GERMANY'S MUNITIONS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10118, 27 October 1917, Page 5

GERMANY'S MUNITIONS.

POOR IN QUALITY. HOW WILL THE EMPIRE CRACK? WATCH THE CIVILIANS. The Germans are finding it difficult to maintain their standard of munitions. A larger proportion of their shells are "duds" than ever before. Their gunpowor has fallen definitely far below ours. It is of course still strong. But it kills and maims a substantially smaller proportion of men than ours kill and maim. Moreover, though their men look clean and strong enough, and well enough clothed, when taken prisoner, it is undoubted that a large porcontage of thoir army is clothed in shoddy. A numbor of uniforms wore taken'from dead Germans for analysis, and found to bo 60 per cent paper and the rest some other substitute. Their boots aro becoming inferior. No one- need doubt that Germany is indeed in a parlous condition for supplies—especially for cotton, wool, leather and rubber. But she can hang out and light for a long time yet. It is incontestable that her army is lighting now practically as well as ever, and that its numbers aro greater than ovor. It is incontestable that by her crime- and mean trick of striking through Belgium she has gained territories which represent a big prize in warfare. And it is incontestable that in modern warfare tho defensive, when organised with machine-guns, with concrete and earth, and an almost unlimited backing of heavy guns, has an immense advantage. How then, will Germany crack.' What part will go first? Watch her civilians. Li this war it has been the civil element to crack, not the army element. There is little sign yet. But among her Allies the rot has already set in. Austria writhes with internal strife.. Turkey is held up onlv by German throats and money. 1 hero „,ay be a long way to go. But these cracks in the civilian columns indicate that it may bo shorter than we dare to think.