Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1883-12-28
COUNT Won MOLTKE.

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From the London Times. Oct. ~.
Marshal Won Moltkf, won his great re-.
nown SO late in life that to many he is;
still new general, though he reached
his saith birthday Yesterday. His fame
remains fresh also be cause the Franco
German war, now thirteen years distant
still seems so recent. The world has
not yet grown accustomed to the I'M
meAse changes caused by the military
events of lS70-7T. After Napoleon rs
downfall frances credit as a soldier-na-
ton stood unimpaired. One other poets
could say. "'How many were you against
the dying eagle?". and another. wrote no
more than truth when he compared his
yanquished country to a wounded hon.
round which shuntsmen gather half
afraid and saying, "Il bouge!" But in
the last mighty struggle, which begin
on the Rhin and ended in Paris, the
two giant powers stood alone, hand to
hand, with apparently equal chances and
the defeat of France, the agressor, wac
swift. overwhelming and discreditable.
No such sudden collapse Of a great en-
pire could ever have been predicted; no
such wholesale leading into captivity OF
generals and legions was ever Witnessed:
Yet it ia curious thing that Won Moltke.
the chief hero Of the surprising war,
does not enjoy a reputation like that
which Wellington held. after Waterloo,
ard it would be useless to pretend that
the German generals who shared his
triumphs are as we'll known as some OF
the French commanders whom they
worsted.
Most people would be puzzled to de-
scribe the achievements Of Gen. Won
Kameke, now Prussian war minister,
who was chief engineer in the siege
operStions round Paris; or those ofGen.
Won Wer9er. who, with 40, 900 men. rout-
ed Bourbaki's 40, 0G0 alter three days;
battle, performing what the Emperor
William styled lone Of the greatest feats
of arms in history" The French make
more noise in the world than other
people, and they have used their far
reaching voices to diminish the victo-
ries of their enemies by making them
appear to have been won too easily, and
not over France, but over a faction
whose misrule betrayed France. But,
for all this, men who have studied the
history ofthe FrancoAGerman war know
that the triumphs Of Won Moitke and
his generals are not dimmed hy any
tales of French weakness. The advance
of the German armies over France was
| like the impetus of a man skating one
false step would have brought heavy
fall-and Won Moltke was not admirable
only in having drafted and executed
point for point the most elaborate plan
of campaign ever conceived, but IN nav
ing accurately Ioreseen all the democrat
/ ling effects which defeat would produce
upon his foes. Had he made any mis-
calculation; had the French shownspirit
when he expected them to be cowed;
had they resisted stu bborn.
" when he had reckoned
that they would yield-the end Of the
war might have been very, different
from the beginning. More than once
the silent commander must have been
| anxious in spirit; but he let nothing of
this be seen. A foreigner who called
upon him at Versailles in the midst Of
! the sejge of Paris, and on day when
| great sortie was expected, found him
quietly reading an English novel.
He is an extraordinary man. A diplo-
| matist who met him in the Wilhelm
strasse of Berlin the day before he went
to the seat Of war would have taken
leave Of him in a hurry supposlng that
he aust be busy but Won Moltke said;
81 have nothing to d." and went on
chatting with his usual composure., In
this incident was revealed the whole
strength of the German military system,
which alIots to each officer just as much
work rs he can easily and efficiently
perform. The formula of the whole sys-
tenn NAV be defined as the
constant search after able men;
and, as the princes of the royal
| house of Prussia have steadily adhered
| to the principle of letting merit be re.
| compensed and incompetency shelved
without favor or fear, they have been
! contributors equally with the best of
( their generals towards the events which
| have made Germany what 1t now Is.
The organization of the German army
| has in 1t much that produces awe as
| we'll -aseadmiratioss on foreign minds.
! The: staff office in Berlin, over which
Marshall Won Moltke presides, has de.
! partments as mysterious and inQulsito-
1 raj as those of the Roman curia; aud
the place is in fact a military inQuisi-
ton. Maps of all countries and cities of
Europe are there, with plans of invad-
[ ing these localities, and minute details
rs to the accommodations which the i'll
vaders would find in the way OF board
and lodging. When Gen: Won Got'en,
at the head Of the Eighth army
astounded the, inbapitants by sending
out, within half an hour Of his entry,
ad;utants who marked on the door OF
each house the number Of bitlets it was
to furnish, Protests were of no use.
The general had his instructions con-
corning what each house could do and
must do, and he knew, moreover, tina
the city was in position to supply 80
600 pairs of boots, 10000 fame! waist
coats and 10000 good cigars to his men
at twenty-four hours notice. Perhaps
the staff officer has thoroughly consid-
cred the capabilities Of London in the
same manner. -
| Marshal Won Moltke may we'll take
his ease, attend with methodical pune
tuslity all sittings of the reichstag, play
his rubber every evening, and devote SO
many tranquil weeks year'y TO bot
his estate at Kreisau. The
lsystem which has reduced the manage
ment Of armies to the precision Of a me-
Echanical science was not constructed in
Ia day; but now that long experience has
shOWn. how we'll It works its principal
engineer can leave it without lnisgiripy
| to be regulated, during his occasional
absences, by the expert pupils whom
| be has trained. The marshall himself
disclaims the idea that he is necessary
man. 1t is the very essence OF his sys-
tenn, as he maintains, that it shalt al
| ways bring out men Of genius So long as
any are to be found in Germany; but OH
this point foreigners, while recognizing
all that is good in Prussian military nd.
mlnistration, will not readily concede
that men like the marshal are easy to re
place !. ..'....ss 5 75
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