Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-02-19
Won LUDENDORFF
BOSS OF GERMANY
His Iron Hand Reaches Out in
Nations Whole Economic
and Social Life.
HINOENBURG GETS CREDIT
All Threads of Military and Civil
Control Run Direct to
Real Dictator.
HINOENBURG GETS CREDIT

l\Cdl 1\tCldlOI.
tS'an Correspondent OF Associated Press :
GENEVA. SWITZ. February IS
German, now has "a real boss" in
General Non 1.udendorr. first quarter
inastcr-gcncral. Tic hand Of Field
Marshal Won Iindenburg'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 militar..
control. but also Of civil administra
tion. food distribution. industry. aSri-
culture, and. finally. even OF German
foreign relations. all Of which now are
subordinated 70 military requirements.
now run ultimately to the chateau at
the Silesian country scat Of the Prince
OF Plcss. where General Won Ludcndorfr
sits with the great field marshal Won
Hindenburg. AT imperial headquarters.
Where "A purely military decision is in
question Won IIindenburg's name is
usually cited as tho dcterminant au-
thority, but in all other great ques-
tions in the forefront Of German policy
in recent months. such as the introduc-
tion OF universal auxiliary labor Scrv-
ice, the conversion OF German author
ity To an absolute war basis, the trans
fer OF Eclgian workmen TO Germany,
the tightening of the food distribution
regulations. and. finally, Unrestricted
submarine war. the prophesics OF com
ing decisions in informed circles were
almost invariably accompanied by the
self Explanatory remark: "Ludcndorf
list dafuer" Uudendorn is for it,.
EXTENDS HIS SYSTEM
TO ALI. OF GERMAN
The talented general staff officer
who. in the exciting days of August.
1914. when Lieutenant General Won
Prittwi,z und Gafron had determined
to retire before tho superior Russia n
forces and already had given orders
TO abandon East Prussia. was hurried
eastward from imperial headquarters,
picking UP Field Marshal Won linden
burg on the way, to save the situa ton.
has merely extended 70 all OF Ger
many the system which he introduced
in the cast when Won HindenburS was
merely tho oYcrcommander of the
eastern forces. General Won Ludcudorf
then had full control OF the entire ad-
ministration in the occupied districts
OF Russia.
IL now customs tariff were 10 he
introduced for Poland and ii rcEula-
tions for tho tobacc trade wcrc I" be
promulgated, the decision thereon ulti-
matrly rested with General Ludcndorff.
The representative OF American Jewish
societies VINO came TO Germany 10 ar
range an opening OF communication
between Polish Jews and relatives in
America. and for the sending of re-
lief funds conferred with General Won
Ludcndorff before the plans were ap-
proved finally.
When Field Marshal vor lIindcnpurE
was appointed to the general command
OF Germany's entire military strength,
General Won Ludendorn extended not
only tho scope of his military respon-
sibilitics. but also his control of those
factors "f general life which under
the present war conditions arc almost
as important TO military success as
the actual direction of arrrics-food
production and distribution. manufac-
and industrial factors His first de-
ciSion was to remedy. as far as posSi-
bic. the error of General Falkenhayn.
former chief OF the general star. who
had attempted to GX the figure for
tn" maNimum consumption Of muni-
ions. ana had sadly under estimated
the required amounts. General von
Ludendorff's determination was {" pro-
due" not the amount OF guns and mu-
nitions which experts might calculate
as necessary. but the ma ximum amount
"f "hicn Germanys industries wore
ranablc "!. ana suhordina,cd every
th'ng else TO this purpose.
GR\NDIOSE SCHEME
COMES FROM LIDENDORFI,
Finally came Ciermany's grandiose
scheme Of mohilizing tho entire labor
supply in direct service OF tho army.
The idea Of the compulsory employ.
ment OF Relgian labor in German in
dustry. il now may he stated. also
was General Ludendnrfrs not cover
nor-i"hcral Won Bissing's. or. at any
rate. when Govcrnor-,;cneIal Won figs
ing and the civil administration Of Rel
gum raised against this scheme the
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