Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-15
Foe Artillery Work Weak

The German artillery got busy yes.
terday after three days silence, but
did little appreciable damage to our
lines. Their gas efforts were espe.
cially of picayune accomplishment.
Our total of prisoners continues TO in
crease. Saturday some thousands were
brought in. They were of all varieties.
There We're Prussians, Poles. SaXons
and Austrians. The Austrians are
particularly a sorry crew, and seemed
to know nothing about how the war
was going. They though they had
been captured by English soldiers.
The Prussian officers, Of whom there
are a considerable number. are i'm.
'maculate in appearance, and one chap
appeared on the scene at America II
headquarters with dog. He had it
at the front for three years. One of
these Prussians was graduate Of
oxford. and wore a monoCle. | asked
him what he thought of the war. and
he replied sarcaStically that with
America in il, of course the Allies
would win quickly.
What most impressed the prison
ers was the fact that they were fed
with white bread-the first they had
had in three years. they said. Nothing
did more to convince them of the good
condition of the Allied armies. The
prisone.s generally appeared to be
perfectly satisfied to be captured, and
the majority wore broad smiles.
In st. Mihiel civilians told me the
Germans began to get out at $50
o'clock on Wednesday evening, four
and a half hours before our artil-
lery preparations began ahead OF our
attack, which started at a. m. They
had orders to withdraw thirty kilO-
meters, which meant to the Hinden'
burg line. Because our advance came
two days before they expected it.
many troops which had been in ST
ATihiel were captured from ten to
fifteen kilometers north Of the town.
ST. Mihiel is in good condition except
along the river, where the artillery
had torn down the houses. The
civilians appear in fair physical con
dition, and did not complain of their
treatment by the Germans. except for
the denial Of food. which they got
from American sources. From st.
Mihiel north to Hattonchatel the
towns are in fairly good condition.
Gas Expert Made Prisoner
Among the prisoners brought back
was a former university president Off
German development of gas warfare
He was found al Thiaucourt, where he
had a trainload of gas projectors and
shells, which he had brought for eX
periments with a new, intensified gas
against the Americans. He pro
claimed his status as a civilian, and
was much wrought up over an Amer
lean officers remark that the Germans
had sometimes shot civilians founo
aiding the Allied military effort.
The doctor was unwilling to talk
much about his researches. However
he expressed great anger at his cap
ture by mere Americans. He was al
ready and packed up to go north
when the American shell broke the
railroad ahead of his train, and oul
troops captured a whole trainload OF
German soldiers and officers Sn the
station at Thiacourt.
We have evidence that the German
command is placing new troops bach
of the line it now holds. or sever
divisions holding the St. Mihiel from
we captured nearly half unwoundeC
and killed large number by oui
artillery fire. But the German effor
appears to be not only to replace them
but to put extra forces in front of thu
First American Army. Back of thu
line lies a broad plain upon which thu
Germans do not want us to enter.