The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-01-24
STRAINED BUT
NOT RUPTURED
RELATIONS BETWEEN GERMANY
AND AUSTRIA TENSE.
SIGNS OF INTERNAL DISTRESS
Washington. Hears Stories of Awful
Gloom in Kaiseriand But Actual
Facts Point Toward condi-
tons of Another Sort.

| washington, Jan. Zz- German
domination, plus political reorganiza
ton with Austria Hungary, will stem
for time the growing political eco
nomical unrest there, government of
ficiels believed here today.
| They claim that while the entente
problems of Germany and Austria
have been critical and reported grave
at times, that there is little reason
at this time to think that collapse
is at hand.
The Austrian officials however are
awaiting eagerly for the long delay.
ed speeches and statements which
Germany is to make in response to
Premier Lloyd Georges speeches
and those of President Wilson which
outlined the war aims of the Ameri.
, can government "a
Barometer of Feeling.
This they think will be the most
accurate barometer thus far as to the
Teutonic, internal problems,
!. april and May will be the worst
months the central powers will have
to face" the government officials be-
lieve. "And if the people of this ma
ton will give everything that is
needed in strength to go against the
enemy the war will come to an end in
g Iknockdown.
Sounds Like Propaganda.
War pictures of the. central powers
reaching this government through
official channels sketch scene of
misery.
From a Dutchman just back from
Germany the government has this
statement:
THE Germans which l saw sure
presented a vivid picture of misery
and are arousing Germany's COM
passion"
To this was appended a semi-ofi-
cfal comment thus:
..- ,.- Gloom Prevails.
Nearly, all the concrete state
ments of the Dutchman's article are
supported by German evidence and
undoubtedly present the circum4
stances of the dark, gloomy moods
which now prevail in Germany ana
which even the recent military sue
Cesses in Italy are unable to dispel."
The government headquarters do
not entirely agree with some of the
Dutchman's statements, for instance,
that it will be Impossible for the
Germans to hold out six months long
er without the majority of the civil
population being completely broken
down morally as well as physically"
Il have visited many towns and
country districts" he said, "and in
every instance they have left me
with the impression that they are
gathering the last atom of strength to
prevent them falling into the abyss
of physical and moral collapse"
., On the Other Hand.
Washington, D. c., Jan. 22.-Major
Samuel Robertson, with the engin-
GERS in France, writes to his brother,
Will Robertson:
;, We had French general for dinner
at our mess last night. He claims
that Germany and Austria have now
Z million more men than in the sec
ond year of the war.
We have over seven hundred Ger
man prisoners here whom the French
captured. They are as cocky and
high spirited as a game cock, and our
coming to this war worries them, so
, far, about, as much as a gnat does a
mule. We have prisoners taken six
weeks ago who have good leather
boots, wool clothing, gloves, ETC., and
are fat and well conditioned and as
impudent as the devil. Our people
must wake up and quit dreaming or
we are due for good licking. We
are fighting real men, who believe in
their cause and ruler, and fight like
they farm and attend to business,
thoroughly, industriously and eff
GENTLY. We have S or 6-year job
unless we make humiliating peace,
and America had as well realize it
and get down to business now. We
need six to ten million men and all
the money there is in America, and 1
million tons of new shipping, quick,
to be followed by 10 million tons
more. We need two thousand miles
! of new railroads here and million
new cars and five thousand locomo-
tives and engineers Ninety-eight
, per cent of this war Is engineering
and labor and 2 per cent fighting.
\ 4 ------ N