Grainger County news. (Rutledge, Tenn.) 1917-current, 1918-10-24
GERMANY FEARS A
MILITARY DISASTER
ORGANIZATION IN FRANCE SLOW.
LY DlslNTEeRATlNG UNDER
THE TERRIFIC CAMPAIGN.
W0rn-out 5aVarians Are Cut To
Pieces BY Fresh Allied Troops-
Huns Expected To Withdraw From
Occupied Territory.

western Newspaper Union News Service.
MISUNDERSTANDING plea for an
armistice Is founded, both American
and allied military officials here be-
lieve, upon recognition in Berlin of the
fact that the German army Organlza-
ton in France slowly is disintegrating
under the terrific campaign of Marshal
Eoch. These officers regard the move
of the German Chancellor ms a desper-
ate eleventh-hour after It TO escape
serious military disas,,r, and they
would not be surprised if President
Wilson'S condition that there can be
no talk of an armistlce except when
coupled with agreement to Withdraw
Immediately from all invaded territory
were promptly accepted. The answer
to such move, it was suggested,
would be to leave to Marshal Foch the
dictation of the terms of the armistice
should the situation ever reach that
stage. as the supreme commander can
be trusted to see that no military adj
vantage to the enemy resulted In the
meantime Marshal Foch, hour by hour,
is surrounding the German forces with
new perils as his strategic conceptions
are developed.
Evidence of the waning resisting pow
err of the German forces in France was
plainly seen by observers here in the
sweep forward of the Anglo-American
forces north of st. Quentin. Apparent.
ly there has been no material lowering
of the fighting quality of the enemy
soldiers, but there is every evidence
that the complex military organization
upon which defense of the long battle
front depends, is breaking under the
strains Signs of confusion have been
noticed repeatedly. WORKOUT Bava-
riOns have been called upon to check
the assault of fresh allied troops and
have been cut to pieces These are
signs only, for the enemy front still
armies, and the battle is growing daily
in fury instead of lessening. But the
signs are there. They mean vital
weakness at the heart of the great
machine, the absolute lack of men and
war equipment to meet the combined
assault indefinitely.
In the line between Verdun and the
sea two salients are developing. The
first has it's apex along the Laon
front, where the enemy still clings
to st. Gobain Forest and part of -
observation-disclosures Ridge. The sec
ond has it's greatest depth before
Lens. Between these two pockets the
Anglo-American drive, supplemented
by the French advance east of st
Quentine, has thrust blunt wedge
which not only has engulfed Cambria
but has torn it's way through the
whole Hindenburg defense zone into
open country beyond. 1t can strike
either north or south at need to
squeeze the pocket on either side, OF
can be carried ahead to smash through
vital communication lines.
On the north the British force,
pressing in on Lille from the west and
north, forms the northern jaw of a
possible pincer movement against the
whole Douai salient. The Germans
begun retirement on the Lens-Ar
mentieres front some time ago, which
they have checked, fearing probably
the development of their Douai front
unless that also could be relieved sim.
u'taneously. The capture of Cambrai
n0w threatens this front from the
south as well, and it is believed here
that the enemy must move immedi-
ately out of the whole Lille-Douai re.
gion.