The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-16
Germans Are i'm Desperate
Straits for Reserves.
Combs Out Auxiliary Forces
for Infantry.
PERMANENTLY ON DEFENSIVE.
Shortage of Men Should Make
New Drive Impossible.
Withdrawals Indicate Accept
ance of the Defensive.
fBy the Associated Press,

With the British in France. Aug. 1S.
Germany has acknowledged that
her manpower. once SO freely wasted.
now is dwindling in proportions great
enough apparently to cause consider
able anxiety to the high command.
The toll taken, particularly in recent
fighting, by the allied armies and the
prospect of being confronted by ever
growing American forces has caused
General Ludendorff to issue most i'm
perative orders for a vigorous, imme-
diate comb-out in the German army In
order to recover from auxiliary units
all men capable of entering the
trenches.
To Bolster Up Infantry.
In the comb-out says the order is
sued by General Ludendorff, first con-
sideration will be given to men over
43 who have served in the front lines
| longer than six months. He an
nounces that commissions have been
| appointed to investigate the entire sit
| uation, including men of every rank.
All men available for the infantry
must be sent to depots in Belgium, the
| special purpose of the high command
| being to get more infantry reserves.
Appended to the order are special in
| structions to Field Marshal Won Mack
| ensen and General Won Schlotz to
make "a greater demand upon the 10
mans in the auxiliary services as re-
Inducements.
Germany on Defensive.
London, Aug. 16-The Withdrawals
on the western front by the Germans
in the past few days it is believed here
indicate that the enemy intends to
abandon the offensive 1t is said to
be doubtful whether he will be able
to resume the offensive since 35 di-
visions now are necessary between the
Disc and the -Ancre of which fifteen
are from the reserves There are now
only sixteen fresh enemy divisions in
reserve on the entire western front
and only eleven of these belong to
the army of Crown Prince Rupprecht
of Bavaria. Military observers say
that there Is every indication the Ger
mans intend to stand on their present
line. There is a possibility however,
that they may fall back to the Divette.
a small tributary of the Disc and
which joins it south of Noyon. The
French now hold all the high ground
in that region. 1t is said the British
are so close to ChauInes that the
enemy cannot use the town. Almost
all the rail communications in the Pc
rome region have been rendered use
less by the allies.
Hun Plans Upset.
With the British Armies in France
Aug. 16.-The entire German army
| appears to be in state of complete
| fluxus.
| Marshal Foch's blow on the Somme
| east of Amiens, has apparently upset
| Marshal Won Hindenburg's plan, me-
cessitating what amounts to an entire
change of policy during the remainder
of this years ca mpaign. German with
drawals in Flanders and north OF
| Albert betray this to some extent
while appointment of General Won
Boehm is corrobora tive. Hitherto
crown princes and dukes have beer
named az commanders, save in uninl-
. portant places. despite Won Hinden.
burgs known preference for real gen.
erals.
, Call In Vain for Rc-Inforcements.
From reliable sources it is known
| that the units IN the field are clanor.
7 ing for re-inforcements which ths
high command is unable to give them
the reply invariably being:
/. You are no worse off than Other
: units You must do with what you
! have, as We have no men to send to
: youf'