Evening journal., 1918-08-17
HUN PRESS PREPARES
PEOPLE FOR RETREAT

by Newspaper Enterprise Association
AMSTERDAM, Aug. i7.-Every day
articles appearing In the German press
make It more apparent that the Kalser's
government IS preparing his people for
a great retreat on the western front.
Many OF the articles are undoubted-
ly Inspired by the general stan. and
most Of them hint vaguely at impeDd-
ing military disaster, yelling the real
situation under such terms as short
ening OF the front" and "concentric
gathering Of our armies"
General Won Ardenne in the Berlin
Tageblatt Is the most Outspoken Of the
military critics. He warns Germany OF
an Impending change Of position In
a backward direction" adding:
II, Notwithstanding the manner IN
which the Germans have frustrated
the French attacks, a shortening OF tho
front is carried out, it can only be
pointed out that the German armies
are standing In enemy country and
that the war Is now one Of movement.
The momeni0us decision TO give up the
line Of the Marine will, therefore. be no
reason for great reioicings on the part
Of our enemies"
At the same time another famous
expert, Colonel Gaedke, writing in
"V0rwaerts," warns Germany OF
events that may come" lie gives ex-
traordinary praise 10 General Foch's
strategy, which always does the
right thing at the right moment in the
right way"
The military writer Of the Berlin
LOkal Anzeiger remarks that a change
in the present line is possible. and even
probable. The phrase, a war of move
ment,' sufficiently expresses the fact
that both parties, attacker as well as
defender, have regalned their liberty
nd may again consider the battlefield
as a chessb0ard, without clinging des-
perately 10 villages, heights, or even
sections" he says. 1T Is Indifferent
whether troops move forward or back
ward so long as the adversary's aims
are impeded"
The Cologne Zeltung SAYS:
General Foch's attack has caused
pessimism in Germany. The dismal
ones are going round with their heads
bowed, uttering lugubrious cries and
endeavoring behind the concise state
ments Of the Official reports 10 dis
cover all kinds OF bad suppressed
events.
The work OF the German supreme
army command should not be rendered
more dlnlcult or altogether vain by
chattering at home and on the front.
as occurred In the case Of the often
sive begun on July S."
An article in the Vossiche Zeitung
clearly fOreshadows retreat. lt says:
1T is not in the interests Of the Ger
man army leadership 20 allow the tight
ing front ia France TO stifren, that is
~ say, TO revert 60 a war OF position.
Our strength Is in movement. Hinden-
burg has already shown once by his
great retreat thst without endangerine
the general situation, it is possible 10
bring movement into a stin front also
by a change Of position 20 the rear.
Viewed in this light. there becomes
clear the extraordinary advantage
which lies for Germans in the fact that
they Sre standing deep In the enemys
country. We have therefore. at dispo- /.
sal as the field Of operations. the whols |
area between the German frontiers and |
the present front.
The lines In which the two oppo-
nents stand opposite each other ere
now so intricate that somehow or
othe a solution must be found. such
tension as is connected with the bat
ties OF this year and ensuing deyel-
opments Is IN the long run uubear-
able. Somehow or other this situation