Birmingham state herald., 1897-01-03
GDRMANY's DUBL1NG NUISANCE.
t Will Continue as Long as the En-
 peror Gives It Countenance.

It Will Continue as Long as the Em-
 peror Gives It Countenance
 German Correspondence of New York
 Observer
 The topic of the hour is the dueling nuisance, and until the nuisance has been abolished it will remain to the forefront of those wicked abuses against which the best elements in Germany, social and political, have set their faces. It is an evil of long standing, and derives its chief support from the universities and from the various corps of officers, especi- ally from the Prussian corps. We all know, those of us at least who have wis., ited Germany, those slashed and scared young warriors to be seen at night in the beer houses and during the day parading the streets with their dogs, canes and ridiculous little caps. But the dueltng practiced by these youths is more or less of an innocent nature and mere contest of skill in arms than anything else In the corps of officers it is diffreent Here we have grown men and not boys vain of a gash across their cheek bone. They are full to overflowing with inflated ideas of their own importance and the dignity of their military calling.
 They are taught by the elder officers and in turn teach the younger that an officers honor is something quite differ ent to the honor of a civilian and that 1t is his bounded duty to revenge an insult from an equal by the duel and from an inferior-if at all-by violence and by using the weapon at his side. The much discussed case of Lieut.. won Brusewitz illustrates quite sufficiently the military spirit and the great gulf between sol dier and civilian. Brusewitz ran his sword through the poor mechanic be- cause he believed himself insulted and his honor besmirched. But the wretched mechanic was unarmed and begged for mercy, yet this honorable officer stuck this defenseless, pleading man through and through with his sword. It is urged by defenders of the attitude of the mill itary that as an officer wears the kaiser's coat, an insult to an officer is an insult leveled at majesty, and such must be revenged. This plea seems most absurd to Englishmen and Americans, but it is seriously urged in Germany. I have heard 1t urged again and again even in Christian circles of society But it is forgotten that this "coat" is none of the kaiser's providing; and the 'coat," and the salary as well of the officer, are pro- vided out of taxes paid by the people, and that the duty of the officer is to see that the people are protected from their ene- mics.
 We have heard of incense being offered to a Roman eanperors horse, of reverence being done to Gessler's hat, but the kaiser's coat! It is all really very
  glad to notice that the best men and the best newspapers in the country have no part in such emedievalism. It is really sad to reflect, that since word from the emperor would forever put an end to all this dueling, he has not said this word. On the contrary, he is credited with using his influence in support of the system. Only year or two ago at Bonn he de- tended the dueling of the students, or whenever an, officer is convicted of duel- ing and Is sentenced to nominal imprison- ment in a fortress. the kaiser ostenta- tiously pardons him when only a small portion of his sentence has expired. As matters are,, class distinctions, and es- peciaily those between soldier and cir- ilian, arc. in Germany becoming more ard who calls his dog civilian" only repre- sents the feelings of large section of those young bloods to the people who feed and clothe them.