The sun., 1918-07-10
GERMAN ARMY HAS
DOUBLE MALADY
Influenza Shows No Sign Of
Abating in Lines and
at Home.
DEFIANCE NOW COMMON
"DiscipIine Is Shaken.' Says
Order Demanding Severe
Punishments.
ny PERRY ROBINSON.

Special Gable Despatch TO THs Sun from ths
London Times.
Copyright 1918: all rights reserved
WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN FRANCE,
July Except that, as you know from
the official communicates. the Australians
have continued to push forward south
OF the Somme without encountering seri-
Gus resistance, the front has been gen.
orally devoid of movement for the last
two days Even artillery activity has
been below normal.
Thunderstorms have visited every part
of the battle area, and to-day the front
everywhere has been cloudy. Weather
conditions apparently are very unsettled.
making air work difflcult.
According to statements made by most
recently taken prisoners. there has been
no decrease of the epidemic Of influenza
Or the FLANDERS fever" as they call
it. Whether 1t really has had any effect
on the impending large operation or not
there is no doubt that Individual bat
teries and other small units have been
rendered temporarily completely useless
by the sickness. It seems equally prev
alent among first line billets. at head
quarters. behind the front and in towns
all over Germany.
Other Malady Psychological.
Another curious disease which, with
out attaching too great Importance to 1t.
10 worth noticing. Is an epidemic Of
defiance to discipline which seems 10
have broken out. l sent you the text
or German army order on the subje I
OF frequent pillag!ng OF supply trains
by armed bands of soldiers, and war n
ing all ranks that thenceforward train
crews were to be armed, with mach ne
guns II necessary. and saying that they
must use arms to resist robbers. or thcy
would be tried by court-martial.
Two more orders have fallen into our
hands. Issued by Gen. Won der Marwitz
Of the Second Germany Army. One is
dated June and the other June II.
The former says:
Discipline, which is the keystone OF
every army, is seriously shaken. | can
not permit commanders to take upon
themselves to shield by excess of indul-
gence officers, non-commissioned officers
or men guilty OF breaches of discipline
or military regulations. They must not
infiict a penalty of too mild a nature
or even not punish them at all"
Tho second order says: Gases Of
soldiers who refuse TO obey orders
are increasing to an alarming extent"
1t is impossible to say whether condi-
tions really are as serious as these Or
ders appear to imply or whether IL Ia
that Gen. Won der Marwitz has the jumps
and ought to be deprived Of his COM
nand, but in view OF the orderliness and
splendid morale OF the whole British
army these things read cur!ously.
New Type of Shells.
As long ago as March 80 there was
published a description of shells used
by the German long range guns Smelling
Paris. the popularity of which was that
with a base OF eight and a half inches
and total length OF hve feet only
two feet was the shell proper. the re-
naming three feet being a false nose
or cap. These shells were furnished
with rifle steel extension or driving
bands
Shells OF the same general type and
embody.ng the same principles are being
used by the German 15-inch guns on
cur back areas. Such shells have
total length OF six feet. OF which two
feet three and a half inches only is
shell proper. and three feet eight and
half inches false cap. There are three
driving bands Of one and quarter
inches each, and two fuses on the nose
base. They are being fired at a range
of about twenty-eight miles.