Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-11-19
SAYSkA|SER
INNOCENT OF
WAR BLAME.
Field Marshal Won Hindenburg
Also Asserts That Neither
The People Nor Government
Of Germany Desired War.
DENIES HOMELAND AND
ARMY IN COOPERATION
Says Both He and Ludendorff
Considered U-Boat Warfare
Imperative After. They En-.
tered Supreme Command, Z,


tered Supreme Command, r,
Berlin, Nov. l8.-Field Marshal
Won Hindenburg declared before
the subcommittee Of the national
assembly investigating war respon-
sibility:
Il know with certainty that neith-
er the people, the kaiser nor the
government desired war. for the
government knew better than 9TH
ers Germany's tremendously diff
cult position in war against the
entente"
Germany's defensive strength,
said the field marshal, was as un-
favorable as possible from the start.
1t might be left to history to decide
why Germany's peace policy had
failed
IF the military authorities pre-
pared for the possibility of an una
voidable war; continued Won Hin
denburg, that was only its duty to-
ward the nation. If there had been
solid, united cooperation between
army and homeland we could have
attained victory.
while with the enemy, notwith-
standing his superiority. all parties
were united even more firmly in the
determination to be victorious with
us, although we were numerically in
ferior/ interests at home made their
influences feft, and this state of af-
fairs led to the breaking of the will
to victory" Fl
Praises Ludendorff.
In all great decisions Ludendorff
and himself were of one mind: they
had worked in full accord from
August %, 1916, to. the end, he
asserted.
"We considered unrestricted sub
marine war imperative Immediately
we entered the supreme command"
said the field marshal. "'When 1917
came we could not longer permit
our gallant soldiers to be bombarded
with American ammunition and
their wives and children starved by
the blockade. The U-boat war was
the only means to oppose those con-
ditions."
Won Hindenburg and Ludendorff
fourd the corridors leading to the
committee room crowded to the
doors with admirers and others who
by divers means had secured admis-
sion.
Deputy Gothein, president of the
subcommittee. held a reception and
thanked the field marshal, who re-
piled that he was glad to come, be-
cause it was his duty, especially to
appear with my true comrade."
Six Questions to Answer.
The subcommittee had prepared
six questions which had been sub
nitted to Won Hindenburg on Sat
urday to enable him to study them
and prepare his answers. The, ques-
tions were:
First-From what time did the
upper army leadership consider
sharpened submarine war unavoid-
able and for what reasons?
| Second-Did the army leadership
know of reasons against the sub
marines and the opening of sub
marine warfare from the declara-
tions of Undersecretaries OF State
Haniel and Albert? Why did the
army leadership consider those dec
larations against submarine war as
| no longer sound!
Third-Why did the army leader.
ship accept, as in the telegram o.
V..n Hindenburg December Is, 1910
to Chancellor Won Bethmann- Holl'
veg the statement that the Wilson
peace twas called forth by Eng
land" and not agree to the peace
proposal made by the imperial lead
I, ers?
Fourth-Was the army leadership
familiar with the various details q
President Wilson's action, especially
on January 9, 1917. as the decision
to begin ,U-boat war was taken
Were the reports from Bernstort
during the period December Il tc
January 9 familiar?
| What About England.
FifthHDid the army leadership as
sumo that England could be com
pelled to peace at, the latest in July
| lol7, as contained in the memoran
dunn of the admiralty staff?
Sixth. General Ludendorff assume:
| that in his book that on January "
lin a conversation from headquarter:
with the government that delay il
the submarine war had not been de
manded, while Chancellor Won Beth
mann Hollweg in his statement be
| fore the subcommittee declared tha
| he had made such demand. How
lis this contradiction to be explained
| Chairman Gothein tried to hav'
IVon Hindenburg answer the ques
tioas separately, but he declared
| that he must mix them up. The ques
| tions were read The second wa
! by far the most interesting for j
embodied long cable reports OF Sec
retaries Haniel and Albert iron
America, under date of 1916, de
Continued on Page Two. Column Fiveo