The San Francisco call., 1897-09-26

States and of 1S70-71 against France are
still fresh in our memories, and we VIII
not tire our readers with recapltulation
A great many persons ascribe the sue
cesses in these wars, as we'll as the estab-
lishment of the German empire, exclu-
sively to the strategy of Won Moltke and
to the statecraft of Bismarck. That is a
mistake, and we do not detract an iota
from the credit due to these two great
Germans if we insist that much praise is
due to the Emperor also. The famous
military system, which has since been
initiated by every Continental great
power, is the Emperor's own work. he
abored all his life from early in the
morning till late at night on the reorgan-
ization of the army, and it was he who
bro ought his troops to a perfection there
tofore unequaled in any country, and
neither Won Moltke nor Bismarck would
have been able to accomplish what they
did if William l had not paved the way
for them. 1t is hard to say whether he
possessed much ability as a commander.
for, though he personally conducted two
of The largest battles ever ioug ght (Konig-
gratz July 3, 1866. and Gravelotte, Au-
gust Is, 1870. the disposition of the troops
was made by Moltke.
1t ough: to be mentioned that in all the
Prussian wars the monarchs were most
ably seconded by the royal princes. Many
of the victories of Frederick the Great
were due to the generalship and valor of
his brother Henry. In the last three wars
the Emperor's only son, two brothers and
wo nephews distinguished tn emselves.
Frederick Charles, popularity called the
Red Prince on account of his scarlet
Hussar uniform, was msnder-in chic t
in the Danish and commander of an army
in the Austrian and French wars. The
Crown Prince, afterward Emperor Fred
erlck III, also com manded an army in the
two last mentioned wars and contributed
much to the success of the German arms.
Prince Charles, spector-general of artil-
lerv, was the reorganiZer OF this branch
of the army and the Princes AlDrecht,
father and son, participated in other, but
less important, battles.
1t is a strange and almost unaccount-
able fact that the Hohenzollern person.
ally were by no means fond OF warfare.
The Great Elector preferred quiet family
life to all renown gained by his victorious
army. Frederick the Great felt comfort.
able only in the solitude of Sans Souci,
where he amused himself with belletristlc
pursuits and with playing the flute.
William l tried every thing in his power
to avoid war and consented to it only
when there was no other way left to get
out of it honorably, while Frederick III
had perfect adherence of strife OF any
kind.
The present Emperor so far has had no
chance to show his abilities in actual war
fare. Already at the lifetime OF his father
and grandfather, when there seemed to be
littIs chance tnat he would become En-
peror before the expiration OF many years,
he was considered an unusually good
soldier, well versed in all branches of
military science, and 1t is not likely that
he has de- enerated in this respect since
then. 1t is 10 be hoped that he has in-
herited not only his forefathers' abilities,
but also their repugnance of war, and so
far, at least. he has not done anything to
lead us to believe 20 the contrary.
WILLIAM LoDTMANN.