The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-08-20
ENEMY bluff
ABOUT U. s.
PAID FOR BY
own PEOPLE
knkers Denounced for De-
ception Leaders Confess
U. S. Army of Millions is
Serious Thing
SOLDIERS DESERT POST
(By Associated Press.l

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY
ON THE VESLE FRONT. Aug. 90
Sixty Prussians have been taken
prisoners by the Americans near Fis-
mette. north of Fismes. without either
side firing shot. The Prussians were
machine gunners and all that remain
ed Of company which had been in
line less than a month.
American detachments went out
few nights ago, the location Of the
machine gun position having been re-
ported by prisoner. According to
the Americans, the Prussians were
waiting to be taken prisoners. The
intelligence officer who questioned
the Prussians asserted that they near
ly all had agreed to surrender if the
slightest opportunity arose.
The Americans who took the pris-
oners do not claim any credit for the
capture. declaring the Prussians vir-
tually deserted their post.
A German prisoner taken Sunday
told an intelligence officer he believed
that If the battle line recedes to Ger
many proper, the fighting spirit Of the
German soldiers will be greatly slim
ulated.
America Wouldn't Fight.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 2O-Deceptive
arguments used in the past by the
German Junkers to mislead the people
are summarized by the Hamburg
Echo in it's issue Of August IL with
the comment, "the German people are
now paying for all this" A state de-
partment dispa tch today quotes the
German paper as saying:
Events of the last week have a
deep significance for the nation and
its ruler. The following pan-German
J arguments deceive themselves and
others:
The Americans are bluffing and
will never declare war
THAT if war is declared America
is arming itself against Japan and
will not send soldiers to Europe
THAT the submarine would sink
the troops
THAT the submarine would block
ade France
THAT England would be starved
by the submarine
THAT Germany's firm attitude to-
ward the United States would bring
the Neutrals to her side"
Must Recognize Americans
AMSTERDAM, Aug 20-Profession-
al soldiers like Generals Won Blume
and Won Liebert, unlike so many
other German war critics, do not seek
10 belittle the significance of the ap-
pearance Of the American army on
the west front.
General Won Blume, who Is on the
retired list writes an article on the
subject which appears in the Rhein-
ische Westfalische Zeitung of Essen.
He frankly admits that 1--WE have to
recognize that the Americans, all in
all, have done very smart work and
1t would be very serious thing IL
the German army command had to
, face an American fighting army OF
millions
This prospect the German public
must on no account be permitted to
ponder over and almost Immediately
after the article appeared semi-of-
ficial statement was issued to the
effect that the exaggerated reports
going about regarding the size of the
American army in Europe merit no
credence and only exist in Yankee
imagination and entente propaganda"
The statement said further that "the
tonnage question which is already
acute. will become still more serious
for the entente when America has to
ship her crops to Europe"