The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1916-07-21

war opened in August, 1914, Holtzen-
dorff was in retirement, like linden
burg. The victor of the battle of Tan
nenburg, now the idolized field marshal
of the German empire, had been al
lowed in time of peace to leave the
army. He could not get along amicably
with all Of his superior officers. Holt
zendorff retired because he dared to
criticise Prince Henry's exaggerated
ideas of discipline. The prince admired
his mothers country so much that he
spoke English almost all the time on
board ship. The questionable taste of
preferring it to his native language
made him unpopular, although his sub
ordinates were naturally debarred from
showing disapprovaL
Admiral Won Holtzendorff, who had
commanded the German high seas
fleet for several years, came in direct
opposition to Prince Henry when the
ranking grand admiral paid more at
tention to the ornamental side of sea-
manship than to actual efficiency. On
tour Of inspection, If he found the
brass fittings of the ship not as bright
ly polished as he thought they ought to
be, he would order the man who had
done the work brought to him and per.
sonally sentence him to solitary con.
finement. Holtzendorff was unable to
get his way, and he was allowed to re-
tire.
Prince Henry declined to receive the
salute of Admiral Holtzendorff when
the two happened to meet, and when
the emperor invited Holtzendorff to
return to his naval duties the admiral
declined unless he were given the post
of supreme authority, where he would
not be interfered with by Prince Henry.
No man in the German navy repre-.
scented to the same extent as did Ad-
miral Won Holtzendorff the ideas of
naval warfare which the United States
government was in September of last
year insisting that Germany adopt.
The emperor cut the Gordian knot.
Actuated by the country's highest need
In time of war, exercising that genius
for choosing the right man for the
right place which he inherited from his
grandfather, William |. Holtzendorff
was made chief of staff, with the i'm.
perial promise that he should have a
free hand.
The admirars father was president
of the court of appeals in Gotha, where
the son as a little boy was the terror of
all his schoolteachers. Full of vitality,
grasping his school work without ef-
fort, he was full of boyish pranks and
early gave indication of extraordinary
ability In thinking and acting for him.
self. AS a middle aged man he was
however, distinguished citizen of
Gotha, director of the Gotha real estate
credit bank, famous old institution.
In 1892, when he was thirty nine, he
held the rank of captain in the navy
and was attached to the staff of the
chief commander, later on to the staff
of the maneuver squadrons. In 1895
he was sent to cruise In Chinese waters
as captain of the warship Kaiser. His
naval career came after his marriage
Inheriting several estates with his
brother. Arndt, younger than himself,
the family was nevertheless poor
Arndt Won Holtzendorff went into bust.
ness and stayed there. He is now d.
rector of the Hamburg American line
at the main office in Hamburg.
Henning Won Holtzendorff made a
rich marriage, his wife being the wild.
ow of a millionaire by the name of
KlOtz.