The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-06-27
GERMAN ARMY CONDITIONS.
Six Million Men Can be Counted OH
EARLY Allied Victory Depends on
United States and Russia,


including partial effectives and the
classes of 1917-1S. both of which it
was never thought would be called,
grand total in round figures of g.
100000 men. Today she has q grand
total of 100000 to the last available
man; and of this figure, 100000 are
virtually useless as trained soldiers
either through youth or age.
These figures are not haphazard.
They are based upon careful notes ]
have obtained permission to make
from administrative and military rec
ords in Paris, for the purpose of de-
tcrmining just what the present status
of the BOche army is in men and pos
sibilities, and also just what the loss
es of the last thirty-three months ag-
gregate. The reports I examined arc
minutely careful in detail and based
on pre-war and information obtained
since August, 1914. They are, am
told, with 2 per cent Of the actual
number of men who can still fight and
men who will never fight again. They
cover in the former category the pres
ent strictly effective units of German
armies on all fronts and behind them
They show that the losses in men
Killed or taken prisoner since 1914
total 1,75O,00O, and that the wounded
and mutilated who will never fight
again total 100000 men. II, the fig
ures state, the falling off of the birth
rate in Germany is considered, it
creates a total decrease in the popu-
lation of the Kaiser's realm of 5000,
900. 1t is, therefore, safe to say that
the land OF the Roche has never been
so bled In its history, even in tn
Thirty Years War.
All reports from he western front
tell the same tale of enormous Ger.
man losses and ruthless sacrifice of
life in counter-attack. 1 have per.
sonally looked upon it's evidence, wit
Messing the other day on the French
front fully 1900 men out of 1000
mown down like grass under a farm
or's scythe in less than an hour
They had advanced in counter attack
in their usual close formation, each
man touching his neighbor's elbow
They have always so done, at the
Marne. at Ypres, at User, at Verdun
on the Somme. Their method de-
scends from the teachings of eco,
poral Schag," as the father of Fred
eric III was known. It is based upor
more direct control Of the men by tn
officers, giving the non n-commissionc.
and commissioned the age old right
of goading on the file, who. with Ger.
tain death from behind IL they hes
tate, go forward in close order to DOS
sible death.
1t was with this memory in mind
of something 1 had seen, and it's bear
ing on the great conflict, that l asked
permission to make the inquiry upon
which this article is based, to the enc
of determining just what the Boch:
army still has available and also i,
loss during the duration of the war
In q study as to the significance @.
these figures, it must always be re.
membcred that in warfare q defensive
is but hopcd-fOr provisional condi-
ton adopted by the least strong O
Two belligerents until the wearint
down or material decrease in power
or number of the attacking side read
iusts percentages. And it follows thai
if this cannot be secured automaticol.
~ waste of material. living or 9th
crwise, results leading, if unstopped
TO certain defeat and disaster.
1t would be silly to assume that dc.
feat Is Germany's immediate portion
or even near immediate portion. Blu
1t is ultimately undeniable. It is LOG
ically impossible at this writing 70,
Germany to undertake great often
sive of the very first magnitude. He,
so-called strategic defensive is a solid
failure. The conclusion as to final re
suits Is consequently self-evident. How
soon that will be depends very largel
upon the United States. Let it be re.
mcmbered that in March, when tho
Eoche retreat began. it was sprea(
broadcast in German public print.
that Hindenburg reccdes his center 70
strategic reasons. He establishes
new zone between Arras and Scissor.
for military reasons. He retains every
where at will the power of initiative
Against these statements are tn