HUNGRY GERMAN ARMY.

Taihape Daily Times, 25 September 1918, Page 2

HUNGRY GERMAN ARMY.

discipline broken, ■ _■■■■* TROOPS’ SULLEN DESPAIR. The German defeat is an economic as well as a military disaster, says the special correspondent of the j “Morning Post.” The troops relied on* finding large stocks of provisions in territory captured during their last offensive, which would alleviate the distress now prevailing in the German 'Army owing to shortage of food. Although the Higher Command may attempt to tell the world that the retirement is part of a well-arranged scheme, the soldiers themselves know otherwise. They attacked in the 'belief that a further advance would im- 1 prove their lot. Confirmation of this is found in von Boehm’s order, enjoining the preservation of all captured supplies, and rebuking troops which - had helped themselves in disregard of rationing orders, and in defiance of the guards in charge of the captured stocks. The looting of which General von Boehm complains has apparently become widespread in the back areas of the German armies. We know from other recently-published orders similar lawlessness prevailed in the zone of the 18th army opposite Montdidier and in that of the 2nd army, which lies partly in the valley of the Ancre north of Albert. Trains have been attacked in the most approved “Wild. West” fashion, the guards over-

powered, and the food supplies ''removed. Gangs of soldiers "roam through the villages, defying the field police, ransacking the houses for edibles, and breaking into storehouses. Hunger appears to be breaking the bonds of discipline, and some of the incidents recently reported would have seemed incredible a few months ago. Prisoners have admitted that after the first ieverish triumph of the Somme advance, when the British canteens eased their appetites, the troops were filled with sullen despair on realising that their progress had been

checked indefinitely, and that they were not yet in the land of plenty. Officers, at least those of lower rank, do not seem to be able or willing to control the men guilty of excesses, possibly because tbey fear that severe measures will only increase the dis-« content. There can be no doubt that discipline has been very seriously affected. • i • : —fc.iii While making due allowance for the exaggerations of some prisoners the situation revealed by their statements is a serious one, and the divisional, corps and army commanders fully ap-lP' predate the fact. Yet none of the prisoners taken recently on this front appear to have be"n insufficiently fed. Many of them were of very poor physique, being from inferior divisions, but they were well nourished, and none of them complained of lack cf foods while at the- front. It m th' > back areas, when at rest or in training, that rations are whittled down to the minimum, and are so poor inequality that hunger is never appeased. That is why they risk being - shot for looting.