The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1917-10-31
GERMANY is CRACKING
DECLARES MCCORMICK
HOME FROM WAR ZONE-CON-
GRESHAM SAYS HUNS FAIL
ING IN MAN-PoWER.

Chicago, Oct 2.-Medil Mccormick,
Illinois congressman, has declared up
on his recent return from a visit to
the fighting fronts of Europe that Ger
many is undoubtedly cracking and
that an ally victory is certain Mr.
Mccormick has been so well trained in
many ways as military observer that
his views of the situation in Europe
today are of exceptional value,
Though / am confident that the al
lies now have the upper hand and will
retain itthereis nothing in the military
or naval situations today to bring
assurance that the war will end this
year or even next year. America has
very important part to play and she
cannot play it too well or too soon.
The allies are expecting great deal
of America.
"That German strength is waning
| is seen in the decline of their offensive
fighting and in the quality and condi-
ton of themany Germans who are now
being taken prisoners. American Off
GERS who wereat the last battle of Yer
| dun told me that the Germans captur-
ed are thin and frail compared to the
thick-chested hardy French and Brit
| ish troops Their uniforms are in tat
tiers. And the high proportion of
wounded among the Germans cantured
testifies better than anything else to
| the dearth of reserves ami Iheir con-
sequent inability to replace the wound
ed in. the trenches.
"There is rapidly growing spirit
of rebellion among the young men,
the sixteen and seventeen-year-old
boys who are being called into the
German army. A German newspaper
man, who had presumably left his
country in disgust, recently wrote in
the London Times what appeared to
be plain truths in this connection.
The immature youths, he declares, are
being sent into the German ranks after
physical examination that is farcical,
are bringing with them political
sentiment that is decidedly hostile to
the present government. - g
$50 serious has the opposition to
army service become among these
youths and SO widely has their feeling
spread that there is now quite a. gen
I.epal revolt, Distortions Of the boy
aoldiefsar common and refuge for the
deserters is provided by SECRET Organ
izations that honeycomb the Whole
population. ''D''o &c
Three causes for the German de-
terioration are said to be the growing
shortage of raw material for fhaffdfac-
turing purpose, the failura ofSts@ sub
marine war which has come To be "a
fasco among the German PEOPLE, Sand
1.-THE wang ,man-power and poor quail
ty of reserves. 'F9@e
1.-The civilian population is now go
ing about practically shoeless as re-
suit of the demand for army for army
shoes.
"The German soldier has good shoes
when he has nothing else. Whole
sale CONSUMPTION has produced alabor
shortage thatthreatens coal short
age thatthreatens a coal famine and
the shortage of soap is regarded by
physicians to threaten the nation with
disease.
THAT Austria-Hungrys circumstan-
ces are even worse may be seen in the
words of the Austrian diplomat in a
neutral country who, to my personal
knowledge, recently declared that Aus
tria is now perfect ruin
Our own especial American prob
| lem is simple in it's terms, but enor-
NOUS in its scope We must send our
armies to France and there maintain
them and we must also help to supply
the needs Of the military forces of the
allies as well as their civil populations.
TO do so wwill require the greatest or
ganization of our energies. Through
the submarine has been failing it may
yet do great harm and we have in to
combat.
1.-The most immediate service which
wecan render in the war for our own
protection and for the protection OF
our allies, perhaps the greatest service
which wecan render, is to proceed with
every energy upon the program fol-
destroyers and for ocean carriers re
commended by our naval experts"
| AnAVCNI T>OD DI<TVTEn