Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-04-24
SWEARING M RECRUITS.
How Simply It. Is Done Here and How
Impressive1y In Germany.

CIV vGHTItNo ts nSSnOtt0s
How Simply It. Is Done Here and How
Impressively In Germany.
'The transformations manner in which
our national affairs are administrated
is we'll illustrated by the striking con-
trast between the ceremony of swearing
in recruits in our army and the same
ceremony in Germany" remarked an
officer who is stationed at Fort Wayne
Here the recruit, after expressing his
desire to serve Uncle Sam, is ushered
into the room, bare, dingy, rented
apartment, which serves as Office for
the enlisting officer Of the army, and
then and there is called upon to repeat
after the said officer the following oath,
its solemn import marked by the cur
sorry upward tendency of the irrespec-
tive right hand: I do solemnly swear
that / will bear true faith and alle-
and that will serve them honestly and
faithfully against all their enemies
whomsoever, and that will obey the
orders of the president Of the United
States and the orders Of the officers ap-
pointed over me, according to the rules
and articles of war. So help me God.
Signature to this oath makes him, with
ont more ado, full fledged soldier.
"How different is the following cere-
mony used in binding Germany's SOL
diers to their kaiser: The young con-
script is conducted to the church of the
parish in which he enlists, where he Is
first addressed by the pastor on the sa-
cred character and great import Of the
oath he is about to take; then, the flag
Of his country and that of his battalion
being placed on the altar, the embryo
soldier is required to place his left hand
on these flags. and raising his right to
repeat the following oath: I swear be-
fore God, who is all powerful, and who
knows all, that will serve loyalty and
faithfully my very gracious sovereign
under all circumstances. On land and
sea, in peace and in war, and in all places
Iswear to seek only his good and to do
everything to prevent injury to him. l
swear to observe strictly the articles of
war which have just been read to me.
swear to obey all orders and TO conduct
myself as every courageous, honest sol
dier ought to do, delighting in fulfilling
the duties that honor imposes upon me-
As surely as God will aid me in gaining
eternity through Jesus Christ. Amenl'
Is it not a serious question whether
our simplicity in the administration of
q sacred oath does not defeat its very
purpose? We in this free born American
republic are justly proud of our sim
pie, unostentatious ways, marked by
want of useless ceremony, and we, by
our example. daily administer rebuke
to the old world of the vanity of its
ways, but let us not carry this feeling
too far Human nature here. as else
where, is impressionable. and If an OBJ
legation is rendered more binding by
impressiveness we should not hesitate to
employ It's necessary accompaniments
even to the fuss and feathers employed
by our elders in the sisterhood Of ma
tions.
''The average American, unversed in
patriotic lore, woefully ignorant of pa
triotic symbols, Is constantly accused Of
want of devotion to his country, of too
great individualism, too little national
ism. Let us hope that this is not so;
that our patriotism but lies dormant,
awaiting the occasion which will call it
into play and make its existent strength
emphatically evident to the world
In the meantime let the soldier
swear by his country's beautiful en-
blem. Furthermore, let the stars and
stripes be displayed more often and with
more reverence before the people at
large Nothing will contribute further
to arouse cur heterogeneous population,
our too large disorderly element. the
product of sordid, selfish individualisnl,
to realization of other more worthy in
terests; of duty paramount to all 9th
ers, yet so generally lost sight of, to a
country that exists, to flag that waves,
on this side Of the ocean Detroit
Free Press.
Napoleon's Great Victories In Italy.
Within II days the Austrians and
Sardinians were separated, the latter
defeated and forced to sign an armistice.
After rest of two days fortnight saw
him victorious in Lombardy and enter
ing Milan as a conqueror. Two weeks
elapsed, and again he set forth to reduce
to his sway in less than a month the
most of central Italy. Against an enc
my now desperate and at bay, his oper-
ations fell into four divisions, each re-
sulting in an advance--the first, of
days, against Wurmser and Quasdano-
wich; second, of 18 days, against
Wurmser; third, of 12 days, against
Alvinczy, and a fourth, of 80 days, un-
til he capturefs Mantua and opened the
mountain passes to his army.
Within 5 days after opening hostil-
tiles against the pope he forced him to
sign tho treaty of Tolentino and with
in SO days Of their setting foot on the
road from MaDtua to Vienna the French
were at Leohen, distant only 90 miles
from the Austrian capital, and dictat-
ing terms to the empire. In the year
between March 27, 1895, and April Z,
1897, Bonaparte humbled the most
naughty dynasty in Europe, toppled the
central European state system and in
itiated the process which has given
predominance apparently final to Prus-
sia, then considered but as parvenu
Professor Sloane's Life of Napoleon"
in Century.
He Shaved Himself.
Il heard a good barber story the 9th,