Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-04-16


say: Tell our friends in America-and
also those who do not love us-that I
am looking forward with unshakable
confidence to the final victory-and q
well-earned vacation" he added whim-
sically. Il should like nothing better
than to visit your Panama exposition
and meet your wonderful General Goe-
thals. the master builder. for imagine
our jobs are spiritually much akin;
that his slogan. too. has been 'durch-
halten' (hold out) until endurance and
organization win out against heavy
Odds
Then with sudden, paradoxical. ter
rife, quiet earnest: Great is the task
that still confronts US, but greater my
faith in my brave troops" One got
indelibly the impression that he loved
them all. suffered under their hard
ships and sorrowed for their losses.
For you. this war is only q titanic
drama; we Germans feel 1t with our
hearts," he said thoughtfully.
The field marshal spoke warmly. Of
the Austro-H Hungarian troops. and cited
the results Of the close cooperation
between his forces and the Austrian
armies as striking proof of the
proverb. In union there Is strength. I"
Like all other German generals whom
l had DONE" he, too. had words of
unqualified praise for the bravery of
his enemies. The Russians fight
well; but neither mere physical BRAY
cry nor numbers, nor both together,
win battles nowadays"
How about the steam roller?"
1T hasn't improved the roads a bit,
either going forward or backward" he
said with a grim smile.
Are you worrying over Grand Duke
Nicholas open secret?" I asked, citing
the report via Petrograd and London
Of new projected Russian offensive
that was to take the form, not Of a
steam roller. but of q tidal wave of
cavalry"
1T will dash against a wall of loyal
flesh and blood. barbed with steel-if
it comes" he said simply.
lauds American Genius.
My impression. growing Increasing
ly stronger the more I have seen, that
German military success had been to
no small extent made possible by
American inventive genius and high
speed American methods, received in
teresting partial confirmation from the
field marshal. whose keen. restless
mind. working over quite ordinary ma
terial, produced the new suggestive
combination of ideas that, while
America might possibly be materi-
ally assisting Germany's enemies with
arms. ammunition and other war ma.
terial. certain it was that America, in
the last analysis. had helped Germany
far more"
But for America my armies would
possibly not be standing In Russia to-
day-without the American railroading
genius that developed and made DOS
sible for me this wonderful weapon,
thanks largely to which we have been
able with comparatively small num-
bers to stop and beat back the Rus.
sian millions again and again-steam
engine versus steam roller. Were II
for nothing else. America has proved
one of our best friends. II not an ally
I'VE are also awaiting with genuine
interest the receipt of our first Ameri.
can guns" the field marshal added.
How was Germany expecting to get
guns from America? He was asked
to explain the mystery.
Il read somewhere in the papers
that large shipment of heavy cannon
had left America for Russia" he said
with dry humor. "in transit for us
for II they're consigned to the Rus
slams. we'll have them sooner or later,
! hope;" adding. with his habitual ear.
nestness: THE Americans are some
thing more than shrewd, hard-headed
business men. Have they ever wildly
pictured to themselves q German sol.
der smashed by an American shell.
or bored through the heart by an
American bullet? The grim realism
Of the battlefield-that should make
also the business man thoughtful"
Shall you 60 west when you have
cleaned up here in the east?" I sug-
gested.
II can't betray military secrets
which don't know myself, even to-
interest the newspaper readers" he
said. He gave me the impression,
however. that east or west, he would
be found fighting for the fatherland
so long as the fatherland needed him.
is Hard Worker.
Now it means work again. You
must excuse me-" he concluded, cour-
teously. You want to go to the front.
Where should you like to go?"
ITO Warsaw" suggested modestly
Il. too" he laughed. but today
ausgeschlossen ("nothing doing" in