The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-10-01

to cut myself off from General vol | Bartenwerffer. Colonel Bauer and
 Lieutenant Colonel Nicolai. (These
 representatives of the army had reused intense anger by their suppression of
 labor agitation ana freedom of the ! press and speech.) l asked what was I the accusation against these men. He replied that he did not clearly know l and was merely repeating what had been said to him. l thereupon begged him to let me have definite reports, and I would have them carefully eX- l amined in the interests of .he parties concerned. Nothing was ever received. If any definite complaint had been made 1 would have investigated it, as Esmy duty was, but I could not get rid kbf conscientious and loyal men on ma k,licious gossip or unsupported sug5es- tions The request made very pain ful impression on me. That was the
 ~sart of work German government in kHxrliR found to do in such an anxious i time!
 The prince also wanted to hear the 4 views of other high officers on the situation. Only G. Ii. O., however, had 4 view of the whole position. The conditions were different with each army. A posteriori reasoning from U one army to the entire front was im- I possible.
 refused his request. The field marshal and 1 had alone to bear the 8 responsibility. His majesty could de- mand explanations mt any moment. but I not the chancellor. The army was
 still subject to the emperor as war lord.
 At the beginning of November, after had left office. two army chiefs ex- pressed their views to the war cab inet. and in essentials they agreed with me. Their differences were all
 applicable by the limited view which is all that an army chief can have Of the whole position \ RESENTS ARMY CRITICISMS N As is always the case after the de- feat of an army. criticisms have been expressed or published. which may be l correct so long as thev avoid all con- N clusicns that the critic is not himself in a position to check Sondltions in \ the whole army. and on our extended front, were too varied to admit of gen. eralizations which personal expeIi- N ences at one point are apt to tempt N men to make. Such generalizations kare as dangerous as che empty catch |Evords which have poisoned the whole . of our political life. In science they rank as the most pronounced symptom . of the half-informed.
 Officers who think thai they fore
 saw everything would have done bet liter to go honestly to G. H. e., in which they had coAidence. and there . to explain what wass in their minds received but few letters from such | men, and if there wass anything new lin their letters I summoned them to vdiscuss the matter.
 ltain definitely whether the German people would fight on. if the negoti- IatiOns with the enemy did not lead Ito an acceptable peace. Preparations Ihad to be taken. The press had given Ius favorable view of the possibility of continuing the fight.
 FIGHTING TALK OF LEADERS In his first important Reichstag
 speech, on October 5, dealing with the ne-
 cessity for continuing the struggle in the event of the conditions being un- Acceptable, Prince Max took the same npoint of view as the field marshal and myself. The prince said:
 With stout hearts, and full of con- kfidence in our strength, we are resolved, |tf it be inevitable, to make yet further |sacrifices for our honor, our freedom Lsnd the happiness of our descendants" 4 And agaln:
 | "Whatever the result of our offer of peace. know that it will find the coun- try firm and united in it's readiness either for an honorable peace or for a Iife and death struggle to the last on VWnich our people are determined, if il be unavoidable. I am not afraid when n contemplate the possibility of this sec.
 ond alternative, for I know the great strength that still resides among our
 people, and I know, too, that the clear
 conviction that each tNan is fighting
 for his life will redoubae his strength
 The president of the Reichstag spoke Ito the same effect:
 'Every German at home is ready. like Eevery soldier at the front, to sacrifice