The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-02-19
GERMANY HAS BOSS"
N Won lUDENDORFF
Influence of Won linden
burg's Chief of'Staff
Reaches Far.
ALLEGED TO BE BACK
OF RUTHLESS WARFARE
Responsible for Belgian De-
portations and MobiliZa-
ton of Labor.

Geneva, Switzerland. Feb. 1S.-Staff
correspondent of the Associated Press.
Germany now has a real "boss'' in
General Won Ludendorff, first quarter
master general. The hand Of Field
Marshal Won Hindenburg's chief of
staff and trusted colleague now is felt
not only in his strategic determine
tions and direction of the armies OF
the central powers. but reaches out
into Germany's whole economic and
social life.
All the threads not only of military
control but also of civil administra-
ton. food distribution, industry. agri-
culture and finally even of German
foreign relations, all of which now are
subordinated to military requirements,
run ultimately to the chateau of the
1ilesian country seat Of the prince Of
Pless where General Won Ludendorff
sits with the great field marshal. Won
Hindenburg. at imperial headquarters.
Where a purely military decision is
in question, Won Hindenburg's name
is usually cited as the determinant
authority, but in all other great ques-
tions in the forefront of German policy
in recent months, such as the intro
duction of universal auxiliary labor
service, the conversion of German in
dustry to an absolute war basis, the
transfer Of Belgian workmen to Ger
many. the tightening of the food dis
trbution regulations and, finally, I'M
restricted submarine war. the proph-
ccies of coming decisions in informed
circles were almost invariably accom-
panied by the self-explanatory re-
mark: Ludendorff list dafuer U.u-
dendorff is for it,"
The talented general staff officer
has merely extended to all of Ger
| many the system which he introduced
in the east when Won HindenburG
was merely the over-commander of
| the eastern forces. General Won Lu-
dendorff then had full control of the
entire administration in the occupied
districts of Russia.
When Field Marshal Won linden
| burg was appointed to the general
command of Germany's entire military
strength. General Won Ludendorff ey
| tended not only the scope of his mill
tary responsibilities. but also his con-
| troll of those factors of general life.
food, production and distribution.
manufacturers, transportation and
other social and Industrial factors.
General Won Ludendorff's determine
ton was to produce not the amount of
guns and munitions which experts
might calculate as necessary, but the
maximum amount of which Germany's
industries We're capable and subordi-
mated everything else to this purpose.
From this came Germany's gran
dose scheme of modifying the entire
labor supply in direct service OF the
army. The idea of the compulsory
employment of Belgian labor in Ger
many industry also was General Won
Ludendorffs.
| August Thyssen. the iron magnate,
last autumn brought from Won Lu-
dendorff the word that there would be
no ruthless submarine war. 1t was
again from the chateau at Pless, after
the rejection of Germany's peace
overtures had changed the situation
that word came on January 81 tina,
the ruthless submarine policy had re-
ceived the stamp of approval.