The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-23
GERMAN WAR MACHINE
WONDERFUL INSTITUTION
American Military Attache BACK
From Berlin FULL Of Adj fratiop
sor Splendid Efficiency OF
Katscr's Men.
HAVE HARDLY BEGUN FIGHT.
Major Lanshcrne's Information of
Such Importance and Of So Conn.,
DENTAL Character Ii Was Not
Thought Best 90 Trust IL 70 Mails.

AFffly, " pSe recall from ms post siS
military attache at the American en-
bassy in Berlin. has been a matter
of great mystery here arrived IN
WashinStop this afternoon.
Major IAnEhorne was accompanied
from New York, whore he landed
yesterday, hy Major General Wood.
commanding the department of the
East, and upon his arrival was es-
corted to the state and War Depart
ments ty General Wood. Efforts
were made by officials to conceal the
fact of Major LAnghorne's presenc"
and the reasons for his conferences
with officials of both departments
All those informed about Major Lang
horne's recall and his present mission
have been pledged to secrecy
There IS a good reason to believe,
however, that Major Lanshorue Is in
possession o. such information re-
garding the military operations OF the
German forces as to MAKE II advis-
able shat he return TO tho United
States and present in person his re-
ports. The fact that he was ordered
to report on his return to the chief
OF sta is significant in this connec-
lion indicating that he is ta be as
signed for the present to the war
College. or some other branch OF
the general sta~ for the compilation
of the data he has gathered.
shown Unusual Consideration.
II is learned that Major Ianghorne
was ,'-own. while in Germany. the
most unusual consideration by the
German authorities. and was given
more opportunities To observe the
German operations than any other
foreign military attaChe. Major Lang
horne was sent TO Germany nearly
eighteen months ago, and hence was
we'll established when the war broke
out.
Hts preliminary reports. ii is under
stood, indicate that Major I4anghornc
lis pre- pared to demonstrate that not
vet are the wonders of the German
military machine fully comprehended
IN this country. His information IL
said to be of character warrant
ing the conclusion that the Germans
have not yet begun 10 fight. The
ma Tor fs I'm n position. It WAS stated
here today to show that the Ameri-
can public has no idea of what the
Germans already Aapn-4ape- aF- u ha.i
they are capable of doing In military
way His data. Furthermore. Will
demonstrate in detail what has been
suggested In other reports. that not
merely the German army. out the
whole German nation, Is to he reck-
oned with In this war by Germanys
enemies II is said that Major Lang
horne gathered information revealing
an organization of the nations re-
sources in men, money and materials
for beyond what has been yet mol
Gated in other reports from Europe
Recall Doesn't Please Germans.
The recall of Major Ianghorne in
the midst OF the war was not. IT is
believed, particularly pleasing TO the
German authorities Usually military
attaches acting in the capacity OF OBJ
servers OF foreign war operations. are
IT. IA l. kENx
which they are assigned for the du-
ration Of the war. That Major Lang
horne should suddenly return home
in the midst OF the war after he had
been given extraordinary opportuni-
ties FOR stuoy and observation was,
+ II is declared, a matter Of some cna-
grin TO the German military authorf-
ties, who do not look with any partic-
altar favor upon the thought OF his
making available TO the American
military service all the data regard
ing the German operations while the
var In still N progress. While, OF
7 course, MAJOR Ianghorne's reports
will be regarded as highly confiden
tiai by the War Depart ment. there ia
always the possibility of such inter-
esting data eventually reaching quar-
tiers in which IT might be OF value IN
connection with the operations OF
= Germany's enemies
Just what immediate use the Sec
Rotary OF War has in mind for Major
I4anghorne's information has not been
disclosed thus far. Secretary CARR
= son has refused 10 make any state
ment regarding Major Ianghorne's
y recall except that the majors pres
ence In this country was desired.
+ Some difficulty is encountered In ar
irving at q satisfactory explanation OF
! the determination of the War Depart
Ynent to have him make his data
avaiia Bile at once. While 1T is admit
ted that much that Major I4anghorne
has 10 report could not well be in
trusted to mail dispatches in view OF
the fact that there seems to he no
connection between the interests OF
the United states and the military OPP
7 erations Of the war, the urgent sum-
mons for him TO come home IL not
fully made clear.
Greatly Admired Germans.
In this connection reports have
been circulated that Embarrassing in
cidents developed out OF certain dis
patches which Major I.anghorne sent
while ne was in Berlin, He is known
to have been very greatly impressed
by what he saw Of the German oper-
ations and his dispatches reflected his
admiration for the Germans from a
military point Of view. That certain
OF his communications of pro-Ger-
OF the British authorities In the pro-
cess of their transmission is one re-
port that reached this country soon
after the announcement of Major
Langhorne's recall 1t has been also
rumored that advantage of this was
8 taken in Germany and that certain
dispatches most favorable to Germany
were sent out over Msjo Ianghorne's
name without his ever having either
written or seen them.
All these reports have been denied
cmphatically at the War Department
though there have been intimations
in official quarters that there may
have been some EN- barrassing tncs
dents regarding the majors dis
patches. particularly in connection
with wireless.
In Major Ianghorne's behalf in
connection with the concealuent Of
The real purposes If his return the
4 statement has been made by high au-
thortty thar his summons home was
1 in no manner a reflection on the Of
1cer himself. IL Was stated by this
authority that he was under no
charges, nor even criticism, and that
his relations with the Berlin govern
: ment were the most cordial possible
he