The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1915-04-08
GERMAN SAYS ALLIES WILL
NEVER TAKE DARDANELIEs

Berlin, Germany .-(Nia courier to
Zurich, and by cable to London) -
The Dardaneles cannot be forced by
thee allied fleet. The famous Helles
pont of the ancients will withstand
the battering of the biggest and most
modern ships. That is my confident
belief, based on knowledged of the
situation there"
So declared Field Marshall Baron
Won der Goltz Pasha in his villa at
Grunewald upon his arrival from
Constantionple on special mission
of the Sultan to the Kaiser.
In appearance Baron Won der
Goltz is hardly within ten of his sew
enty-one years, looking fresh despite
his long and tiresome journey, and
remarkably vigorous and active. The
Field Marshal Interestingly discussed
| the Turkish situas-on for more than
half an hour with me.
Baron Won der Goltz. who is re-
garded as the creator of the modern
Turkish army. having served there
as chief of staff for many years, was
sent to Turkey by the Kaiser as mill
tary adviser to the Sultan when Tur-
key enterede the war
My first question was: will the
1
fieet?"
Haven't they given pretty good
proof of it," was his answer. ''All
Turkey is jubilant over the severe
repulse of the allies. l was confident
as everybody was, that the fleet could
not get through. That big modern
| fleet could sustain such heavy losses
surprised us.
II am not disclosing any military
secerts when | tell you that the al
lied fleet point modern guns of big
calibre and superior to the arma-
| fent OF the forts of the Dardanelles,
as Turkey has not had millions to
spend on them of late years, but the
effectiveness of the middle calibre
guns in the forts somewhat aston
ished us. The guns served admir-
ably; even the heavy armor of the
battleships apparently did not with
stand the shells and high angle fir
| ing of these guns.
'Then there are the mines. So far
none of the ships even reached the
first real mine barrier. to and beyond
which will cause losses to the fleet
which perhaps even the allies do not
wish to pay.
"Is it true that one or more ships
penetrated sixteen miles up the Oar
danelles?" was my next question,
and the answer flashed back:
mo They didn't get quite that
far That's bit overestimating it.
Baron Won der Goltz appeared to
think that without cooperation an
Unusually large landing force of the
fleet could not take the Dardanelles.
ION this point he asked: "Where are
the allies going to bring such a force
from without seriously weakening
4 themselves elsewhere?
Even if they had such force
near they would have to reckon with
the Turks, who by no means are the
demoralized and vanquished troops
of the Balkan war any more. Turkey
today is much underestimated, be
!, ing judged largely upon the outcome
of the war with Bulgaria and Servia
Turkey especially lost much in the
, way of arms and equipment, but il
, is really surprising what has beer
done and accomplished in the wa!
of rehabilitating the army by the
tremendous energy and forcefulnes:
of Enver Pasha and the Young Turl
government, which is working to
gether in great unity.
Turkey has placed quarter of ;
million men in arms. Much has beer
done to improve the equipment, con
sidering the limited means and ia
cilities that were available. Especial
ly is the commissary functionini