Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-13
WORST DEFEAT TOEWAR.
HUN PAPERS ADMIT
Bremen Journal Calls for Probe
to Learn Why only Ones"
Amy Broke Down.

AnsterOam, aug. 10 EVentS pt~
tween the Somme and Avre constitute
the first serious defeat of the war, says
The Deutsches Zeitung, Of Berlin.
The Allies attacked the most invul-
nerable point on the German western
front, says Captain Won Salzmann IN
The Vossische Zeitung of Berlin, and,
therefore, there is no question OF the
entire German position being menaced.
He SAWS the decrease In morale from
the giant apparatus of Entente propa-
ganda must not be under-estlmated.
The strength of the German positions
from Verdum to the sea, he adds, lies
in line curved toward the southeast
and after a consolidation of the Aisne
and Vesle front, Field Marshal Won
Hindenburg can ship his reserves on
the inner line freely and send them speedily
TO every menaced point. The captain
expects large scale operations in Sep
tember and October.
EDITORS ASK WHY
German newspapers are asking point
ed questions concerning reverses III the
west and are caustic in their comment.
A Berlin dispatch to The Post, of
Munich, complains of the attempts of
certain German official circles 10 con-
ceal the truth from the people. Ii says
this has done incalculable harm and IS
largely responsible for the public bitter
ness The dispatch adds;
The same day that General Luden-
dorf confessed out strategic plans had
failed, Prince Henry, Of Prussia, IN a
speech at Hamburg, said the Turkish
attache had just told him he considered
the battle on the Marne German VIC
tory So the German public may choose
between Ludendorff and the Turkish
attache. 1t is painful to see private
persons in prominent positions like
Prince Henry trying TO represent facts
IN a manner at variance with the truth
CAN'T HIDE DEFEAT LONG.
ut is ridiculous TO suppose that the
importance of the events can be concealed
ultimately from the people.
The Deutches Zeitung attributes the
defeat 10 the weak morale of the troops
of Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria,
due TO the last Reichstag speech Of for
mer Foreign Secretary Won kuehlmann.
The Socialist Norwaerts, of Berlin,
calls upon the Government to tell the
people the truth about the war, saying
the expectations of those who wish to
lead the nation through the war like an
tSltOl CliliC Will itlt ctStthtN ~ o.
suranoe that everything was going splen-
didly," are unfuhlled.
STILL KIDDING THE rUBLIc.
The military writer of the Berlin
Zeitung Am Mittag, in preparing the
German public for further retreat Of
the German forces, says:
If, 10 avoid further fighting, we are
Withdrawing TO new positions, thereby
allowing the enemy to attack with great
losses, We are serving our aims better
than by sacrificing our best men IN an
obstinate struggle for pieces OF ground.
The decisive moment has not yet come
Therefore, all the recent fighting and
that to come, must be regarded only as
milestones on the road 10 the final goal =
Clamoring for an inquiry into this
the " eser Zeitung of Bremen
dealing with the present Allied offensive
on the Somme front, saws that to main
tain the story that the German army
was surprised by the enemy drive is an
insufficient explanation, lnaSmuch as
it has been officially stated that the
attack was expected, and the German
lines TO the west of Montdidier were
accordingly withdrawn.
KEEP YOUR SPIRITS UP"
lie tOiOgbc Oiks LtituHs adfisSs ttit
people to keep their spirits up, indicating
that yesterday was a day Of depression.
I'm Cologne it was the day of the de-
featists, the newspaper declares with
anxiety depicted on their faees, they
stood together, exchanging their fears
and discussing the dark prospects"
How the general situation on the west
ern front strikes Holland may be indi-
Gated by a cartoon in SATURDAYS Am
sterdam TELEGRAPH, showing the American
eagle, with President Wilson's face, in
a deadly combat with the Prussian eagle,
with Emperor Williams face, the latter |
bird being in sadly disheveled state.