The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-11-04
DECLARES THE
GERMANS NOT
YET DEFEATED

FRENCH HEADQUARTERS IN
"i:NN,'E. N"v. $.--Gerlnany's armies
40. umE";,,"' according to q German Ill
v!Sinmai staff officer recently taken
prisoner uu the French front, ana TIER
mauy's request for an arrntsticc was the
result oI In" influence which pcssimiSts
have gained in lh.. government and over
thu. rnp.rnr This officer. an lntelH-
gent representative Of his class Said:
The Germans request for an arms
tie" = proof To- mo that the grand heau-
quarters has been submerged hy the
crisis IN tin. interior Of Germany. Tn"
nIIu,nrr "f the general staff on the
emp. r"r has been exaggerated
"Th" emperor IS surrounded by pc"-
I plo who feel and mix defeat. They arc
Inc spies Of Svhridrimnann ,thc German
Socialist lradvr). They are continually
setting before the emperor tho unlaF-
nrahlr situation OF Germany from their
point Of Wow and painting IN SonlpFc
culurS the f:IShtful responsibility he has
Incurred as wei! AZ the possible c"hSc-
Gu"n"CS L. his person IN case or deI"ht'
which appears 10 them To he imminent.
There are days Of acut" pesslmism.
passed by tho monarch almost entirely
in prayer and Bible reading.
The German people want peace al
homo and at all costs. They have had
enough Of war.
"Anothcr cause OF anxiety IS the
sonarattSt movement. which has be-
como very SERIOUS lately. Tho talk
through all south Germany now is: Lot
us separate from Prussia
bavaria IL the worst. There every
one even the soldiers. may Insult Prus-
s!a without provoking word OF de-
tense IN our behalf Tho Bnvarian press
employs tho Same tono and ws a-a be-
| ginning TO think that this Is desired by
the Tavarnn army. which will make no
further effort. Their attitude Is an
enigma.
"rhcra appears to he no military ne
COSTLY f.u the conclusion Of peace now.
In sp!tn E tho constant retirement or
our forces since the middle Of July
and this Is tho opinion of tho. majority
OF my comrades on the different stafrS.
| "We thought generally that our re-
treat upon tho Sierfried positions would
c"nttnu" until winter In tho meantime
weakening III" enemy by orr stubborn
resistance. W" would have utilized the
winter IN rrnrGanlztnE and rcGrouping
our forces. Will" our diplomats woIld
| have entered into negotiations that
would surely havo determined IL favor
| able peace for us.
| The abandonment Of tho AlSacc-Ior-
raine territory. the evacuation OF Rus
| sian territory and the creation Of Pol
| ish Kingdom are equivalent to the ruin
/ OF Germany. taking from us the raw
/ materials Of AlsRcn-I.orraino which arc
/! indisp"neahl" to our industries md the
| markets TINT We aimed 70 create In tho
| cast.
| In consequence there Will be O stop
| page Of n great part If our industries
for several years. m inpnrcrtshmcnt Of
tho working class. interior troubles.
\ separations and complete uphcaval
4 Then our enemies Will have what
| they hava dcsIrcd-tho complete annihi-
| lation Of Germany. That would be n
peace due to SChcIdcmann.
1 although our present retreat would
4 end upon Il position chosen by us: that
/ tho war would finally terminate by the
| success Of our arms Mt aomo part or
/ the front with the nd OF our now tanks
\ and would hiring about conciliatory
/ peace favorable to us"
\ Tho divisional stAff officer revealed
/ that II was the opinion Of the military
chas" IN Germany that but for untowar,l
events. Germany. after n successful ter
|. m!natiun of tho present war. would
i have put her indusi r!cs IN shape to fur
u nIsh war material to both sidrS in 4
II Hypothetical war between the United
| states ana japan. and then. after both
sides had become exhausted. would have
II 1nlNCu flatiilS WIN plYT 10 crush
|! ! the other" ]
i I'll" officer said:
i Japan and the Ur''"i States would
surely clash Sorrc day and We would
,h"n furnish both PARTIES with enormous
/ quuui'IirS II material and munitions.
! We would have rxiinguished our debt
armed ourselves and nj tho moment
! when IN" Two parties w"ro exhausted
|! would hov" Joined ono If them, probably
!, japan. ard would hnr" imposed condi-
!. iirn. which We nrr unahl" to obtain ut
:. this time.
'Th" sol, Nope that remains to me ~
that III" present German offer is moth
) i'm; hut Il font tU sow diScnrd III tho
CAMPS OF ihc allies ami It. gain time 10
r"-asSrmlhlH and r"-Eruun our forces"
| Co.., ut 60