New-York tribune., 1919-12-21
Hiding Behind Hindenburg's
: Popularity, General En-
poses Jealous Passions
That Wrecked Machine
Dodges Blame for Errors
Statements Prove Submarine
Campaign Was Forced by
Army as a Final Gamble
By William c. Dreher

BERLIN, Dec. 10.-Whcn the sub
committee that is inquiring into the
causes for the prolongation and final
loss of the war invited Ludendorfr to
appear before it he made his condition
evidently being unable to divest him
self wholly of the semblance of auto
cratic power which had been a dire
reality for Germany during the two
'ast years of the war His condition
vas that Hindenburg should be called
upon to appear with h'm.
There lay in Ludendorff's mind q
7ery logical reason for imposing that
condition. Rightly or wrongly the
country--or most of the country-holds
him responsible for the U-boat dcclar-
alton, for drawing America into the
ecnfict, and so for the loss of the
var. That fact, along with his flagrant
and 'abortive efforts to manage the en-
ire political machinery Of Germany
made him an unpopular man. His reck-
'ess throttlng of the press has left Kim
lew friends in editorial chairs, ex-
cepting Always the Junker organs SO
-.udendorf felt that he would have
lard set-to with the Subcommittee if
ae appeared bsfore it alone. He there
ore decided to shield hlms behind
Hindenburg's great popularity. H t US
broke the tradition that prevailed with
orner chanc"llo,s $ to the Kaiser; they
ried TO assume responsibility fer all
MS erratlc doiAgs and nomina ly did
40. Yet. While everybody knows that
Ludendorff was the political power
Oehis d the throne of Great Army Head
quarters on which Iindenburg seemed
20 sit supreme. Ludendorff declines to
assume responsible l.y for the action
and policies OF his superior. Not
very manly perform nee for a persol
If such prodigious Will power and rea-
force of character.
Showed Self Hotspur
But even thus protected behind Hin
.enbrrg's skirts Ludendorf csnnot be
said to have made a very satisfactory
showing for himself. His lac. Of sell
control WAS to ne remarkable rove
alton. Here was a man who had
swiftly lifted himself into an exalted
position by virtue OF his undo bed
military genius, and yet, before the
sub committee he showed mself snch
i hot pur, so swayed by passion, tina
one began to get al ms gAt INTO the
lntow rd personal factors that hur-
lied Germany into that fateful C-boat
decision.
am referring here chiefly to Lu-
lendorffs violent outbreak ag ms
Count Bernstorif. The latter had re
ported several weeks 0g) the subs anco
% convers tion with LudendorF,
when Wilson's and BernstorN's efforts
K tri:g aboNt re c. were under dis
cussion. Lvdend rT had taken eNcep
ti0n TO BernstcrT's actions in th"t
connection, whcgeupon Bernst rlf ad-
,r;ttet that he wanted to n .l.e pe.co
before Germany rccchcd her end; an~
70 this, as he rep rtcd. LudcndorT T.
pli,d: "Brt we did not want to-
Here il was clearly the Amer. can
effort to bring about peace that VS.
Under disc9ssion: yet Ludcndorf in
terpreted Bernstorfi' S words as accus-
lng him of having been onposed
making peace in general. Thcreupon
he or at general made an exhibition
II himself that must have grieVcd the
judicious amorg his friends. He flew
INTO a whirlwind Of passion, pitched
mis- voice in the scolding registers and
fred hot words a. BerAstorf for sew
tac-tac of machine gun. And there
were other things during his eNamina-
tion that gave the hearers glimpses
into the passionate clash of opinions
that ragged at Army Headquarters dur
ing the Ludendorif Hindenburg regime.
Hatred Among Leaders
The "Frankfurter Zeitung." in this
connection. makes the following COM
ment: The examination of Luden-
dorf proved one fact which contr b
uted far more than the public is aware
SOW I'd our ruin-the prod igious
natre! that the general was capable o.
tow rd men VIII stood with h m at the
head of the Empi"e. We knew it
H.. ugA l. dcndo.A, through Tirpitz,
Chrol gh Bethmann and many otncr
5hat there W 5 often passionately
waged conflict among the leaders
What flood of personal dis
gust, Of suspicion, of hpte. nay, O
openly avowed contempt ohstructed the
l"r'' "r'N.'s wOrl'"g t-g tn~r a. th,