The Washington herald., 1918-08-08
HUN NDEFEAT0N
MARINE PROVES
STUNNING ROUT
French Officials Find Huge
Quantities Of Abandoned
Material.
100 DIVISIONS PUT OUT
Germans Retreated Quar-
reling and Shouting
Mach Berlin.

As the work OF salvaging the
great amount of booty taken by the
Franco-American forces progresses,
reports of a preliminary nature in
dtcate that the victory on the
Marne is far greater in its destruc-
tiveness than at first appeared pos
sible.
A statement from Andre Tardieu,
director of the French War Ministry's
relations with America. received
here yesterday relates that since
July the German army's morale
has suffered greatly, that 100 Ger
man divisions have for the most
part been worn out by the bitter
assaults of the allies and that Gen.
Mangin's army alone. operating on
the western side of the battle front
took 500 heavy field cannon, and
500 trench guns of every caliber.
The statement from M Tardieu
was written on Monday, just after
he returned from a tour of the
front with Premier Clemenceau. The
statement follows:
"On August went with M.
Clemenceau to Scissors and visited
the whole of the reconquered terri
tory. 1t is indisputable, and II must
be emphasized that there has been
not a German withdrawal follow
ed by a French reoccupation, but a
German withdrawal forced by an
allied victory.
Had Orders to Hold.
THE fights Of August 1 and 2 were
especially hot. The prisoners gath
cred during these two days declared
that they had RECEIVED the order to
hold their lines at any price. The
great heaps OF ammunition which I
have seen on the spot are proof of the
confusion and the rout. The Germans
did not have time enough either TO
destroy the bridges nor to cut the
roads. Scissors was taken during The
nights Of Friday and Saturday. On
sunday our party reached the place
In motor car. which demonstrates
the haste of the retreat.
The booty is being Tailed. I do
not possess the total yet, but the army
OF Gen. Mangin has taken more than
500 heavy guns and field guns and
more than 5C0 trench guns Of every
caliber. In the neighborhood of Sois-
sons We found intact an Ammunition
epotewhtch eontaf1sd S0o, 90 snsfIs
for guns IN use by the Allies these
shells having fallen into the hands of
the Germans during the recent drive
across the Aisne. There were also
10000 shells for use in the German
n en-. field guns and nearly 10000
shells for German heavy guns In a
word, 1t is great success.
Shattered Morale.
The German morale seems shatter-
ed. Since July Il up to now it has en-
gagged 100 German divisions, of which
tne greater part are worn out.
PRISONERS report quarrels among
the Bavarians.
THE inhabitants Of oalchy-le-cha-
teau reported having seen the Ger
mans leave in column formation.
shouting Mach Berlin con to BerIinO.
and in Scissors only three very old in
habitants remained. The desperate ef-
forts of the Germans to drag them
along with them prove their anxiety at
leaving behind any source of informa-
ton. For the same reason they took
away all their dead"
In many ways the report from the
eminent French economist and states
man clears up many points which up
10 tnls time have been a matter of
CONJECTURE among military experts
mere. While 1t has been known that
the Franco-American force, which
played the major jart in driving the
army of the crown prince in retreat
had maintained a rapid pace. IL was
not fully realized that their pressure
had been such that the Germans were
unable to destroy bridges and raise Oh
structions. 1nasmuch as such stems
are usually Of paramount Importance
to retreating force, wonder was con-
tinually expressed here at the ability
of the Franco-American artillery To
continue in support day by day as The
infantry advanced.
auarreIs Significant.
No surer sign of a weakening
morale Is TO be found than the tend
ency OF defeated group of men,
be they military forces or a basa'
ball team. to quarrel among tbem-
selves. 1t is therefore of imnort-
ance that evidences of ouarreIing
among the Bavarians was found suy,
1cient to warrant comment by M
Tardeau. 1t is when jealousv or
dissatisfaction with the part pIaved
Dy others gives rise to open mar
reling that the cohesive powers Of
a nghting unit are seriously weak
ened and the influence of their ON
GERS lost.
The assumption is to be found
generally here that Gen. Foch Is
now doing his utmost to quickly
consolidate the gains of the recent
victory and so place his units that
sharp drive at either one Of two
or three points will force a further
retreat by the enemy. II is NOT
thought that a renewal Of IN. n.ht
ing on a great scale will occur for
several days at least.