The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-12-28
U voN moLrKE.
Tho German Napoleon, Who Moves
Men As He Moves oh SIS. Pieces.
FINN fhe T.ondon r;r,oc not OF

Men Az He Moves Oh ess, Pieces.
Fromthe London Times. Oct. q.
Marshal Won Moltke won his great re-
nown 80 late in life that to many he is
still q 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. Tho world has
not yet grown accustomed to the i'm.
meAse changes caused by the militar,
events of 1901. 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
vanquished country to a wounded lion,
round which huntsmen gather half
afraid and saving, ~ bouge" But in
two giant powers stood alone, hand to
hand, with apparently equal chances and
the defeat Of France, the agressor, was
swift overwhelming and discreditable.
No such sudden collapse Of a great en-
pire could aver have been predicted; no
such Wholesale leading into captivity of
generals and legions was ever witnessed.
Yet it is a 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
operations round Paris; or those ofGen.
Won Weraer, who, with 4 5000 men. rout-
ed Bourbaki's $40, 900 alter a 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
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 OF the Franco German war know
that the triumphs of Won Moltke and
his generals are not dimmed by any
tales of French weakness. The advance
of the German armies over France was
like the impetus of a mar skatiDg-0ne
false step would have brought a heavy
fall-and Won Moltke was not admirable
only in having drafted and executed
point for point the most elaborate plan
of campaign eyer conceived, but in hay
ing accurately foreseen all the democrat
izing effects which defeat would produce
upon his foes. Had he made any mis-
calculation; had the French shown spirit
when he expected them to be cowed;
had they resisted stubborn
ly 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; hut he let nothing of
this be seen. A foreigner who called
upon him at Versailles in the midst of
the seige OF Paris, and on a day when a
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 supposing that
he must be busy; but Won Moltke said:
81 have nothing TO do" and went on
chatting with his usual composure. In
this incident was revealed the whole
strength of the German military system,
which allots to each officer just as much
work rs he can easily and efficiently
perform. The formula of the whole sys-
TEN may 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 sheived
without favor or fear, they have been
contributors equally with the best of
their. generals towards the events which
have made Germany what it now is.
The organization of the German army
has in 1t much that produces awe as
we'll as admiration on foreign minds.
The staff Office in Berlin, over which
Marshall Won Moltke presides, has de-
partments as lnyste rious and inQuisito-
raj as those Of the Roman curia; and
the place is in fact 81 military inouisi-
ton. Maps of all countries and cities Of
Europe are there, with plans of invad-
ing these localities, and minute details
asto the accommodations which the in
vaders would find in the way of board
and lodging. When Gen. Won Cohen,
at the head of the Eighth army
crops, marched into Rouen, he
astounded the inhapitants by sending
out, within half an hour Of his entry,
adiutants who marked on the door of
each house the number of billets it was
to furnish. Protests were of no use.
general had his instructions con-
corning what each house could do and
must do, and he knew. moreover, tina t
the city was in a position to supply 49,
GOO pairs of boots, 10000 flannel waist
coats and 10000 good cigars to his men
at twenty-fonr hours notice. Perhaps
the staff officer has thoroughly consid-
cred the capabilities of London in the
manner
Marshal Won Moltke may we'll take
his ease, attend with methodical pune
tn ality all sittings of the reichstag, play
his rubber every evening, and devote so
many tranquil weeks yearly to bot
his estate at Kreisau. The
system which has reduced the manage
ment OF armies to the precision of a me-
cbanical science was not constructed in
a day; but now that long experience has
shown how well it works it's principal
engineer can leave it without misgiving
to be regulated, during his occasional
absences, by the expert pupils whom
he has trained. The marshal himself
disclaims the idea that he is a necessary
man. 1t is the very. essence OF his sys-
tenn, as he nsaintains, that it shalt al
ways bring out men of genius so long as
any are to be found in Germany; but on
this point foreigners, while recognizing
that is good in Prussian military adj
that men like the marshal are easy to re
place
-
He Had Him, Bald- Headed.