents when It was known
last spring. soon after the break with
Germany, that American troops would
De sent to Europe. But military events
u the past three months have i'm
nensely enhanced the Importance Of
me role the United States will be cali
ID upon to play.
Germany Fears America.
Private advices received here from
Germany indicate that the anticipa-
ton Of American force is The domi-
mating note in the present anxiety of
Germany's rulers to obtain peace at
any cost before the neg campaign
GAS been fought out.
AT the beginning Of this years dght-
ing, both Germany and the allies were
optimistic. Germany believed SO
strongly that the unrestricted sub
marine warfare would bring victory in
a few months that she did not hesi-
tate to drag in a reluctant America
against her. The allies were almost
equally confident that the hammer
blows on the Somme could be followed
up, this year, by decisive strokes that
would send the enemy armies scut-
Ting for the Rhine. Both sides were
wrong.
Aside from the shadow of the Amer
lean eagle that has fallen over Ger
many, the military situation at pres-
ent Is regarded in the highest Berlin
quarters as good. Information re-
gard1ng recent speeches at the sup-
posedly secret sessions of the main
committee of the Reichstag, as well
as accounts of views recently ex-
pressed in private by leading men of
the empire, indicate that Germans
would be more cocksure than ever
that they had won the war were IL NOT
Tor the treacherous behaviour of the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Herr
Wilson.
From a competent source here 1
have obtained the gist of a commu-
nlcation recently privately made to a
group Of banking and manufacturing
magnates in Germany, as represent
ing the opinion of the general stan,
which means the Hindenburg-Luden-
dorm combination.
Situation Not .Brixht.,
A little over a year ago this Ger
man summary remarked the situation
was extremely gloomy. The great at
tack on Verdun had failed, after
swallowing up. the summary did not
add, the flower of the German army.
Rumania had just entered the war
The French and British were dealing
blows on the Somme that caused
grave uneasiness. Late in the au-
tumn, Rumania had been defeated by
Falkenheyn and Mackensen, and the
Danger in the east removed, but the
British attacks toward Bapaume. in
september. nearly resulted In a disas-
trous break-through.
Inc present position, contrasted with
tnat or last year, is painted in bright
colors. Thanks to the brilliant ana
successfuI retreat of Hindenburg in
the Somme area as the winter drew
toward an end, and to the invention
OF the new tactics which removed the
possibility Of such defeat as were
narrowly averted on the Somne, the
present year is represented as one of
brilliant strategical success.
The only cloud on the horizon. the
summary concludes, is the army of
the United States, whose strength
ana prowess are written down eau
uously as an unknown quantity"
That, in spite of what they believe
70 be their improved position on the
West front, and. the collapse of Rus
san resistance in the East, the Ger
mans should be more anxious for
peace than they were a year ago.
and willing to grant much better
terms TO secure 1t, is due to the Ger
man fear Of what they may have TO
FACE from across the Atlantic. So
much 1 am informed is freely admit
ted In the German capital. although
the German press has been ordered
10 sneer at and belittle in every pos
slole way the new enemy. The proc
ess Is familiar one. 1t is the same
as that employed towards England,
while the British armies were slowly
and painfully being called out of tbe
ground and fashioned into shape. The
FnPRT9 slammed Uh L.
levies struck on the Sonne. one
month less than two years after the
war began.
compliment to United States.
Things being as they are in east
ana west, with the undersea cam
paisn apparently continuing at about
the same rate, II Is a high commit
Tnent that u e Germans paw to Amer
lea when they seek peace on terms
which they regard as unfayorah1e
rather thai attempt to continue m
dety the world about Belgium and
Northern France.
But the American pressure nm Car
many is probably more seriously fear
ed because of its financial ana bIock-
ade aspects than because of wash
inston's naval and military prepara-
tons. A serious danger exists that
the British and French publics NAV
come to expect altogether too much
from our new armies. A feeling Is
growing up here that in some niracu-
lous way America is going to do yerv
startling things in the very near
future. That hope is. of course, base.
less.
The man in the street in Iondor
gives vent to most extravagant figures
on the subject of the American army
he seems to feel that the hundreds
OF thousands of recruits he reads
about daily will fall upon the Ger
mans In a few months. The danger
undoubtedly exists that when he finds
that his exnecta fions ara .s..In