The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-10-10
SPANISH SOLDIERS.
THE MAJORITY OF OFFICERS KNOW
LITTLE OF MILITARY LIFE.
Openly stated That, as Far -
Practicable, the Army VIII Be

MADRID, Oct. Sat this writing the
air IS fun cf the tones OF the voice or
war. Every spauiard is a patriot up 10
a certain limit. I am speaking OF the
Spanish men-not OF the women In the
DAYS gone BY the women OF Spain were
thu mainstay Of the Dons. encouraging,
aiding and sbet,ing in every possible
manner. The present government or
Spain has changed all this. The women
OF Spain are not Spartan mothers.
The Spanish soldier who may vet face
the men who wear Uncle Sans blue as
an enemy, is 20 be pitied He Is a young
chap, ordinarily. and his careless. free
and happy life has fitted him for moth
ing Ike the stern duties OF war. II is
an actual fact that many Of the boys who
now make mp the Spanish army when
they first put on the uniform hardly
knew which end OF the gun the bullet
came from, and. strange as the fact may
seem. they have learned very little more
of their military duties
| was watching in the Plaza the other
day the attempts of several officers 70 driu
some of the new recruits who have Just
been brought In from the interior. II was
painful. amusing. tragic. Fer these were
the men-or boys-on whom Spain IS forced
TO depend 10 maintain her supremacy.
have witnessed the drill OF troops. raw ana
regular IN many countries. but l am free
TO state that l never saw anything ap-
preaching the spectacle on the Plaza I'M
sgtne IL you can, line of ren-or boys
a line as crooked a wrigglng serpent
TIE new soldiers s1ufried when they moved
and were evidently IN very great rear OF
the weapons they carried.
As looked al this stumbling, snunLnS
line OF country bred lads, II or 10 years oad
most OF them. wondered what manner OF
man the officer would be VINO could make
a genuine soldier out of even one lhen
watched the officers. They all wore gor-
seous uniforms and clanking swords. Ihose
are the two marks OF the Spanish onicer.
AS rule II is all that he has TO Distinguish
him by. for nature has not gifted him Win
either physique or brains. Having Soma
familiarity with military commands. l APP
preached as near the recruits ana oHiceFs
as possible that might be enlightened as
10 the Spanish manual. / give the COM
mands as L heard them in Spanish, trans
lated into English.
The lieutenant of infantry, who appeared
10 be the senior officer in charge OF tue
drill, stood very erect and looked nara al
the boys before him. evidently with the
idea of seeking to impress them with MS
magnidcence as a soldier, Attention.
he called All the boys looked at him.
naturally. They would have looked at me
as readily l. | had shouted
ssRight dress" The boys looked al hifn
and never moved. He called them ali
sorts of names. and then what was my
astonishment to see him walk over 10 tiis
tallest recruit who stood In the center OF
the line and deliberately turn him ana MS
face left dress. / thought the man must
be making game of the boy, but no. he
steuped back few PAGES, again gave the
order. and succeeded In inducing the ma
iorjty OF the recruits to assume the atti
tude of left dress at the commAi" Vi
right. ,.,
This was a sample OF the way IN winch
he put those poor fellows through man
nal Of arms. which would have made
student of Upton's tactics roar with mer-
riment. Even despite my surroundings
could net keep back the laughter ana nm
mediately became persona non grata Win
the uniformed representatives OF SPAN
army / watched the drill for fully nfteen
minutes. and l do not think | ever saw
such marvellous stupidity and ignorance
shown as these Spanish officers displayed.
II seemed 10 me that these men must be
an exception to the rule, and FOR the pur-
pose of satisfying myself ON this point L
Incurred OF a friend who Is thoroughly
posted in such matters. and ne informed
me that with very few exceptions the
Spsuiards were ignorant of the most ofoi-
nary principles of the military drill. When
the recruits are brought in from the hills
or from whatever portion OF spain they
can be gathered. they are supposed TO De
what Tommy Atkins sergeant cails lick
ed into shape" But no Spanish soldier is
ever licked into shape nowadays unless II
is Chen he meets the Cuoans-
The courage and the innocence wnicn
these boys clothed in Spanish uniforms
exhibit challenges your admiration and
your sympathy at the same time. They
have been told. when gathered in by the
military rake, that IL Is really only
pleasure excursion they are going TO take,
and that they will run no risk OF death or
anything unpleasant. In the face or this
they are shipped of 70 Cuba "here, IN
fever-breeding swamps. huddled together
IN beastly fashion. half clothed and de-
prived OF the necessarles OF life, they are
kent until either dead or wrecked by III
ness Rumors Of the truth are beginning
10 penetrate even the Businesses OF Spain.
and II I mistake not the effect VIII De ire
mendous
/ am enabled 20 state upon very good
authority that agents Of the military arm
NJ the government are now scattered
through the provinces endeavoring TO
make a anal draft for a coup de main that
IS expected to take place In the event or
81 riouS trouble with the United States.
The boys who are caught in the drag net
are 10 be mdbilized at whatever point Is is
dee med most nccNSE airy 10 SHOW a SIT itE
front 10 any force OF United States troops
or sailors The extent OF this force no one
cen tell. because no one knows how many
boys who have hitherto escaped the draft
have been captured this time. From all I
can learn | do not think IL VIII be very
great.
But there is another element with which
the Spanish government must contend.
and that Is the matrons Of SaTagossa-
Spartan motaers they may Toe 10 certain
extent. but the women 81 no government
on earth viii all submit 20 having son ar
ter son torn from their firesldes and sent
70 death and destruction. These women
have seen theIr boys innocent, happy
Wght-hearted fellows on whom their hopes
have been Quilt. march away 20 the trans
port ships and 50 FAR as home father
and mother are concerned. disappear ,or-
ever These incidents are not By dog
ems. but by thousands. Is Il a wonder
then that the mothers who stu have their
offspring with them are clingIng 70 them
and cherishing a bitter hatred against
the government that would take rom
them that which Is dearest Of all, There
Is not a mother IN Spain today among
What is known "A = the people who does
nos curse the government under Ter
breath.
Even the queen, who has heard ne m
rnors OF the desperation ia the hearts or
the women q Spain has been touched ny
nasaaf