Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-09-09

hcen taken otherwise il Germany had
been in a position TO operate her pow
e:iul field batteries behind 1t. The
same is one of some Of the positions
held by the Germans on the Sommc
and on the Ncslc
Moreover reports which have come
through during the past two weeks
nave almost invariably rccounted the
absence OF those murderous artillery
nearly ali 81 G;ermany's tactics. whcth-
or her armies were. On the offensive
or on the defensive. Her machine guns
have never been buster. AMI her in
fan,ry has been in action as before.
but not her artillery. Both the British
and French official conmuniques have
cited this fact again and again.
PRISONERS COMPLAIN OF
LACK OF AMMUNiTION
Besides, prisoners who lave been
taken by the allies have repeatedly
surrender because their supply Of am,
nunition had given out. They claimed
that they might have longer retarded,
il not actually stopped, more than once
allied thrusis ii they could have kept
on fighting. AMI these stories. often
discounted. OF cours,. are somewhat
that the allied losses in men in the
recent drives have been surprisingly
small. Certainly they would not nave
been small II the German military ma
chine had been functioning as II should.
II is rccal He'd, in This connection. that
when the Germans were OH the Of
tens!ve during the spring and early
summer. the punishment dealt them was
staggering. Supplied with unlimited
quantities OF ammunition. the British
aud French armies poured veritablc
streams OF steel into the ranks OF the
adj vancinr Germans III. wing them down
IN numbers that We're utterly CHASTITY.
And yet when the allies storm German
defensive positions in exactly the same
manner, they arc met by li:tlc or no
opposition from the German batteries.
These arc believed 10 be circuni-
81. .ty 49,, sffeH. ... Ia "
military authorities in Washin & ton.
Nor would Il be surprising to them
II the Germans mad practical! exhaust
ci their supply OF munitions II Is
known, OF course, that the whole Ger
man empire has been turned into
munition production system Every
other industry aud interest in the couu-
Try has been suhordinated to mat OF
keeping tie army supplied with the
vital materials Of War.
But il is likewise known that there
is d. MED limit 10 the amount of eN-
pIosiNcs, III shells and OF the materials
mat go into their making, not on!E IN
Germany, but in every other country
just So much can be produced and no
more. whatever may be the conct t-a
ton OF resources and labor upon them.
And that limit il probably strained to
4 create. degree in Germany than III
ANY oihef bcIligcrent nation.
IL must be remembered TOO. that
since March 81 Germany has necn en-
gagged almost continuously in the bat
tie on the western front she pro-
icctcd four powerful drives OF her own
during March. April, May and June.
Before undcrta ing them She accummu-
lated mountainous piles of munitions
behind her troops. bat sh" drew upon
them with a lavishn'ss. whi.e the Of
ccnsives were under way. That no doubt
matter OF fact. the Impression Is strong
among allied commanders mat the
German thrusts were halted as much
because of the exhaustion OF munitions
as because of the exhaustion OF men.
since July IS Germany has been on
the defensive. She has been hit Al
first one point and then another for
more than seven weeks. During tina
time she has not had ono hours re-
spite. She mas been forced 20 night a
some point. and often NJ many points.
DAY and night. During the carly
phases II the allied offensive. the Ger
mar artillery was about as active as
usual. and about as effective. 3iIt
more recently il has diminished in IF
tcctiveness Ia n poin; that is causing
amusement among all the allied lead :
nation is that Germany is running out
Of ammunition.
These facts aud circumstances give
weight 10 statement recently made
in a com pany OF Washington diplomats
by the minister to this country from a
neutral power. This official himself is
known among diplomats generally to
he intensely pro-t;crman in his heart.
His wifc's people are Germans, and he
himself was long attached to the Ger
Z man court. lie went nome Few
months ago. and later returned Ia his
post III Washington. and soon after
ward was a guest a private dinner
Another guest at this dinner repeated
10 the correspondent certain statement &
the neutral diplomat had made. In
substance. they were TO the effect that
the allies would never overcome Ger
many through superior man power:
that Germany would not be overcome
as result of revolt behind the lines
tho result of starvation as the
result OF n breakdown in tho economic
structure of the empire. But he was
, firmly convinced, from information
which he received while at his home
capital which is not many miles from
the German frontier. that Germany
would he defeated. and defeated in "a
very few months. His opinion. he sa id.
was based upon absolute knowledge OF
the fact that Germany's ammunition
supply would soon be completely cX-
hauStcd.
lie said that already many OF the
I original materials needed in akiUG cX
7 plOsvcs had become exhausted: that
/ substitutes had been found for most
| Of Them. hut that they. too. were rum
| ming out and that tho time was not
/ far distant when the German armies
/ would he without the support cf power
J full artillery.
/ This story is given for what il may
/ he worth. That it was told is certain.
/ but as 10 the rest time will prove or
/ disprove it.