The Washington herald., 1918-10-28

LUDENDORFF OUT,
HUNS POLICY MAY
CHANGE RADICALLY
FROM PAGE one.

bargain for peace and would also op-,
crate to prevent a break through of
the allies such as would precipitate a
pitched battle.
With reports from many quarters
that Austria's military forces are soon
to withdraw from the Western front
and take up the paths of peace. mill
tary men are convinced that the Ger
mans greatest fear is that the COM
ing two weeks may force them to
meet the allies in a decisive battle.
The detection of Bulgaria and the
separation of Turkey, the impending
I loss of fuel oils in Rumania, the loss
of steel and coal mines in France, the
ever-increasing shortage of raw ma
terials and of loyal labor to weld the
munitions of war, combine to the
creation of tidal wave of disasters
soon to be dashed upon a terror
stricken and devitalized country. No
change in leadership can save Ger
many from the loss of all territory
she has taken. Yet, forced backward
in a retreat which may at any time
| become a rout, she is desperately
= striving to save some remnants of
/ her former vainglorious pretensions.
/ Only this inbred belief in the might
of her armies stands now between
/ her chiefs and a complete military
debacle, say military men who have
recently studied conditions on the
Western front
Col. House for Peace Table
| 1t is an open secret here now that
! Col. House is prepared to represent
the United States at the peace table
1t Is therefore a common remark
here that President Wilson has been
| given assurance that acceptance of
an armistiCe by Germany is to be
! expected. 1t is being pointed out
/ that John Davis, recently named as
Ambassador to the Court of St.
James at. London. has been in con-
ference with German military ofri-
/ GERS at Bern for weeks, determin-
| ing the terms under which United
States and German prisoners of war
/ shall be treated. 1t is said that 1t
! is no far cry to believe that Mr.
I Davis has been given messages
which, much more plainly than the
German notes, give proof that Ger
many will give up all to save her
I self from the punishments which
must fall upon her peoples II the
allied armies cross her boundaries.
was accompanied to Europe by a
number OF trained secretaries and
stenograpbe-s. and that he carries
documents and papers which will ger
nit of his opening at any time ex-
ecutiye offices for the consummation
OF any negotiations which the ac-
ceptance by Germany of an armistice
may make necessary.
Nav EFiahf for Nanth.
On the other hand there are those
who say that Germany is not yet
aware of her true military situation;
/ that she will fight on for months in
an effort to gain better peace terms.
These men point to a shortening OF
! the Western front battle line as an
aid to Germany. This theory Is not
generally accepted, however. Many
military men now insist that a
shorter line will give to the allies a
far greater advantage than at pres
ent, since their means of transport
can be better centralized and greater
masses of artillery assembled for
breaking the Rhine line: larger
swarms of aircraft and tanks sent
into restricted territories to lead the
way for the men afoot. In no quar-
ters here Is there doubt that with
every day the loss of the German
material military strength is equaled
by the increase made possible by
Americas forces.