WHY THE HUNS LOST

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 266, 6 August 1919, Page 8

WHY THE HUNS LOST

LUDENDORFF INTERV EWED The New i r ork "Evening Post" has published an interview which its eorrer spondent, Mr. Charles Victor, had witji Ludendorff, who virtually admitted that the blockade and tanks were the leading factors in Germany's defeat. The correspondent describes Ludendorff as the cinbodimont of brutal force. "We should; have built more tanks, eaid the Field-Marshal, "but German Industry was simply not equal to the tremendous manifold demands made upon it. We were shut off from nil materials." ■ . . The correspondent cited the opinion ot a German military officer that the materials spent in the construction of l)boats should have been used for tnris, tanks, and more tanks.. "Nonsense," snapped Ludendorff, the U-boats were necessary. They brought Britain to the verse of economic cola"But they also brought the United Stiifos into the war," remarked the interviewer. "The IJnitrd States would have come in anyway," said Ludendorff ansrily. "Do you not think it mode « difference in the "result?" asked Mr. Victor. "None whatever/' was the reply. "Two millions of troops ami no differencp P" Mr. Victor asked, astonished. "They were not sulTicientlv trained," said Lmlendorff with a stubborn shake of the 'head. The correspondent sugyested that the American victory at Chateau-Thierry was the turning-point of the war \ Ludendorff fairly spluttered. 'ChatetuiThierry! What was 'Chateau-Thierry? Five fresh divisions of Americans were brilliantly stopped by two divisions (if ours. That is all."

"But we took the town," said the correspondent. "What of that? I withdrew my left wing because of the pressure of the great I offensive farther north. That is all ! thorp is in it." "What then do you regard .is the real cause of Germany's defeats , " j "As I have already officially - "staled, I revolutionary activity, whiijh hud ]xsn going on among our "troops since IMG, was the only real cause. But for that," j added Ludendorff, with a thump on tho I arm of his chair, "we would have flooded j them." j "Your Excellency." asked the eorresi pondeut, "how do you account for the i good feeling that exists in Germany for I us Americans?" ■ \ "It is because the Germans do not ~e- ' fleet. There is no reason." I "Not. perhaps,, President Wilson's i policy?" ■' "I want proofs of it, not merely I words," said Ludendorff. "So Car 1. see ino good results. Si far I see 'only ! that the Entente is going to take AlsaceLorraine, Posen, and so forth." "But even so, will vot Germany be better off now that her .militarism is dead?" Here came - another accession of tem"kilitarism? Nonsense! What is militarism, what do you understand militarism to be?" , , "I understand it to be a national policy," said the. correspondent 111 his best scientific German, "which follows the dictates of military strategy rather than the cultivation of »cod international relations. Do you not think tiiat in this sense Germany was more militaristic tliMi-Trance or Britain?" "No," he shot back. "Who do you think made Germany's policy before the ""We think the Kaiser did," replied tho correspondent. "No; Bethmaiin-Hollweg, a:id a more flnbbv policy could not be imagined, said "Ludendorff with an expression of undisguised disgust. "Not a single mi 1tarv man had>any inrfuMice. JI nould have been better if soldiers uad had something-to say. Certainly France was more militaristic than-.ve. It wns i r«nce j that cultivated the revenge idea; fliat taught its that Alsaoe-I.orvuue iS "I F /!t C your idea, then, 'that the war .would not have come if the soldiers had euided Germany's policy t. "Perhans not; the war was not neeesearv. It was necessary for us because it was forced on.us." "You adniit/ihen," pressed the correerondent, "that it would have been better for humanity if it had not coriie? . "Humanity," eiclnimed Ludcnoorlt furiously. '"The United States came into the war to nuiUe money, and you Americans talk to me of humatnty. i\o, I have no faith in humanity. _ 4t the ontsßt'of the interview he was pec.-ish. Now he was fighting mad. _ "But supposing Germany had won, sufficstcd the correspondent. This restored Ludendorff, and the first smile Hi t; ted across the stern bulldog face. _ lhat, he' said, "woull have been beautiful. "Do you not think," continued the journalist, "that even with the certainty of victory, continued peace would have been better for Germany and for the world at ' "I cannot permit myself to bo drawn into such discussion," he said, rising. "I will spenk when the moment comes. "\ r ou are willing, then, as reported, to tail ifv Move the tribunal which is to liifluire into resiwnsibility for the war/

"Ortninly," ho said. "In order to vindicate yourself.'.., "No. for the good of the Fatherlandf With that he bade Hie interviewer snml-bvo in none 100 cordial a manner.