ved they were successful. The army was satisfied
with what it had done and had great plans for the future. Food and
economic conditions had changed very little as compared to the changes
which were to take place before 1917. Supplies were flowing into
Germany from all neutral European countries. Even England and Russia
were selling goods to Germany indirectly through neutral countries.
Considerable English merchandise, as well as American products, came in
by way of Holland because English business men were making money by the
transaction and because the English Government had not yet discovered
leaks in the blockade. Two-thirds of the butter supply in Berlin was
coming from Russia. Denmark was sending copper. Norway was sending
fish and valuable oils. Sweden was sending horses and cattle. Italy
was sending fruit. Spanish sardines and olives were reaching German
merchants. There was no reason to be dissatisfied with the way the war
was going. And, besides, the German people hated their enemies so that
the leaders could count upon continued support for almost an indefinite
period. The cry of "Hun and Barbarian" was answered with the battle
cry "Gott strafe England."

The latter part of April on my first trip to the front I dined at Great
Headquarters (Grosse Haupt Quartier) in Charleville, France, with Major
Nicolai, Chief of the Intelligence Department of the General Staff.
The next day, in company with other correspondents, we were guests of
General von Moehl and his staff at Peronne. From Peronne we went to
the Somme front to St. Quentin, to Namur and Brussels. The soldiers
were enthusiastic and happy. There was plenty of food and considerable
optimism. But the confidence in victory was never so great as it was
immediately after the sinking of the _Lusitania_. That marked the
crisis in the future trend of the war.

Up to this time the people had heard very little about the fight
between the Navy and the Foreign Office. But gradually rumours spread.
While there was previously no outlet for public opinion, the
_Lusitania_ issue was debated more extensively and with more vigour
than the White Books which were published to explain the causes of the
war.

With the universal feeling of self confidence, it was but natural that
the people should side with the Navy in demanding an unrestricted
submarine warfare. When Admiral von Bachmann gave the order to First
Naval Lieutenant Otto Steinbrink to sink th