Evening star., 1921-10-29

short 10000 reinforcements every
| month. although the class OF 1920 is
already cc,Ied to the colors.
Less War Material.
War material cannot be renewed.
cent less machine guns. II per cent
less field pieces, and 26 per cent less
heavy artillery. The lateral railways
which from one end of the front to
the other permit transports of men
and material, the voies de rocade, of
which the German staff made so
fruitful a use during the war. are no
longer at their dispoSal-four of the
secondary lines and one principal
line are wholly or in part in the hands
of the allies. Those which remain are
almost blocked with supplies and
levacuations, SO much SO that IN the
three first weeks of october it has
only been possible to displace three
divisions laterally. instead of nine
teen SO moved in May. Remember
also that an enormous amount of war
material is scattered all along the
front and behind it. To save this.
Germany has abandoned the oppor-
tunity that a rapid retreat might have
afforded. Besides. this retreat is diff
ficult for the forces which are at 4
that Is to say for the group of armies
| of the German crown prince and of
the Crown Prince of Bavaria, 130 di-
visions in all. that have only a zone
| of Seventy-five kilometers in width
through which to withdraw. Finally
the morale is low, very low. Hopes
had run so high in July. The great
general staff says it is the fault of the
government. which has not the in
terror we'll in hand. The government
is right in replying that it is rather
the fault. of events.
Generals' Word Taken.
| The generals have demanded the
armistice. the ministers take them at
their word because they believe with
Won Lersner that 1.-The invasion of
iGerman territory is only Il matter of
weeks or at most of a few months"
Invasion: y word that for hundred
years Germany has been wont to ap-
ply only to it's adversaries 1t becomes
the obsession of the government. Cap
iltulatfon on terms to be fixed by the
victors alone in accordance with
President Wilson's decision. Or in
vaston with the sole resources of a
lematical in a country that has al
ready called fourteen million men to
the colors. But there is no other al
Tentative. The ministers make their
choice. They will capitulate
After week of consideration, of
! hesitation. of exchanges with the
i great general staff. on which they
are determined to pin the initial re-
| sponsibility, the ministers are to re-
ply on October 81 to the American
| note Of the 14th. This time there can
be no playing on words. no talk OF
| negotiation, for it is only a question
bf submission. Evacuation of oc-'
| cupied territory The demand is ac-
cepted. Armistice? Germany recog-
| nizes that its terms must be left to
| the appreciation of the competent
| military authorities. Illegal acts COM
mitted by the German forces? These
are distinctions necessary in a re-
| treat and permitted by international
| law; strict instructions will neverthe-
J less be given that private property
shall be respected. Torpedoings? Not
deliberate; orders. however, have
been sent to commanders to spare
passenger ships. Suppression of the
arbitrary power? 1t is already ac-
complished: the cabinet is RESPONSE
bic to parliament; the constitution
! will be revised: the government is
| free from any military or irrespon-
sible influence. This time Germany,
bound hand and foot. is riveted to
Wilsonian dialectics. Since she does
| not break, she gives herself up The
President takes good note thereof
| on October 90. in announcing that
having received all the undertakings