Evening star., 1919-05-04
Blames German Ignorance.

and learned to know other peoples.
They were in total ignorance OF other
| nations, and Germany never reallzed
how the minds of foreigners worked
She Judged every one else by her own
psychology. 1855.
| II knew the English. and / knew
they would not stop at sending 3oo,-
900 men across the channel ! knew
we were the most hated nation on
iearth. but the people of Germany were
blind to that and thought only that
/ they were the elect of God. -.,.
| And why were we the most hated
of all nations? Simply because we
had bad manners and ate with the
knife? Certainly not. Chiefly because
the German diet never granted any
money for propaganda, and we did
not advertise our virtues nor let the
world know about ourselves.
Let me give you single example.
The German ambassador in Peking
had 10000 marks year to create pro-
German sentiment. In the same time
the Russian ambassador disposed of
20o000 rubles for the same purpose
And when we. at last. decided TO
spread propaganda, the war was
fact and it was too late. And how
feeble and comical were our attempts
to initiate our enemies in this realm.
| 1--WE in Germany underrated two
| factors, lies and phrases. We main
| tained that a good. cause fights for
ITSELF but we learned that we live in
an era Of advertising and phrases"
owe Lied Clumsily.".
Did not Germany employ 1ies?" I
asked Were not the reports Of Won
| Tirpitz and his successor in the navy
department regarding submarine war
| fare lies?"
"Ei feste" he exclaimed. Colossal
ones. And the army commanders ran
the navy close second. Ludendorn's
reports during the last half year were
| SO mendacious that they became ludi-
crous. Ludendorff would lose 800 guns
| and 10000 men and report the action
! defensive victory.
1--WE lied crudely. Our enemies lied
| ingeniously.
"As to Ludendorff. he attained the
position he held through his unscru
pulous energy and miraculous talent
for organiza which are
splendid where a brief, quickly fin
| ished campaign is in question, but not
sufficient to win ong-drawn- out
war He got every ablebodied man
enrolled in the shortest possible time,
and he utilized the railroads to the
utmost, but by thus straining the ma
! ton he brought about collapse.
| Il am a Jealous automobilist and
shall use an automob billing figure.
Germany, commanded by Ludendorff,
| may be compared to a motor which
for years continuously is compelled
| to make the highest possible number
of revolutions. Some fine day it sud
denly wears out and breaks down
| without warning.
II saw the crash coming. I was
always close to the soldiers-by their
| side-which was not the case with
| the gentlemen at headquarters. One
| day early in the summer Of 1918 I got
| into my machine and hurried to Spa
| to have a serious talk with my father.
any longer. The 1st Division of
the Guards. division very close to
my heart, which has fought honor
ably on all fronts, has had to with
heavy losses. Only 500 rifles are left
| in the first line. The division needs
| at least four or FIVE weeks to recu-
| perate., But now it is ordered out
again after only one weeks rest.
| This means, in my opinion. that dur
ing the next attack it will be an
nihilated to the last man..
Ludendorff Defied Kaiser.
."The kaiser listened attentively and
the next forenoon, in the presence of
the general stan. he repeated what
had told him. introducing his remarks
with the words. My son. the crown
| prince, maintains@
'Ludendorff jumped to his feet. .pur--
pie in the face with rage, glared
through his monocle at the kaiser
Sad nishsd ard fary roared ne at him
"It is unheard of that such things
are brought before the war lord The
crown prince doesn't know what he
taking about conna demand bmse,f that
those matters which are under his
authority, and that he does not min
gle in our affairs. The 1st Division
of the Guards must fight at the time
weeks rest. The other divisions are
satisfied with the same amount dur
ing the present stress. No greater
demands are made upon the soldiers
of the crown prince than on the rest
sion Of the Guards must do its regu-
lar duty
THUS did Ludendorff speak in the
presence Of my father, and, as usual,
he gained his point"
| Says People Wanted War.
Frederick William offered to swear
under oath that, tho now famous I'm
perial conference in Potsdam. at
which war was determined upon.
never took place.
The first day." he told me. that
the war authorities got together was
the very day of mobilization. Then
my father. the chief of the general
staff, the secretary Of war. the chan
cellor and myself discussed the situa-
ton. Those who were in Germany
on that day and saw the enthusiasm
with which the German people
marched to war VIII agree with me
the final resort to arms was not
merely taken at tho wish Of few
men.
American journalists have said It
Lima that in view Of these facts, I