Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1918-06-13
Prisoners, So Convinced Ger
MANY Will Win War This Year
They Are InsoIent-Great
Stroke Is Coming.
BIG RESERVE AVAILABLE
Won Hindenburg Still Has 600,-
600 Fresh Troops to Lead the
Next Great Assault-Heap
y Ridicule on Americans.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP siMMs.
United Press Staff Correspondent.

United Press Staff Correspondent.
With the British Armies in France,
June 10-The spirit of the German
army seldom was keener than it is to-
day. 1t would be playing Germany's
game to try to make anybody believe
otherwise.
Events on the Somme, the Lys and
the Aisne have had their effect. Be
sides, professional lecturers and special
officers are circulating among the
troops. Eucling them up with moral
stimulants.
These insist that the war is almost
over: that Germany is invincible; that
She is fighting in self-d%efense; that the
United States is all hot air.; that
more Americans are u In the sea
than arrive in France: that the Amer
leans cannot arrive in force before
Germany has the allies licked and that
those who do arrive are neurotic. UNI
abs to stand shell fire, are generally
unframed aud Inefficient.
Prisoners Are lnsoient.
Some prisoners appear detected, but
generally they are insolent arrogant
r. sneering and behave always as
though they owned h earth. Most
OF them are convinced Germany Will
win the war this year and that the al
lies will be feeding cut Of the kaiser's
hand.
They may be depressed tomorrow
and every British. French and Amer
lean soldier II hare says you can
just bet they will!' But today they
dream of anneSing Chicago.
OF such mon are the armies which
ing prior to hurting them into the
fourth phase Of tho offensive,
Must "Do Or Die"
Garnpop pricnrors all reflect the sren-
eral opinion on the enemy sid Of the
line that for Germany it is a question
of "do or die" Nobody can listen to
their talk without realizing the utter
folly of considering that the great Of
fensive has spent itself.
Despite the colossal lumber OF
troops SO FAR flung against the allies,
the most desperate blows are ahead.
In 1917 h kaiser a IN the west
front 12S German divisions 1888, 900
men) and in Russia the Balkans and
Rumania, II divisions (92A. 0G0 men).
Since March 81 Hindenburg has &C
tually used against he allies between
100 and ITO divisions C,92o.0 900 to
100000 men) or over IS moro thar
he had holding the entire front at this
time in 1917.
100000 On Line.
There are now between the North
Sea and Switzerland more than 200
divisions (2,400,o 900 mem and it. is esti-
mated that there are slightly under IS
divisions 100000 mem still on the
east front.
This shows that Hindenburg some
how has increased the umb of his
divisions by nearly (4S0,000 mem.
He did this in two ways.
First. by recruiting new classes OF
younger men and by a general co1nbing
out o. other classes; II second, by re-
1nctnr Snfnayyh3t tho silva NJ bic. Al
visions and bri1:ing half way good di-
visions from the east front.
There arc nov about 80 divisions
(9G0,000 men) moro on the west front
than a year ago. Perhaps nearly a
score of the divisions facing the allies
may be rated as poor fighters. But
they are capable Of holding quiet sect
ors while the better troops continue
the offensive.
Still has Colossal Army.
Although Austria, Bulgaria and
Turkey may MOI send troops to this
front. there is no doubt that certain
of these countries are lending men to
Germany for maintaining lines of com
munication In the interior, thus free
ing German troops for service in
France.
Hindenburg still has a colossal army,
but only q few absolutely fresh di-
visions are now in reserve and have
not participated in the three offensives
1t is calculated that near 20 divisions
100000 men) must all the while have
been in quiet sectors. More than 20
divisions have not been in the fight for
some weeks and doubtless are under
goiEg retitting and special training
making o total of perhaps SO fairly
fresh divisions 100000 mem available
in addition to those already on the bat
tie fields.