The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-10-24
his RuTHIEssNEss
CyRBED

ular way Of life which I led until ny
resignation.
HIS RuTHI.Ess>EsS
CuRBED
All of US at general hcadauartcrr
were thoroiy imbu~d with n sense Of
our enormous responsibility and had
no illusions as 10 what was Mt stake.
In Posen IL was easier than In
Poland to feel the pulse Of this
country and realize III fear OF hos
tile invasion. with all lis terrible
consequences. We could not even
help agFravating that fear by our
military measures. The issue OF the
imminent battles was uncertain,
The Russian superiority In numbers
was great. our troops were much
exhausted. and our allies tthe Aus
strength left.
From the frontier provinces the
youths capable OF bearing arms
were removed. Strategicai positions
were reconnoitrcd and orders given
for their construction. Tho mines
in several districts OF Poland had
already been rendered unavoidable
and measures were. now taken for
the demolition OF the German rail.
ways and mines In the frontier dis
tricx.
The commander OF the Sixth corps.
in response TO my request had ap.
preached several mining experts in
his province and asked their advice
as 10 the best method OF destroying
the mines in Upper siicsiA The ex.
ecution of the necessary measures
was now decided on.
Terror ut once spread thru tho
province. had TO make u impossible
for the Russians to use tho mines for
long time. Military interests made
IL imperative
Later on In tho war the Engiiah de-
s'royesi the Rumantan oil fields even
moro ruthlessly. Coal In OF equally
vital Importance for waging war.
As it happened. the opinion Of n
higher authority was taken. and II
proved possible 10 modify the scheme
Of destruction somewhat.
POLES WE'RE NOT
FRIENDLY
The attitude OF the Polish inhabi-
tants OF our frontier provinces was
not conciliatory. They were very re-
served and aloof. No clearsighted
man could have expected anything
different
In view OF our inferiority in num-
bers. IL was very important for the
approaching decision that we should
draw on the Prussian eastern fort
rcsses and the various attached
corps under our command for all
such available troops and war mate
rial as could be utilized for active
operations in the field. We had made
a start with this system as far back
time we were able to form as large
number Of divisions In the east
out OF Landsturm, Landwehr and
former fortress troops as Gen. Won
Moltke had at his disposal for the
Battle of Koniggratz. Later these d.
visions were given numbers, Just
like the active divisions. but this did
not change their special character.
OF course, the demands made on
these divisions. especially ms regards
fighting and marching. were not the
same an those required OF units com.
posed of younger men; but In times
OF great stress u was often impos-
sible TO give them special treatment.
These troops did more than cou d
reasonably be expected OF them. They
gave OF their best In defense of hearth
and home, wife and child.
MORE OLDER MEN
DRAWN IN
The Eighth army. on the eastern
frontiers of Prussia, had gradually
been able to form several Landwehr
divisions. From the garrisons OF the
vistula fortresses and the Iandsturm
a frontier defense corps had been
formed, comprising the castro
corps, two divisions strong, which
subsequently became the nth reserve
corps. The fortress OF Thorn, which
had It's first main reserve-the 35th
reserve divfsion-in the line near