Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-10-09

q
as a, cabinet question.
The emperor seemed wholly chang
ed. Speaking to me alone, he spoke
especially against the army order of
the evening of the gath. There fol-
lowed some of the bitterest moments
of my life / said respectfully to his
majesty that / had gained the painful
impression that l had no longer his
confidence, and that l accordingly
begged most humbly to be relieved of
my office. His majesty accepted my
resignation.
Predicted Kaiser's Fall.
went back alone. I did not see
his majesty again. After my return
to the general staff office | said in
bitterest grief to my officers there,
among whom was Colonel Won Haef-
ten, that in a fortnight there would
be no longer an emperor in Germany.
They held clearly the same view. on
November Germany and Prussia
were republics.
A moment later the field marshal
came to me in my room. l could only
show him the tender of resignation
which he three hours before had pre-
vented me from dispatching. We then
separated.
/ gave up my post at once. sent
off the letter which | had written in
the morning; l should have now
worded it differently.
On the evening of the 26th | went
back to Spa. to say farewell to my
officers, with whom | had shared joys
and sorrows through so many years,
and to put my personal affairs in
order.
On the morning of the 9th l was
at CHIC. In the afternoon | said
goodbye | was much moved. II
was very hard for me to leave my Of
ficers and the army at this anxious
time, but however hard it was, could
do nothing else, in my view of my
position as an officer over against
the supreme head of the army.
In my life as a soldier | have trod-
den but one path, the straight path of
duty. One. and only one, great thought
has moved me, the love of my coun-
try, of the army, and of the hereditary
ruling house. For them had | lived,
even in these last four years. My one
aim was to break the enemy's desire
for our destruction, and to secure
Germany's future against new hostile
attacks.
Manhood Has Not Altered.
On October 81 / stood in Spa. in
the prime of my life, at the end of a
military career which had brought me
infinite work to do, and at the same
time a responsibility such as falls to
the lot of few men.
In the evening l left Spa. In AK
le-Chapelle | sought out my first war
billet. l thought of Liege. There l
had found my manhood, and had not
altered since. My muscles stiffened.
l went back home.
In the west meantime events took
the following course. The 4th army
completed its rearward movement in
to the Hermann line next position be-
hind the Hindenburg line) in the
closest contact and in constant fight
ing with the pursuing enemy. Bruges,
Thielt and Courtral were evacuated
on the 18th.
on the goth there was fighting on
the Lys, the enemy taking the eastern
bank around Deinze. He attempted
to force us to leave the Iys by strong
pressure between the L.ys and the
Scheldt. On the 25th the fighting
again took the form of a battle, in
which the enemy. attacking the
k1NItiilt SibNlN SllHtd SiOulih Wv thi "
Ghent-OudenaFde Between the Lys
and the Scheldt the fighting also i'm
plicated the 9th army
The 9Th and 7th armies had aban-
doned Lille and Doual on the 18th and
had fallen back in touch with the 4th,
behind the Deule canal, in the direc-
ton of Avelghem, Journal and Valen-
ciennes. on the goth the enemy was
approaching these towns. The civil
population again took part in the
fighting
27th Goes Forward Again.
The southern wing of the 18th
army and the End and 18th were in
heavy fighting, the enemy attacking
heavily on the 18th and 18th between
lie Cateau and the Disc. We were
forced to withdraw the front behind
the Sambre Disc canal from the dis
trict to the southwest of Landrecies as
far as the Disc. After a pause on
the 18th, the enemy attacks extended
from the goth EDWARDS towards the
north
The enemy pressed on past Solos,
mes and lie Cateau, in the direction
of Landrecies (New York's 277th and
the 3Oth Wildcat" divisions were en-
gagged here,) Our losses were heavy,
and the troops did not fight well at
all points. Other troops. however,
conducted themselves magnificantly.
1t was the same as ever.
At first the army group of the Ger
man crown prince had left the left
wing of the 18th army in its position
down the Disc as far as La Fere. The
enemy's efforts to cross the Disc were
defeated. on the goth the Hermann
line, between the Disc and the Serre,
was occupied. The enemy attacked
this line in force, and violent battles
developed.
The 7th and LIST armies were at
tackled between the Serre and the
Aisne. In the main, they maintained
their positions, and on the 25th they
threw back a powerful enemy attack
with heavy losses.
Position of Greatest Strain.
Again, on the Aisne, as far as YOU
ziers-Grand Pre-, in the Aire valley,
and towards the heights to the left of
the Meuse. the enemy was applying
strong pressure. The fighting was
heavy and costly, but did not lead to
any important changes in our line. AS
before the battle extended to the east
ern bank. without producing any es-
sental alterations here either Fur
Their southeastwards, as far as the
Swiss frontier, the line was quiet.
on the evening of the 25th the
western front was in a position of the
greatest strain. There was fighting
from the Dutch frontier to Verdun.
No help was coming from home. Ev-
cry encouragement was absent 1t
was miraculous that the troops should
fight so heroically.