The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-09-26
HUNS CAUGHT TN B0LSHE TRAP
HUN ARMY OFFICERS
BITTERLY ATTACKED
BY PEOPLE AT HOMI

was always opposed to the pres
ence OF father and son on the same
stan. When / had direct command.
as well as when ! was chief OF stan
in the east. / set my face against
this. Now all could do was to draw
the attention of the military cabinet
to H.
I heard unfavorable reports con-
corning the working OF canteens.
Here. also. the officers were said to
be acting TO the deuiment OF the
men. / went into the matter. Every
thing was in order. The canteen
commissions. on which the soldiers
were represented, controlled the
working and the distribution OF prof.
its The sale Of goods in the cantecns
was strictly rationed for officers and
men alike at so much per head.
Each man might buy only as much
as was allowed on the carefully calcu-
lated distribution schedule.
The higher STATS. having no cam
teens OF their own. drew on the CEN
tral stores at the same prices as tho
canteens did. AS these supplied ofii-
GERS and men at a fixed rate and =
certain profit. the higher staffs-both
officers and men. OF course-bought
their goods somewhat cheaper than
the regiments. This also stopped.
SCANDAL IN
THE CANTEENS
Then IL was asserted that the can
teen moneys were unfairly admins
tered. This accusation was as false
as the others. II was only the soldier
who derived any benefit from the
profits. mainly. OF course, in kind
But II was in the lines OF communi-
cation that the officers were sup
posed to live in special luxury. There
l have seen an enormous amount OF
loyal work. from which the army de-
rived incalculable benefit. 1t was OBJ
vious that IN these lines officers, as
well as men, lived more quietly and
comfortably than was the case with
the troops who were only in the COM
munication areas on their way to
and from the line. Naturally. also,
the men felt this, altho everything
possible was done for them.
Was IL such a crime for an officer
to buy something in Belgium or any
where else 10 send IT home to hin
family. in order TO brighten their life
a little? Was IL not the families OF
officers. who are rarely men Of
3neans. who suffered most severely
from the increased cost OF living AZ
home?
When I was with the commanders
in-chief in the east in July. 1916. ar
ranged similar facilities for the men.
these facilities being. later. still fur
ther developed. From the west and
from Rumania parcels were sent
home in large numbers by the men.
Any special case OF irregularity on
the part OF an officer which was
brought TO my notice. even anony-
mously. was subjected to most
searching investigation. The status
and way OF life OF the officers wero
frequently discussed by the higher
STATS. Under the pressure Of the
continual complaints the field mar.
shal issued an appeal to all officers.
HARSH WORDS
FOR LOOTERS
The corps of officers has emerged
triumphant from this attack on its
honor. The man who infringed the
code was an exception, and was not
one OF us. No measures adopted
against him could be too severe. The
officer who did not emerge from this
war with clean hands as an hon
CRADLE man, who retained property
which was not his, even II only to
save II from destruction, besmirchcd
the Fatherland. the army, the corps
of officers and himself.
The corps OF officers, as a whole.
may be proud of itself. not least be-
cause, despite all the work OF agi-
tation going on in its rear 1t held
the army together for four years, led
IL so often to victory, and was still
able, in cooperation with loyal nom
commissioned officers and men. to
lead it back over the Rhine-a stu
pendous achievement, amongst the
greatest deeds of the war.
Enemy propaganda did not con-
Germ itself with the non.commissioned
officers. 1t was considered that
their authority was already impaired
and IL was not deemed necessary to
pay any particular attention TO them.
But antagonism between commits.
stoned and on-commissioned officers
which had not existed in the army
in peace time. was ingeniously Gre
ated.
CROWN PRINCE
Is ALARMED
Many signs of disease had BEEN
showing themselves m
the German people and army. The
symptoms of disorder were no longer
to be ignored; indeed. their presence