The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-06-26
GERMAN ARMY COLLAPSE
Kaiser. Already. Taking
Steps to Prevent Crit
cal Situation.
PROMISES VICTORY
Threatened Withdrawal
Of Austrian Army Is
Source Of Concern
in Berlin.

Washington. June 26.--Confidentiai
reports received at the state depart
ment today show the German kaiser
lready has taken steps to prevent a
collapse of his ARMIES such as result
ed in the Austrian debacle on the
italian front
The German people are being toto
not to expect the campaign plans or
1918 to end the war. Vague promises
of victory In 1919 are being held out
by the inspired press
The threatened withdrawal OF Aus
tria as the chief ally of Germany Is
shown TO be a source of great con-
Germ al Berlin The hurried depart =
ure OF General Won LudendorH from
the western front for Vienna In TO
prevent "A desperate peace drive by the
dual monarchy.
The speech made by Foreign Min
lister DR. Richard Won Kuelhmann be-
fore the reichstag on Monday. In &C
coded as indication that Germany sees
the handwriting on the wall Presl-
dent Wilson In the address announced
for July 1 at Mount Vernon is ex-
pected to make known that all sucn
false pretentions Will receive mega =
tive response as long as the policy OF
aggression in the East is maintained.
Meantime. while the Italians are
following up their splendid victories
along the Piave, there is talk OF new
ofTenStves being started on the West
ern front. Military men assert that
Germany must strike again Within the
week or next ten days, If for no other
reason than to divert the attention OF
their war-weary soldiers from the dis
aster which has befallen their Aus
trian comrades.
Such an offensive would be wei
coined by the armies of the United
States and the allies. according TO In
formation which has been received
from General Foch. The Germans
would not dare make such move with
out concentrating their entire forces
for the attack, 1t Ia believed. This
would enable F'och to strike back with
a maximum of strength. If Germany
fails to assume the initiative, the al
lies would stand idle. Washington Is
filled with rumors of plans for gen
eral offensive by the allies. In this
connection Secretary of War Baker
made the significant statement today
that between sixty and seventy per
cent of the United States troops now
overseas were effective. He meant
this percentage represented fighting
men,
700. 900 Fighting Men.
BY sim pie deduction, the statement
revealed that of the 100000 Ameri-
can soldiers who will have been land
ed in France by July !. one week from
now, fully 700. 900 of the total will be
fighting men. The satisfaction felt
in England and France over the speed
| with which the American program ol
participation is being carried out IL
reflected in the last address of Lioyd
George to an impending military
movement Of great consequence or
the Western front was generally &C
cepted by the public as a warning OF
another blow from the German
armies. Officially, IL is regarded as q
veiled announcement that whether OF
mot the kaiser forces his troops TO con
tinue on the aggressive. the allies are
ready TO start forward at the same
| time and are not afraid of the out
! come.
! Lloyd George, II is observed. saif
| the allied forces are equal to the
enemy and that the time to attach
was when the enemy was demoraiized
| The Generalization existed in tn,
German army opposing General HAS
before the Austrian defeat because o.
pierce the center and south end o.
| the Western front.
| The DR. Won Kuehlmann speech
| only excerpts of which have been re
ceived here, is regarded as the mos
! transparent splash OF junkerism tina
| has yet come out OF Germany.
| Is Political Sop.
| The glowing terms In which DIR
Won Kuehlmann referred to Emperor
Charles OF Austria. former foreign
minister. Count Chernin, and tn,
successor Of the latter, Count Burian
! lis regarded as nothing more than {
political sop for the hard-presses
| Hapsburg crown.
litical effusion from Germany wa
given no serious consideration IL
Washington.
"Just another appeal for a made
in Germany peace was the char
acterization given to the Won Kuhel
mann utterances in all official circles
| The reports received at the state de
| partment made reference to state
ments from Germany that many sol
diers were to be released from tn,
armies this year. These men, ii wa!
claimed, were to be employed in de
veloping a new form of submarine
warfare and strengthen the submarine
campaign to an extent that woule
make certain the starvation of Eng
land.
| Documents taken from German sol
diers were said to dwell on a futur,
campaign in which Germany woult
be in much better shape to conquel
India and Egypt. State department
ofiiciais were unable to elucidate TIL,
statements and declined to reveal tn,