The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-10-06
Germany Confronts
 Very Grave Crisis
all the more satisfactory

Germany Confronts Very Grave Crisis i WL(HITH sll of Germany's foresight w and efficiency she started tht war without looking far enough ahead. It was to be six-month con. flict, the imperial government thought; at most twelve months would see it ended. But now that the wal lis well into it's fourth year the out. look for Germany is gloomy enough to depress the most optimistic oi Berlin's financiers and prophets. A financial breakdown seems inevitable
 As close observer, writing from London to the New York Sun, says: I"Germany has been compelled to live within itself, to borrow from itself, and to pay interest on considerable bart of it's debt by new borrowings from time to time. Thus the apex of the financial pyramid on which the entire structure rests grows propor- tionately smaller under the weight that must be borne" If, as recent reports have 1t, the morale of German troops on the west ern front is deteriorating, the end is lin sight. During the first and second years of the war German soldiers fought with courage and high spirit. But 1t is now felt by Germany's fight ling men that Prussian autocracy is doomed. If Germany is not whipped within the next eight or ten months lit will be only question of time when it will have to surrender. The rank and file know this. Hence the weakening of the arny's morale that military critics are talking about. It is all but impossible for any army fighting for a losing cause to keep up the morale to the end. The Ger man populace and the German sol- diers have been fooled by the govern ment, but they can be deceived no longer. No matter how loyal the army may be to the Kaiser the loss of morale is fatal.
 It is reported that the Germans are stiII trying to fraternize with the Russians by inviting them out of their trenches and the Russians reply by firing on the Ger mans. That ought to furnish material for another hypooritical speech by the Kaiser
 Wholesalers say there is enough whis- ky in the United States to last more than two years. However, serious obstacles have been placed in the way of its dis tribution.
 If "Garabed," described as a marvellous scientific discovery. will do all that it's inventor claims, General Haig may eat his Christmas dinner in Berlin.
 ss * * Willard Mack was fairly we'll known until he married Pauline Frederick. Henceforth he will merely be the beau teous Pauline's husband.
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 Freedom of the press is guaranteed in this country. but there is no room here for German language newspaper that breaches sedition.
 Those Washington experts who expect the German army to collapse soon shouldn't let their optimism run away with them.
 Those Columbia students who portested against the busting of two pacifist profes sors should be given an application of the same boot.
 The fact that Jeannette Rankin aspires to seat in the United States Senate doesn't necessarily mean that she is going to get It.
 With 10000 airplanes In the making. Uncle Sam will soon have enough eyes for his army to see all the way to Pots- dam
 When Tommy Atkins goes lover the top Fritz begins to have visions of an easy life in an English prison camp
 
 No family should "Hooverize" to such an extent that the head of the family doesn't get enough to eat
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 Maybe those German officers are avoid ing unnecessary risks so they can take part in the next war"
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 General von Hindenburg Is 70 years old and he's beginning to fight like man who is past his prime.
 Y
 So far as the municipal campaign is concerned, it's all over but the shouting.