UNKNOWN

Waikato Times, Volume 87, Issue 13275, 2 September 1916, Page 4 (Supplement)

UNKNOWN

its seat and centre in the eialstabler, whii.li is quite a\n exceptional theocracy of war (writes Ignatius liiau'e in the "Express") 'ihore is nothing like it on earth, nor will ever t bo again, we may hope, when this fearful conflict is over. In peace time the Berlin Krigesininisteiiiim, 011 the Konigsplatz, near 111 Austrian Kmbassy, is much like am other War Office. But tlio moment mobilisation is complete, and before tlio Jiist gun i:; lired, t!ic real war-thinkers huuy out to tlio field and throw off every vestige of civil authority—even 'hat ol the Imperial throne itfjbj, Tlio Kaiser is "invited" to headquarters at 1 iiielt, in Flanders, or Verdun, in iMante, when big attacks are to be. made, but the Emperor is only a visitor. He is now All-Highest in name alone, lor the leal war lord is Eric von I' alkenhayn, Chief of .Staff of the German armies, and directing brain of all the others from the Balkans to Baghdad. It is hard to convey an idea of this man s absolute domination. Yon Jagow the Foreign Mnister, has no control, over lnm, neither has the Imperial/ Chancellor, Dr von Bethmann-H<&&te7 No diplomacy, 110 government administrative influence, has any weight whatever with the head of the Generalstabler. The military tail now wags the German dog. The General Empires and] their Allies are inexorably ruled from the field, where Falkenhayn and his staff carry out the war in complete strategy supremacy. 0

Even popular idols and great leaders like Paul Hindenburg and August von Mackensen that stern ascetic win taught the ( rown Prince in Danzig—at' mere instruments in the chief's hands Falkenhayn is infallible as the Pope nov that the Kriegschule is broken up an( the make-believe Ivriegspiel translate* into the epic arena of real war.

X 011 I alkenhayn is easily the younges of Germany's military 'leaders, beini barely fifty-lour. Vet. like Papa Hinden burg, lie was an army failure, and driftet rather aimlessly out to China in search o free-lance opportunity in a troubled land His chance came with the Boxer rebel lion, when his urbane capacity quickl; made him German Governor of Tientsii after that city was stormed by the allie< troops—of course with the Prussian ma chine bossing all. Count von Walderse> had supreme command. / 1' alkenhayn next became President 0 the Provincial Government in Tientsin and began to attract the Kaiser's notici for the first lime. Recalled to Berlin he was reinstated in that rambling pit 011 the Konigsplatz, and wore once mof the broad red trousers-stripe of th General Staff. From that time onwart the man never looked back, higher and higher in tho great machine and at last succeeding von Moltke a; 1 Chief of Staff, after that general's dis grace following on the Marne retreat. An extraordinary fact of Falkenhayn'i career is his personal ascendancy. Hii power over the Emperor is a source o continual amazement to civilian Germany Sovereign is hypnotised by this gen er i ,l \ y° u wdl hear people say, and cer tain it is that the Kaiser haunts the gram headquarters with something like nervou fear of the mighty military camarilL within its humble walls.

Before me as I write is a German pho tograph showing the All-Highest luncb ing al fresco with the two veteran Silef ians, Max von Gallwitz and Remus vo Woyrach, two of Falkenhayn's ablest ger erals, who themselves handle great armies The Kaiser stands cloaked, and obviousl shivering, before a small camp table in a open yard, while a minor figure of tt general staff pours a glass of Rhino wir for his Imperial master. One of t> strangest phases of the great war, by tk way is the passing of the Kaiserj powc intT the iron hands of the stafflin tl fit'd- Jle goes here and there *t the bidding; he waits on Falkenhayn's plan "like a lost eoul staying for waftage." It was Scharnhorst and Claasewitz (tt real father of Prussian Screcldichkei which the world translates as frightfu ness) who moulded the general staff int. the machine as it exists to-day, while oi Count von Moltke made omnipotence i watchword. The humbling of France j 1870 raised the machine to reckless heigh in German estimation. It became a pit less juggernaut that crushed the higW in the land when he stumbled.

It has not, however, prevented f~ Geiman army from becoming democra War lias played havoc with ita parade i ments. The Prussian Guard went do* at Yores., and Falkenhavn'a dought Brandenburgers wilted away at Verdu: The flower of the Junker officers fell, ar now able men are promoted to the priv leged caste without regard to their origi; Falkenhayn's plan is Napoleon's '-h in the race of terrific wastage. "I too* son of a peasant," was the conqutf 01 vaunt, "and made him a marshaJl W duke when I found he had talents." Pa von Hindenburg is a case in point. J was the comic butt of the army during t autumn manoeuvres. °ba smarter and younger generals th< foreheads with derisive meaning. B Falkenhayn knew hie man; knew that h home was in the East Prussian marshe knew that he had made this field of i vasion the study of his life, and call, him in hot haste from quiet games ■ skat in Hanover, where the old fellow w on the shelf, when the Russians brol into Germanv.