The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-08-25
GRAND SHAKE-UP IN
HUN HIGH COMMAND
Hindenburg Back in the Saddle
to Cheer Weary Warriors
Forward.
FREDDIE rs RELIEVED
Much Speculation As to the
Method to Be Chosen for
Eradifcation Of the
Jinx.
FREDDIE rs RELIEVED

Zurich, AHE. 24.-IheTe mas heen
q grand shake-up in the German high
command That much is known here.
Its extent and effects are guess
work Ever anxious TO keep the
slightest internal trouble from TIE
knowledge of the outside world. the
Berlin censor is working his blue
pencil overtime in frantic endeavor to
cover up the great house cleaning
that was preeipitated 10y the Marine
fasco and intensified and extended
after the collapse OF the German Pic
ardy wedge.
One thing seems ccrtain--Hiu-
dcnburg IL back In the saddle.
That fact-if 1t Il IA fact
oNcrShadows in importance the
question whether Grown Prince
JinN." a. some of the best be-
hnNed neutral cartoonists have
xcntured to call Frederick Will
liam ever since Nerdun. has act
uaIly been shelvcd or whether for
dynaStic reasons he remains
nominaiiy In command of the
German center on the west front.
Certain II is that If Hindenburg
has full sway once more the
kaiser's eldest son viii hereafter
he an ornamental figurehead.
1t was under Ludendorff regime
that the heir to the German throne
thrived The story goes that II was
Frederick Williams influence that
lifted Hindenburg's original amen
uensis to the throne OF military Gaze
sar and that Iudendorff as a matter
of reciprocity had to give his young
patron a free hand even against his
better judgment.
What WIT He Do?
But the question: Of questions that
for the moment monopoliZes the in
terest OF Europe's military observers
is. What will be Hindenburg' new
course -
Defensive in the west Is the an
swer suggested by nearly all the
foremost critics All the world knows
that Hindenhurgs maxim from the
outset of the war has been attack
in the east, hold out In the west"
In this connection the following
highly interesting article appears in
the Neue ZuriCher Zeitung
an the existing circumstances the
question arises as TO whether, in view
OF the fact that the achievement Of
certain strategic aims has failed 10
bring about the hoped-for result
namely the enemies readiness for
peace, an entirely different means for
the continuance Of the war is not ad-
visable. an entirely new ultima ratio,
Among the many ideas that have
been aired of late in the German
press. some of them highly adventur
Ious, others quite plausible. is the
I lines idea
! The word lines recalls the from
! tier wall Gimes) which the old Ro
mans built clear across Southern
| Germany; with its turrets, castles anC
( fortified camps this wall was TO ware
off the attacks of the Teutons con
stantly at war with the Roman lie
gions.
The modern lines which the ad
vocates OF this project In German
visualize would be a fortified lln
from the North sea 10 the Jura AM
from the Alps to the Adriatic, Inn
equipped with all the devices of mod
ern technique, with bomb proof dug
outs. subterranean routes of commu
nication, railways and supply line
and with extensive foretield fortified
tons.
Little for Defense.
| For the defense OF this line, &C
lcording to the Times idea, only a fey
lclasses Of reserves would be required
That would make il possible to de
mobilize AT least three quarters @
Germany armed strength and I
turn these huge forces Of lighting me
into a gigantic army of workers en-
gagged in peaceful pursuits in III
midst of the war.
The project, of course, preclude
every thoug u Of a future German OF
fensive. Thf presupposition is tina
in the forefield fortifcations. In fac
Isuch offensives would be rendered i'm
possible by artificial swamps and In
undntions over vast Atretches i
front of the forefleld line.
ut is doubted now here that sue
a scheme would be Germany's 'ultim
ratio In allied circles here, how
ever, the lines idea is discusse
| with a sly chuckle. AS one pre-
entente Swiss critic put 1t: 1t is a fin
idea as far as it goes. But do 70
suppose Foch will give them chanc
to carry II out?'"
III
III ~ O. ~ E~h E-asx