Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-09-30
MUST MARRY MONEY.
Poor German Onicers Have No Alter
native.

/
Poor German Omoors Have No Alter
native.
The Berlin correspondent Of the New
York Evening Post says: Must not a
profession be morally degrading which
compels large number of men to live
continually beyond their means anu
offers them no way out Of the burden
of debt thus contracted except rich
marriages? The army officers who are
SO placed socially that what for others
is choice is for them a duty-who
are obliged to keep up appearances, 10
participate in the most costly social
amusem ents-are more poorly PAID
than many a shop clerk or skilled ar
tisan. The rich mans son, in the ar
my for the position it gives,cares noth-
ing for this, of course. He spends MS
salary on a bouquet for the latest bal
let favorite, and thinks no more OF It.
But for the majority, many Of whom
have a noble name which prevents
them, in their opinion, from taking up
| any business land lack of means pre-
vents a university course and prepara-
ton for learned profession as welD,
there is only the army.
For a man with small private in
come, or as in some cases with none
at all, the army is martyrdom, which
few outsiders would care to experience.
| The salary Of first or second lieuten-
ant is not nearly adequate for one
half of the expenses necessitated by
the position. But it is easy, fatally
easy, for an officer to borrow money;
| the money-lenders come to him as soon
as he enters a new garrison and offer
them, and they know that his business
ineXperience and his necessity will per-
NIT them to obtain his signature for an
exorbitant rate of interest. The pay
ment is sure enough, for there are
| plenty of rich girls only too eager to
marry an officer, and if not, even II the
harassed debtor turn to the pistol as a
last refuge, the honor Of his family,
his name, requires that his debts be
paid. If no one else, then even the
regiment will come to the front, and
pay up to shield their comrade. A good
trait, perhaps, but how much better IL
conditions were such that at last gen.
erosity were not necessary?
Army statutes forbid man to mar
nnlacc aithar ha mr. hic hridn
show just as much capital, 10000
marks, / think it is. Unless the Off
Ger has a private fortune, he certainly
cannot save that amount from salary
not sufficient for him to live upon, so
no choice is left him but to marry for
money. We may not be sentimentally
inclined nowadays, but / do not feel
that for a man to find himself COM
PEELED to marry for money, to sell him
self, is state Of things which is most
deplorable The whole unhealthy at
mosphere Of the profession mentally,
the fighting against debts and credi-
tors on the one hand and the feeling
ones self a little tin god" on the
other, has resulted in creating class
of meu very elegant to look at physic-
ally, but intolerant, overbearing, self
satisfied, and as uninteresting mentally
as a man can well be in those days Of
cheapened education.
There is no class Of men in Europe,
and this is a strong assertion, who are
so insolent to women as are the Ger
man officers. While all politeness to
the women whom they consider their
social equals, their behavior in the
street is an outrage on all decency.
The coat they wear is supposed to
give them the rank Of gentlemen, but
their behavior towards unprotected or
self-supporting women lacks anything
that would show the first instincts Of
a gentleman