From the News

Dated: January 30, 1919

Coblenz, Jan 30.

According to estimates by the intelligence officers of the American third army, based upon reports from all parts of Germany, the organized German arm now located in various depots numbers from 300,000 to 500,000 men.

Reports indicate that these soldiers are of such morale that they will hardly will be available for operations of any extent. The number of men in the army, reports reaching Coblenz suggest, is decreasing rapidly.

The new volunteer army numbers between 100,000 and 300,000 men of doubtful morale and they have not yet been organized fully or tested fairly. The volunteer army which is being organized for the purpose of stopping Polish or Bolshevik invasions of German territory, has 40,000 men in the region of Frankfurt-on-the-Odor. Many volunteer battalions also are reported moving eastward.

The organized German army consists of the classes of 1898 and 1899 less some discharged because they live in occupied territory, less large numbers of deserters and less some discharged according to demobilization plans. The officers and non-commissioned officers of this army are men who intend to remain permanently in the service.

Evidence is said to be conclusive that the troops now in the depots have assumed the attitude of drawing their pay and doing as little as possible until they are discharged.

In arriving at the number of men in the organized army, the troops which have been unable to return from the eastern front are disregarded, as they generally come from the older classes, and are discharged as soon as they reach Germany. No account has been taken of the naval units, which are demoralized and disbanding rapidly.