The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-10-02

was still in progress. A serious loss was the fact that, in falling back to the Hermann -Hunding Brunhild posi- tion, we had 10 sacrifice a mum Der of installations that served the con- veniences of the troops. For example. We lost a number of disinfectant sta tions, which were a serious loss.
 CLIO. anticipated a continuance of the attacks in the direction of Ghent and Maubeuge, between the Oise and Aisne, and between the upper Aisne and the Mouse, the latter extending to the right bank of the Mouse. I also expected considerable wastase in strength and nerves.
 WAR WEAKNESS GROWS At many points we had actually fought with success, and at others the enormous superiority of the enemy had brought him only small gains. The result of the further fighting depended mainly on the maintenance of the mems moral
 Every man required to be kept at the front, and to he inspired with the utmost determinations. The armistice offer had had an unfavorable effect on the mems spirits, and war weariness had increased. No stirring call from home came n counterbIast, and the work of explaining the situation seemed to have been abandoned there.
 On this point there were many com plaints from the Army. In the end the Army and the population would have to show their colors, and let it be seen whether they were really determined to fight, for only thus could we hope to improve the moral of the Army The commands and explanations issued to the trops from Spa were not in them- selves sufficient.
 The intimate connection between feeling in the Army and feeling at home could never be more clearly per ceived than it was in these critical days The Army wanted to know definitely what was to be expected from the peo- pie at home.
 LAYS PLANS TO DESTROY The evacuation of the ground behind the new positions was carried on with all speed The railways were continu- ally worked to the utmost limit of their capacity. Enormous masses of war ma terial had to be delt with, involving weeks and months of work. I laid great stress on the import ancc of thorough preparation for the destruction of lines and bridges, which could not but have its effect on opera tions, and upon the removal to Ger many of our own material. l con- tinualIy discussed with the chiefs of staffs the problems of evacuation and destruction.
 We dealt with the populations with the greatest leniency. as we always had done We have statements to this ef9 feet from the inhabitants themselves. It is true that they begged not to be forced to give evidence publicly for us, as they feared opinion in Paris.
 neutral commission (picked by the German command) also came from Brussels to the front and reported on the care we took of the inhabitants as well as of the damage done to them by the enemy artillery and airmen. What the population had to suffer were the results of the state of war, and not of the matter in which we carried on the war. This is quite plainly estab- lished The Entente, however, brought accusations against us in order to in- fluence Wilson further in their direc- tion.
 NEW LINES ON FRONTIER
 Further in the rear we were working hard on the Antwerp-Meuse line, and l had a new line surveyed along the German frontier.
 The Italian front was quiet. but there was talk of an imminent Entente at tack This could only be locked ror- ward to with increasing anxiety in view of the poor fight the Austro-Hun-