Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-09-20
Copyright. 1919.
~ the Press Publishing Co,
1.-THE New York Evening Wprld.l
BY GEN. ERICH Won LUDENDORF

they should have taken energetic
measures to prosecute the war.
They ought to have raised the
morale of the nation by creative ac-
tivity, just as CHIC. had succeeded
in improving the army's fighting
strength in desperate struggle
against a powerful adversary. AS it
was, their policy led to perpetual con-
cessions at home and they gave up
the task of leading the nation. The
whole tendency of their ideas made
them overlook the unspeakable harm.
they were doing to the strength of
their respective countries, which ought
to have shown a united front to the
enemy, and they did not realize how
| they were preiudicing the conduct of
| the war
Neither of these men, whom destiny
! had placed at the head of their people
at this terrible crisis, possessed the
| strong character that events de-
manded.
No doubt they had to face serious
internal difficulties. Count Czernin,
with his conglomerate empire, had an
infinitely complex task. The prob
lens presented to Herr Won Bethmann
were probably easier; he had only to
act in accordance with the conclusions
that could be drawn with overwhelm-
| ing force from the nature of the war
and from our position in face of foe
determined to destroy us.
Instead of harpiRg ever more and
more on the idea of peace of recon-
Iciliation, which was always out OF the
question, he ought to have knittd the
nation together and pointed out to 1t
the great tasks before 1t and the OBJ
jects to be attained. and then have
given us in the army a free hand. The
Grman people ought to have been
shown again and again what they We're
fighting for. and what the enemy In
his, heart of hearts really wanted, The
majority would then have followed
him as they had done in 1914.
There are always some who can
never be taught Was there really
any room for doubt regarding the
ideas and objects of our enemies. as
interpreted in the light of their whole
history and their whole mentality. mol
, to mention their answer to our peace
offer of December 18th and to vii,
sons note of December 18th? Could
, anyone fail to realize that the weaken
! ing of the war spirit at home, mus
/ cripple the conduct of the war?
How seriously the position was re,
SdiuCo W bsil'&s tNC tA1N'oiseAa
. 1.-THE submarine campaign and the re-
treat to the Segfried line had shown
Edrastically and clearly-enough even Z
the lay mind. 1t must have been OBJ
, vious to the government that. earnes
) and thoroughly conscientious effor
! alone could pull us through.
; Longed 10, Lay Down Burden.
: The enormous responsibility 1 hat
/ to bear made me long for the conclu
9 sion OF hostilities; how could it havs
been otherwise? l often expressed
myself in that sense. But unless W.
J got peace which safeguardedt the ex
i istence of our country the war woult
be lost. l could not see how peac,
: was possible unless the enemy als'
was ready for it. | thought 1t yer,
I dangerous for US to be alone in an
Z nounc.ng a desire for peace.
/ | was fully aware that nations d.
o mot get peace merely by talking abou
s 1t, or even heartily longing for 1t. TIL
pacifist idea of u peace by under
a standing was for many a weapon
v against us. Many others sincerely be
: lieved in 1t, being moved by that spiri
a of exalted idealism which has not We
: been realized in this world of ssrifs
! But did these idea lists know whethe
Z 1.-The enemy thought as they did, and
}. be. did not. was 1t not clear that b
d spreading the notion that we coui
.oatxeH weyi