East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1918-09-07
HEINIES WARNED
TO QUIT TELLING
6By Henry Wood. United Press Stair
Correspondent

+ (By Henry Wood. United Press Stair
Correspondent
( WITH THE FRENCH ARMIES
Au& >. (Bv Mail )-Conies of an
order Issued June 10 by Ilndendorff
and which have just been captured
from German prisoners reveal the
fact that Germany's plans for a vic
torious offensive on the western front
have bgeen steadily thwarted by infor-
nation given the French and allied
commands by German prisoners.
That the German soldier has be-
come so weary of the war that whe..
he is taken prisoner he makes no ef-
fort To conceal what he knows about
the German offensive plans becomes
only too apparent in the order issued
by Ludendorff in which he freely ad-
mits that two of the big German
drives this year have been checked
partly as a result of information di-
vulged BY German prisoners. The or
der which is as follows, indicates an
astounding decrease in the morale,
discipline and patriotism of German
soldiers. undoubtedly worn out by
the length of the war and the re-
peated failure of the imperial hign
commands promises to attain quick
and victorious peace
"Chief of the General staff On
Grand General Headquarters. The
Armies in the Field. June 10. 1918.
? "a captured document coming
from the % French army and dated
May %, proves that German soldiers
belonging to the Tth regiment of chas7
seurs of the 197th division IF infan7
try. captured as prisoners north or
Chemin des Danes during the night
of May > and 20. revealed to the en-
emy our impending attack.
Told All They Knew.
"Very probably they told all that
they Knew about the preparations
made in their sector and IN the ada
cent sectors. The enemy WIS thus
able to know precious details con-
cerning the hour, the form Of our at
tack the artillery preparation, the
units engaged. etc. etc.
Another document, dated May %,
which has come into our hands. also
shows that the enemy. awaiting our
attack gave warning to their troops
against our gas. and were able to
bring into position on the heights be-
tween the Aisne and the Vesle the RS
serves (the 18th French division)
which they were holding on this por-
ton of the front. The resistance or
this division cost the lives and limbs
OF many German soldiers.
without the treason committed
by these two prisoners. the surprise
OF May % would have succeeded com
pletely. and the success might even
have been much greater than It really
was.
1T has likewise been established
that our attack of June . was known
to the enemy to be prepared for tins
attack.
I'VE are struck by the precision
and richness in details of the infor-
nation which the enemy is able to
secure from German prisoners.
Orders Without Ceasing.
II demand that orders be given to
instruct without ceasing ana in the
most extreme detail the troops both
in the field and those in the interior.
on the conduct to be maintained in
ease they are taken prisoner anu
that they be made to see the shame
ful character and the terrible cOnse-
quences of an attitude similar to that
Of above.
u demand equally that the armies
publish Gin the newspapers and jour
nails that they edit the text of the
present order and that 'articles be
written based upon IT,
THE great majority of the men
who have the misfortune to be taken
prisoners fail to realize (deserters to
the contrary the degree with which
their declarations concerning even in
significant objects. not only place in
peril the lives Of their comrades, bus
Compromise the success Of cur at
tacks and raids.
THE Infamous conduct Of some Of
these prisoners can even have roper
cussions extremely important on the
final victorious issues of the war;
the war they can even cause the |
most grave damages to the father
land as a whole.
''The soldier who refuses to talk.
honors himself retains his conscience |
and self-respect in his own eyes, in /
those of his supreme chief, in those |
of his country and finally enfOrces !
the respect Of the adversary.
signed; 2. o. LUDENDORFF." /