Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-04-26
ALL POWERFUL L MILITARISM

Have general discomfort, active liberalism and the
Wilson doctrine reached tho hearts of the masses of the
German army?
They have not. That is the short answer, but there
is in Washington ample evidence tending to qualify it.
For instance, it is known that inactive fronts and
sectors are recognized as places where discomfort in the3
German army has in fact taken a hold. Where there. is
activity, fighting, wounds, blood. death, the military
machine is complete master of mems minds. Else
where discomfort and disheartenment grow up like
weeds; consequently. as VIC learn from British secret
sources, tho German leaders take cognizance of the dam
gers Of giving men time to talk and think. and there
is positive knowledge that drives are dictated by social
as we'll as military strategy. ~
s6s of the most recent reports shows that a another
exception is the case of the German army which has
been in the eastern front. The very fact that the mill
tary atocracy fears that this army had, through contact
with Russians; been p~ermeated with revolutionary doc
trines is a measure of the spread Of those doctrines. To
such an extent did this fear go, as: reports from Germany
show beyond a doubt, that army units sent from the
east front to. the west front were disbanded. The men
were sent to their homes. and were at once gathered
in again and scattered among divisional and units of
undoubted loyalty. And this was because the military
leaders were afraid of mass revolt in units which had
learned liberalism in the east.
The immediate spread Of the revolt in the German
army is not a prospect upon which we can rely. Infor-
nation whichSholds out that immediate prospect has been
shown me. But it comes in small, sensational doses;
there is not much conviction in it. The real barometer
of future possibility. however. is the amount Of fear of
weakening of morale as expressed in the actions of the
German military and secret service machine. ~
For instance, it is a, fact that the German secret
service, foreseeing the release of German prisoners in
Russia during and following the Bolshevist carnival, has
gone TO great lengths in sending, agents among the Ger
man prisoners in Russia SO that estimates could be made
4of what corruption: these men might spread. if returned
to the German fighting fronts. In other! words, at the
very moment that American newspapers were bewail,ng
the, fact that some hundreds Of thousands of Germans
and Austrian would be released to bear arms again for
the central powers these powers were estimating whether
these prisoners would strengthen Of. weaken the fight.
II one can imagine the British or French, fearing
me return Of released prisoners from Germany, one may
estimate the comparative superiority Of the, allied
morale and see thrown into high light one OF the things
tnss president knows about the fighting chance to break,
ssAtheGser4nan machine from within.
ass4hs eydence inethe possession Of tha state depart
anesnt md it, agents. however. does not show that there
ssHs systaany general willingness, even in Germany civilian
E@saputation.s 70 ensass generally in sets sef profess
SRtchasde Washbusn Child ms Golfers Wsekly.
&FA@@kHsy@&%#a :&EH&B&5@8E