GERMAN POLITICS.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 21 December 1926, Page 8

GERMAN POLITICS.

'Per Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, December 20. The Berlin correspondent of the “Daily Chronicle” says that Presidont Hindenburg maintains his decision to postpone negotiations for the formation of a new Government until .just before the Reichstag meets on January 9. Despite the Nationalist attempt to rush the President by means of a concerted press campaign, using ’lie slogan, “Our Army is in danger,” it is generally recognised that attempts at secret arming must be futile. [General Von Seeckt was compelled to resign the command of the Reichswehr because he permitted Prince Wilhelm, the eldest son of the exCrown Prince, to attend the army manoeuvres last month without cousulting Dr. Otto Gessler, Minister of Defence. The latter refused to defend General Von Seeckt’s action against the attacks of the Radical Socialists. This _ was regarded as meaning that the Minister declines to countenance members of the Hohenzollern family serving in the army. President Hindenburg postponed his decision on General Von Seeckt’s resignation (which created a political sensation), until he discussed the matter with the Chancellor, Dr. Marx. General Von Seeckt’s action regarding Wilhelm led to a heated interview with Dr. Gessler. The resignation was generally regarded in London as a matter of international as well as German domestic importance. The Reich’s debt to Von Seeckt is regarded as incalculable. No German general enjoyed anything like the same prosor confidence. He converted the Reichswehr into the most .perfectlvtrained 100,000 men in Europe. He maintained old traditions and at the same time he modernised and democratised. the army by establishing a new intimacy between the officers and the rank and file. Moreover, Von Seeckt completely revolutionised mili-

tary tactics by his system of encouraging a return to mobile warfare under new mechanicalised conditions. Hans Von Seeckt was born in Schleswig in March, 1866, his father being afterwards a general. He began his military career in the Kaiser Alexander Grenadier Regiment, and joined the general staff in 1897. t After the customary period in command of a company and later a battalion he became chief of staff to the 3rd Ai-my Corps (Berlin) n 1913, and was at the same time promoted Lieut-Colonel. At the beginning of the war he served under General Von Lochow and his corps took part in the advance of Von Kluck*s army through Belgium into France, the retreat and the trench warfare on the Aisne. The offensive near Soissons. in January, 1915, was planned by him. Immediately afterwards he was promoted colonel, and a little later was appointed chief of staff to General Mackensefiss army group. In that capacity he prepared the plan of campaign in Galicia and Russia, which began with the great thrust near Gorlice on May 3, 1915. His serI v i ee ? w erc rewarded by the bestowal | or the Order “pour le merite,” and by his promotion to the rank of maiorgeneral in June, 1915. Later, he was responsible for Mackensen’is plan of campaign in Serbia. After the revoluVon , Sewlit served from January, 1919, as chief of staff to General Von Ouast, leader of the Army of the i\ortn, which was then guarding the Eastern frontier, and subsequently went to the Ministry of Defence as head of the section dealing with the troops. After the Kapp monarchist rising m 1920 against the Republican Government, he was appointed Com-mander-in-chief of the Reichswehr (German Defence Force), in place of General von Lnttwitz, who had been ™P.L l . cate< l ln the rising.]