The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1917-12-23
ny JOHN L. BALDERsroN.

tCopyrisht lsiI, By the Mcclure Newsapsr
syndicte.l
London. Dec. 6.-"The war win be
won by the side with the strongest
nerves." said Marshal Hindenburs in
1915. His words few throughout the
German empire. His dictum has been
the most often quoted saying Of the
war. How are his own people meas
urins UP to the standard which the
old veteran set for them? How, strong
are German nerves. in this fourth
year Of the war? e. s
It Ia not possible for reporter to
go into Germany and find out But
there are sources OF information as
to conditions in enemy countries that
can be tapped. There are neutrals
and returning prisoners who will an
swer questions; there are Germans
taken at the front who can be inter-
rogated; there are the tons Of let
ters and documents captured In
France. and. finally, there II the enc
my press. A careful study Of Ger
man newspapers often reveals things
that not even the most rigorous CEN
sorship can altogether hide.
/ have been able to tap all those
sources. have talked myself to re-
turning travellers and prisoners, and.
when I asked in ofiicial quarters for
help in preparing q story about Ger
man nerves. the British War Once
placed at my disposal q selection of
captured letters, diaries and docu-
ments bearing upon the subject.
Not standins Strain.
The result Of my investigation has
shown that German nerves are not
standing the strain as well as Hin
denburg could wish. This applied to
soldiers and civilians alike, to the
army fighting in enemy territory, and
to the people at home. Nobody could
go into the subject seriously without
very soon realizing what utter nom
sense Ii the talk about the invincible
German army. the mistaken war will
Of the German people. the resolve to
fight on until the allies are ready to
quit.
l am able to give here some evidence
in support Of my belief that German
nerves are, to put 1t mildly. jumpy.
First. the German army will be dealt
with. then the civilians. It 10 the
army where nerves would be expect
ed to hold out to the end, in view
Of the iron discipline, the magnificent
organization and. to be just. the SPLEEN
| did fighting spirit of the average
German soldier. And II would be too
much. and unfair to the allied armies,
to suggest that rot has begun to set
in. But the symptoms are beginning
| to show themselves.
The following Is an extract from a
private diary belonging to q Prussian
soldier. captured on the battlefield:
THE First Battalion IL to supply a
draft of 80 men. To conduct them
to Saarlouis Station. 800 men are de-
tailed. some with rifles to escort the
draft, others to act as pickets.
What o Sight II Ii.
''In the afternoon our men are ready
and waiting for their comrades of the
First Convalescent Company. who at
last arrive" presumably these are
discharged convalescents, pronounced
fit for the front again) But what a
sight it is, In front marches q squad
of guards; alongside each four. to right
and to left. march two guards with
rifles. and another squad in the rear,
to guard the German soldiers. our
brave lads in field-grey. who as the
newspapers relate in such beautiful
language-are joyfully going forth TO
destroy our enemies. inspired by love
Of the Fatherland.
The draft is ready. The band
strikes up a march. and the column
begins to move. The guards are so
numerous that there Is one for every
4 fxrN l.
before-in fact, as soon as the depar-
ture OF the draft was announced
men forming part Of the draft should
be prevented from going into the
town by pickets every five yards in
every direction! No, we must also en-
dure the shame of being escorted to
the station by armed guards!
| do not the beautiful lying stories
Of our German papers place our brave
lads in field-grey. who for love Of the
Fatherland fight and destroy the en-
envy. in a totally false light when
such things a. this happen? A free
sacrifice indeed"
Heidelberg Anxious.
This little picture of a new draft
setting out for the front throws a
lurid light on conditions behind the
German lines. That such things are
! typical or usual cannot be affirmed
but certainly no such scene has been
! or could be witnessed behind any OF
the Western allied armies now in the
field.
From hundreds OF letters and diaries,
found on the tens of thousands OF
Germans taken prisoner during this
| year by the British and French, the
allied intelligence departments have
learned of the discomfort. dishearten-
ment and disillusion which has fallen
on the German army in the West.
They know from the orders of Marshal
Hindenburg what anxiety the Higher
1 Command has felt about the morale
of its men. An example is this order
captured after the French victory al
Verdun last winter:
| THE operations at Verdun in Octo.
Der and December are serious and re.
grettable reverses. Officers are to bt
under continual supervision and in.
spection. and incapable ones are tc
be ruthlessly removed. The number
Of prisoners, some of whom evidently
surrendered without offering seriou.
resistance and without suffering heavy
losses, shows that the morale o.
some Of the troops engaged was low.
Text Of the Order.
But there has been found this win
ter an instruction to company com.
manders for improving the morale Of
the men which is more interesting anC
important even than the orders o.
Hindenburg. For it is evidence, boil
in what it says, and still more in tn,