El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-07-18
EVEN IF HINDENBURG is DEAD,
HE HAS LEFT HIS "BRAIN" BEFIIND|

Asst weeks reports Of the death Of field marshal Paul
Beekendorf und Hndenburg have not been con
fi1med, unfortunately Neither have they been denied
authortativey Americans and allies would Ike to know
for personal satisfaction merely whether marshal Won Hin
denburg has been transferred to the staff Of Gott or
whether he is stiu IN nominal command Of all German
armies.
Hiudenburgs alleged transition to the spirit world as
the result Of aPoPlecuc attack consequent upon
stormy interview with emperor William al GIeal mead
quarters is the only demise Of the geneassmo 10 be
reported to the outside world For the past three months
there have been recuen ruor that Hndenbug had died
and also that he and death The latest
port however is related with enough detail to make
sound fairly plausible It may be that the head Of the
German war staff has died.
But although field marshal Won Hndenburg has received
chief credit for the Of the German army invading
other peoples countries there is question how much
the credit is really due 20 him There Is more than
suspicion that Of It, at least belongs to subordnates
Most likely the field marshal is military leader Of the
first order, driving, hard working hard fighting cam
paigner Of the old school this be added the fact
that years ago he devised the strategy 1or the battle OF the
Masuran lakes IN East Prussia and ne succeeded IN putting
entire Russian army out Of action, as he had dreamed OF
doing.
But he had planned more than that one campaign the
fact needs proof It is known thai when he went to take
command IN East Prussia, he accompanied by COM
paratively young officer, general Of brigade named
Ludendor whom Hindenburg assigned to duty quarter
master general Ludendor has been with Hndenburg
since and is generally credited with being the master
srategt Of the central empires He IS believed to have
planned every battle the west front since H1ndenburg
transferred the west BY imperial command. He is
all details
started March q and is still continuing He IS known also
changed the German tactics of assault He ordered
corps the custom Of taking the forward battle
positions OF the ahes and then waiting Tor the artillery
TO up and prepare the way for further advance He
decreed that at the beginning Of forward movement,
troops must proceed as fast and as far as possible without
regard to artillery seeking the greatest possible penetra
ton the first and second days and trusting the weight
Of numbers to effect breach in the allied lines before SUI
cient troops could be massed IN front Of them halt them
To effect the greatest possible penetration IN the shortest
possible time he ordered that there be frontal
assaults difficult positions when once they proved Oh
stnate OF capture Rather the German armies told
these hard points but to seek the weak
places where rapid advance could be secured working
around the hard points and eventually forcing their
surrender.
This change in strategy is related IN some detail because
if aided 70 extent by the surprise element, It has
proved certain Of Of since March p when
It first put to the test and II would IN the end
If the Germans could stand the inevitable human wastage
and still maintain superiority Of manpower 1t has not
effected breach in the allied lines because II has been at
tempted by nation too weak IN manpower to put It
through When the allies try it. the story may be diff
ferent They to try It. for military opinion IN the
allied countries is tending to agree with Ludendorh that
the rigid type Of warfare which followed the battle Of the
Marne cannot win
In view Of the strategcaI achievement of Ludendor-
for he has been regarded Of Geanys very best
segsts since the days before the when he
staff captain at Bern-the effect the VIII not be
great whether Hndenburg IS dead not for Germany
has plenty Of slave drivers but master srategs
The thought occurs that It must afford Ludendorf con-
siderable satisfaction, and be constant thorn IN the side
Of the emperor to realize that the big military brain Of the
empire that OF comm0ner For Gen Ludendorf is the
son Of middle class farmer folk Notwithstanding that
the Won which denotes noble birth generally Is pTexed TO
his Thus in Germany elsewhere no class however
privileged, has monopoly Of brains
There's Rue de Wilson in Paris but the Germans are
the who VIII really him.
The town Of Owaneco Illinois, is said to have neither
minister nor city marshal Neither has the city Of
Babylon