Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-10-25

and henceforth was spared any fur
Their enemy invasion. 1t was now pos
sble to begin the work of reconstruc-
ton.
Since the middle of February our
Headquarters had been at Lotzen.
These We're hard days for me until
the beginning of April. l had TO
abandon the hopes ] had entertained
of making immediate strategical use
of the advantages gained by the win.
ter battle. Tacticaily this battle had
been successful and that filled me
with satisfaction.
It was nice to know that the grand
dukes heavy attacks had been shat
tered, and that we stood everywhere
on hostile soil. But we had taken
but one step toward the final decision
against Russia and it was with that
goal that my innermOst thoughts ana
feelings We're most concerned. The
fearful waste of Russian strength in
East and West Prussia ought, later
on, to HEN the operations IN Gallcia.
The Russian losses had been extra
ordinarily heavy in comparison with
ours. Even Russia's enormous re-
sources in man-pOwer could not stand
such a drain indefinitely.
All His Ecncrgics Taxed.
Each of the successive tactical sit
uations had made the fullest demands
on my mental and spiritual energies.
1t is simply impossible to put it all on
paper, the proud hopes, the despon-
dency, the disappointments, the heart
searchings before a decision, the an
noyance caused by one thing and an
other. / cannot describe the differ
ences which had so often to be over
come, nor can l portray how deeply
| felt for the troops, who had to bear
the priyations of a winter campaign
in such inclement weather,
Later on l had happier times at
Lotzen.
Our quarters and the office were
small, but I liked them. I look back
with pleasure on that time in the
friendly little East Prussiantown.
Whilst the fighting was still going
on one of our most important tasks
was the construction of rear positions.
Along the whole of the eastern from
tier of Prussia there arose q barbed-
wire zone as the first permanent ele-
ment of the new positions. Numerous
special battalions composed Of poorly
trained men unfit for labor or service
in the field were sent there at my re-
quest. They often had to work under
enemy fire and did so devotedly The
word digger" is a title of honor.
These units We're subsequently trans
ferred from the eastern to the west
front.
large Divisions Best.
About this time general headquar-
ters ordered the number Of regiments
to a division in the west to be re-
duced from four to three, so that
division now had nine battalions in
stead of twelve We did the same on
our front. In this way a large num-
Der of strategical units was formed.
Operations We're thus facilitated and
no doubt this was a great advantage.
But a division of nine battalions is
too weak, taetieally, while the staff
and administrative services are too
large. After tho war I should most
certainly have advocated the re-estab-
lishment of the larger divisions. (The
Americans held to the large division
system.)
1t remains to be seen what will
now happen TO our proud and splen-
did army which. assisted by allies of
not very high military value. has kept
its head above water for the last four
years, defied the world and preserved
its homeland almost intact from the
horrors of war.
Shall such an army vanish COM
pletely? Win Germany commit sui
eide once more? | cannot and shall
never believe it. The seventy to eieh-
ty millions of Germans will some day
come together and think things over.
When they remember the overwhelm-
ing military achievements of this war,
they win not forget what a really
united army can do.
published by special arrangement
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France, Belgium, Holland, Russia and
the scandinavian countries.)
How the Russian line was broken
in Galicia and the great retreat of the
cars forces was forced in 1915 is
told by Ludendorff tomorrow, This
victory of the Germans, in which the
treachery of the czarina again figures,
was the beginning of the disintegra-
ton of the Russian army. Luden-
dorff also reveals that he was ham
noro1 in this campaign by the general
staff.
Torrance County Legion.
Torrance post was named Turner