HINDENBURG'S EYES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 17154, 4 December 1917, Page 6

HINDENBURG'S EYES.

CRUELLEST IN THE WORLD

AMERICAN'S INTERVIEW

'KEROSENE-SOAKED BREAD FOR

PRISONERS.'

" Until I met Hindenburg I always !;i thought that the eyes of Villa, the |r J Mexican rebel, were the most cruel 1 A had ever seen." t Since that meeting J. M. de Beaufort regards tho Mexican's eyes are quite lamblike in comparison with those of the German Field-Marshal. Mr. de Beaufort had an excellent opportunity to study the man who invented the famous line —recently somewhat bent and punctured —and he tells in " Behind the German Veil," a book published recently in America, how he bluffed his way over the railways of East Prussia and occupied Russia into the presence of the German commander. He was aimed with a letter of introduction, but encountered innumerable delays before he reached the town where Hindenburg was quartered. Then, ho says : Two Landsturniers guarded the little wooden gate. I produced the letter. Both of them saluted, and one of them ran ahead to ring the bell. An orderly ushered me into a sitting room. Later a young officer entered and told me tlie general would b e back by noon. Would I condescend to wait? I would. Tne subaltern was voluble and discussed the military situation freely. In the midst of a graphic discussion of the plight of Russia he suddenly stopped. A car had halted outside. A moment or two later the door opened and Germany's giant idol entered. I rose and bowed. The officer and two soldiers, clicked their heels audibly and replied to the stentorian " Morgen, meine Herren." with a brisk, "Morgen, Exeellenz." "STRENGTH AND CRUELTY" Hindenburg looked questions at me, but I thought I would let my friend do the talking. He handed the marshal my letter and introduced me as "Heir Beaufort." The general read his nephew's letter, shook hands with me, assuring me of the pleasure it. gave him to meet me. Now for my impressions of Germany s —and as some people try to make us believe, the world's —greatest military genius. They might be summed up in two words —"Strength and cruelty." Hindenburg stands over six feet high. His whole personality radiates strength —brute animal strength. He was, when I met him, sixty-nine years of age, but looked much' younger. His hair and moustache were still pepper-and-salt colour. His face and forehead are deeply furrowed, which adds to his forcbidding appearance. Hb nose and chin are prominent, but the most striking feature of the man's appearance is his eyes. They are stee; blue and very small, much too small compared to his body. But what the eyes lack in size they fully make up for intensity and penetrating powers. Until I met Hindenburg I always thought that the eyes of the Mexican rebel Villa were the worst and most cruel I had ever seen. They are mild compared with those of Hindenburg. Never in my life have I seen such hard, i, I cruel, utterly brutal eyes as those of 1 Hindenburg.' "GIVE IT TO THE RUSSIANS" 7 2 Speakinp: about cruelty, one story about Hindenburg is worth re-telling. " When the Russian General Rennenkampf was forced to evacuate Inster- " burg in the winter of 1915 he was tmI able to find transport for about 50,000 f loaves of. bread, and he ordered paraffin to bo. poured upon the lot. When " the Germans entered the town and saw what had been done with the bread, * Hindenburg was frantic with rage. The + next day, after he had calmed down, ho said to one of his aids: "We 1.!, it sterns to be a matter of 6 taste. If the Russians like their bread !" ihat "way, very well; give it to the Rus- '" sian prisoners'." The order was carried 6 Olit- , ,- i" Hindenburg talked quite freely, dss- '" cussing various tojfgfs connected wit" '" the war and especialfv the Russian cam--5 pnign. Beaufort, however, found it impossible to gefc a definite statement II on the probable outcome or the duration of the conflict save that it would not end until "we have gained an honorable pence." Says the author:— He refused to state what in his opin- !"' ion was an honorable-peace programme. c When he learned that I had come all the way from Berlin without a pass from the General Staff he appeared | very much amused: but in a quasi-seri-ous manner he said: ." "Well, you know that T ought to 's send you back at once, otherwise I shall ~r risk getting tho sack myself; still, as E" al' ordinary train-service between here j and Posen will be suspended th c next four days, the only way for you to get ■ t" back is by motor oar. It would be a ls pity to come all the way to this Sibe--1" riaii cold and not see something of the ° oi-.mpaign. Travelling by motor car ro you will have ample opportunity to see something of the country aiid of fighting as well." Beaufort spent two weeks on the i Eastern front, and then returned to I Berlin without difficulty.