The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-09-18

fighting spirit had been stronger at
home. II was on this spirit that the /
ultimate decision dopendcd-but IL
failed.
LOSSES NATTER
or COURSE
War consumes mon. that la It's ma.
ture. The modern defensive battle |
II more costly than the attack. one !
reason more In favor Of the latter, l
The month. OF August. September |
and October. 1918. cost uE far more
than March. April and May OF the |
same year. In the earlier months /
our losses consisted mainly OF slight. |
ly wounded men, who came back. |
The prisoners we lost In the defense /
had 20 be struck off ms lost for
good
That the large masses which were
led Into battle would suffer heavy
oasuaitie~. In spit. Of all tactical
measures. was unfortunately = mat.
ter 81 course.
The recruiting difficulties were not
removed BY March. 1918. altho a few
hundred thousand men were avail.
able. They continued TO be an un'
certain factor In the tremendous con
test England and France had aim
liar difficulties 20 contend with. In
the autumn OF 1917 the English al
visions stili had ~ batiaiionn. now
they were reduced 20 nine. Since
the Aisnc Champagne battle France
had d!sbandcd FAR more than 100 bat.
ta.iiona. as well NJ territorial and
trntoriai reserve formations.
Tho new American formations.
which could not have much fighting
value, had not yet arrived. The sub.
marine war had continued effective.
W.. could not estimate the amount OF
tonnage the entente would set aside
for transport work
Tho army had thrown Off the De
pressing effects of the previous
years fighting In the knowledge that
IL was passing from the defense To
tho attack. iA morale appeared com
pietely restored. but In March. 1918.
IL could not be denied that secret
agitation was making progress here
and there
When tho 1919 class reached the
recruit depo,a. We began TO receive
complaints about It's general quality
and spirit Moreover. many recruits
seemed to have great deal OF
money. which must have greatly
cmhittered the older men. who had
been long time In the field.
Nothing had been done to strength.
en- the wariikc spirit at home. The
abuses in the various departments OF
war administration had become more
fragrant than ever. The generally
improved spirit OF the army had
temporary influence on that at home.
and blinded us TO a good deal But
tho large mass OF the people was
unaffected. caught In the tolls OF en-.
envy propaganda, wrapped UP In its
own interests and cares, and utterly
unconcerncd about tho doubtful Is.
sue OF the war.
Tho nation could no longer brace
the nerves OF the army. Il was al.
ready dcvouring It's marrow. How
far the secret agitation OF the indie
pendent socialists had extended we
were unable to determine. The strike
at the end OF January. 1918, had
thrown another lurid light on their
activities. The party was continu.
ally gaining adhercnts and was firm.
iy controlled by its leaders. whereas
the unions were losing Influence.
The government. Itself. altho TAX.
ing energetic action against the
strikes. failed TO see the signs of the
times In them. ms they had in the
al II
Everything turned more and more
on maintaining order in Germany by
energetic action. even at the risk of
n temporary falling Off in the manu-.
fscture OF warlike storcs. Otherwise.
II was 10 be feared that the revolu.
tionary movement would do even
more harm.
The imperial government was ac-
quainted with this view of general
headquarters. During those days
the revolution was declsively adj
vanced in Germany. II was at that
time, as have just heard, that the
first German soldiers and workers
council was formed at Reinickcndorf
Thus a further element OF weakness
had developed i'm our own body while
we were I'm the midst OF a struggle
for our very existence.
At that time I did not attach vital
significance to these symptoms. My
belief In the German people as
whole was then still mistaken.
The commanders and troops In tho
line shared with general headquar-
ters the feeling that they would
prove equal to the demands that
would be made on them In the com.
ing struggle. We hoped for success.
altho they were no longer the troops
of 1914. but only kind OF militia
with much experience OF war. The
enemy was no better,
Wherevernwe had attacked with
similar troops, who were not so well
trained for the offensive, we had
won. What we would achieve.
whether we should break thru and
start n war OF movement, or whether
our effort would remain a sortie on
large scale, was uncertain--like
everything In war.
reported to the emperor that the
army was assembled and well pre-
pared 10 undertake the. biggest task
I'm it's history"
published by special arrangement with
the Mcclure Newspaper syndicate. Copy
righted. 1919. by Harper and Brothers.
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many and IN. Landau sTinea n Epafu