Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-30
TRUCE no BREAK
GERMAN SWORD
Terms for Cessation of Hos
tilities Certain to Be
Drastic
BERLIN ABOUT TO YIELD
Foch and His Soldiers Re.
solved to Force Full Sur.
render of Foe
BERLIN ABOUT TO YIELD
BY WALTER DURANTY
Special Cable 10 Evening Public Ledge,

COPYRIGHT. fars. by Nep York Times Co.
with the French Armies, oct. 30.
The Austrian note may be consid
cred as putting the seal on the certainty
of speedy German capitulation. Some
observers. here, however, remark that
the fighting value of the enemy forces
fstill remains considerable and suggest
that resistance will be prolonged for
some time further. with the idea of let
ting the nation down gently toward the
idea of defeat, but this opinion Is not
widely held
German army orders recently seized
afford evidence of a shortage of NUM-
| tons and transport and of air inferior
! ity. There is also reason to suppose
| that the supply Of gasoline is diminish
| ing to a dangerous extent. lnJunctions
to maintain discipline by every available
means indicate that the morale of the
army is steadily weakening. although 1t
| is noteworthy that the French nave re-
marked general Improvement OF morale
during the last fortnight, in response to
| the stimulus of the warning: peace
Is now certain within brief period.
Fight your best now that it may be as
| favorable as possible
One statement. signed Won jacob,
just taken by Debeney's army. runs
"Of,icers must endeavcr to explain the
situation to their men at all times Win
out waiting for the eneny's notes, which'
if unfavorable. may provoke pessimisn
unless every one clearly understands
| that the German Government at inns
moment is devoting itself by, every
means to the re-establshment OF peace.
The peace it desires is one that the
| pgople will approve.
Although the pressure in favor of
peace appears to he coming emery from
| the interior of Germany, the Frehch
war chiefs are convinced that the pre-
carious situation of the German army
is really the deciding factor. More than
one far-sighted French commander was
not afraid to say as long as two months
back that the enemy was involved in
mesh of circumstances whose nev-
! table end was colossal disaster.
reported this optimism at the tim" In
terms that may then have seemed un-
| duly hopeful. but the officers foresight
has been justified, and every day brings
tthe prophecy nearer fu1fillment unless
the Germans choose the saner policy OF
complete, surrender.
am in position to state with GER
| tainty that the military conditions of an
armistice are such that will break Cor
mania's sword irretrievably. If the
enemy is rash enough to refuse them,
events will move on to their appointed
| climax.
Throughout the French army there is
not the faintest danger that the desire
for peace. keen as it is. will interfere
with the relentless prosecution of opera
| tions From Foch to the second-class
poilu. all are filled with the iron deter
mnation to drive Germany to the bitter
end unless unqualified capitulation saves
them the trouble.
As | write Debeney's troops are bat
tering at the old castle fortress whose
subterranean passages. strengthened
with a system of trenches and barbcd
wire, form the last bastion of the
Guise defense. During the fighting heavy
explosions in the German lines We're
signaled. and it is probable that the
evacuation of the city is already in
progress.
This desperate struggle typifies the at
titude of the whole French army. Tie
soldiers have set their hands to the work
Of breaking Germany and will not halt
until their task is accomplished.