The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1871-06-22
why the Germans Conquered
the French.

/
the French.
Having seen something Of both
German aud French soldiers in OR
army land having the recollection OF
the Seven weeks War; against Au-
stra IN mind, the writer last summer
expressed TO q careful student Of Euro
pcau history. his opinion that in the wal
then commencing, the French wou d
be defeated The student. an older
man, considered the idea absurd. an
he cited instauces-irom Jena dow n
to prove that 10 army ever had
stood Cor ever could stani) against the
French. lie was armed with stats.
tics of population aud statistics OF
wealth TO show that-as tho battle is
TO the strOng-thc German army was
marching down to its certain doom
In spite Of this, we thought wo saw
an element Of strength in their ranks
that would yet convince our friend
that ou = somo won lcrfuI aud un.
looked for "timc and chance" could
save France from fearful retributioo
This element of strength was the
sense ofdu,y which possesses the mind
of au average German, as il does al
most no other mind in the world He
may lack artistic taste. gracefulness OF
thought and manner, and poetic fau
cy, but no trip hammer is more s,cai.
lily fixed in its manner of doing it,
work. 4 Frcnchman does his work
well and gracefully when he feels like
doing 1t at all. A German does his
well and thoroughly, when il ought u
DO done, will he, nj he. I, does not
occur to him that bc might put il on
or slight It, IL is precisely this quail.
lity,-which charactorizcs the whole
nation as it does the indlyidual,-that
has made their army tho best in Eu-
rope. 1t is the quality that promises
henceiorth to win all the substantial
successes Of life, whether for nations or
for individuals-ior rulers or for rag
pickers.
In Prussia it has been matter Of
cultivation. 10 all official ifc, ,-wheih.
or 10 teaching school or in command
ing troops,--it is the thorough men
who secure promotion and reward
The soulder is good soldier because
he as been brought up to be a faithful
worker, and because he has 40 ambi-
tim for the respect that his comrades
and his townspeoplc reserve for faith.
iul men only. The officer is q good
officer, because his training, from the
time he iirst went to the University,
and the example of those above him
aud around him, have burned into his
very soul the idea that under all cir.
cumstances he ia to do his exact duty,
and to do it well. He has formed
habit Of thoroughncss n his child
hood, and every position Of his life
has confirmed It in him. Discipline,
which is tho soul of military success,
as it is of civil success, may ba con
siderod the universal ruler Of the
whole people. 10 the nursery, in the
school in the Workshop, in tho army
(where every man must serve, BE- he
rich or poor, 10 the camp. and in the
court, every man must do his duty
or he must go to the we'll. Favorite-
ism has less sway in Prussia than aoy
other country 10 the world. The most
it can do is TO give skilliul opportun-
ity to work for his reward. The EN-
peror is hard worker, bismarck is II
hard worker, and MOl,ke the hardes,
worker ofall.
In one Of tho attempts Of Bazaine to
escape from Metz, it became of vital
necessity for the German army to gain
time, and this only could DO done by
q regiment Of Landwehr
(uearly all married men, and OF class
not generally sent on for Ereign SER
vice.. This regiment stood it's ground
until il was absolutely anuihilsted,- Il
shot down in its tracks. II had be-
como the duty Of these to die. and
they died like men in the most stolid
aud mos, heroic pursuance Of the idea
10 which thcy had lived. Throughout
the whole war the entire army simply
did its duty Generals attended to