The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-28

for speed. The Russian armies had
pushed irresistibly forward, had
crowded over the frontier and were
overrunning East Prussia. Koenirs.
berg was threatened and Allenstein
was sorely pressed. "on to Berlin
was the cry OF the Cars forces.
The men whom the Kaiser had
picked to lead his armies in the east
had failed to stop the Russian ad-
vance. The vaunted strategy of the
General Stan had apparently erred
despite years of preparation for just
such a contingency. The gray coated
battalions OF the German forces had
Yielded and then rolled back before the
Wild charges of Rennenkampf's i'm
petuous Cossacks and their stubborn
achievements Of Russian infantry
men. The situation was in truth criti-
9i.
Considered strategically. and even
measured as the crow flies. Posen, one
4 the fortified barriers lying between
the invaders and the imperial capital.
was not far away from the Cars
armies. and 1t was there that the
German people had their military
savior. although they know IL not.
Gen. Paul o Beneckendorf und
Hindenburg had made his home near
that city after his retirement from
active service in 1911. In fact. he had
gone back to the neighborhood Of his
birthplace TO pass his days quietly in
the modest manner made possible by
his service pension and in keeping
with his simple habit Of life.
He was not an imperial %favorite: in
deed he is said to have even made
himself unpopular with the Kaiser be-
cause Of his outspoken criticism upon
more than one occasion. Among the
younger generation of the army he
was the target for jest. and the gem
eral public had not hesitated to make
fun OF the old fellows hobbies and TO
laugh over the endless battles that he
loved to fight on paper and in the
lecture room of the War College Of the
General Staff.
Although placed on the reserve Is:
because Of III health and age-Gout
and gallstones We're his per-
s.s;ent physical enemies-sti the
doughty old soldier lost no time AT the
outbreak Of hostilities in offering his
services Ia the Kaiser. and was par
,icular.y soiici.ous that his field OF ac'
t.vit.es might be in defending the bor-
ders Of East Prussia. Emperor Will
IAN acknowledged Gen. Won linden
burg's tender courteously, but he put
h,s military trust in younger men and
fastened them off to carr u their
own scheme Of campaign and that ap-
proved bv tn, people in authority 1T
ihe Ceneral STAFF.
We know VIVA, The G2a-
erals IN whom the Kaiser pinned his
.,i,h faItered and failed. and TIE bes:
b,ov,s rhev were able 10 strike SCENE |
N checl I'm, for A, moment the trl-
rnnhol march oc the Gas cohorts.
Then 4, was that Emperor William be-
though, himself of old Gen. Won Uir-
danburp a man i'm his sixtv-eignth
vear and umo him TO Berlin.
The "Old Man of the Lakes" was 20
bav, his chance and TO nut in practice
n tim, of war the strategic hobby
which had made him little better tia l
a hore +, most of his fellows In arms.
y. w,s ., nrnve tina, the Nazlrian
I.ke. ue-c n, ono aud the same tim,
na,jyo d~ef.nc.s and initials for the foe.
7, az. a b.avv burden that the
E,f.ar ,,.c.a ,,nn, tho shoulders "
no .ced soldier for hn was To take
,ha h,,,,o copdi,ions as he found them
a, ,ba .laver.b hour and not as they
uoull have hs.p had his been the
,ead4r.bin from the beginning. But
hsfor, ,a ,a,, ,ho story az the battle
n, T,,ro,horc I, shouid he explained
hou ~, conceivable man managed To
mat .is v,.,n~v no.siblc ,hrou.l