The Southern herald., 1915-01-22
IS GERMANYS HERO'
Won Hindenburg Hailed as Liber-
ator of East Prussia.
Correspondent Gets First Interview
With Field MarshaI-Has Implicit
Confidence In Ultimate Sue
cess of German Arms.

Vienna.-A correspondent of the
Vienna New Free Press has obtained
the first interview given by Field
Marshal Won Hindenburg, the hero Of
Germany. A translation of the main
portion Of the article follows:
General Won Hindenburg cordially
greeted me, led the way to the din
ing room and requested me to take
a seat by his side. Supper was sim
pie, consisting Of soup and one
course. Whatever delicacles the table
held were love offerings from Ger.
many which the liberator of East
Prussia is daily receiving in plenty.
And so 1t is that champagne was
served, and even Hungarian wine Of
old vintage, which, in this city, ac-
cording to ancient tradition, is consld-
cred the acme of delicacies on an
epicurean table.
In answer to a question relative to
what experience he has had since the
cooperation of the German and Aus
tro-Hungarian armies General Won
Hindenburg answered.:
"The Austrians and Hungarians are
excellent soldiers. Men as well as
officers are brave and courageous. We
have been fighting shoulder to shoul-
der and have implicit confidence in
the ultimate success of our mutual
fighting. We esteem the Austrians
and Hungarians as excellent com
rades. The relations between the two
armies are very cordial. At present we
are maintaining lively connections
with General Dankl, the leader of the
First Austrian army corps, with
which we have established lines of
communication"
The conversation changed from
friends to enemies. In answer to a
question about the Russians General
Won Hindenburg said:
"The Russians, too, are good sol
diers. They have discipline, anC dis
cipline will eventually decide this war.
But Russian discipline is entirely DIFF
ferent from German and Austro- Hun.
garian discipline. In our armies dis
cipline is the result of spirit and
morale, while in the Russian army II
is a combination of silent, inane obedi.
ence. The Russian soldier stands still
because he was told to stand still.
and he stands as if nailed to the spot
What Napoleon l said of the Russians
holds good even today: It is not suf-
ficient to shoot the Russian dead. II
is also necessary to throw him down.
"The Russians have learned much
since the war with Japan. Their
strength consists in the establish.
ment of fortified positions in the field
They understand thoroughly how to
dig themselves into .he soil No soon,
er have they occupied position than
they disappear ten minutes later in
the earth like moles. But our soldiers
have learned that too; they didn't
like to do 1t, but they had to do il
In self-defense.
"Yes, the Russians are good sol
diers," the general repeated. "But
nevertheless one needn't fear them
We are not at all afraid of the Rus
sian superiority. Superiority is char
acteristic of the Russians. It is theil
principal weapon. He who fights
against Russia fights against super
iority. At Tannenberg they were
three times stronger than our forces
and yet 1t has been shown how much
that helped them. Oh, no, this su
periority is not half as dangerous as
1t appears. Numerical superiority is
not decisive, especially not at. the
lDresent stage Of the war.