New-York tribune., 1918-11-10
BY Correspondent Who Left Ger.
many in February, 1917

many in February, 1917
the war. 1t meant to win and win
quickly. The General Staff had its
plans in a convenient pigeon-hole. I.
needed only to anfold them and set its
armies ip movement. At once a state
Of exxltation and warlike enthusiasm
seized upon the German people.
While the war-clouds were still
gathering. indeed, there we're murmurs
Of dissent; great Socialist process
sion marched through the streets Of
Berlin shouting: "Uown with war!"
But once the marching orders we're
given out 10 word of protest was
heard. The German people, to al! ap
pcnranccs, had become unit for war.
They had been persuaded That Ger
many was attacked and shcy ac-
cepted that version with true German
docility. Even the Socialists in the
Reichstag - unhcard-of thing -- voted
with the Government, and the first
war credit was passed unanimously.
Great was the enthusiasm of the
people as the soldiers marched away.
From crowded sidewalks and we'll
tiled windows bandkerchiefs and hats
waved. Crowds joined in the patriotic
airs played by the military bands, and
al! seemed gay as a Roman holiday.
Swept On by Victories
Followed swiftly the first bulletins
of victories. Enormous crowds around
newspaper offices, enormous crowds on
big squares, in beer gardens and cafes
filled to capacity. Every passing auto
mobile with officers hailed for news of
more victories. Liege falls, and the
first roars Of "Fat Bertha are heard in
Imagination, and it cracks the Belgian
forts. Namur and Brussels are soon
within the German lines. Further and
further into France sweep the German
armies and the Berlin crowds lose all
sense Of reality. Anything seems pos
sible. Children at school come home
with new song celebrating Won Klucks
onward rush: "In Paris Wird Halt
Gemacht" He won't halt till he gets
into Paris).
In the midst of all this joy of the
stay at homes came news of Hinden-
burg's big victory over the Russians at
Tannenberg. Hindenburg? Who is
that? The very name unheard of even
by many an editor. Anyway, new
hero in the German armament, centre
for new enthusiasm, and this reaches
climax when the new hero announces
a. week later another big victory, with
the last Russian force thrown across
the border.
But suddenly the General Staff stops
issuing bulletins. No explanations!
What may that mean? people ask with
no little anxiety. Everybody feels
something has gone wrong. What is it?
The newspapers have nothing to re-
port; the crowds at the bulletin boards
dwindle to the vanishing point. Final
~, after silence of week, the Cen
eral Staff again grows articulate; it
tells the eager public that Kluck has
bent around his right flank. But in
toned in the bulletins Of the next few
days people with map are able to
riddle out what has happened. They
learn that there has been big Ger
man defeat. Details? None whatever.
No battle descriptions in the newspa
pcrs. no scenes of horror depicted by
eye-witnesses to harrow the souls Of
the homefolks.
But the daily casualty list, which be-
gan to be printed in the ofhc al news-
paper and which had already assumed
distressing proportions by the end of
August. strikes grief into many Ger
man heart as the Mernc losses are
doled out during the following months.
Soon one began to hear of deaths
among German acquaintances. Before
the war had been half-year old three
men from the house in which the
writer lived had been slain. Women
IN mourning appeared frequently in
streetcars and other public places,
womep with pinched, anxious faces.
Still the chilling down of hope had
not yet reached low degree. Many
Germans even held fast to their faith.
even Tor some weeks after the Battle
of the Marne, that the war would be
over before the end of the year A
great German victory was still a fore