Evening star., 1918-08-04
GERMANY COMBED
j FOR MAN.POWER
Eighteen Year-0Id Class to
Be Thrown Into Battle
. Without Delay.
ENEMY GROWS FEARFUL
BY JOSEPH w. GRIGG.

BY JOSEPH w. GRIGG.
Cablegram to The Sunday Star and
the New York World. Copyright, 19As'
LONDON, August British front,
August 2).-A comb-out on an un-
precedented scale is taking place In
Germany to secure every man pos
sible for the front. indicating that
the German high command is striv-
ing to Offset the great strength Of
the ever-growing American Army.
1t only further confirms my dispatch
early this week that by September
the enemy would probably expect
to have a large number of his eight
een-year-old class fit to be thrown
into battle. His prisoners have stated
that by then the Americans must be
taken very seriously.
Recent battles. however, have. ac-
cording to my view. somewhat ad-
ranced that date. According to an Of
fetal document. 1t was decided in
May to begin a drastic comb-out to
extend through June. July and Au-
gust
Men Sought in Factories
Crpples discharged from the army
and foreigners were to make good
the shortage Of men withdrawn from
the factories. doing a decreasing
concluded with the statement that both
day and night shifts in factories
would be subjected to surprise visits
by the War Department. Action is to
be taken against these firms reluctant
to release the needed men.
1t is daily being verified by prisoners
that the enemy opposite the British
front is suffering heavy losses from
the accuracy and range OF the British
Eunfire. as well as the intensified
bombing and the use Of gas. Raids
are being carried out on the enemy to
such an extent that he frequently
withdraws his troops from advanced
positions at night to save men.
Enemy Is Depressed.
At no time in many months has
there been more conclusive-evidenee
British front that very great !dSprcs-
sion exists in the enemy's inks.
Enemy prisoners and captured 0ocu-
mentS show this.
These prisoners have come from
numerous parts of the line. and not
only from those places which the
British artillery has made real hell for
such long time. Primarily this is tho
erect OF the course taken by the bat
tie on the Soissons-Champagne front,
which shows clearly that it is no
longer possible for I.u1endorff to iso-
late the news of defeats as if it were
a contagious disease. rs was formerly
Gene
Guns and Gas.
Then. too. Prince Rupprecht has had
to relfrquish some dozen of his re-
serve divisions to help out the crown
prince. in this lowering of the boche
morale British gunners and bombers
are having an importantrole to play.
just as are the munition makers.
The great British output of shells
and bombs means there will be no in
terrupIion of this nerVe-wrecking fir
Ing which is playing such havoc with
the enemy's line as well as his rest
billets.
He has come back with a good deal
himself lately, but it is all out of pro-
portion to the amount which is pound
ing down upon the German trenches
and billets. The ratio is the same
when it comes to gassing
There are certain towns or remnants
of towns which the enemy holds on
this front which are costing him dear
ly, such as Lens and Albert They are
pits of fire.
In some of the most harassed and
raided parts of the line he is with
drawing at night 1t would not be
surprising If he should suddenly
abandon some of them by day or give
up some advanced trenches entirely.