The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-27

manipulation by the commander Of his I'M
portant s~ubordinates, and the playing upon
the feelings, the wants, the very prejudices,
as we'll as the ambitions and passions, OF
the rank and file. You have to find out
what your army ia daily thinking Of, and
lead that thought along the line you wish
it to travel.
Count Moltke was a voluminous writer,
and all intelligent readers, as we'll as sol
diers, will enjoy much that he published.
His private letters are fascinating, full OF
pathos, and admirable descriptions of all
he saw in foreign countries. To English
soldiers his work on the Russo-Turkish
war Of 1899 is perhaps best known. An
English translation OF it appeared during
the Crimean war, and. although it may
be somewhat wanting in imagination, ! can
we'll remember the great impression u
made upon ME then. 1t is replete with
useful criticism, and one is struck with the
extreme care with which the topography OF
the theatre of war and of each battlefield
is described. In this he closely reHembled
General Charles Gordon, n OF whose most
remarkable Observation-Disclosures to which
he owed much of his military s,lccess-wM
his intimate knowledge Of the country
where he operated.
Moltke il said to have himself written
much OF the official staff history Of the
hnd he not devoted his life to strategy and
the construction of a machinery for the
most rapid mobilization Of an army, this
great soldier, chary of speech. would have
been an eminent writer on many subjects.
Running through all he wrote, there is a
calm moderation and al even Justice, from
which all exaggeration. all heated super
latives are carefully eliminated.
There is commonly q false surprise ex-
pressed when any general Of ability ID
found who can write we'll. Why this should
be I know not, for most Of the great com
| David, Xenophon, Caesar, MonticucuIli.
| Prince Eugene, Marlborough, Berwick,
Marshal SAKE, Frederick the Great, Napo-
leon. Wellington and a host Of minor lights
in all countries have left us q great deal
that for all ages will be highly thought OF:
! the great Moltke. In his military writings
he displayed great genius for war long be-
| fore he had any opportunity of directing
troops in the field. The great military
writer ia not. however, always, as he was,
/ the best general when in front of the
! enemy.
or his voluminous writings, a letter OF
1880. upon the so-oallsd laws of war il very
remarkable. 1t was an acknowledgements
OF a manual compiled at Oxford by the self
elected 'Institut dc Droit International
The Duke of Wellington described martial
law as the will Of the general commanding,
and Moltke's letter is an able enlargement
of that celebrated dictum. 1t HhOulu be
learned by al those excellent philanthro--
pists who believe the day is nigh at hand
liz down beside the fat and help
less lamb. perpetual peace Ia q
dream,' he says, "and 10 not
even a beautiful dream. War ID an element
in the order of the world ordained BY God.
In ii the nobleat virtues OF mankind are de-
yeloped-courage and the abnegation Of
self. faithfulness to duty and the spirit Of
sacrifice. The soldier gives his life. With
! out wnr the world would stagnate Il loso
itself in materialism." He AIDA what all
will agree with; 1.-THE greatest kindness in
war il to bring 1T to a speedy conclusion"
For the views expressed IN tins letter he
was somewhat roughly handled by the rad
ical press OF Germany.
In 1881 he wrote Il most interesting arti
Gle upon the battle Of Koniggratx, which
has been recently published in Germany. a
translation OF IL will be found In q nnmbei
OF the United Service magazine. II " II