Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-07-26

0ener1t
Whether or not General Won Hinden-
burg Ia dead or alive Is not known. But
General Ludendorf is conceded to be
the real leader of the German military
forces. Albert de Pouvourville, of the
French colonial council intelligence
bureau points out this fact in psy-
Geological study Of Ludepdorff, which
has just appeared. sThe French author
refers to the "diabolicai genius of the
man and says the nature Of his war
game Is irony set in motion" and
that "for him the Interesting, import
ant thing. Is to fool his enemy, to set
traps for him, the more scientific the
better"
Here are the principal parts Of de
Pouyourville's study, translated from
the French: :
Ludendorff is the type OF general
staff officer, of logarithmetic strategist
of an inexorahle and cool chess player.
have known this man very slightly
in the usual. way of social intercourse.
l. have met him. talked with him.
Others have done the same. II my
knowledge ended there / would know
him no better than they. But my
knowledge does snot5 end there. So I
know him better-at least differently.
Still, / have some recollection Of
those personal interviews. recall in q
somewhat condensing fashion an ,angu-
! lar profile. a. dsquieting and rowing
eve, a wise, cool expression which owes
much to couple of hedges Of stiff
bristles on his upper lip. and at his
nh el- ~ &c i,tn III on NV
a too high and close collar.
He was, and he freely admitted
himself to be, an enigma. But he was
at that time accompanied, like his
shadow by Captain Won Spitz, Prus-
sian from Stettin, who copied and
rather exaggerated the attitudes of his
master, but who, having the need Of
couple OF bottles of stout before he
conlds sleep, became laxative after sun
set. 1t is thru this Won Spitz. who died
ait Heiden, on the Lake Of Constance.
from an attack of deliriufn tremens.
that. one could. at favorable intervals,
tecipher Ludendorn.
AS to Hindenburo.
The conduct of men and even. secret
authority over the armies, autocrAtic
but ignorant direction Of all that per-
tains to the war, such is the role for
meriy. coveted and now played by his
stout eminence Hindenburg. The Joke
like marshal OF the Mazurian lakes
struts about. glares here and there.
shows himself everywhere, and covers
all Germany with his monstrous oom-
mating shadow.
s tn skh{e 1Slo dnuy onA fof
Ludendorff works. Here from the OBJ
security he manipulates the rods which
lift the Teuton generalissimo. like a
puppet, here and there, placing him at
banquets. at the imperial councils, and
on the front with the troops Mean
while in his own solitary and closed
office he bends over maps, 1ogarithmic
tables, makes his calculations and
solves his problems. He plays his game
of chess against an automaton of his
own fabrication. He attempts to
change destiny Such is the game play
ed by this redouhtable and consuming
man who tries to observe the end be-
fore the end comes, who despises the
noise of acclaim and the uselessness of
| glory.
| unique. 1t is irony set in motion. To
vanquish his enemy by sheer brute
force appears to him to be an inferior
and easy conception-good enough for
his general in chief and his sovereign.
And with that these two are satisfied,
and in his heart he despises them for
it. tc3
His idea Of War.
For him the interesting, Athe i'm
portant thing, is to fool his adversary,
to abuse him. to set traps for him
the more scientific the better-into
which. carried by his own stupid en-
thusiasm, credulity. or humanity even,
he is almost certain to fall.
And this does not. by any means,
apply to military strategy. Austen
litz and Auerstadt were evidently good
strokes Of strategy, but they do not
provoke laughter or even a smile.
| They are not sufficient for Luden-
dorff, who wishes to amuse himself at
! his enemy's expense. No, Ludendorif
| is the complete ganester, who knows
! and utilizes his every chance and who,
with the same brain with which he
conducts military strategy and sheds
blood. conceives and manipulates
diplomatic strategy and morale and
spreads lies and the poison OF words.
! Herein we have the curious char
acteristio of this soldier. to whom all
| things are useful. Espionage, the an
| archist propaganda in the east, the
"deteatist' propaganda in the west
millions ladled from banks. libels ant
treasons. paeitist literature, missions
| for the most corrupt men and the
most alluring women, ultra patriotic
enthusiasm. ferment, distraction, and
rupture among neutrals. all have
| emanatkd from the brain Of 'Luden