Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-02-18

German soldiers who have been en-
gagged against Russia have refused the
| command to move to the western
front, entrenching themselves and de-
flying their government. Loyal troops
that were sent to rout the mutineers
and compel them to transfer to the
west were defeated The mutineers,
according to latest reports, are still
holding their ground and the prospect
Is that there will be a bloody battle
before they are forced to dislodge from
their positions. Germany can hardly
afford to have it said that a part of
her army has refused to obey orders
and has successfully resisted efforts
OF the government to compel obedi-
ence. Therefore we may look for
further clashes between the mutt
neers and the loyalists. Eventually,
of course, the former will be whipped
into submission, many of them put to
death and the others marched to the
11ghtlng field where they are needed.
But the incident illustrates the unrest
there IS among the German troops as
well as the non-combatant populace
The mailed fist still rules, but not
as handily as was the case when the
war began three years ago and there
was universal confidence that the Ber-
lin obJectives would have been ac-
compllshed within a few months The
only promise that the German people
have now is that Hindenburg will be
In Paris by April l. That's such
remote promise that it is not taken
seriously by the majority of the peo-
pie OF the empire. Labor is FESTIVE:
there have been strikes in various sec
tons OF the country, all evidences that
the masses are weary of the strife and
are anxious that there be some move
made by their government that will
win the concurrence of the nations
aligned against her. Since the mes
sage OF President Wilson has reached
some. sections of Germany. having
been scattered from aeroplanes. the
leellng Is growing stronger there that
peace Will not be attained until the
present government is overthrow; or
at least until it is so reorganized that
IT includes officials more representative
OF the people, men whose word can he
trusted. President Wilson has re-
peatedly asserted that the kaiser,s
promises were not worth the paper
they were written on; that the rest of
the world mistrusted him. The latest
confirmation of the presidents charge
Is the outcome of the German Russian
peace negotiations, Berlin violating al
most every pledge that was made when
the delegates met to talk over peace
conclusions, with the result that there
must be resumption of hostilities TO
settle differences impossible of adj |
|ustment under the unreasonable de- |
mands of the Berlin government. The
refusal OF German soldiers to leave
Inc eastern front may indicate that
-hey are sympathizing with the Rus
SLAMS IN their honest attempt to reach
IN understanding with the kaiser's gov
ernment. AT any rate. the situation in |
ne east is far from harmonious. While |
t is not expected that Russia will !
ever again become the Formidable
1ghting nation that she was previous
o her desertion of the allied cause she
nay be spurred to the assembling of
IN army that might keep the Germans
rom shifting the entire force that has
'een held in the east to the western
ront. That would help some.