The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-03-09
THE GERMAN ARMY.
THE c2oucHlNe TIGER READY ON
THE FRENCH FRONTIER LINE.

Turning out tho Men at All Hours III
Night as n war Were ActaalIy De-
observation-disclosures as Privates-Extra-
ordinary system.
Once inside the city Of Metz you find
discipline, hard work and the results OF a
perfect military system. Fully half the
people you see on the streets are suitiisrs.
In the city OF Metz to-day there are 26, 900
men. Along the frontier, in positions
where they can be concentrated upon the
border within tweRty-four hours, there
are I've 200, 009 men In time of peace
the confinement Of SO large q number OF
men as are at Metz within such circum-
scribed quarters would simply result in
license, id1eness and dissipation. But
there is nothing Of the sort to be seen at
Metz. The men are too constantly occu-
pied. The private soldiers are turned out
at 4 o'clock in the morning. II is drill,
drill from morning till night. The men
are marched and countermarched. They
are exercised in every form Of evolution
which could be employed in actual war.
The officers are constantly securing the
country hunting up new difficulties to
teach their men to overcome by prelipi-
nary drill Such discipline, such subor-
dination, / do not think was ever sur
passed in any army, The officers wear
their uniforms constantly. It is a breach
Of discipline, and of the most serious char
aeter, FOR them to appear in public in
civilian dress. These officers have no time
for social Inequalities. They never make
| calls or accept invitations, except among
themselves. There Is very little entertain
ing even among the officers on the border.
They are too occupied with their military
duties, in the perfeeting of this tremen-
dous military machine which each day
grows more and more formidable.
The perfection of the discipline OF the
German army a only be understood by
witnessing its actual operation. 10 begin
with, the private soldiers are thoroughly
trained physically, as well as In the men.
tai details Of the military profession. They
are all accomplished gymnasts. Although
the men in many OF the regiments are 81
medium size they look strong, hardy and
resolute. The German army Is perfectly
democratic in the placing Of its men. The
sons Of the best families, who wish merely
to serve their three years term, have to
begin In the ranks as common soldiers.
Those who wish to adopt the army as a
profession are placed In special schools,
and according TO the examinations they
are placed in c~orreslondingly better posi-
ton than those who are merely serving
their three years term. But when once
a man enters the army his private social
position Is absolutely ignored. ! heard
| when / was In Metz of a son Of a most
distinguished family being called upon "a
do his three years, service. His head
gardener, who was called out at the same
time and who had previously served, was
given his old position as sergeant. The
young nCbleiaaA Sas placed In the ranks
as a private and under the command Of
his servant, the gardener. The very first
dry Of his service the ~priyates of his COM
pany were put to wheeling dirt for ONE
breastworks. The sergeant could not
bear to see his masters son engaged In
this mental work and took off his coat and
did his share for him, but this simply re-
suited in the punishment Of the sergeant
for q breach Of discipline.
The respect which a subordinate must
pay to his superior extends throughout
every hour and minute of the day. Wher-
ever the subordinate meets his superior In
rank he must extend to him the same OH
ciaI recognition Of this superiority that
ne would exhibit upon the actual parade
ground. The first night Of my arrival in
Metz | was dining at the table d,hote,
when a heavy, thick set German officer
entered the room. A slight, aristocratic
looking German officer; also In uniform,
was ieisurely eating his dinner and talk
ing with a friend when this officer entered
the room. The moment the latter entered
the young officer stood up from the table
and salnted. He stood with his hand at
l. thu ida - HE hnc1 a. tho oft4&s4AN -
salute until the advancing officer returned
the salute and told him politely ia sit
down. In this particular case I after
wards learned that the officer superior In
rank wBs q former tradesman in the town
WHERE &4younger officer, the only son OF
q noble family, was one of its so-
cial leaders. The two men I'M civil Ike
would not know each other socially. Butin
the army the tradesman's position COM
manded the absolute respect and obedience
of the noblenass. / merely give this m
stance is ~ Illustration of the absolute
perfection OF the military s~nbordination la
the German army. | noticed this ON
stantly as the officers came into the dining
room. Every officer who came Ia saluted
those present, and those saluted either
arose az bowed formally, according to
their relative ranks. The working Of this
discipline, which was shown In 8 hotel
dining room, was Of course common ut all
places Of public or private meeting When
the officers pass each other upon the
streets, no matter il it Is twenty times .
day, the san ceremony, only ia a more
curt fashion, is gone through with. The
punishment for any breach Of discipline is
swift and severe. Yet in spite Of the rigor
Of the discipline and the tremendous work
involved, all OF the officers and the men
look comfortable and eontented.
But in nothing Is The perfection Of prep
aration shown more than IN the signals at
night and In the sudden arn1ing and turn
ing out of the entire force along She from
tier upon the shortest possible notice.
The German soldier, when he retires at
night, never knows whether he will be-
called out within the next ten minutes or
as any time OF night. At I O'clock the
signal viii be given and then an order Is
called out for the men, and instantly the
entire garrison at Metz VIII be placed Ia
line. Men viii be sent out at double
quick up andadown the streets, cavalry
win 90 ciestering out into the darkness,
the a~rtillerymen win be whipped ont st
their posts with the same swiftness and