Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-01
GERMAN PEOPLE !.
FESTIVE UNDER
SETBACkS IN WAR
Plenty of Signs PopuIace Is
Losing Confidence in
Armies.
MANY ARE LISTENING
TO MEN URGING PEACE
Hammer No Longer Used to Drive
Nails in Hindenburg
Statue.

Statue.
CableEram to The Sunday Star and
Chicago Daily News. CoPyright' 1918.
AMSTERDAM, Holland, August 81
Public opinion in Germany is getting
FESTIVE because of the allies increas-
ing successes.
There are plenty Of signs that Ger
many is rapidly losing confidence as
she sees her armies hurled from their
former apparently impregnable posi-
tions and as the casualty lists increase
to disastrous proportions.
Pan-German Organs Shame.
The pan-German organs seem to
think it to be their duty to shame the
German slackers and publish fiery
articles under such headlines as Let
Us Thrash Our Enemies and Are
We Downhearted? No." The Cologne
Gazette says that the judgment of
future generations will condemn the
country's faint-hearted sons.
What" it asks, will they say
when they are told that we fought
bravely and suffered hunger pluckily
for years only to accept defeat in the
end: They will say that Germany
was a figure made of clay. that we
seemed to be a strong people. but in
reality were small and weak"
Warn of Slavery.
Other papers remind the Germans
that they will be turned into slaves
by the entente if they lose the war"
Yet in spite of all this forcible feed-
ing of heroism Germany is so deep
ly detected that it is questionable
whether a sudden military victory
would cheer her up for any length
of time. Hindenburg and Ludendorf
also understand that their personal
popularity is being damaged, and are
and into Austria Hungary to lecture
on the situation which they say is
really very good" and to deliver
similar cheerful messages.
According to the Rheinische' Vest
phaelische Zeitung a curious incl
dent occurred in Rreslau, where one
of Ludendorff's right-hand men had
been engaged in explaining the situa-
ton in the most roseate colors.
How many Americans are in
France?" some one in the audience
asked as the speaker. Capt. thinner
general staff's envoy replied, with an
annoyed smile:
Annoyed, But Answers.
There are 5000 Americans on the
front lines and 100000 others in the
rear
The officer was subjected to hail of
questions and he had to give other
Explanations" to the exasperated
assembly.
landed in Europe in spite Of our
U-boats." he said, 'fs easy to detect.
America uses only very small ships
to bring them over here"
This statement was greeted with
murmurs in the audience.
What about the Vater1and, the
greatest ship in the worldo" some
one asked.
And small ships have always been
poor targets for the torpedoes of the
submarines" continued the captain.
Then the Americans on the trans
ports are protected by three power
full fleets, which makes submarine at
tacks most difficlt.
"New Method to Beat Tanks.
ed whether Germany had enough
tanks to Guido the allies tank
equipment Capt. Zimmerman answer
ed evasively:
I'VE have found a new method to
deal with the tanks. We have already
smashed or blown up 500 American
machines of this kind"
The people. however, did not seem
to be convinced.
in
emily is being repeated all over the
empire wherever the general STATS
'chlorotorming" process is being at
tempted.
Spanish UltiMatum Disturbs.
Public opinion is also uneasy on &C.
count of the war in which the govern
ment is treating the Spanish ultima
tum. clear thinking people seeing in
of weakness. Not only do the news
papers urge the government to con-
slider the Spanish demands in the most
friendly spirit. but even the super
done to keep Spain out of the war,
'0 It is re realized that shoAld Spain side
with the allies it would naturally re-
suit in the other seafaring neutral ma
tions of Europe sooner or later getting
into line with the entente. Germany,
it is felt, cannot now afford to meet
the quadruple threat of Dutch, Danish,
Norwegian and Swedish armies on her
northern and northwestern frontiers.
Claims Right to Sink.
Capt. Won Kuehlwetter. the Cologne
Gazette's naval expert, explains to the
readers of that paper that Germany
has a perfect right to sink Spanish
ships. painful as it it to German
hearts," as long as the entente block
AIDES Germany. Yet he admits that
the question ought to be judged not
merely from the standpoint Of right,
but rather from that of expediency,
and expediency makes it obligatory for
Germany to prevent Spain froU getting
into war.
War correspondents at the German
headquarters devote their dispatches
to narrowing descriptions Of the for
midable British offensive on the
Scarpe. to making painful efforts to
minimize Its splendid results by in
venting long-winded stories about
formidable British losses and to pub
fishing fake interviews with prison
ers of war. They claim to be amazed
at the smallness of the allies gains
Military critics are trying to make
Germany believe that Hindenburg and
LudendorE have a plan to outdo any
thing which Marshal Foch intends
doing.
Little publicity is given the crown
prince, whose command has prac-
ficaJ1y heen taken away from him nd