Washington Journal., 1942-05-08

his head to utter a criticism of his com
mander in chief. The Emperor always was
gracious to him, he said, and he had no other
reason for wishing to be retired than that OF
his advancing years, not experimenting any
juniors would be given a better chance for
promotion.
During the four years of his welLearned
rest the old gentleman did not bother about
the Masurian lakes, nor did he hunt Russian
boars, as told by a Hungarian war corre-
spondent, but he lived quietly with his wife
and children in a little villa at Hanover.
There he had been stationed after he returned
from the Franco-P russian war, during which
as a lieutenant he had won an Iron Cross
by bravery at the Battle of st. Privat, after
ward witnessing the coronation at Versailles
Of William |. as German Emperor.
Mildly Interested in Politics
At Hanover, the retired veteran, at last
found leisure to occupy his mind with politics,
a line of thoughts hitherto foreign to his
military training. While he felt a certain
sympathy with the Guelph princes and other
Hanoverians, who could not forgive Prussia S
annexation of that old kingdom, he still
thought this was best for the sake of German
unity, so he frowned on all plots and intri-
cues aimed at an overthrow Of the existing
order of things. Germany's increasing iso-
lation and Austria's provocative policy to-
ward Serbia and Russia with the consequent
growth of Panslavic agitation filled him
with forebodings. Yet, when Germany sud
denly found herself involved in Austria's
quarrel with those countries, he stood ready
to do his part, should he be called to arms
again.
Hindenburg in his youth had learned some
thing of Austria's fighting prowess, when,
as a "shavetail' second lieutenant he was
laid low by an Austrian bullet that pierced
his infantry helmet. This happened in the
war Of 1866, during the Prussian advance on
Koenigsgraetz. Young Hindenburg regained
consciousness in time to help storm an Aus
trian field battery, capturing five guns with
the platoon under his command. Thus he
shared in the decisive victory Of Sadowa and
won his first decoration for valor. In his
campaign diary the young lieutenant record
ed that neither he nor his men felt any enmity
against the Austrians, regarding them as
fellow Germans. Down to recent years he
kept up a friendly correspondence with an
Austrian officer, who had served as a cadet
in the battery captured by Hindenburg.
Didn't Want Hitler
From this it may be gathered that there
is little substance to the story that President
Won Hindenburg baked at appointing Adolf
Hitler as chancellor of the German Reich
because Hitler was born in Austria. linden
burg had other reasons, understood by all
Germans. After all, Hitler's humble war
service had been in the German ranks under
Hindenburg's command, besides which it is
no new thing for former Austrians to hold
office in Germany or vice versa.
Two of Austria's greatest statesmen,
Prince Metternich and Count Beust, were
Germans retaining their ancestral estates IN
n TN-41o-1--1 - 4ho phinnIon6 tho
other in Saxony. Hindenburg was known to
be for a continued alliance or autonomous
junction with Austria after the wal, if it
could be done without embroiling either coun-
try in a new war with their former enemies.
The differences between Hindenburg and
Hitler we're not on that score, but lay else
where.
The old President rejected his previous
chancellors, Bruening, Schleicher and Won
Papen, in favor Of the upstart Hitler only
because their political following was found
to dwindle, whereas Hitler's rose with each
successive election. After all, a prime min
lister must have a majority Of the people with
him if his administration is to be effective.
Hindenburg had to satisfy the majority
party, whether he liked it or not, just as
Lincoln had to take his opponent Seward for
his Secretary Of State or as Wilson had to
make the best of Bryan.
He Defended the Home Front
Hindenburg's strongest hold on his people
and his great popularity in Austria was be-
cause Of his heroic defence Of their joint
fronts against a most formidable enemy,
whose forces at every point Of contact far
outnumbered the Germans and Austrians,
whether fighting separately or joined. II
Hindenburg and his German armies had not
stemmed the Russian tide at the battle fronts
of East Prussia and Silesia as well as in
Lithuania' and Poland, and if his German