Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-04
'MACKENSEN m WEST
HINT TO CHEER ENEMY
Gcrman Press Gives Out ''En.
vouraging News" of 90
Fresh Divisions
LONDON SCOUTS REPORT
Hindenburg and Crown Prince
Dislike Wizard of
Artillery"

LONDON, May Z.
The German press is attempting to
hearten the German people with encour-
aging statements concerning the immi-
nent appearance Of Field Marshal Won
Mackensen on the western front, COM
nanding new mobile army Of from
nifty to sixty divisions 100000 to 725.-
ooo men)-aH fresh
The British War Office stamps these
etatements as being considerably over
uraTn, on the ground that the enemy
mas not 100000 unused troops of suffi-
ciently high calber to engage in the
nerce Fighting In northern France
u Is not denied that the enemy might
concentrate a huge reserve force for
oefenslYe purposes. when the present Of
fenslYe has been definitely smashed and
the armies engaged cut to pieces. but It
Is not believed that the Germans can
rake together from other fronts and the
interior such an imposing aggregation
pf hrst-class troops, as virtually all
Nnits used on either side since March 2l
are shock troops
MarhaIs Rivals
Hindenburg's reserve depots have
peen steadily declining for six weeks.
nlling up the gaps of the attacking
units and enormous numbers of sturdy
men are required for organization pur-
poses In the terrain that was overrun
~ Non Htndenburg is forced to resort
te Won Mackensen's services to carry on
kne offensive II is apparent how badly
the German stars plans nave miscar.
Tieu' as 1t is well known that serious
dinerences exist between the couple.
Won Mackensen has always been
SHOWN as a wizard Of artillery" He
pommanded the heavy batteries of A.
eenumeter guns which battered the Bel
KAN Iortresses Of Liege and Namur and
sne frenoh fortress Of Maubeuge after
Won kluoks gunners had failed
~ 1918 Won Mackensen directed the
eEuhery preparation for preaching the
1.usslan lines on the Dunajac and
s,pInled NoVogeeorgeivsk, the key posi-
sion 70 Warsaw, later.
u was Won Macksnsen who dlroctad
ne campaign against Serbia. blasting
me defenders out of mountainous posi-
Hons that were believed impregnable
~ sustained gunfre
His next appearance was late in 1915
~ fumania, when. despite the tagging
tactics of General Won FaIkenhavn.
Maekensen overran Moldavia and seized
Bucharest.
But except for the operation in the
hfsf rev months of the war the ord
nance genius never appeared on the
western front, although Won Falken
hayn, then chief Of staff, urged that he
% called upon for the VerGun opera
tons
Called ARTILLERY Wizard"
The Crown Princes bitter apathy to-
ward Won Mackensen prevented the 'ar-
tillery wizards" services from being re-
sorted to-
Hindenburg was virtually in control
of the ensuing Somme battle. though
fsikenhayn had not yet been removed
IS chief Of staff, SO Mackensen was not
called there
HoweNer 1t is in always offensive op-
erations in which the aged field marshal
has excelled--not in defensive
"a Il is believed that Mackensen per-
eonally organized the Austro- German
onensive against ltaly last fall, but was
prevented from conducting the opera
tons by the enmity Of Hindenburg and
Me Crown Prince.