Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-10-31
ENEMY NEVER THOUGHT
AMERICA WOULD STRIKE
Or, il 1t Did Strike, They Thought
Blow Would BE Fatally
Delayed.
GERMANY LIKE STUNNED MAN
Wars Conditions Have Been So
Quickly Reversed That They Are
but just beginning to Realize
Complete Defeat Is Their Part.
by AUSTIN HARRISON.
We'll Known british Contemporary
Historians: Editor OF the English



ReSIcw.
For the Urst. time we may conf
IDENTITY say today that The Germans
own challcngc-'.world power or down
fall"
German generals arc professionally
laconic. When therefore we find the
idolized lIindcnburg turned on"-and
that is correct designation-to issue
passionate appeal to the latheriand.
home to Germany: that the civilian
morale is shaken: that doubt has taken
the place Of confidence.
Only the other day the Kaiser jour
neyed to Erupp's TO MAKE personal
appeal to the woIkman-a thing unique
In Itself
One has but TO read the imperial
rhetoric to see that fear has arisen in
the 1iohenZollern mind. that something
like INSTRUMENTATION has spread in the
town of Essen. Even the crown prince
has expressed disbelief in military
victory"
that kuehlmann was a wiser man that
the Kaiser thought him when his ser
vices were dispensed with so light
heartedly for venturing TO suggest
what the crown prince to-day an
nounces as truth.
| have long witited for some genuine
signs OF a change in German opinion.
and J think the signs are nov unmis-
Up to Marshal rochs great strategic
yiew,mn,aamely, that vic;tsory was only
Russia go out OF the war, STRICKEN
thought they could annihilate sufficient
Of the AnElo-French forces to neu-
tralize the effects OF American aid, and
before that aid could develop.
To- day they are like II stunned man.
Their bolt has been shot Evidently
The country has begun furiously to
think.
At this hour the Americans are fur
ther demoiishins their confidence. on
every nile brPi1gs The nearer
TO Germany, 10 Net. and to the Rhine
the Germans are being forced out Of
positions that thoy have held since
Importance 10 them during the great
attacks on Nerdun, which to-day they
OF ever gaining the coveted fortress.
The Germans cannot fail TO under
stand what this al means. lie knows
that Ludendorff ], tended to advance.
not TO retire. lie knows that his
armies have suffered AN historical de-
feat. He knows that there is no Amer
lea for him.
LuDENDuRFF"S MISTAKE
UNDERUATED AMERICA
When I.udcndorfr started out on the
offensive this summer he clearly mis-
calculated the American potentiality.
and this led him 10 leave his armies
with exposed nanks to Fochs discre-
tion. the application Of which has led
to the almost miraculous change in the
end.
l.udendorr can hardly discount the
Americans nov. Every month the finest
Young men OF America Will pour into
France. SO that against the dwindlng
reserves Of Germany the allies can
reckon on an Increasing striking force
overwhelming superiority OF fresh mcn
versus a declining 81 cam OF used and
shaken men. Militarily, 1t is poor
proposition.
And so at last the Germans arc per-
ceiviug.
for Germany on the old fcudal lines,
that the allies will never treat with an
truly representing The people can Ger
many now obtain peace.
To any one who knows Germany,
this is indeed change. 1t has come
force, aud the challenger has lost. That
is the meaning o! Germany's inner
disqu;et.
The anGer;nans who led Germany
into her war madness are to-day quiet
and discounted. Their day is up"
Control by junkerdom is passing into
Will depend upon the rapidly and Sc
Verify OF the allies blows Bu, it is
coming about.
HOW oNr: GERMAN
MISSED HIS GUESS
The last words i think | ever said
10 a German We're some six months be-
fore the war: IF you start the war
YOU Will be defeated. because Ame rca
vii! never ALLOW us TO be beaten" The
answer was: ':t will be too quick for
America to take action. Moreover.
America never will fight for England"
This man was in the German Foreign
Office. II never occurred TO him that
the world had grown out of the feudal
idea: He never thought that America
would fight i'll Europe for a principle.
and 10 doubt that is the explanation
OF the incredible stupidity OF the Ger
mans in defying and insulting America.
Now that spirit is passing. ] do not
consider that any great break down OF
morale will take piace-at any rate.
not yet; most certainly think ii would
be folly TO count upon anything like
revolution or disintegratiOn.
None the less. Germany is learning
her lesson. Considerable changes in
government. in controlling power even
in constitutional authority are incvit-
able.
The KAISER may be constitutionalized
siInply.by the elimination of paragraph
]. which gives him the sole right of
war or peace. Civilian power Will grow
stronger as German arms lose their
prestige The western spirit will rise
To GUST the old junker domination. The
Pan Germans will become II hyblown
caste.
In this the Kaiser. with his many
sidedneSS. may cooperate. II is a great
mistake to imagine that Germans hate
him. for the contrary is the fact. They
love him. He is 4 kind OF symbol OF