GERMAN PRINCES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17076, 27 January 1916, Page 9

GERMAN PRINCES.

IN HINDENBURG’S WAY. That Field-Marshal- von Hindenbung has refused, to accept command on the western front unless he is allow'ed complete independence from the Crown Prince of Germany and the Crown Prince of Wurtemberg and Bavaria is declared in French newspapers to bo confirmed from several sources, sajs an American correspondent on the Continent. It also'.'is stated that the incident is arousing bitter ‘ discussion in Germany, Generals von Kluck and von Buelow are said to be in disgrace. Recently, for the first time, German newspapers have begun to discuss the battle of the Marne, and it is believed the Government is willing to allow them to find -a scapegoat.

Mr A. Srnit, a prominent journalist and a Dutch subject, recently made a trip through Germany, where he talked with many acquaintances. In “Le Petit Parisien ” ho confirms these rumours. : Field-Marshal von Hindenburg’s refusal to go to the French front is said to have been couched in terms which included a phrase almost textually. as follows: —“The command offered would involve a measure of subserviency to the three Crown Princes, and this the Marshal could not tolerate.” ,The difficulties in tho way of accednfg to the General’s suggestion of an independent, and therefore superior, form of command are - very great from the Gorman point of view. Apart from tlje normal hierarcmal obstacles, there is a special difficulty with regard to the Crown Prince o! Bavaria. .The: heirs of Prussia and Wurtemberg might have their commands diminished by the Kaiser and tho General Staff, but tho heir of Bavaria is not to bo meddled with. BAVARIA’S BOND WITH AUSTRIA. For some time past the Bavarian Press has been expressing discontent with the progress of events. Particularly significant is the action of Bavaria in putting troops at the disposal of Austria in the war w'ith Italy, although the latter country is not at war with Germany. Other incidents have pointed to an intensification of the good Reeling of Bavaria for 'Austria, her traditional friend and ally,, and to a lessening of the bonds, with Prussia i.

The leading newspaper of Bavaria, the “ Mutichener Xeuestc Nachriehten,” even has"'published an- article making lisrht of Field-Marshal von Hindenburg’s achievements against Russia, . The Bavarian newspapers are jnono .-outspoken than those of any other part of the empire, but it is believed this article would not have been allowed to be published were it not that there was” an intention on the part of the Bavarian authorities ]to forestall the question of the Bavarian Crown Prince’s command in the west being made of subsidiary rank to one to be created for Field-Marshal von Himlenburg. The article said in part :

“ The fate of the bulk of the Russian army can only be decided by field operations.’ It is not the taking- of fortresses and cities that should ’ be the aim of military operations in modem warfare; the one and onljV proper objective is the enemy’s effectives in the field Tliis..must always be the objective. • “The capture of cities is a melius to the end, but- the campaign is not ended until the enemy’s army has been reached and destroyed. Tf our chief command was to be satisfied wbh the taking of cities the Russians would be jubilant. There is no use, therefore, in our asking ourselves every morning if this, that or rim other Russian city has been taken. What we should ask ourselves is. When is the Russian army to be crushed or destroyed? SINCE THE SEPTEMBER DRIVE. “To be or not to be, .that is the question for the Russian army and also for the German army.” Since the great Franco-Blit ish drive in Artois and Champagne in September the Germans have been anxiously discussing conditions on-the western front. To alky public sentiment Major Moraht, the military critic of the “ Berliner Tageblatt,” recently announced that conditions are nearly ripe for a new drive on Paris. But the German people no longer are satisfied with such statements and wish to know whore the blaine is to be laid for the army’s lack of success. For nearly a year the battle of the Marne was not mentioned in the German Press, and the general public had no reason to know that any specific battle had already gone into history under that name. 1 lien the “Post,” a notablv conservative newspaper of Berlin, made reference to it, admitting there had been a battle of the Marne, but minimising the importance of its results. Since then there has been much discussion on. the battle,, the decisiveness of which gradually lias been impressed on the .Germans, and the question lias been posed regarding the personal responsibility for the loss of the battle. Debate has raged around the mime of General von Kluck mid latterlv also around that of General von Buelow, the commanders of the first and second Gc-r- •

man armies'.during the great; drive on Paris in ihe first six -weeks of tlie war.

VON IvLUCK’S BLUNDER. It now' is believed almost generally in Germany as it- is m ! France thnta General; von lvluck'committed a serious, blunder when," either" bejng;. unaware. of the possibility 'of A French.__ army coming out'r-bf' Paris oii . liTs“ right" flank’' of" regarding - such- and army as negligible it it existed, hq,' swerved to the south-eastward %nd exposed his flank. General Maunoury’s “ phantom army ” went out of Paris and was later supplemented in \ most timely fashion by the division scraped together out of odds and ends of troops in Paris by General Gallieni, .who requi-.j sitioned yOCO taxicabs to. hurry it to the fighting lino. ' . It is true .that General von Ivluclc soon repaired the blunder, *n far as it could be repaired, ..by bringing up his reserves, but tho brilliant French General Maunoury for four days stood off ft ■ an,army of Germans four times as merous, thereby winning the battle 0r,,, j the Ourcq, which immediately led toQ ' tho battle qf the.MarnOi and the greaia : French victory. ... So positive have been the statements of General von Kluck’s recall and'.disgrace in Germany that the Government recently had photographs circulated showing him in the garden of his residence near Berlin,; where, it was added, he was recuperating from wounds suffered at the front.'

General von Buelow. it is said, is nc- ■ cused of not having kept in: touch w'ith General- von Khick’s army in the advance, when they were attacked by General d’Esperay, General'French andc General Maunoury, nor again ih the rm-C.' treat from the Marne, so that Genoral von Kluck, to avoid envelopment, was forced far back beyond his prepared positions. . It is being commented in Germany that not a single commander on the western front has succeeded in an operation impressive enough to make, his name known to the public in .a way to. inspire confidence. On this account. is believed, every effort will.be made to 1 ’ overcome the difficulties that stand in the way of Field-Marshfil_ von Hindoo- - burg’s assuming a command in the vrest.