Omaha daily bee., 1915-01-10
YON HINDENBERG
SWAMPED BY GIFTS
German Popular Hero Receives
5000 Pints Of Beer and
1000 Cigars in One Day.
EURI1EG BACK THE RUSSIANS


GERMAN ARMY HEADoUAR-
TIERS. PosEN, Dec. 10 delayed in
transmission) .-(Wia London, Jan.
ELEVEN the occupation OF the
Warsaw and of the vistula line would
by no means signify the end Of the
campaign. The Russians with their
immense territories can rail- back In
definitely. Defeated at Warsaw.
they can fall back on Kiev, from
Kiev on Moscow and eventually even
on Vladivostok. or course, we can
not follow that far"
Thus spoke Germany's popular hero.
Field Marshal Won HindenberE, 20 The
Associated PresA correspondent in the
course o. a four-hour conversation today.
He explained how the midwinter Poland
campaign in which the Russian advance
was checked and rolled back had involved
frightfui biood-ietting.
Russ Losses Terrible.
Never In the days OF the battle OF Tan
nenberg and tho retreat OF the Russian
General Rennenkampfrs army from the
Mazurian lakes did the Russians lose 20
heavily as in the sanguinary fighting
around wloclawek, Kutno Iodzan and
Lowicz. the field marshal said.
He added that at least 10000 Russians
had been killed or wounded since Novem-
Der 10 and that 10000 other Russians had
been made prisoners The contest. ac-
cording 10 Won Hindenberg, had been pro-
ceeding everywhere favorably to tho Ger
mans and Austrians since the fall OF LodS
and the commencement OF the Russian
retreat Yet Field Marshal Won linden
berg declared that all the fight had not
been taken out Of the Russians.
Field Marshal and Hts Muntache.
So largo OF frame IL the field marshal
that he seemed under. instead of over. the
average height He has large head and
rugged shoulders and wears a heavy
sweeping mustache less aggressive in
curve than the emperor's, but equally
characteristic.
The correspondent dined with General
NON Hindehberg and during the meal the
conversation was informal. the cares OF
army leader seemingly having been for
gotten. In the work room OF the general
was staff map OF Poland. overfiowins
from the table on all sides TO the floor.
General Won Hlndenberg was inclined 20
switch the conversation from tho war 70
the United States, (which, he said. he had
long been anxious to visit. lie was not
so much interested in the skyscrapers OF
New York, he said. as in the country
west OF the Mississippf>Vaiiey.
The conversation ran wide range OF
topics. The field marshal talked OF the
changed tactics OF the cavalry. 10 whom
he said he would give bayonets; OF the
bravery OF. his Austrian ally; OF the
clothes basket fun OF letters he received
daily. some Of them from the United
states and with speoial amusement Of
the quantities ~ gifts that were being
forwarded 20 him. Today he received
b.oO plnts OF beer Tor his personal use.
1000 cigars Che does not smolsel an inn
mense cake which was brought IN during
tho dinner and which bore in icing an
advertisement OF a ladies' blouse which |
had been named In his honor,
Asked as 20 the fighting qualities OF /
the RusBians. Field Marshal Won Hinden-
berg said II was hard 20 make a general
statement IN this respect, a. the quality !
of the men varied with the different
races and nationalitIes. Some OF these
he said. furnished inferior fighting men,
but the real Russians were OF excellent |
material. Answering another question |
Won Hindenherg said;
The rurninR Point.
'srhe fail OF Lodz was the turning point |
In the present campaign. This Russians
fought desperately FOR possession OF this
city. on which the center OF their line
rested.
''The Russian line was bent. broken IN |
this battle. The Russian leader. like a
wise man, cid not wait for that, but when |
no saw how affairs were going. with
drew.
the battle was the most bitter and
sanguinary OF this war. the Russian
killed and wounded far exceeding the
figures at Tannenberg, The dead lay IN
heaps on the battlefield. There were SIS
bodies ON one small hill"