Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-09-07
People Despondent and
Mutiny Among Troops
Widespread.
10000 DESERTERs
HIDING IN BERLIN
One Entire Division Of Bavarians Sent
TO Prison Camp Because Of Mutinous
Spirit-Deserters Being Executed in
Large Nunbers-6ombastie Talk BY
War Chiefs Designed to Stop Decay
Of German Spirit.

London, sept. I.--GeneraI dcInoraIl-
zation OF the German population, and
widespread and growing dissatisfaction
mutiny and desertiou, are described in
,he Daily Telegraph from its Rotter-
dam correspondent
The correspondent says that infor-
nation reaching him Is so sensational
as to inspire skepticism but declares
that he has received corroboration
from authoritative sources which es-
tablishes the authenticity Of the infor-
nation beyond IA doubt.
He asserts that the German army
is filled with dependency and seethina
with mutinous spirit and that alarming
outbreaks have occurred in several
units. principally Bavarian and 81
lesian
One incident of the Arras front term
mated in whole Ravarian division be.
ing disarmed and transported to Ba-.
yaria, where II was placed in prison
camp. and the mutiny Of one OF the
Silesian regiments resulted in nearly
100 of Its men being executed.
Descrtions increasing.
A huge number OF dcsertions are ap-
pearing the correspondent says. and IL
is estimated there are more than &c.
900 deserters In Berlin alone. Large
numbers are scattered thruOut the
country and the authorities arc hAv-,
ing the greatest difficulty In trailing
deserters owing to the connivauce OF
-. 49,. -,
dreds have been arrested and generally
these have been sentenced 70 fifteen
years Imprisonment.
\ great number of deserters, broken
by confinement. have been, released and
sent back to the ranks Disobedience
and defiance of officers is common at
the front and a similar spirit lis shown
In the munitions factories, where the
workers deliberately are slowing ur.
with the result that the output has
been seriously decreased.
Huns Near to Panic.
Public interest today is equally dt-
yided between the unbroken advance
vi the uiilvu armies and the apparent
signs that the German people are In
state OF nervous anxiety bordering on
decentralization.
More editorial space Is being given
here recently to future events than TO
the retreat of the German army.
The belief that something like a panic
has seized the German populace Is not
based on stories from neutral sources.
which have raised false hopes in the
past hnt upon the uttcraHces ss :aSS
leaders in the German nation and the
appeals OF the German newspapers to
the public to keep its head. while they
themselves admit the seriousness OF
the military situation.
Why So Much Big Talk?
The emperor's hold assurance. Chan
celor Won Herting's franchise speech.
General Linsingen's stringent order.
and above all Field Marshal Won Hin
denburg's proclamation. are cited as
manifest efforts to check the decay OF
the German spirit which 1t is contended
must have existed to call them forth.
In short. It ia declared the German
people and perhaps also the military
chiefs. evidently are greatly disturbed
by recent events.
The interest OF commentators, while
not ignoring the continued British
progress, centers chiefly on the impor-
tant French successes on the southern
end of-thc line OF attack. The stiffening
Of enemy resistance on this front Is
noted and the difficult operations before
the French and Americans is recog-
nized
viii Go Around Pivotal Point.
The Times. referring to the Franco
American arrival before the great
pivotal position of the enemy in France
for which the great forest OF Gobain
forms the base, says frontal attack In
this forest is out OF the question. and
now as last year the French doubtless
prefer to go around. but have some
very difficult ground to cover before
they are on the Chemin des Danes.