News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-04-29
THREE YEARS FOR LAUGHING.
Illustrations of the Rigidity of Military
Discipline in the German Army.

The German Army is probably the
most splendidly trained armed organi-
zation upon which the sun has ever
shone. And we'll it may be, consider
ing the care expended upon its mainte-
nance. Society here in general has just
been startled by certain measures which
have been adopted in the interests, as is
averred, of discipline and morale.
These measures involve nothing less
than the sentencing of an entire com
pany to three years fortress detention
for what would seem to the non-mlll-
tary mind a, under the circumstances,
not very alarming breach of discipline
A certain Captain Adolph Won Aren-
berg, while drilling his company, to the
unbounded surprise of the soldiers in
dulged in variety of antics and grim
aces which caused great number of
the men to break into laughter. The
Colonel quickly heard of the affair and
ordered the whole company under ar
rest.
Although it turned out that Captain
Won Arenberg was suffering from men
tai alteration and that his condition
was such as to render his removal to an
asylum for medical treatment necessary,
the entire company was sentenced to
three years detention in fortress for the
breach of discipline in having laughed
at one clothed in the uniform of cap
tain in the line. This three years SEN
tence will have to be served in addition
to the regular term of compulsory SER
vice in the army.
Another instance of rigidity of the
German military code comes from Han
over. A young lieutenant of uhlans
was riding along the Georgen strasse
when his horse baked and got In the
way of passing coal cart. The shaft
of the cart struck the officers horse and
the latter spoke some sharp words to
the driver.
This driver, who, it appears, was
a good Hanoverian, with a strong
hatred for all Prussians, got angry in
turn. AS he drove quickly on he struck
the officer twice over the shoulder with
his whip. The young lieutenant, his
eyes blazing with fury, made violent
effort to reach his assailant, with whom
it would doubtless have Jared badly
had he succeeded. But he was hinder
ed by crush of traffic and the offend
ing coal cart driver succeeded in max
ing good his escape.
The lieutenant was promptly cash
tered. Why? Because a gross insult
had been offered in his person to the
German military uniform and he had
not succeeded in avenging it. Under
the German law he would have been
justified in cutting his assailant d wn
or in running him through the body.
Is this not keeping up the morale OF the
army with a vengence?
In Brunswick, where the drainage
facilities are of the most primitive char
acter, there exists a reprehensible habit
of throwing dirty water out the win
dows. True, sometimes premonitOry
cry of warning is uttered for the bene-
fit of passers-by, but sometimes even
this is omitted by careless ones.
Some days since one Gustave Glitz
suddenly threw open his window on the
second floor and forthwith soused down
into the street che contents of perez
lain vessel filed with dirty water. It
alighted full upon the gold-laced cap
and glittering epaulettes of stern Wis
aged captain of cuirassiers who had
served with distinction in the France
Prussian war. With a blood curdling
imprecation, the dripping officer burst
stairs two at time and with his drawn
sword belabored the juggler of porce-
liam within fraction of an inch of his
life. The morale of the army is regard
ed by him as having been sustained.