The Indianapolis journal., 1899-10-15
THE KAISER AND HIS MEN
INTERESTING SKETCH or a MODERN
MILITARY MACHINE.
How the soldiers OF Germany Look
and Act While the Mightiest Mill
tary Ensiae II at Work.
Karlsruhe Letter IN London Standard.


about 1900 men in ALL were in action few
miles TO the northwest OF Stuttgart. To-
day the railways are hard at work carry
Ing the troops back to the garrison towns
from which they have been drawn for the
mareuvers. and the "time-expired" men.
who. after serving the prescribed period in
the ranks, have now been transferred TO
the reserve. hurrying TO their homes.
to resume their vocations I'm civil life. The
operations were superintended by the
Kaiser. who. after reviewing the army con-
centrated round Karlsruhe on the morning
OF Friday last, took UP his quarters at the
grand ducal palace OF this pleasant little
town during that day. He found Karlsruhe
en- fete to receive him. The streets. gay
with an apparently boundless supply Of
flags of Germany and of Baden. were
thronged with good-tempered South Ger
mans. who. In their anxiety to see the En-
peror, patiently submitted to the roughness
Of the police. whom the unaccustomed re-
sponsibility. OF guarding the Emperor had
rendered violent and overbearing TO a de-
gree. The imperial entry was very effec-
tive. First came a procession OF royal car
riages driven by coachmen upon whose red
livcries giittered as many decorations
are usually worn By veteran generals In
these state coaches were distinguished per-
sonages In uniform: then followed long
line Of private carriages. chiefly filled by
officers, with a few civilians. looking out
OF place in their plain black coats amid
the blaze OF color BY which they were sur
riding among a staff remarkab BILE alike for
the physique and good looks OF the officers
composing H. and for the likeness they all
bore TO the Kaiser. One OF the ways in
which the army show their admiration for
their chief Is 10 try TO resemble him. and
boast Of s"mustache does does his best to imi- mi
tate the Emperor. often with great success
One officer, however. who rode on the staff
uafity-Lord Lonsdale-whose clean-shaven
!. face was as distinctly British as his uni
form. that OF the Yeomanry Cavalry Corps,
which still wears the red hanging jacket OF
ffty years ago.
The palace in which the Emperor was en-
tertained by the Grand Duke OF Baden is
preached from the town by a public garden
and avenues of trees Here the grand
duke gave dinner on Friday afternoon
attended by every officer of rank In south
ern Germany. To be In command of the
guard at the entrance TO the palace was
Gus grades in the military hierarchy of
Germany are entitled to different compli-
ments. and the young lieutenant in charge
the occupants of each carriage before de-
Gliding how to receive them. II Is cuSom-
airy. after guard has turned out" for
the officer to allow the men TO break their
ranks and return to the guardroom. AT
first the lieutenant adhered 20 regula-
svsry IN VARIETY sri Of uniform polewed with
such bewildering rapidity that he Kept his
guard permanently drawn up: with pre-
sented arms, To insure that all entitled TO
this honor should duly receive Ii. This in
novation greatly interested the male spec
tators. nearly all OF whom had served in
the army. The younger men criticised this
departure. the seniors OF WhOffl wore
the medals FOR the wars OF 1856 and 1s70-71.
and pronounced the youngster to be
IN the service. These old soldiers were
good types o. the manhood of Baden. the
hard work upon the land, the townsmen
burly and inclined 10 run TO flesh, but al
most all OF them looked fit to rejoin the
their country. The relations between these
veterans and their former officers seemed
very cordial. On several occasions 1 saw
knots OF old heroes standing round one or
their former chiefs, showing their respect
for his rank by uncovering, and the per-
sonal interest in him by inquiries after his
welfare and that of his family.
THE OFFICERS.
The South German officers impress one as
being decidedly good men under whom TO go
into action. They all look like gentlemen.
The elder ones have the calm. steadfast
expression OF men who know they can exc
cute any duty which they may be called
upon to perform. The youngsters are very
like English subalterns, with tovial dare
devil faces; indeed, IL many OF them were
taken out OF their handsome but un-
practical uniforms. and dressed In RED
jumpers shooting boots. breeches, and put
tee legeins. II would be hard TO tell from
their appearance that they were not lads
o % tSe Snea ma 9er Te preyane
color OF the uniform is blue: the coat,
sort of iong-skirted tunic. Is made much
darker blue with red piping down the
seams. are tight. held down by straps over
Wellington boots The natural squareness
of the Teutonic shoulder Is increased by
handsome epaulets. and the great coat
either Ike a frock coat or moving cloak,
Is nd rsa r ss fsenss w'a Ada to this
q helmet with well-burnished metal work.
end you have fair notion OF the South
German officers costume Unsuitable for
active service though this uniform un-
dcubtedly Is. its general effect Is very good;
indeed 50 SeSoTnE is y tha. one II TEMPTED e6
have commissions in the army, FOR all the
male beauty In the country seems TO find
rs way into the corps or ON oIncers VINO, II
The stature OF the rank and file differs curl
ously from that OF their leaders, who are
ost ns r9ss aa men ARE "n dededy short In In
their way they are az we'll dressed as the
officers. for though their blue tunics. TO
English eyes. project I'm awkward folds
from the hips. they are scrupulously clean
their buttons are well FURNISHED. the brass
nelmetS
belts are well blacked and well put on.
In fact they take a pride In themselves.
and I'm this respect present an extraordi-
nary contrast TO the troops of France. who
slouch about the streets dirty, untidy. with
their hands plunged deep into the pockets
OF their baggy, shapeleSs' trousers. without
a vestige OF attention to personal ap-
pearance. The effect of the universal mill
tary service among all ranks was very
conspicuous among the crowds of sight
seers both at the fetes at Karlsruhe and on
the battieields IL II rare ito see civilian
who is not fairly well set up. with back
straightened and shoulders strengthened by
ing which he has undergone during his
service In the active army and in his sub
sequent training as a rescrvist. The weedy
slouchtng foafers who appear In Swarms I'm
every crowd in England were conspicuous
by their absence. and the general average
OF physique among the male population was
distinctly good.
THE SOUTH GERMAN SOLDIER.
AS for the south German soldier. II he Is
short. his strength is undeniable. On the
march and I'm the field he Is loaded like
mule. his huge knapsack. covered with
goats skin. is surmounted by his great coat
and by. a section OF the tent dabri under
which he bivouacs; he has large water
bottle and an ungainly haversack for his
used in the British army; his helmet weighs
as much as ours. and Is even uglier: his
total burden Is about sixty pounds In
weight And yet. on the march. he steps out
with long swinging stride, faster than
ours and covers great distances without ap-
parent fatigue. without struggling. indiffer-
ent alike 10 heat. or cold. or pouring rain.
A q - In he Ks yAf