Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-09-22
FELT GERMANY COULD WIN
IF UNITED PEOPLE BACKED A
Copyright. 1919.
by The Press Publishing Co.
1.-THE New York Evening WORLDLY
By GEN. ERICH vow LUDENDoRFF

prisoners, the very flesh of our flesh,
was not allowed to arouse any feelings
which could be vented outside
though not, of course, against the pris-
oners in our hands. Instead, every
expression of anger was suppressed,
and the seeds of bitterness were sown.
When Wilson, on the entry of the
United States into the war. attempted
to drive a wedge between the en-
peror, the princes and the people, the
chancellor did not arise to protect his
imperial master. The reichstag pro-
tested, but the imperial chancellor
held his peace. He never called upon
the people to defend the monarchial
idea which. then as now. had its roots
firmly fixed in millions of German
hearts-he never prevented the axe
being laid to the tree of the imperial
office and the CORY of the empire.
Moreover the political leaders
lacked the strength to govern with
firnness At that time the mass of
the people were not yet greedy for
cheap phrases. They wanted to be
sure that no unfair privileges were al
lowed as to living and conduct, and
that in these respects everything was
| Justly and equitably regulated. They
also wanted peace. but never peace
such as we are now getting. and could
| only have got even then.
The government had lost the deter
mination to win and its faith in Ger
man strength, which had so brilliantly
manifested itself in the past three
years, and had only commenced
to totter for want of leading. SO the
army did not receive what it needed
| for victory.
Army Chiefs Offer to Quit.
no longer believed that change
would take place under that chancel-
| lor. The hope of being able to col
| laborate in complete accord with the
imperial chancelor, which had cher
ished when I went to general head
| quarters had broken down. So
wrote out my resignation.
The constitutional problems did not
affect my military action. Personally
| considered the barrier which the I'M
| perial chancellor erected between the
emperor and the people to be deplor-
| able. The emperor could not become
| sufficiently acquainted with men. Sew
eral times. though in vain, had asked
Chancellor Won Bethmann to let him
| meet leading men; 1t could only serve
| to smooth matters over in a satisfac-
tory manner. For this reason thought
Ii advantageous to include parliament
1 tary secretaries of state in the cabinet
| / hoped, too. that through them the
country would be more likely to re-
| ceive what 1t needed for the war.
The field marshal Joined me and
submitted his RESIGNATION at the same
| time. Our applications were dis
patched to Berlin on the evening OF
the 18th, after we had sent preiim-
/ mary notification to General Won
/ Iyncker in the afternoon. Simulta.
lneously we received an urgent tele-
! gram from the war minister, who
considered it necessary. In view OF the
1 military situation. for the field mar.
shall to make further personal re-
| port in Berlin. The emperor also
wished to see us.
Crown Prince Gusts Bethmann.
In the meantime the crown prince
| had had conference on the morning
| of the 18th with the party leaders oil
the reichstag. the majority of whom
either declared themselves in favor OF
the immediate resignation of the chan
| cellor. or else asserted that they at
tached no Importance to h.s remain
| ing in office. No one took his side
I'm the crown princes report the en-
peror now decided 10 accent the res
| ignation of Chancellor Won Bethmann
l When we arrived in Berlin on the
lath the emperor had already given