The Dominion SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1918. GERMAN PESSIMISM

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 3, 28 September 1918, Page 6

The Dominion SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1918. GERMAN PESSIMISM

The German Chancellor (Count Yon Herthng) k in.his latest speech, endeavours to "make his disillusioned and resentful countrymen believe that the outlook for Germany is not as bad as it looks. But there is nothing in his,-review of-tho situation to allay the deep "discontent which exists in- wido circles of the He asserts that the discontent _is more : deep'and prevalont,than is-warranted by the military, situation, but all 't'hat he can say to enhea'rten the German ;public is that things are not so bad as they were- during. the. summer of' 1916. If this! is. true, the. outlook, for. the. Central Powers .must have- been far .more/gloomy' in 'the summer of 1916 than .the military authorities admitted, 'and if they ho.bdwinked' tho pepplo_ then how' can : they expect' to D 9 believed when they now declare that Germany .will still-win and that "the -enemy's premature cries of victory will soon die away." Such flimsy assurances are utterly valueless in the light of plain'facts. The German' are still .; reeling backwards before the irresistible onslaught.'of: the Allied-forces. -Tho old story that everything is. proceeding according to nlan is played-out. It has. worn too thin to deceive anyone of average • intelligence. ' Two months ago''-the l -Berlin authorities tried to:keep up the spirits of : the people by circulating a statement by. ii military authority which asserted' 'that Marshal'Eoch's.great.offensive! had, pnly. a. local '.and 'that the .' strategic-'ppsitiori 'as''■ a whole had "hot been" in the'least affected, but had .developed as the German. .General Command - intended, and was being developed ..further, 'also according;'to v plans.—The German generals were' merely creating ''a favourable tactical basis for' carrying through.-the fight." The unreality, of this sort qf stuff.'h.£S become... : -altpgether top . .obvious. There-, are : limits to the; credulity .of .the . German ' public;, and : their faith. :is not great enough l to' a'c'cep'fc the contention thatthe further .tho German troops' are flung back by tho armies the nearer, they .'.approach the final aim .of their'.operations. ; ' ■-" -'.: : ':,.., . .""

It" is', not only on' the. West front, that the war has. taken a bad turn for the Central Powers. The Allies have' struck■' a staggering blow. in. the Balkans, and in-Syria General Allenb'y : is-smashing, the Turkish armies'to pieces. In the approved German style, the>Turkish authorities concocted quite a- cheerful story about recent- happenings jn Palestine. The campaign' Was, of course, proceeding according to plan... A Turkish' commitniqti'e explained: tho position in'this 1 way:' "Very skilful rearguard fights arcfacilikting the accomplishment of our plans on both sides; of" the 'Jordan.". . These .•■far--sighted'plans enabled- the- .Turks to Succeed..in - losing over -.40,000 mcn_ in prisoners- alone and' in .making;-, the-. Allies -a - present of an enormous quantity of guns'-and other war material. - The German military leaders hardly dare at tho .present''time, to'iVretcrid.that.all-is well. The position is -too desper-ately-serious, for such-trifling. All Hertling can-now. say is that if the outlook is bad it might conceivably be worse. He will not admit that it-is as hopeless as some of his countrymen seem to think. Ho tries to encourage the faint-hearts to. keep believing by telling them that Ludendorff and' Hindenburg "will be-equal to the situation;'". But •tho names' of'.these > ' two • .generals have lost much of 'their ;power of inspiration.-. Their maim is plainly waning. . The halo of .invincibility which once surrounded them has been 'dispersed—and if Ciey fail, who can succeed?. In some quarters idolatry has gone and open irreverence has taken its place. The Vienna Nieue Freie -Presse adopts a .satirical tone in> reference ; to" the .German', -retreat.v It fastens on the official announcement that, in spite\ of .Marshal "Foch's countcrstr.oke,. the German leaders. had' been ablo to withdraw their troops to the north bank of the M.arne "for -fresh and more, important tasks."

lor fresh and more important tasks! Here is the personal note: We see before us the figures of Hindenburg and Ludendorff, .who hitherto, even in hard .times,., have kept every promise"; and whoso signature has-nev-er been given to the German people and its allies without serious consideration. . . , From time to .-time, both in East and West, Hindenburg and Ludendorff have-had to beat down stubborn fortune with their strong fists.. But never-, have they made-.such an announcement as to-day. ;:•;'. Never have■..thw.,6Wit. out their promise into .the'.world that .the troops . withdrawn ;froni the occupied river', bank were .required for fresh and more important tasks..' That, is-not boasting; it is conviction and-will. ;.'■'''"'. ■' .

The writer.goes 'on .to"say thafc-,the German people are confident tlia,t the German-attack took place '-'in accordance: with the .expectations- of HINDENBURG..and. Ludendoiiff as a defence against the French attempt to break through.. and .even the abandonment of--the southern : bank of the Marne .will' : no't bo.'.able to touch. this, faith." But since then -things have gone from..bad' to Worso from the German point of-view, and there, are-many sure signs that-the faith of the German people is tot-tering-to its fall.; The German Chancellor's' 'speech, taken in conjunction witli"-Luden-dobff's "signed order," shows that pessimism and'discontent arc widespread, in Germany. The fact that Hurtling finds-it necessary to appeal to the people "not to leavc"tnc men at the front in the lurch now that everything-is at stake" is plain proof'that the war has -lost its glamour in Germany. "Hope deferred makes the heart sick,".and hope has been deferred so often that it has now almost vanished, and the fear of defeat is daily becoming moro pronounced. The nation's staying power is gradually .but surely failing. It is no longer possible for the German authorities to belittle the fighting capacity of America, and General von Wisberg is "not likely to restore- the declining moral of his countrymen by declaring that the' Germans' will settle the' American armies. The' German' people aro learning' by bitter experience' 'that ■boastful words do. not "win. battles. .LuoENDOßFF's;"order" indicates that th.c .growing. internal troubles ■ ..of Germany are considerably increasing the difficulties and anxicticaof the Government.. Men on leave are talking treason and inciting -disobedience, and war. weariness ' and despondency are widespread. It is not'at all surprising that Hertmng is eager for the -coming of the hour "when the' cneniy .'will' sec reason .and be ready to make an end of the

war." But as long as the Allics'ai'O' true "to' themselves," to"' "humanity, and to the great cause for which they are fighting,- nothing that the enemy can do by force-of arms or diplomatic cunning will divert them from their avowed determination to make an end 'o£ German militarism before they make an end to the war.