VON FALKENHAYN PAYS PENALTY OF FAILURE

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 208, 31 August 1916, Page 5

YON FALKENHAYN PAYS PENALTY OF FAILURE

CHIEF OF THE GENERAL STAFF DISMISSED. GENERALS YON HXNDENBITRG AND YON HENECKEXDORF MADE JOINT CHIEFS. [Riuter'» Telegrams.] ir* •«• ,i •-• LONDON, August 30. -X ie officiaUy reported that General yon Falkenhayn, Chief of the German General Staff, has been dismissed. A Berlin official statement says that yon Falkenhavn will be employed in another capacity. Marshals yon Heneckeadorf and yon Hindenbur<* have been appointed Chiefs of the General Staff of the Field Army. f™«V. tT ? batt * red , on the Marne he was called on to gather up the fragments. He has proved unequal to the task, because the task was greater than any man and after a record of failures only less serious than the rush mlllterkta wE ma X eS Way or , uindenl » lr g. the one unbroken idol of German militarists. When the war broke out Hindenburg, a veteran of the war of I>wO, was slowly drinking himself to dcatli in Hanover. He had been on the retired li?t for some time, but had spent the greater part of his life in East 1 russia commanding its two army corps at Koenighburg and Alenstein He knew every yard of East Prussia, making the defence of the province his sole nobby, ile haunted the marshes and roads and marked his maps with the characteristics of every acre. Yon Francois was in command here when the * war began, ami Russia's march into the Kaiser's beloved territory resulted in the "breaking" of that general and the prompt recall of Hindenburg. His victories amid the -Masurian lakes, aided by treachery in the Russian High Command,.smashed the advance of the Czar's forces and drove them helterskelter to their own territory. -Hie later victories in the East led to Hindenburg being given the command down to the Pripet marshes, and later along the whole eastern, front, whence he is now transferred to fill the role of chief strategist, with the assistance of yon Henecheudorf. Sven Hedin, the pro-German Swedish writer, has some interesting things to say of Hindenburg in his recent book "Eastward." Firat of all, he says, I wish to emphasise the characteristic point that during the Russian campaign, Hindenburg has changed his ordinary habits of peace times as little as possible.' lie works, goes walking, eate and sleeps at the same hours and just as long as in peace times. He does not permit his habits and his calm to be disturbed. He adheres to what is dear and of benefit to him. In war, as in peace, he begins work directly after breakfast. In summer he rises at cix, in winter an hour later. His work lasts until about eleven, and then he takes a long walk, , irres])cctivc of weather or season. Several times I saw him enter his automobile and drive out into the country with his adjutant to wander along .the \ more or less beaten tracks in some peaceful wood. At five minutes to one he returns to get ready for the noonday meal, which begins at one o'clock sharp. <You could set your watch by his exact division of the day. The meal is a simple oue. :ind the likes (o drink a gloss of moselle with it. When he rises from the table he goes directly to his room to rest. At four o'clock work begins again and continues Until v few minutes before eight. In time of peace he partakes of coffee and cake with his family at about four o'clock; then he receives visitors and either a walk or works. He always has guests at table, and takes great pleasure in conversing with them andgiving his opinion on the burning questions of the day. Punctually at eight o'clock supper is served, and conversation over a glass of Ijeer continues until eleven. One day is like the other, without interruption. Just as the war has been unable to change Hindenburg's mode of life, just so the rigour of war and its events of world-historical bearing have not been able to disturb his composure. He was as unruffled at the time of the Masurian battles as he is to-day. When every one feared for the safety of Seheffer and Litzmann, who appeared to he hopelessly surrounded by the Eiwaians east of Lodz. Hindenburg retained his calm, and when the anxiety was at its height asked where the splendid cake on the dinner table had come from. The apparently surrounded corps ibroke through with that cold decision which the General felt justified in „ expecting of them, and took 12,000 prisoners in the bargain! Such absolute calm is for the most part a. gift of nature, but it is also a result of the training to bear heavy responsibilities.