NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16265, 16 July 1918, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

To many people no doubt Marshal von Hindeuburg will be best remembered as -the man in whose honour wooden statues were erected all over Germany, wiiicn patriotic 'leu to us paid so ruucn lor Uie privilege of driving ill to. Man; oi tiieatt wootleii enigiea or tiie -fiusoiau JJieia Atai'suui are b<ua to be siuuued witu naiiuouas over every square wen ot tueir uiuuer ana; toiiues. j.ne biggest ot uieni ail, caoiea "Xua iron Jaxuueubmg," suuios m front ot toe Keicnstag uuiidinjj in tuo Kouigs-.f laiz, JJeiiin, ana was nuiied by practically everyone ot importance m me capital, ana, uiciuenuuiy, by practically eveiybouy ot uninipoivancc, since tne naijug buciness was caretuily organised, tut) procerus being used to sweli tne funds ot tne German ited Cross, .hven scnool children were taken to tne | statue on holiday afternoons to drive nails into JtUnclenbiirg. From tiie provinces "nailing escuisions" were run to lieilin,' and on Sundays a military band played in iront ot tlio ehigy to attract crowds—and money, and by night a powerful search! iglit was directed on it. The idea of tnus utilising ettigies of the Prussian Field Marshal was an ingenious one, but-one of the most eminent British authorities on folklore and superstitions—Mr Jidward Lovett— explains that, in thus perpetrating effigies of the renowned Field Marshal the Germans did :the ■ "unluckiest" thing possible so far as their hero was. concerned. Mr Lovett is a prominent member of the British Folklore Society, a renowned lecturer and writer on subjects connected with superstitious beliefs, and an indefatigable of "charms" and amulets, some of which he recently exhibited. If there as anybody in England specially qualified to discuss a "portent' it is undoubtedly ho* "The belief that driving sharp objects into a figure representing an individual worked injury to the original," said^ Mr Lovett, "was a world-wide one in primitive times, and is held in many parts of Europe to-day. In the old days if' one had an enemy one went to a man-witch (for it is a delusion that . all witches were women) and bought from him a figure modelled in wax representing the person on wliom it .was desired.to be avenged. The injured person was then instructed to stick pins or other sharp instruments into the wax figure, the belief. being .that 'disease would be bred in the corresponding parts of the body of the original. When this had been done the wizard generally contrived that it should become known, to the person upon whom the spell was being worked that it was in progress, and this generally preyed on his mind to such an extent that he pined and died, which was the end aimed at. The folklore m regard to this practice is almost endless, and the Germans in disregarding it have over-reached themselves. Anything more fatal, according to all traditions, than driving sharp objects into models'of an individual'it is impossible to conceive, and though I am not generally. given to superstition myself I firmly believe that—as a result of just this thing—Hindehburg will come to a violent end." -

An entertaining insight into the character and life of Hindenburg is given by a German war correspondent who was afforded, one of these uncompromising interviews with which Hindenburg and" his partner. Ludendorff, have flooded Germany. The interviewer was Dr. Goldmann, a Berlin journalist of marked ability, and lie very rigntiy writes of Hindenburg and Ludeudortf as if they were a Single person. Ihe "firm" was so. balanced in character, in friendship, and in' duty, that the 1 men worked as one.' Dr.'Goldmann writes: "When one has % Made' the "'acquaintance of Hindenburg and Ludendorff one is often" ,wliether they /show' clearly who-they afel Certainly they do. Although .an . important man cannot always utter important words', there are moments in an informal conversation when his personality, shows itself. He who is a personality is a personality ailways. The great characteristic of Hindenburg and Ludendorff is that the moral effect which they produce is not less strong, or perhaps it is even stronger than jtne intellectual effect. There is really only one work which, describes the impression which emanates from. them. The word is 'confidence.'," Hindenburg and Ludendorff had indeed to be separated at table, because Goldmann, to his peculiarly great joy, sat between them. They dmed off herrings and potatoes: the herrings, however, "by their extraordinary size and excellent flavour, being worthy of being eaten at the Great Headquarters." They drank brandy and beer. "How essentially different was the simple xflom in which I met General Joffre at' work," remarks a commentator, "with its few ornaments showing the exquisite taste of a French gentleman. The one was the works/Top of civilisation, "the other appeared to be a cave of bloodthirsty barbarians. They differ as Electricity differs from the elemental storm."

Hindenburg believed if a man or | woman would not work, neither should he eat. He said he was ready to give some morsels of black bread to the old, the sick, the mad. and the useless, but he would not let them waste the fat of the land. This was* reserved for the the country's defenders. There shall be, he said, in announcing the inauguration of the (German War Office, «'three classes in the-community, graded in the order of their importance to the supreme interests of the nation. Ihe first class will include the fighters, the munition workers, and those doing heavy work, or especially responsible brainwork. They shall have the first call on all supplies, fats meats and stimulants The second class will include those whose physical vigour has curtailed their effectiveness to short hours or light work. They shall according to their medical requirements and according to available supplies but not according t 0 their desires or tastes In the third class will come those who food VnafbTS 40 get